NBA

Less than an hour after the Kings’ season ended with a play-in tournament loss to the Mavericks, the team’s lead executive is reportedly on his way out. Named the general manager in September 2020, McNair oversaw a turnaround culminating in the franchise’s first playoff appearance in 17 seasons in 2023. However, the Kings missed the playoffs in the two seasons that followed, and head coach Mike Brown was fired in late December. Sacramento also traded De’Aaron Fox in February, leaving the rotation without a proven point guard. The next lead executive will need to figure out how to build a roster with $114 million in salary going to the trio of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis. They must also address the head coaching situation, as Doug Christie was named interim coach after Brown’s firing.

Jenkins had been leading the Grizzlies since 2019, but they will look for a new voice heading into the postseason. Memphis lost to the Thunder by 21 points on Thursday night, but they still hold a 44-29 record and are currently tied with the Lakers for the fourth-best record in the West. Jenkins has led them to that record despite not having Ja Morant for 30 games so far this season. The move comes out of nowhere, and with only a few weeks before the playoffs, the timing is certainly odd. We’ll see how the team responds as they host the Lakers on Saturday.

Brown helped the Kings return to the playoffs and end their drought two seasons ago before they lost during the Play-In Tournament last year. Currently, they’re 13-18, which is 12th in the West and are on a five-game losing streak. While Sacramento has been a bit disappointing to start the year, Brown just signed a three-year extension in June, which makes this decision somewhat surprising. Recent rumors have suggested that De’Aaron Fox could be interested in a trade, so we’ll see if this move encourages him to stay or makes him want to move on.

Baynes last suited up in the NBA during the 2020-21 season, which was his ninth year in the league. He spent time with the Spurs, Suns, Celtics, Pistons and Raptors before finishing out his playing career in the NBL. He suffered a serious spinal cord injury during the 2021 Olympics, but he was able to return to playing before finally calling it a career.

The 9-year vet last appeared in an NBA contest during the 2021-22 season when he logged 53 games for the Pelicans and Trail Blazers. Snell may get a shot to join the parent club at some point during the regular season, but fantasy managers shouldn’t expect meaningful production even if he does.

According to the NBA, Mutombo passed away on Monday surrounded by family. The fourth overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft, he won four Defensive Player of the Year awards and earned eight All-Star Game appearances and three All-NBA selections. A three-time blocks and two-time rebounds champion, Mutombo was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2015. He was also known for his humanitarian work away from the court, with the NBA awarding Mutombo with the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2001 and 2009. Mutombo built multiple hospitals and made numerous contributions to his native Democratic Republic of Congo and the world. Among the groups Mutombo worked with were the Special Olympics and CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere).

Yabusele was outstanding during France’s run to the silver medal in Paris, and his play has sparked some discussions regarding a potential return to the NBA. The 2016 first-round pick said after Saturday’s loss to the United States that he has “been waiting for my second chance, I’m ready.” The issue regarding a return for the 2024-25 season: Yabusele’s contract buyout with Real Madrid. On July 15, that figure increased from $1 million to $2.5 million, and that doesn’t even take into consideration potential salary demands. Yabusele will be a free agent next summer, which may be a more realistic time for the former Celtic to return stateside.

Yabusele has been out of the NBA for five years, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he was extended an invitation to make his return to the league after his performance during the Olympics. He had an excellent scoring night despite the loss, and it was highlighted by a poster dunk over LeBron James. He isn’t a player to consider drafting in fantasy, but he is worth keeping tabs on after a monster performance.

The 12th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Lamb appeared in 573 games for the Hornets, Thunder, Pacers, and Kings. The former UConn standout averaged 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game as an NBA player, with the 2018-19 campaign (his last with the Hornets) being Lamb’s best.

Koprivica’s draft rights have been traded multiple times since the Pistons selected him with the No. 57 pick in 2021. The Clippers also sent $4.3 million and a second round pick swap in 2023 to facilitate the Westbrook trade.