Fantasy Basketball

Eubanks announced Friday he is declining his $2.6 million player option from the Suns for 2024-25 and will become an unrestricted free agent, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

Eubanks will hit free agency after averaging 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 15.6 minutes across 75 appearances, including six starts, for Phoenix in 2023-24. Eubanks will likely continue to operate as a backup center for a different team if he finds a new destination in free agency.

Gafford recorded six points (3-5 FG) and three rebounds in 11 minutes during Monday's 106-88 loss to the Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Gafford was efficient in his limited playing time in the Mavericks' Game 5 loss. However, the 25-year-old did see a massive decline in minutes in the Finals, during which he averaged 8.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.6 blocks across only 14.8 minutes. In comparison, during the final two Western Conference playoff series, Gafford averaged 10.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting 67.1 percent from the field. The big man was a crucial addition for Dallas at the trade deadline, and he will remain under contract with the team until 2026-27, as the Mavericks will attempt to make it back to the Finals with their core group next season.

Lively chipped in two points (1-2 FG), four rebounds and one block across 24 minutes during Monday's 106-88 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Lively struggled playing on the road in the NBA Finals, accumulating six points and 16 rebounds in three games. However, Lively posted a double-double in both games in Dallas. This more closely resembled the rest of his successful playoff run, during which he averaged 8.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting 66.7 percent in 16 games. Overall, the 20-year-old had a successful rookie season and will look to increase his production in Year 2.

Porzingis said Monday after the Celtics' title-clinching 106-88 win over the Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals that he'll undergo offseason surgery to address his left leg injury, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com reports.

In Game 2 of the Finals, Porzingis suffered a torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon, a rare injury that carried an uncertain recovery timeline. After not playing in Games 3 and 4, Porzingis returned for Game 5 and handled a limited role, playing 16 minutes off the bench while contributing five points (2-4 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT) and one rebound. The Latvian big man said the offseason surgery will require a "few months" of recovery, so his status will be worth monitoring when training camp begins in late September or early October. Porzingis previously missed over five weeks of action earlier in the postseason due to a strained right calf.

Horford registered nine points (3-6 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), nine rebounds, two assists and two steals across 32 minutes during Monday's 106-88 victory over Dallas in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Horford was terrific in this year's NBA playoffs for the Celtics, averaging 9.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks across 30.3 minutes in 19 games. The 17-year veteran stepped up in the absence of Kristaps Porzingis, who dealt with lower leg and calf injuries throughout the playoffs. These injuries led to Horford starting in all five NBA Finals matchups, where he averaged 7.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting a stellar 47.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Porzingis (lower leg) will come off the bench for Monday's Game 5 of the NBA Finals versus the Mavericks.

Porzingis will again come off the bench for the Celtics, as he did in the first two NBA Finals games. In those two contests, Porzingis accumulated 32 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and an assist while shooting 12-for-20 from the field. Prior to Game 5, head coach Joe Mazzulla said Porzingis will not have any restrictions after sitting out the last two games due to a left posterior tibialis dislocation, but Al Horford will remain in the starting lineup Monday.

Siakam agreed Wednesday with the Pacers on a four-year, $189.5 million maximum contract, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

Siakam plans to officially sign the contract once the free agency moratorium ends July 6. After coming over from Toronto in Jan. 17 trade, Siakam proved to be an ideal fit in the Pacers frontcourt and was instrumental in helping lead Indiana to an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals. Over his 41 regular-season appearances with the Pacers following the trade, Siakam averaged 21.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 three-pointers and 0.8 steals in 31.8 minutes per contest while shooting 54.9 percent from the field.

Washington ended Monday's 106-88 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the NBA Finals with four points (2-7 FG, 0-5 3Pt), six rebounds, three assists and two blocks across 34 minutes.

