Fantasy Basketball News, Stats and Analysis (2024)

Kira Lewis: To become free agent

5h ago

The Jazz did not extend a qualifying offer to Lewis on Saturday, making him an unrestricted free agent, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports.

Lewis will now be able to test the open market to find a new franchise. After Lewis was traded from the Raptors to the Jazz in 2023-24, he proceeded to make just 12 appearances with 3.8 points and 1.6 assists per game.

Thunder's Cason Wallace: Not likely to play in Summer League

6h ago

Coach Mark Daigneault said Saturday that Wallace is not likely to suit up for the Thunder during Summer League, Clemente Almanza of USA Today reports.

Wallace had a solid rookie season on a stacked roster, appearing in 82 regular-season games for the Thunder. The 20-year-old averaged 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.9 steals across 20.6 minutes per game. While Wallace had a productive rookie season, it is slightly surprising the team wouldn't want the young guard to pick up extra reps during the offseason in the Summer League.

Malachi Flynn: Headed for free agency

11h ago

The Pistons didn't extend Flynn a $5.81 million qualifying offer Saturday, making him an unrestricted free agent, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.

Flynn notably dropped 50 points off the bench in an April 3 game Atlanta, but that was essentially the only highlight of his season. All told, the 26-year-old averaged 5.5 points, 1.9 assists and 1.7 rebounds across 12.7 minutes in 69 regular-season games while bouncing around between the Raptors, Knicks and Pistons. Flynn will look to catch on elsewhere in free agency as a reserve guard.

Clippers' Russell Westbrook: Staying in L.A.

12h ago

Westbrook exercised his $4 million player option for the 2024-25 season Saturday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

The nine-time All-Star hasn't been a regular starter in the past two seasons, but he appears to have become comfortable in his role as a lead guard off the bench. Since he would have been unlikely to fetch much more than $4 million on the open market, Westbrook will stick around for a second full season with the Clippers, coming off a 2023-24 campaign in which he averaged 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals across a career-low 22.5 minutes in 68 appearances. Westbrook's role could expand during the upcoming season if the Clippers aren't able to retain Paul George -- who is expected to decline his $48.79 million player option for 2024-25 and become an unrestricted free agent -- and don't replace him with another high-usage star.

Trail Blazers' Dalano Banton: Staying in Portland

12h ago

The Trail Blazers exercised Banton's $2.2 million team option for the 2024-25 season Saturday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

Banton will return to Portland for his first full season with the Trail Blazers after he was acquired from the Celtics in Feb. 8. While Portland shut down several key contributors with injuries late last season, the 24-year-old stepped into a focal role for Portland, averaging 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.9 steals over 30 contests with the club. Though he played well enough to stick around in Portland in 2024-25 and may even have earned himself a rotation spot, Banton is still expected to see a steep role reduction if the Trail Blazers have the likes of Jerami Grant (hamstring), Shaedon Sharpe (abdomen) and Anfernee Simons (knee) available to begin the upcoming season.

Collin Gillespie: Bound for free agency

14h ago

The Nuggets are declining to extend Gillespie (knee) a $1.87 million qualifying offer prior to Saturday's deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent, Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette reports.

Along with Gillespie, the Nuggets also opted not to extend a qualifying offer to fellow two-way player Braxton Key, opening up a pair of two-way slots for undrafted rookies Trey Alexander and PJ Hall. Gillespie had served as a two-way player for the Nuggets for each of the past two seasons, though he didn't appear in the NBA or in the G League during his first professional campaign in 2022-23 while he recovered from surgery to repair a fractured right leg. Gillespie proceeded to make 24 appearances for the Nuggets in 2023-24, averaging 3.6 points, 1.1 assists and 0.9 rebounds in 9.4 minutes per contest. He missed the Nuggets' final game of the regular season due to a left knee sprain and then was ineligible for Denver's postseason run because of his status as a two-way player, but the expectation is that Gillespie will be back to full health for the start of NBA training camps in the fall.