NBA Player News

Nick Smith Jr. is out with a groin injury and will be replaced by Salaun in the starting lineup against Boston. The rookie is averaging 6.6 points and 5.9 rebounds through nine starts this season.

Irving is now tied to Dallas through the 2027-28 season. He also has security as he rehabs from the left ACL tear that he suffered in March. The Mavericks have a talented roster that will center around Irving, Anthony Davis and the expect No. 1 overall pick in Cooper Flagg, which will help them be one of the best teams in the West over the next few seasons. Reports from April indicated that Irving could return by January, which would give this core plenty of time to mesh ahead of the postseason.

Niang was traded to Atlanta at the trade deadline last season and immediately provided a veteran presence in the rotation. He had some big nights from beyond the arc, and with Jayson Tatum (Achilles) set to miss at least most of next season, Niang could be part of the rotation in Boston. However, this was simply a move for the Celtics to avoid the second apron.

Mann spent most of his career with the Clippers before being sent to Atlanta at the trade deadline in February. Now, he’ll find a new home in Brooklyn, where he’ll provide perimeter defense and a veteran presence in the locker room on a young team that is looking to establish an identity over the next few seasons. Assuming he isn’t moved again, Mann should play a decent-sized role for the Nets, but he won’t be prioritized over the young players, especially with Brooklyn now having five first-round picks.

Rumors had been heating up shortly before the deal went down, and now it’s official: Porzingis is headed to Atlanta. It’s unclear how he’ll fit into the rotation; Onyeka Okongwu thrived as a starter down the stretch of last season. It will likely result in another minutes split at center in Atlanta, which is what Okongwu just got out of after years of sharing time with Clint Capela. The Hawks would’ve had multiple center options available with the 22nd pick, but none of them would make the impact that Porzingis will be ready to make next season. Atlanta loses some forward depth, but they can address that with the 13th pick.

Thybulle is in the final year of a three-year, $33 million deal he signed with Portland in 2023, and he’ll be back for at least one more season. The French forward is a 3-and-D specialist who holds much more value on the basketball court than he does in fantasy lineups. He can be left on the waiver wire in 2025-26 fantasy drafts.

Bey missed all of last season with a torn ACL, but the 26-year-old forward is expected to be fully ready for the 2025-26 campaign. In four years with the Pistons and Hawks, he sports career averages of 13.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 triples. He can be an impactful option in New Orleans as a floor-spacer. Keep an eye on how the Pels’ rotation shapes up, as Bey might be worth a look in the later rounds of fantasy drafts.

Olynyk will head to Washington in a deal involving CJ McCollum, Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and picks. Washington’s frontcourt features Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr, two players who the Wizards will surely prioritize developing in 2025-26. That means Olynyk could see rotational minutes off the bench or even be re-routed before the season starts. No matter what uniform he wears next season, Olynyk should have deep-league value thanks to his ability to contribute across multiple categories.

The deal sends Poole and Saddiq Bey to the Pels in exchange for CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk in addition to pick exchanges. The move makes sense for both sides, as Poole can focus his attention on scoring while Dejounte Murray operates as the team’s primary facilitator. Poole and Bey make the Pels younger, while McCollum offers Washington an expiring deal that can be shed in 2026 when the team will likely try to make a significant move with exorbitant available cap space. Poole should feature prominently in New Orleans’ lineup, and his fantasy value could improve with less pressure on him.

As Charania notes, Washington will pick up McCollum’s expiring deal and position itself to have $100 million in cap space in the summer of 2026. The Wizards will now have veterans McCollum, Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart and Kelly Olynyk on the squad for next season, but it’s fair to assume Washington will focus on developing young players like Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George. Still, the Wizards aren’t exactly a deep team, so McCollum could see significant run in the nation’s capital.

Drafted by the Trail Blazers in 2018, Simons spent seven years in Portland and averaged between 17.3 and 22.6 points per game over the last four years. He’s entering a situation with the Celtics where he could be asked to carry a high-usage role in the absence of Jayson Tatum. With Simons on an expiring contract, the Celtics made a low-risk move getting away from the $72 million owed to Holiday. The Celtics could remain active in the trade market, only adding to Simons’ opportunity next year. Simons was ranked 110th in per game value on Basketball Monster last year. After playing a career-high 70 games last year, Simons could be set up for a career year with the Celtics.