2 years agoForward Justin Tillman has reportedly inked a deal to join the Denver Nuggets, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Tillman has already established an expansive international profile since going undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft, having played in Israel, Italy, Turkey and Puerto Rico, in addition to the G League. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 13.1 points and 7.6 rebounds across 14 contests for the College Park Skyhawks last season, Atlanta's G League affiliate. Denver is well stocked on the wing entering the '22-23 campaign, so Tillman is mostly likely facing a limited role with a chance at continuing to grow his game in the G League.--Jesse BorekSource: Chris Haynes

2 years agoGuard/forward Sam Merrill has signed a contract to join the Sacramento Kings for the upcoming year. The 26-year-old appeared in six games last season for Memphis, where he was traded the previous summer in exchange for Grayson Allen. The final pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, Merrill has seen only limited playing time in his two NBA campaigns, although he appeared in 30 games for Milwaukee during their championship season in 2021-22. During his four years at Utah State, Merrill was a 42-percent shooter from long range, averaging 19 PPG across his final three seasons. He figures to fight for second-unit minutes among the Kings' wing options.--Jesse BorekSource: NBA.com

2 years agoCenter Willie Cauley-Stein will join the Houston Rockets for the upcoming season, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. The veteran big man spent last season between Dallas and Philadelphia, where he appeared in a combined 20 games (two starts) and played a career-low 9.2 minutes on a nightly basis. Cauley-Stein will attempt to compete for minutes off the bench, as Alperen Sengun is set to serve as the team's primary center with its youth movement in full force. A lottery pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the 28-year-old Cauley-Stein can remain on the waiver wire in all fantasy formats.--Jesse BorekSource: Shams Charania

2 years agoThe opening night of the NBA season has come to light: Oct. 18. And with it comes a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic that the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors will clash, with the reigning champions set to enjoy their ring ceremony. The matchup delivers in terms of star power, with L.A. once again set to be led by LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, but this with first-year coach Darvin Ham at the helm. For Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, it'll be a familiar position of entering a year with the proverbial target of being last season's champions. The two teams kicked off the season against one another last year as well, resulting in a seven-point Warriors win.--Jesse BorekSource: Shams Charania

2 years agoForward Simi Shittu is reportedly joining the Orlando Magic organization ahead of the 2022-23 season, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Shittu played last season in the Israeli Basketball Super League, with his latest U.S. experience coming as a member of the Westchester Knicks of the G League from '20-21. In his time with the Knicks, he averaged 14.5 points and 10.1 boards per game, while shooting 55.6 percent overall in the high-octane, offensively minded G League. A former McDonald's All-American ('18), Shittu will likely factor into G League plans for most of the year, with his upside featuring some bench minutes for an Orlando team embracing its youth movement.--Jesse BorekSource: Chris Haynes

2 years agoGuard/forward Jordan Hall has officially signed a two-way deal to join the San Antonio Spurs for the 2022-23 season. Hall played two years at St. Joseph's, including a sophomore campaign that saw him average 14.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. The 6-foot-8 wing went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft and figures to spend most of the upcoming year with the Austin Spurs of the G League. San Antonio will be one of the more captivating teams to watch early in the season due to the possibility of young players emerging as significant fantasy contenders in the wake of Dejounte Murray's departure.--Jesse BorekSource: San Antonio Spurs

2 years agoThe NBA announced Thursday that it would be retiring the iconic No. 6 worn by Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell. Russell passed away on July 31 at the age of 88 and now becomes the first player in league history to have his number retired league-wide. Current players -- such as the Lakers' LeBron James and the Wizards' Kristaps Porzingis -- will be grandfathered in, which will allow them to continue wearing the number; the No. 6 will not be available for selection for future players. Russell was an 11-time NBA champion, who also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.--Jesse BorekSource: NBA

2 years agoThe Atlanta Hawks added to their backcourt depth by signing combo guard Trent Forrest to a two-way deal for the upcoming year. Forrest was an undrafted free agent who spent the past two seasons primarily coming off the bench for the Jazz, with whom he appeared in 90 games (six starts). He averaged just 3.1 PPG in that time, but shot 47.8 percent overall and made enough of an impression to join the Hawks. The 24-year-old is the latest new face in Atlanta, who has already brought Dejounte Murray and Aaron Holiday aboard to join Trae Young and Bogdan Bogdanovic in the backcourt. Forrest won't be a fantasy asset at the start of the year, although he could garner second-unit minutes if the opportunity presents itself.--Jesse BorekSource: Atlanta Hawks

