NBA Player News

Barrett didn’t have his best game on Friday, but he made the big shot that forced a Game 7. While it wasn’t as dramatic as Kawhi Leonard’s series-clincher against the 76ers in 2019, many fans held their breath as Barrett’s three-point attempt in the final seconds of overtime bounced high off the heel of the rim before falling through the hoop. Even with the poor shooting in Game 6, Barrett has been solid throughout this series. The Raptors will look to win Game 7 in Cleveland, with the home team having won each of the first six games of the series.

While details of the contract were not disclosed, Mbeng is most likely joining the Hornets on an Exhibit 10 contract. He appeared in 15 NBA games with the Jazz last season, starting five, and averaged 8.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals in 32.8 minutes. Given Charlotte’s depth in the backcourt, Mbeng is likely to spend most of his time in the G League. With the Sioux Falls Skyforce currently holding his G League rights, the Hornets would need to make a deal with them to get Mbeng to Greensboro.

Tuesday’s reported trade was all about the Pelicans freeing up cap space, allowing the team to make Bennedict Mathurin’s signing official. Gibson, who was not on an NBA team at the start of last season, agreed to a deal with the Grizzlies in late February and appeared in 10 games. While a positive voice within the locker room, Gibson has not been a factor in fantasy basketball for quite some time. It’s also unknown whether he’ll be on the Pelicans’ roster when the season begins.

Selected 23rd overall in the 2024 draft, Johnson has bounced around in his two NBA seasons. After splitting his rookie campaign between Milwaukee and Washington, he appeared in 48 games for the Wizards and Mavericks in 2025-26, averaging 3.3 points in 9.5 minutes. This is the second time this offseason that Johnson has been traded, with the Mavericks sending him to Memphis as part of a deal headlined by Santi Aldama. New Orleans likely executed Tuesday’s reported transaction to free up the space needed to make Bennedict Mathurin’s signing official. As a result, fantasy managers should not expect Johnson to become a factor next season.

The 40th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Peavy averaged 15.0 minutes per game across 61 appearances for the Pelicans as a rookie. He averaged 4.3 points per game in those appearances, shooting 38.5 percent from the field. With the Grizzlies rebuilding, there may be opportunities for Peavy to contribute, but he’s unlikely to be a consistent actor in fantasy basketball next season.

The 14th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Hawkins couldn’t carve out a consistent role for himself over three seasons with the Pelicans. The 2024-25 campaign was his most productive, with the 6-foot-5 guard averaging 10.8 points per game. However, Hawkins couldn’t build on that output, averaging 5.1 points per game last season and falling further down the pecking order in the backcourt. A move to Memphis gives Hawkins a fresh start, but it is unlikely to do much for his short-term fantasy value.

Signed to an Exhibit 10 contract on September 4, Stewart has been waived by the Hornets. While Monday’s transaction means he won’t participate in training camp, it also means that the 6-foot-6 wing is likely to catch on with the Hornets’ G League affiliate in Greensboro.

After leading Nagasaki Velca to its first Japanese B.League title last season, winning Finals MVP honors, Lee played for the Spurs’ summer league team in Las Vegas. The expectation is that he’ll spend next season with Portland’s G League affiliate, which means that Lee is unlikely to impact fantasy basketball in 2026-27. Before beginning his professional career, he spent three seasons at Davidson, earning first-team All-Atlantic 10 honors in 2022.

Nelson performed well enough for the Nets’ G League affiliate to earn a 10-day contract in late February. In four appearances for Brooklyn, Nelson averaged 4.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 8.8 minutes. While the two-way deal gives him a more concrete opportunity than the one he received last season, Nelson is unlikely to impact fantasy basketball in 2026-27.

Giddey, who missed 28 games last season with the majority of his absences due to a strained left hamstring, underwent right ankle surgery in May. Given a three-month re-evaluation timeline, the Bulls’ starting point guard recently resumed playing 5-on-5 and has not been restricted in any way. With Giddey now a full go, fantasy managers can approach their drafts with the mindset that he’ll be able to hit the ground running. With the additions of Caleb Wilson and Nic Claxton to the Bulls’ roster, Giddey is a legitimate threat to push his assist average into double figures next season (he averaged 9.1 helpers per game in 2025-26).

The first overall pick in the 2016 draft, Simmons is back in the NBA after sitting out the entire 2025-26 season. In his most recent action, the 6-foot-10 point forward appeared in 51 games during the 2024-25 season for the Nets and Clippers. In those appearances, Simmons averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 22.0 minutes per game. While he’s had his moments as an effective fantasy option in the past, despite his limited scoring ability, fantasy managers should not expect too much from Simmons in Sacramento. However, keep an eye on him during the preseason to see if Simmons can earn a consistent role.