Washington produced one of his worst games of the playoffs in Game 5. Overall, he was a key part of Dallas' starting five, averaging 13.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.7 steals in 22 starts. The Mavericks acquired the 25-year-old at the trade deadline, and he averaged 11.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks across 29 regular-season games. Dallas has Washington under contract until the 2026-27 season and will look to return to the NBA Finals next season, likely keeping most, if not all, of their core group from this season.

Siakam and the Pacers are nearing an agreement on a long-term contract extension, Scott Agness of FieldhouseFiles.com reports.

Both sides are motivated to get a deal done after Siakam had a successful half-season in Indiana after coming over in a Jan. 17 trade with the Raptors. The terms of the proposed deal aren't known yet, but Siakam is likely getting a maximum deal or close to it. In 41 regular-season appearances for the Pacers, Siakam posted averages of 21.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 three-pointers in 31.8 minutes while shooting 54.9 percent from the field.

Tatum had 31 points (11-24 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 8-8 FT), 11 assists, eight rebounds and two steals across 45 minutes during Monday's 106-88 win over the Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Tatum had an all-time classic of a game to help deliver Boston banner No. 18 on Monday. The five-time All-Star was the first Celtics player since Larry Bird in 1986 with 20-plus points, 10-plus assists and five-plus rebounds in an NBA Finals game. The 26-year-old averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks across five contests in the Finals. Overall, Tatum was spectacular in the 2023-24 playoffs, averaging 25.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks while shooting 42.7 percent from the field. The Celtics will look to repeat their success next season, as Tatum and Jaylen Brown will attempt to lead the team to back-to-back titles.

Tatum chipped in 15 points (4-10 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 6-6 FT), five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal across 27 minutes during Friday's 122-84 loss to the Mavericks in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

The Celtics had a dreadful showing on both ends of the court Friday, as they suffered one of the most lopsided defeats in the history of the NBA Finals. Tatum didn't have a good shooting performance, but his 15-point output aligned with the numbers he'd been posting during the last few games with the exception of his 31-point effort in Game 3. Tatum and the rest of the Celtics will look to bounce back to close out the series Monday at home.

Jovic was diagnosed with a minor left ankle sprain Thursday and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Jovic is still expected to compete for Serbia in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, which begin on July 28. Jovic made 38 starts for Miami this year and could start alongside Nikola Jokic in the frontcourt for Serbia.

Jones provided 10 points (4-8 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT) and one block in 22 minutes during Monday's 106-88 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Jones started all 22 playoff games for the Mavericks and averaged 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocks while shooting 48.1 percent from the field. The 27-year-old came into his first season with the team after struggling to carve out a role with the Bulls during two years in Chicago. Jones will enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent, and his play throughout this season will likely earn him more interest around the league than last summer.

Hauser delivered eight points (3-7 FG, 2-6 3Pt), four rebounds, one assist and one steal across 17 minutes in Monday's 106-88 Game 5 win over the Mavericks.

While Hauser is known as a three-point sniper, he provided Boston with plenty of hard-nosed defense throughout its championship run. Dallas periodically hunted Hauser during the Finals, only to learn the reserve forward was up for the challenge. Hauser averaged 8.2 points, 3.0 boards and 2.2 triples over 15 minutes per contest in the Finals. This offseason, expect Boston to exercise its club option to retain Hauser. The Wisconsin product could again be a key contributor in the quest for Banner 19.

Green notched 14 points (5-8 FG, 4-6 3Pt) and two rebounds across 22 minutes during Monday's 106-88 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Green produced his best game of the playoffs Monday despite the Mavericks losing Game 5 and the series by a 4-1 deficit. The 23-year-old averaged 5.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.4 steals across 19.2 minutes in five NBA Finals games. Green's four three-pointers were his most since Feb. 5, and with the 23-year-old under contract with the Mavericks until 2026, he will look to possibly take on a larger role with the team next season as the Mavericks attempt to make it back to the Finals.

