NBA Player News

Craig was a surprise starter on Tuesday, as Kristaps Porzingis (illness) was pulled from the starting lineup and officially ruled out at halftime. Therefore, it was too late to add the veteran forward to fantasy lineups, and that may have saved managers from making a bad decision. Craig missed all five three-point attempts, and Payton Pritchard replaced him in the lineup to begin the third quarter. As he usually does when the Celtics are shorthanded, Pritchard provided increased value, finishing with 20 points (8-of-17 FGs), seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and four three-pointers in 35 minutes. With the Celtics visiting the Pistons on Wednesday, that may be another opportunity for Pritchard to shine, depending on who’s available.

Acquired from the Mavericks at the trade deadline in exchange for Caleb Martin, Grimes made an extremely positive impression on the 76ers. With Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George sidelined due to injury, Grimes recorded some gaudy stat lines during the “silly season.” Unsurprisingly, keeping the restricted free agent in Philadelphia is the team’s desire. According to Stein, his sources say re-signing Grimes remains a “priority” for the 76ers. In a healthy rotation, his fantasy ceiling is considerably lower than it was when Philadelphia was shorthanded. That said, re-signing Grimes will be critical for the 76ers, whose bench disappointed for most of the 2024-25 season.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said during his availability that Haliburton would be questionable for Game 6, so the official designation is unsurprising. The star point guard suffered a strained right calf during the first half of Monday’s Game 5 defeat. While Haliburton did his best to play through the injury, he lacked his usual burst and spent most of his time lingering on the perimeter. Even if Haliburton can play on Thursday, the Pacers will need more production from backup T.J. McConnell, who played well on Monday.

A few months after the majority ownership of the Celtics was sold at a valuation of $6 billion, the Lakers were sold to Walter, who is also the primary owner and chairman of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The reported valuation of $10 billion is the highest for a professional sports franchise in world history. Once the NBA approves Wednesday’s reported sale, the Lakers will be owned by someone other than the Buss family for the first time since 1979. The late Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers, the Los Angeles Kings, the Inglewood Forum and a 13,000 square foot ranch from Jack Kent Cooke for a total of $67.5 million. That’s equivalent to nearly $296 million in 2025.

Haliburton downplayed the severity of the injury that was noticeably bothering him in Game 5 by saying that, because it’s the NBA Finals, if he can walk, he’ll play. Well, if he does half a strained calf, that could certainly keep him from walking. If there is any chance of Haliburton playing, he’ll do it, but this an MRI isn’t an optimistic update. Hopefully Charania’s next report will have better news, but as of now, Indiana may have turn to T.J. McConnell for more minutes off the bench, with Andrew Nembhard sliding over to point guard in the starting unit.

The Pacers still hold the 54th pick in this draft, but they no longer have a first-round selection. However, they were able to get their own pick in 2026 back. The Pelicans now have two first-round picks, including pick No. 7. New Orleans will be able to add some young talent this summer, and there are still more moves for them to make. King was selected with the 47th pick in 2023, and after spending time in the G League, he has most recently been playing in New Zealand. This trade won’t change that, unless he ends up returning to the NBA.

With Randle and Reid have player options for next season, and while there hasn’t been any official update about whether they will pick those options up or not, Finch expects them to remain in Minnesota. That could mean they decline their options and sign new contracts; it would be surprising if Reid accepted a $15 million option for next season. If he signs elsewhere, Reid could find a starting role, which would be ideal for his fantasy production.

After attempting at least 10 shots in each of the first four games of the series, Turner only took five in Game 5. While he isn’t going to be a marquee offensive option for the Pacers, they need more from Turner, especially with Tyrese Haliburton (calf) injured. Just as concerning is the three-point shooting. After making two of five attempts in Game 1, Turner is just 3-of-17 from beyond the arc. And he isn’t the only one struggling, with Indiana shooting 37 percent or worse from deep in each of the last four games. The Pacers will need to turn that around if they’re to have a chance of winning Game 6 on Thursday.

With Tyrese Haliburton limited due to a right calf injury and Andrew Nembhard struggling, the Pacers needed more from McConnell. Unsurprisingly, the veteran point guard stepped up, even screaming “you can’t guard me” at the Thunder players at one point. McConnell answering the call is to be expected, even with his perceived offensive limitations. With Haliburton likely to be at less than full strength for Game 6 on Thursday, the Pacers will need a performance from McConnell similar to the one they received on Monday.

With Tyrese Haliburton nowhere near full strength due to ankle and calf injuries, Siakam did what he could to carry the Pacers in Game 5. One of the few rotation players with a championship on his résumé, Spicy P shot 66.7 percent from the field and was impactful on both ends of the floor Monday night. Over the last two games, Siakam has recorded eight steals and three blocked shots to go along with what he’s done offensively. Regardless of what happens with Haliburton, the Pacers will need an elite Siakam on Thursday if they’re to force a Game 7. And he’s capable of answering the call.

Having injured his right ankle during Game 2, Haliburton suffered another right leg injury during Game 5. He appeared to injure his right calf on a drive to the basket during the first half and was a shell of himself for the rest of the night. And with Andrew Nembhard (7/3/3/1 with four turnovers) struggling to do much offensively, that was too much for the Pacers to overcome. Indiana did manage to pull to within two points during the fourth quarter, but they would turn the ball over on four consecutive possessions as Oklahoma City pulled away. With Game 6 scheduled for Thursday night, Indiana’s trainers are going to earn their keep as they look to get Haliburton as healthy as possible.