NBA Player News

Ayton continues to produce gaudy stat lines as Portland plays out the string. He’s recorded a double-double in five straight games, scoring 30 or more on two occasions. As long as the Blazers don’t shut him down, Ayton will continue to have these nights to end the season. And it limits Duop Reath’s value to managers whose leagues are still active. While he was productive on Tuesday, tallying 12 points, five rebounds, one assist, and two 3-pointers, Reath only played 12 minutes. Portland has three games remaining, beginning with the Warriors on Thursday.

It’s been an eventful summer for Diakite, whose player rights were traded twice. First, he was sent to Brooklyn as part of the Mikal Bridges trade, with the Knicks paying him $1.4 million to help consummate the deal. Two weeks later, Diakite was traded to Memphis, with the Grizzlies waiving him on August 27. On Friday, the Suns’ G League affiliate acquired Diakite’s G League rights from the Westchester Knicks, and it was reported shortly after that he’ll go through training camp with the Suns. The Exhibit 10 contract means that if the Suns waive Diakite and he spends 60 days with their G League affiliate, he’ll receive a $77,500 bonus.

The Blazers are undoubtedly familiar with Moore, who agreed to a 10-day contract with the team on January 20. The former University of Houston standout played most of last season with the Rip City Remix, Portland’s G League affiliate, and he tallied 12 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in the Blazers’ season finale on April 14. Moore’s signing will not impact fantasy basketball, as he’s likely to play more for the Remix than the Blazers.

The sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft, Culver has failed to lock down a consistent role in the NBA. After appearing in 10 games for the Hawks during the 2022-23 season, he spent the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign with Rio Grande Valley in the NBA G League. Look for Culver to land with Orlando’s G League affiliate ultimately.

After playing his first professional season overseas, Williams played the majority of the 2023-24 campaign with Miami’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls. The exception was two 10-day contracts with the Raptors to end the season, with Williams making seven appearances. He accounted for 2.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 15.3 minutes in those outings. Williams’ signing will not impact fantasy basketball; look for him to land with Sioux Falls ultimately.

Schakel will participate in the Celtics training camp for the second consecutive fall. Ultimately waived before the start of the season, he averaged 13.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G League. Expect Schakel to remain with the Red Claws, as Boston has limited roster spots (and cap space) to work with.

Randle has been out of the NBA since the 2020-21 season when he appeared in 41 games for the Magic. After being waived by Phoenix before the 2021-22 campaign, Randle has played overseas and in the G League, most recently for AEK Athens in Greece. Given Minnesota’s depth at the point guard position, Randle will likely land with the franchise’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. Iowa acquired Randle’s returning player rights from the Oklahoma City Blue earlier Monday.

Wood missed the final two months of last season after undergoing surgery on his left knee, and now he’ll have another procedure on the same knee that will force him to miss the start of the season. He’ll be re-evaluated in early November, which means that Jaxson Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt will likely see a few extra minutes to start the season at center behind Anthony Davis.

Selected by the Pelicans with the 41st overall pick in the 2022 draft, Liddell has yet to get his NBA career off the ground. An ACL tear suffered during summer league play robbed him of the 2022-23 campaign, and he was limited to eight appearances with the Pelicans this past season. Liddell was traded twice during the summer, first to Atlanta as part of the Dejounte Murray deal and then to Phoenix in exchange for David Roddy. The Suns waived Liddell on August 21. With Liddell likely on an Exhibit 10 contract and the Bulls having 14 players on guaranteed deals, he faces long odds to make the opening night roster.

Osman was an unrestricted free agent after finishing last season in San Antonio. While the seven-year NBA veteran did say “a couple” teams expressed interest in signing him, Osman ultimately decided that heading back to Europe for a guaranteed contract was a better move for his career. Cedi offered limited fantasy value (at best) last season, which would likely be the case this season had he remained in the NBA.

They were reportedly close on an extension back in June, but they didn’t get anything done until over two months after. Murray will remain in Denver through the end of the 2028-29 season, which will keep their star duo of Murray and Nikola Jokic on the Nuggets for the foreseeable future. Despite the injury issues that Murray has dealt with in recent years, they will continue to be a contending team for years to come.