Brown had 21 points (7-23 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 5-6 FT), eight rebounds, six assists and two steals across 44 minutes during Monday's 106-88 victory over Dallas in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Brown won the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award after averaging a well-rounded 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks across five NBA Finals games. The three-time All-Star helped lead the team to title No. 18 after a dominant season, during which the Celtics boasted the best record in the league. Brown was a force in the 2023-24 playoffs, averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting an extremely efficient 51.6 percent across 19 games. The Celtics will look to run it back next season with Brown and Jayson Tatum at the helm.

Prosper posted zero points (0-2 FG), two rebounds and one assist in five minutes Friday in the Mavericks' 122-84 win over the Celtics in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Prosper sprained his ankle in a practice prior to Game 4 of the Mavericks' first-round series with the Clippers and had been sidelined for multiple weeks before being cleared to play ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. He didn't see any action in either of the first three games of the series, but with Friday's contest turning into a rout by the end of the third quarter, Prosper was able to make his NBA Finals debut in garbage time.

Hauser provided 14 points (5-7 FG, 4-6 3Pt) and four rebounds across 20 minutes during Friday's 122-84 loss to the Mavericks in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

The fact that Hauser was among the Celtics' scoring leaders in a potential title-clinching game of the NBA Finals tells you all you need to know about Boston's offense in this loss. Boston was atrocious on offense and couldn't get things going throughout the contest, but Hauser at least provided a spark with his three-point shooting. Hauser is not expected to play a prominent role for Boston offensively in the rest of the series.

Monk (knee) intends to sign a four-year, $78 million deal with the Kings, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

Monk continues to recover from a knee injury, but that hasn't stopped him from reaching an agreement with the Kings. The sharpshooter averaged career-high marks in points (15.4) and assists (5.1) per game en route to finishing second in the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year award voting. Even though Monk was expected to be a sought-after player in the open market, instead, he chose to sign with the Kings and is expected to make the deal official once the league year begins July 1.

Caruso was traded from the Bulls to the Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey on Thursday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

After spending the first four years of his career with the Lakers, Caruso played in Chicago over the past three seasons. He had a career-best year during the 2023-24 campaign, averaging 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.7 steals in 28.7 minutes per game while making 71 regular-season appearances. The 30-year-old will join a talented Thunder squad that finished last season as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, and he'll provide a solid shooting presence as long as he can remain healthy during the 2024-25 season. Caruso is entering the final year of his contract, but the Thunder hope to sign him to a long-term extension at some point, per Wojnarowski.

White amassed 14 points (4-10 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block over 38 minutes during Monday's 106-88 win over Dallas in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

In his second NBA Finals appearance, White averaged 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks in five games. He also suffered a chipped tooth when White's head was stuck between the floor and a fallen Derek Lively. Shortly after cleaning his bloodied mouth, White drained a three. The elite defender was a crucial part of the Celtics' championship run, as he provided extreme value on both sides of the ball. In 19 playoff games this season, White averaged 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.9 steals while shooting 45.2 percent from the field.

White amassed 16 points (4-10 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 4-4 FT), five rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 42 minutes during Wednesday's 106-99 victory over the Mavericks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

White was ice-cold in the first half but hit some clutch second-half three-pointers to help Boston take a 3-0 Finals lead. His two blocks highlighted a Celtics defensive effort that once again held Dallas under 100 points. The veteran guard was one of four Boston starters to see over 40 minutes of run. White and his teammates will try to close out the Finals on Friday in Dallas.

White finished Sunday's 105-98 win over the Mavericks in Game 2 of the NBA Finals with 18 points (6-15 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals in 38 minutes.

White will grab most of the headlines following this Game 2 win due to a game-saving block in the dying stages of the fourth quarter when the Mavericks were inching closer to mounting a comeback, and he also made some clutch buckets in the second half every time Dallas posed a threat. White will rarely carry the Celtics on offense, but the little things he does on both ends of the court are essential for the Celtics to be two games away from winning the NBA title. White's versatility and excellent three-point stroke make him a strong fantasy play across all formats.

