Julian Strawther exits due to left knee injury

DeRozan was waived by the Kings in early July, and he has now found a new home for his 18th NBA season. He spent the last two in Sacramento and will remain in the West, though on a more competitive team. DeRozan will have a chance to start, but it is more likely that he is used in a reserve capacity. DeRozan has only come off the bench 12 times in his career, all during his rookie season. He’ll likely take another hit in production due to a minutes decrease next season.

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.

DeRozan’s time with the Kings ended earlier this summer, and there has been speculation about his next stop. Miami, Denver, Cleveland and Washington have reportedly expressed interest in the veteran wing, and there were also reports that Portland was involved. However, according to Stein, the Trail Blazers have not pursued the possibility of signing DeRozan. Given the team’s surplus of perimeter players, it is unsurprising that Portland would not be in the mix for the 36-year-old.

In the aftermath of his exit from Sacramento, DeRozan was considered to be a player likely headed to a team with postseason ambitions. Miami, Cleveland and Denver have all expressed interest since the veteran wing hit free agency, and now Washington has reportedly worked its way into the mix. Given the number of young wings on the Wizards’ roster, adding DeRozan would create even more of a logjam, potentially limiting the short-term fantasy potential of a Kyshawn George or Will Riley.

Unsurprisingly, the six-time All Star will enter free agency as Sacramento looks to the future with a rebuild centered around young talent like Darius Acuff Jr. and Nique Clifford. DeRozan is now free to sign with the team of his choosing. Teams to keep an eye on include the Warriors, Heat, Lakers and Raptors. He could also team up with LeBron James, depending on where James ultimately decides to sign.

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.

Strawther had almost a repeat performance of his game in the win over the Thunder on Friday. The 23-year-old small forward started, led the Nuggets with 34 minutes, dropped 20 points and hit four three-pointers. Sound familiar? Strawther is likely to be just a depth option as the Nuggets head into the playoffs.

The three veterans won’t be available for Sunday’s season finale. The absences of DeRozan, Westbrook and Monk have benefited Devin Carter, Nique Clifford and Daeqwon Plowden. That will remain the case on Sunday, with Carter coming off a 29-point effort in Friday’s win over the Warriors.

Strawther moved into the starting lineup along with the other reserves and had a pretty good game against the Thunder on Friday. The 23-year-old shooting guard had 22 points and four three-pointers. Strawther led the Nuggets with 34 minutes and could see a similar workload in the season finale against the Spurs on Sunday.

While the Thunder will be without four of their usual starters, the Nuggets are without all five of theirs. Hardaway and Brown may be the safest options for fantasy managers in active leagues, but all five can offer value in their respective roles given Denver’s limited depth.