2 years agoNew Orleans Pelicans point guard Jose Alvarado became something of a breakout sensation during his rookie year, largely due in part to his tenacious defensive prowess and sly ability to pick-pocket unassuming ball-handlers. But with C.J. McCollum slated to become New Orleans' primary point guard next season and with Devonte' Graham a likely second-unit contributor, Alvarado could be facing a minutes squeeze. Will Guillory of The Athletic makes the case for the 24-year-old continuing to get run. An undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech, Alvarado compiled 71 steals in just 54 games for the Pelicans. He can likely go undrafted in redraft formats, but he could become a trendy waiver-wire addition in category formats if his minutes stay steady during the winter months.--Jesse BorekSource: Will Guillory

2 years agoLA Clippers shooting guard Norman Powell (foot) hit a significant speed bump shortly after joining the team at last season's trade deadline when he broke his left foot. As Powell continues to ramp up to full speed, he suited up for the famed Drew League summer circuit, after which he indicated to Law Murray of The Athletic that he was feeling good and heading in the right direction. In 45 games with Portland and LA last year, Powell set a new career-high with 19 points per game while also shooting 41.6 percent from behind the arc. The Clippers' backcourt and offensive pecking order is set to take on a new focus in 2022-23, with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard both expected to carry the lion's share of scoring duties when healthy.--Jesse BorekSource: Law Murray

2 years agoCenter Makur Maker is set to join the Washington Wizards' G-League squad, the Capital City Go-Go, after having gone undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft. The cousin of fellow center Thon Maker, who played five seasons for Milwaukee, Detroit and Cleveland, the 21-year-old Makur is coming off a season spent playing professionally in Australia. At 6-foot-11, Maker averaged 7.6 points and six boards in just 16.8 minutes per game for the Sydney Kings last year. Originally a five-star high school recruit, Maker played just two games collegiately for Howard before going pro. The big man faces an uphill battle to making an NBA roster this season, but his skill set makes him a name to keep an eye on as the season progresses.--Jesse BorekSource: Josh Robbins

2 years agoMiami Heat point/shooting guard Victor Oladipo is back in South Beach on a two-year deal and is eyeing a return to form after injury-riddled campaigns. Oladipo spoke with Vince Carter on The VC Show and reiterated that while the injuries have clouded the perception of his talent, he believes he can reestablish himself as "one of the best players in the world." Oladipo was a two-time All-Star with Indiana, having led the league in steals per game (2.4) back in 2017-18. He has shown flashes of his electric scoring upside when healthy since then, but his role with the Heat makes him a difficult redraft option. When healthy, the 30-year-old's talent is undeniable, but Miami also boasts Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro in the backcourt, alongside key contributors Gabe Vincent and Max Strus.--Jesse BorekSource: NBA on ESPN

2 years agoFree-agent center Gorgui Dieng officially signed a one-year deal with the Spurs. The terms of the contract were not disclosed. The 32-year-old has averaged 7.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists since being drafted in 2013. Dieng may not see regular playing time this season. However, he has room to make some appearances in the starting lineup, giving him streaming appeal in all fantasy formats.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: San Antonio Spurs

2 years agoCleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton remains committed to landing a new deal. The Cavs have reportedly offered a three-year, $40 million contract. However, Sexton's agent, Rich Paul, continues to seek more than $20 million annually for his client. The 23-year-old has averaged 20.0 points, 3.3 assists, and 3.0 rebounds while netting 37.8% of his attempts from deep throughout his career. Still, he hasn't played 82 games since his rookie season in 2018-19, most recently missing 71 games last season because of a torn meniscus. Although Sexton is a proven scorer, he doesn't offer much for category managers outside of that. He also needs to stay healthy moving ahead, or else his fantasy stock will continue to fall.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Chris Fedor

2 years agoMemphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks is expected to receive an extension offer from the team. The 26-year-old is coming off the best season of his career, averaging 18.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Brooks, who has one year left on his current deal, is eligible to sign a four-year contract and up to $61.3 million. It's unknown if he'll accept such an offer or test his luck in free agency next offseason. However, no matter where the veteran suits up beyond the 2022-23 campaign, his career 34.8% shooting from deep must improve before he moves up the rankings list in category formats. Brooks has also dealt with plenty of injuries throughout his career, including missing 50 games last season, primarily because of a broken left hand.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Chris Herring