NBA Player News

Added to the Rockets’ injury report early Thursday afternoon, Eason is officially available to play. He’ll take on his usual role off the bench, which means that Josh Okogie and Jae’Sean Tate’s minutes are unlikely to increase.

Playing in just his second basketball game since February, Brown got going in the second half of Friday’s 91-65 victory. With future teammates Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle sitting courtside, the rookie guard scored 16 points after halftime as the Nets pulled away. Just as encouraging for the Nets is that Brown played well alongside Egor Dëmin, who also put up 20 points in the rout. As Brown gets more game reps, he brings a level of athleticism and skill the Nets lacked at point guard last season.

Wembanyama qualified for a five-year max extension worth 30 percent of the Spurs’ salary cap, but his decision to go with a max that takes up 25 percent of the cap gives the team a little more flexibility. The 7-foot-4 phenom helped lead San Antonio to the NBA Finals this season, and at 22, Wemby still hasn’t reached his full potential. Friday’s news will remove any potential financial drama, and the Spurs can now focus on taking care of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper in the coming years. Fantasy-wise, Wembanyama is right there with Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the most valuable players regardless of league format.

Once teammates, Herro was traded to Milwaukee as part of the deal that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami. According to reports, Adebayo took issue with some of the things Herro said on social media in the aftermath of the trade, and the situation came to a head on a practice court at the Resorts World Casino in Las Vegas. Adebayo reportedly struck Herro in the face, but it’s unclear whether the NBA or NBPA will open an investigation into the incident.

Making his first appearance of the summer, Thomas shot the ball well, showing off the scoring ability that made some consider him a candidate to be selected in the first round. Of course, the former Arkansas guard slipped to the 34th overall pick, but the Cavaliers did not hesitate to sign him to a standard contract. With the Cavaliers losing Dean Wade and Keon Ellis in free agency and limited money to replenish their bench, Thomas may be able to earn rotation minutes as a rookie.

After starting slowly, Tomlin looked like a player with two seasons of NBA experience under his belt. The Cavaliers’ forward was one of two players with 20 points on the day, the other being rookie Meleek Thomas. Cleveland is in a bit of a holding pattern due to LeBron James’ free agency, which affects Tomlin’s fantasy outlook. Regardless of what happens in the fall, Tomlin looks like a player who should not see much action in Las Vegas.

Slawson, who remains a restricted free agent after spending last season on a two-way contract, made up for his poor shooting with elite defense. The Pacers forward blocked five shots and recorded a steal, and he was also effective on the glass alongside undrafted rookie Rienk Mast (16/11/3/1 with one three-pointer). Slawson shot 2-of-9 from beyond the arc, but that isn’t something the Pacers will ask him to do much of next season if the team remains healthy.

Two days after being waived by the Pacers, Potter has found a new home. He appeared in 47 games for the Pacers last season, averaging 9.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 three-pointers in 19.3 minutes. With Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III on the roster, Potter will find it challenging to get the minutes needed for fantasy relevance.

The Bucks viewed Jakučionis as a key player in their negotiations with the Heat over Giannis Antetokounmpo, so it’s safe to assume they’ll do everything they can to make the second-year guard a key contributor next season. In his unofficial Bucks debut, the 6-foot-6 guard shot 0-of-7 from inside the arc. The good news was that Jakučionis did a good job of setting up teammates, and he shot 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. While he isn’t a lock to be fantasy-relevant next season, Jakučionis is worth keeping an eye on.

The 13th overall pick in last month’s draft, Ament did not play in any of Milwaukee’s California Classic games as his contract was being finalized. Having last appeared in a competitive game during the Elite 8, he looked a bit rusty, shooting 0-of-3 from beyond the arc. While fellow lottery pick Brayden Burries was selected three spots higher, Ament’s path to rotation minutes may be clearer since Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis were traded to Miami. However, he has a lot of developing to do, making Ament a more valuable option for dynasty leagues than redraft leagues.

After playing in just one of Milwaukee’s three California Classic games, Burries should see a lot more playing time in Las Vegas. The former Arizona guard struggled with his shot on Friday, but it did not diminish his aggressiveness as a scorer. Even with the Bucks adding Tyler Herro in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade and still having Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr., there will still be opportunities for Burries to prove himself during the regular season. The fantasy outlook isn’t great in redraft leagues, but he’ll remain valuable in dynasty formats.