Haynes: DeAndre Jordan re-signs with Pelicans

The writing has been on the wall for quite some time that the Kings want to kick-start their rebuild by moving on from a few veteran players. With Zach LaVine opting into the final year of a deal that will pay him over $49 million, it will be easier financially for Sacramento to move on from DeRozan, either via trade or the waive-and-stretch provision. According to Iko’s report, DeRozan expects the latter to happen. Only $10 million of his 2026-27 contract is guaranteed, so spreading that money over three years would not significantly damage the Kings’ finances. DeRozan turns 37 next month, but in the right situation he can still provide solid middle-round value in standard fantasy leagues.

After two seasons in which the Raptors failed to reach the postseason, they won 46 games in 20256-26 and lost to the Cavaliers in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. While the acquisition of Kawhi Leonard means expectations will be significantly higher for Rajaković in 2026-27, the contract extension signals that the front office believes he is the right coach for the job.

The signing of Bagley gives the Nuggets additional frontcourt depth and could mean that Jonas Valančiūnas’ time in the Mile High City is coming to an end. Between Washington and Dallas, the 2018 second overall pick appeared in 60 games last season, averaging 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 20 minutes. With Nikola Jokić set to once again log heavy minutes in the middle, Bagley is unlikely to get the run needed to have an impact in fantasy basketball in 2026-27.

One day removed from informing the Lakers of his decision to move on, James has received interest from multiple teams in free agency. Golden State, Cleveland and Miami have been mentioned in various reports, and now Philadelphia has reportedly thrown its hat into the ring. The 76ers made a major move on Wednesday, acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Celtics for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks. On paper, Philadelphia’s current roster has the look of a contender in the East, even without James. Adding LeBron to the mix would round out their starting lineup, pushing Dominick Barlow to the bench after he started for most of the 2025-26 campaign.

Sorber, the 15th overall pick in the 2025 draft, missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering a torn right ACL in early September. The good news is that Wednesday’s arthroscopic procedure is considered minor, and the rookie is expected to resume basketball activities in four weeks. Due to the timeline, Sorber won’t play in Summer League, missing out on valuable live reps. Once the season begins, he’ll look to earn minutes in a center rotation once again led by Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Johnson will now head to his fourth NBA team in three seasons. The former 2024 first-round pick has logged 77 career games, posting averages of 4.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 35.7/24.5/85.7 shooting splits. He is unlikely to find a substantial role in Memphis or generate much value in fantasy basketball leagues.

The Grizzlies’ rebuild continues, with the franchise now moving on from Aldama, the 30th overall pick in the 2021 draft. Before a knee injury ended his 2025-26 season in mid-March, the foward/center averaged 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.6 three-pointers in 27.9 minutes. Aldama, who shot 47.9 percent from the field, averaged a career-high in points and matched his previous high in rebounds. With PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and lottery pick Morez Johnson Jr. all under contract for next season, Aldama’s fantasy ceiling may be limited in Dallas, but that was likely to be the case in Memphis as well, given their additions via the draft and free agency.

The blockbuster deal between Eastern Conference foes swaps two highly regarded two-way wings. George, who is coming off an injury-plagued second season with the Sixers, averaged 17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds across 37 regular-season games. While no longer in his prime, the veteran is still a capable perimeter defender and scorer, with the size and skill set to comfortably play either forward position. Despite being far removed from his days as a Tier 1 fantasy basketball option, he’ll have some fantasy value in Boston, particularly due to his high-volume three-point shooting in a system that encourages shots from beyond the arc.

The Celtics have been shopping Brown for a while now, and they finally found an offer that made moving on from the five-time All-Star worthwhile. Coming off the best individual season of his NBA career, the 6-foot-6 wing is headed to Philadelphia. Last season, Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.0 three-pointers while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 79.5 percent from the foul line. Joining forces with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey likely puts a dent in Brown’s usage, but his fantasy value should not take too big of a hit, if any, in Philadelphia.

Ever since Caldwell-Pope exercised his $21.6 million option for the 2026-27 season, Wednesday’s report was the expected outcome. Memphis is in the midst of a rebuild, and the 33-year-old guard’s timeline does not align with it. Given the size of Caldwell-Pope’s contract and his production in recent years, his leaving Memphis via a waive-and-stretch provision feels more realistic than a trade.