NBA Player News

One day after it was reported that the Wizards and Beal’s agent will work together to find him a new home should the former decide to begin a rebuild, a favorite has reportedly emerged. Miami, which has also been mentioned in connection with Damian Lillard, is viewed as that team. Per Stein’s report, the Heat are believed to be on Beal’s list of desired teams, and his possession of a no-trade clause gives him a lot of power. As would be the case with Lillard should Portland decide to entertain the possibility of trading him, Beal has a hefty contract that would demand a lot in return in order to make the salary numbers work. A name to keep an eye on should Washington look to make a deal with Miami is Tyler Herro, whose new contract (worth $120 million over four years) goes into effect next season.

Hachimura has been on a hot streak recently, having scored in double figures in five straight games. However, this was his best game of the stretch, as it was his highest-scoring outing since January and his first double-double of the season. With the status of Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) up in the air, Hachimura will be a vital piece for the Lakers against the Rockets in the first round.

The Spurs were already locked into their playoff seed and Fox wasn’t having an efficient game, but he still played 33 minutes in the regular season finale. San Antonio still managed to lose the game to a Nuggets team that played Nikola Jokic fewer than 20 minutes. Fox still had a good game, adding in rebounds, assists and a block, which he tends to do when Victor Wembanyama is out. In his first full season with the Spurs, Fox has provided seventh-round per game value.

It has been an up-and-down first year with the Lakers for Ayton, but he ended the regular season on a high note. This was his first 20-point double-double in a month, and he was also able to make an impact as a shot blocker. The health of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves are the two biggest questions for the Lakers right now, but Ayton will also be a big factor for them. He’ll be matched up with Alperen Sengun in the first round of the playoffs, with Game 1 scheduled for Saturday.

Knecht hasn’t played much during his second season in the league, but he got the opportunity in the blowout win. He took advantage and stuffed the stat sheet, but he’ll likely be back on the bench for the playoffs. Still, this was a productive game for him, and it may lead to a team being interested in making a trade for him this offseason, which is the clearest path to him being a rotation player.

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 and had at least 22 points and four three-pointers. Sound familiar? Strawther is likely to be just a depth option as the Nuggets head into the playoffs.

Mbeng played all 48 minutes for the second time in his last three games. During this stretch, he averaged 22.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 4.3 steals in 44.7 minutes per game. It has been an impressive run for Mbeng, who signed standard contract last week after playing on two 10-day deals. However, if they do keep him around next season, he won’t play that large of a role.

Tshiebwe was a monster on the glass for a second straight game, but it was his offensive production that was most impressive. He shattered his previous career high of 18 points, which he set during Game 82 last season. Tshiebwe is an incredibly talented rebounder, but he has never gotten the chance to play rotation minutes consistently prior to silly season. That likely won’t change next season, but if it does, he can contribute in fantasy basketball.

Jokić finished the regular season averaging 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists as he became the first player in league history to lead the league in rebounds and assists in the same season. The 31-year-old center only played 18 minutes, but still had 23 points and eight rebounds in the win over the Spurs. The Nuggets head into the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

Carlson got a second straight start, and he was incredibly productive in both. He contributed 49 points, 22 rebounds, six blocks and eight triples as a starter over the last two games. Carlson is on a two-way deal, and he spent most of the season in the G League. With Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein both healthy, Carlson won’t see the floor much outside of blowouts during the playoffs.

Topić got his second straight start, which allowed him to record his second straight double-double. Having been diagnosed with cancer in October, Topić miraculously made his NBA debut in February, but he played a limited role up until the last two games. He still has plenty of upside, and he’ll likely be in the rotation for OKC next season. However, he won’t see the floor much during the playoffs.