NBA Player News

Wells stepped into the starting lineup Friday and had his best game of the year as he dropped 30 points on 16 shots against the Kings. The 21-year-old small forward knocked down 8-of-9 attempts from behind the 3-point line. It was a huge game and Wells is fantasy-relevant when inserted into the starting lineup. Still, he’ll need to do more to separate himself from Memphis’ deep rotation when everyone is healthy.

Whitmore, limited to 21 games last season because of deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder, was waived by the Cavaliers in August after the team acquired him in the Peyton Watson trade. Interestingly, Watson’s former team is reportedly considering the free-agent forward as training camp approaches. Whitmore has yet to carve out a consistent role in the NBA, but the former first-round pick could be worth a roll of the dice for a Nuggets team that can use added wing depth. While unlikely to be much of a factor in redraft leagues, landing a roster spot would clearly preserve what little value Whitmore has in dynasty leagues.

The Timberwolves waived Konchar after acquiring him from the Jazz earlier this summer, and he’s one of the top available free agents as training camp approaches. According to Stein, Miami, New York, Orlando and Toronto have all expressed interest in Konchar, who appeared in 56 games last season for the Grizzlies and Jazz. However, the Raptors are more limited financially than the other three teams after acquiring Kawhi Leonard, as Toronto is just $2.3 million away from the first apron. Konchar’s production has never been elite, but his ability to fill a stat line makes him a player worth considering in deeper category leagues. In the right situation, he can be a fantasy asset.

Gibson appeared in 1,012 regular season games for eight teams during his time in the Association. He spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Bulls, and he will join the team that drafted him back in 2009 as an assistant under head coach Tiago Splitter.

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.

The trade the Raptors put on hold in early July while the league investigated Leonard’s contract with the Clippers is coming to fruition. Regarding the draft capital, the Clippers will still receive two future first-round picks, one first-round pick swap and two second-round picks. When healthy, Leonard is one of the most valuable players in fantasy basketball, especially in category leagues. He has appeared in 65 games or more in two of the last three seasons. While fantasy managers will have to consider the occasional injury-management night, Leonard’s availability may not be as much of a concern as it was in past seasons.

A few days after being waived by the Hawks, Carter has reportedly found a new home. The 13th overall pick in the 2024 draft, the 6-foot-2 guard averaged 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.8 three-pointers per game over two seasons with the Kings (74 total appearances). While he will be competing for a standard roster spot, Carter still has two-way contract eligibility, which opens the door for him to remain with the Celtics in some capacity.

The Clippers and Raptors agreed to a deal that would send Leonard to Toronto in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and future draft compensation in July. However, an investigation into Leonard’s contract with the Clippers put those plans on hold. The Justice Department has opened its own investigation into the deal, but the NBA concluded its probe and penalized the Clippers on September 2. With Clippers governor Steve Ballmer accepting the ruling after initially vowing to fight, the door may now open for the Leonard trade to be completed soon. Kawhi was with the Raptors players in Miami for their minicamp last week but worked out individually because the trade wasn’t official.

Not selected in the 2025 draft, Milicić agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the 76ers but was waived before the start of the 2025-26 campaign. During his final season of college basketball, the 6-foot-10 forward averaged 9.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game at Tennessee. The Knicks have not filled any of their available two-way contract slots, so Milicić is likely competing for one of those opportunities in training camp.

The 13th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Carter could never get untracked during his two seasons in Sacramento. Due to shoulder surgery, the 6-foot-2 guard did not make his NBA debut until January 2025. Carter also missed time due to injury last season and has appeared in 74 NBA games over two seasons. He was acquired by the Hawks in late June, with Atlanta also receiving a 2033 second-round pick. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Celtics may be interested in Carter, and the franchise has a good track record of using the G League to develop players into solid contributors.