NBA

Simmons’ hype as a late-round sleeper in fantasy hoops has been building all summer, and it’s beginning to reach fever-pitch levels of excitement. This latest update means we can expect quality assists, rebounds, defensive stats and FG% at the very least. We won’t hold our breath for three-pointers or serviceable shooting from the charity stripe, but for what he does well, Simmons can be an excellent addition to your fantasy squad, especially given the discounted price tag.

After appearing in 77 regular season games and earning a second All-Star Game appearance, Randle underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle in early June. That was after injuring the ankle on two separate occasions late last season, including Game 5 of the Knicks’ first-round series against the Cavaliers. The good news is that, according to Thibodeau, Randle will be good to go when camp begins. “Just steady progress. He’s had a very good offseason. He’ll be fresh and ready to go,” Thibodeau told NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner. Randle was a top 75 fantasy player last season, and managers should expect similar production in 2023-24.

Silva played most of last season with the Hawks’ G League affiliate, with the Mavericks signing him to two separate 10-day contracts in January/February. Given the fact that Atlanta will head into training camp with 15 players on guaranteed contracts, this move was likely made with the team’s G League roster in mind. Don’t expect Silva to impact fantasy basketball in 2023-24.

With the addition of Chris Paul to the roster, there have been questions about which five players will start once the season begins. Kevon Looney has been assumed by many to be the odd man out should Kerr decide to start Paul, but the head coach made it clear that he has yet to decide. “We basically have six starters, in the way I look at it,” Kerr said. “I haven’t decided yet what we’re going to do. I want to see [in] training camp...we’re going to try different combinations and take a look. Obviously, all six guys are going to play a lot of minutes for us. But, if this is going to work, then everybody has to embrace it, regardless of who’s starting and who’s not. It only works if the whole team buys in.” When asked about potential lineups during the summer, Paul said that he (and the reporter asking the question) didn’t know what was going to happen. While the Warriors had some moments of success playing small, there were also times when Looney’s absence exposed them defensively and on the boards. Paul’s fantasy value may take the bigger hit if he’s asked to come off the bench, but both will play enough to merit being rostered in all leagues.

McGruder has spent the last three seasons playing a minimal role for the Pistons. Now, he’ll have a chance to earn a spot on the Warriors in training camp. Since McGruder won’t be playing much of a role if he makes the team, the more interesting story here is if there will be any notable interactions with Klay Thompson, after Thompson dissed McGruder while participating in a broadcast during his extended injury absence.

There have been so many rumors surrounding Dame for the past few months, but after Yahoo’s Jake Fischer reported that the Raptors could end up landing Lillard, Spears seems to be hearing the same thing. Lillard would be quite the replacement for Fred VanVleet, though the Raptors would likely have to part with some of their young talent and draft picks. Still, Dame, Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby would be a formidable squad in the East. Spears also reported that multiple NBA GMs expect Dame to be out of Portland by media day, which is next week.

Keels has been around the Knicks’ organization for the past year after they drafted him with the No. 42 pick. He even signed a two-way deal with them after a solid Summer League performance. However, they waived him, and he’ll have a chance to earn a deal with Minnesota in training camp. However, even if he earns one, it’ll likely only be a two-way deal, which won’t allow him to make a mark on the fantasy landscape this season.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the two teams had begun a dialogue on a trade involving Hield. But, there has been no progress made, according to Stein. A major issue: the Pacers’ unwillingness to take Tim Hardaway Jr. in return. Hardaway averaged 14.4 points and knocked down three 3-pointers per game last season, but adding him to the mix in Indiana wouldn’t change a great deal. Moving Hield and receiving draft capital in return would free up additional minutes on the wing for some of Indiana’s younger players, while the pick(s) can help with the franchise’s rebuild.

There were reports early on that suggested that Lively would be more of a long-term project, but it appears that he has improved greatly over the last few weeks. He’ll compete with Richaun Holmes and Dwight Powell for the starting role, with Powell being the incumbent starter. He started in 64 of his 76 appearances, though he played just 19.2 minutes per game. Lively could end up as one of the best bigs in fantasy hoops if he were to secure the starting job.

Another day, another rumor regarding Lillard’s NBA future. October 2, which would be Media Day for the Blazers, is viewed as an unofficial deadline of sorts to get something done, as having the veteran guard in training camp would make for an awkward situation. Miami has been reported to be Lillard’s preferred destination, but there hasn’t been much movement on that front, according to multiple media reports over the last few days. Per Fischer’s most recent report, some around the league view Toronto and Chicago as possible destinations for Lillard, with Phoenix and Utah being franchises that could help facilitate a multi-team trade. Should Toronto acquire Lillard, his arrival would impact the fantasy values of Dennis Schroder and Scottie Barnes the most. Schroder projects to be a late-round option at best in most leagues, while fewer opportunities to play on the ball would cut into Barnes’ value as a potential top-50 player.