Hardy closed with 13 points (4-8 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds and one assist over 11 minutes during Thursday's 107-89 loss to the Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Hardy scored 11 points in about five minutes of fourth-quarter garbage time. Considering the defensive presences of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, it may be difficult for Hardy to make an impact, though he'll likely continue to see light minutes to spell Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

The Thunder traded Giddey to the Bulls in exchange for Alex Caruso on Thursday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

After receiving a significantly reduced role in the playoffs, averaging just 12.5 minutes across six games against Dallas, Giddey's long-term future in Oklahoma City seemed uncertain. As such, it is not surprising to see the 21-year-old guard dealt for Caruso, who can offer better perimeter defense for the Thunder. Giddey could receive an opportunity to have the ball in his hands more often now that he is no longer playing alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 25.2 minutes across 80 games in 2023-24. However, he will be competing for playing time in a crowded backcourt with Coby White, Zach LaVine, Ayo Dosunmu and Lonzo Ball (knee).

Payton exercised his $9.1 million player option for the 2024-25 season Wednesday, Kendra Andrews of ESPN.com reports.

By exercising his player option, Payton will be on the books for the upcoming season and will now be able to negotiate a possible contract extension with the Warriors. Payton has had some tough luck with injuries in recent seasons, but he's invaluable to the Warriors for his perimeter defense. In 44 regular-season appearances in 2023-24, Payton averaged 5.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.9 steals in 15.5 minutes per contest while shooting 56.3 percent from the field.

Pritchard posted three points (1-1 FG, 1-1 3Pt) in under one minute of playing time during Monday's 106-88 win over Dallas in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

As he did periodically during the regular season and postseason, Pritchard once again drained a half-court end-of-quarter three just when the Celtics needed a boost. In Game 5, he heaved a half-court triple with under four seconds to help Boston take a 21-point lead into halftime. It was a lead the Celtics would never relinquish as Boston earned its 18th banner. Pritchard hit three triples over five 2024 NBA Finals games. He has three years remaining on his current contract, so expect more off-the-bench heroics moving forward.

Doncic ended Monday's 106-88 loss to the Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals with 28 points (12-25 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 2-5 FT), 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals across 43 minutes.

Despite losing the series 4-1, Doncic was spectacular for the Mavericks in the NBA Finals. The five-time All-Star dealt with a litany of injuries throughout the playoffs, including a thoracic contusion, a right knee sprain and left ankle soreness, but still led all players in scoring in the Finals. Across five NBA Finals games, Doncic averaged 29.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.6 steals while shooting 47.2 percent from the field. The 25-year-old did struggle from deep, shooting only 24.4 percent, and he was also seen as a defensive liability at times. However, Doncic and the Mavericks will look to build off their strong season and run it back next year, as he now has NBA Finals experience under his belt.

Irving posted 15 points (5-16 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 2-2 FT), nine assists, three rebounds and one steal over 41 minutes during Monday's 106-88 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Irving struggled to get going in the Game 5 loss to the Celtics after a strong performance in Game 4, when he put up 21 points, six assists and four rebounds on 55.6 percent shooting from the field. The eight-time All-Star averaged 19.8 points, 5.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 0.6 steals in five NBA Finals games while shooting 41.4 percent from the field. Irving has now been to four NBA Finals with a 1-3 record, and he will attempt to help lead Dallas back to the championship round next year with Luka Doncic by his side.

Holiday logged 15 points (7-14 FG, 1-3 3Pt), 11 rebounds, four assists and one block in 43 minutes during Monday's 106-88 victory over the Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Holiday was incredible for the Celtics in five NBA Finals games, averaging 14.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 45.5 percent from the field. The 34-year-old proved to be a crucial addition to the Celtics winning title No. 18 -- it was also Holiday's second NBA Championship in just four years. The defensive mastermind averaged 13.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 50.3 percent from the field across 19 playoff games.