Brandon Ingram (Achilles) to miss start of season

The 13th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Gradey will get a change of scenery after three inconsistent seasons in Toronto. After making 54 starts in his second season, the 6-foot-6 wing saw his opportunities decrease sharply last season, with his playing time dropping from 29.4 to 14.0 minutes per game. However, while the trade gives Gradey a fresh start, the Clippers also added Max Strus and Keaton Wagler this offseason, not to mention Ingram. Getting the minutes needed to affect fantasy basketball will be challenging for Gradey this season.

The trade, which was agreed upon on June 30, was held up due to an ongoing investigation surrounding salary cap circumvention by the Clippers in regard to paying Leonard. Sanctions have been levied in that matter, and the two teams will proceed with the blockbuster deal.

Strus will get a fresh start after three seasons in Cleveland. His defense and floor spacing should help make an immediate impact for the Clippers as they look to establish a new identity in the post-Kawhi Leonard era. Strus could start alongside Darius Garland, but his presence in a crowded backcourt will make the rotation difficult to project. Kris Dunn, Bennedict Mathurin (RFA) and Gradey Dick all stand to lose out on minutes with Strus on the squad.

The Cavs’ interest in Watson has been rumored for a while, and they were finally able to get a deal done, and it wasn’t just the trade. With the deal, Watson also agreed to a four-year, $88 million extension to stay in Cleveland for a while. Watson is coming off a breakout season and should fill in as the Cavs’ fifth starter alongside James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Watson’s role will look different than it did last season, but his versatility on both ends should fit in well in Cleveland as they look to compete in the East. Watson’s departure should officially lock in Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson and Aaron Gordon as starters in Denver, though Julian Strawther should step into extra minutes off the bench.

Watson remains a restricted free agent, and the Cavaliers are reportedly exploring ways to create enough salary-cap space to offer him a four-year deal. According to Stein, Cleveland has considered trade scenarios involving guards Dennis Schroder and Max Strus to shed salary. Watson is seeking a deal worth more than $25 million annually, but could also accept his $6.5 million qualifying offer from the Nuggets and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Whether he remains in Denver or heads elsewhere, Watson has the skill set needed to offer reliable fantasy value. That said, an opportunity to start would raise his ceiling, and that may not be possible in Denver next season.

The 13th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Gradey had an uneven three seasons in Toronto. The 2024-25 campaign was his best, but it was a season when injuries decimated the Raptors. As part of a healthier rotation in 2025-26, Gradey averaged 6.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 14.0 minutes. While a capable shooter, he goes to a situation in Los Angeles in which consistent rotation minutes may be challenging to come by. Gradey is worth holding onto in dynasty leagues, but redraft league managers may want to look elsewhere for late-round value.

While Ingram had an excellent first season in Toronto, the Raptors did not hesitate to reunite with Kawhi Leonard when the opportunity presented itself. He appeared in 77 regular-season games for the Raptors, the most since his rookie season, posting averages of 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 three-pointers while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 82.0 percent from the foul line. Ingram does not offer the same all-around skill set as Leonard, but he’ll slot into the spot within the Clippers’ starting lineup. As long as he’s available, Ingram can approach top-50 fantasy value, but the injury history usually pushes his ADP down a round.

Strus has not been in the starting lineup for this series, with Dean Wade (two rebounds, one assist and one steal) receiving the first shot at defending New York’s Jalen Brunson. However, it’s fair to question if Cavaliers’ head coach Kenny Atkinson will consider a lineup change going into Monday’s must-win Game 4. Strus, who logged 31 minutes to Wade’s 17, is a greater threat offensively while being able to harass Brunson defensively. The Knicks’ star still scored 30 points in Game 3, but Cleveland not getting any offensive production from Wade was also problematic. Cleveland needs a win on Monday to extend its season and send the series back to New York for a Game 5.

Usually, James Harden (nine points, five rebounds and six assists) shooting 2-of-10 from the field would spell doom for his team. That wasn’t the case on Sunday, with Merrill’s performance among the reasons why. Shooting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, Merrill was one of four Cavaliers to finish the 125-94 rout with at least 20 points. Max Strus (9/3/2/3 with one three-pointer) was the fifth starter on Sunday, replacing Dean Wade, but there’s room for Merrill to step up as well. Cleveland visits New York on Tuesday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Cavaliers have changed their starting lineup for Game 7, with Strus replacing Dean Wade. Strus offers a higher offensive ceiling, and he can also take on the task of defending Cade Cunningham. The other four starters are unchanged.