Fantasy Basketball

Ayton was traded to the Trail Blazers on Wednesday in a three-team trade involving the Bucks and Suns, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. Portland also acquired Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara and a 2029 first-round pick. Milwaukee received Damian Lillard. Phoenix got Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson.

Portland finally traded Lillard after months of speculation. The front office is expected to shop Holiday to acquire young talent and/or picks, but Ayton appears to be staying a Trail Blazer. Away from high-usage stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, Ayton could see more touches than ever. As a sophomore, the center flashed third-round fantasy value, and this move could make him an even more reliable source of 20-and-10s.

Nurkic was traded to the Suns on Wednesday as part of a three-team deal between Phoenix, Portland and Milwaukee, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The deal also sends Damian Lillard to Milwaukee and Jrue Holiday and Deandre Ayton to Portland.

While Lillard and Holiday are the big headliners, Nurkic brings some much-needed big man depth to Phoenix in the wake of Ayton being shipped to Portland in the deal. For the most part, Nurkic has struggled with injuries over the last four seasons, playing 52, 56, 37 and eight games, respectively. When healthy, he's a productive source of points, rebounds and defensive stats, but he'll likely slide in as a secondary piece on a Suns roster that has plenty of offensive firepower.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said Tuesday that Porzingis (foot) is completely healthy ahead of training camp, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports.

Porzingis sat out the 2023 FIBA World Cup due to plantar fasciitis, but as expected, he's good to go for his first training camp with the Celtics. "Kristaps has been running up and down the court the last few days," Stevens said. "I thought the progression that his trainers [in Latvia], our trainers here and everybody came up with to get him back so that he could avoid anything lingering was key." The new-look Celtics will presumably have some kinks to work out in 2023-24, but Porzingis, whose fantasy value likely takes a hit with the move, brings a new dimension to a team with championship aspirations.

Adams (knee) is doing well in rehab and should be full go for training camp, head coach Taylor Jenkins said in an interview with Steven Aschburner.

Adams suffered a sprained PCL in his right knee in late January and missed the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign. It appears his offseason rehab is going according to plan, but fantasy managers should expect Memphis to proceed with caution, meaning Adams may be subject to minute restrictions and/or rest days to start the 2023-24 campaign.

Pokusevski (arm) sustained a right ankle sprain during an offseason workout Tuesday and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, Brandon Rahbar of DailyThunder.com reports.

Pokusevski suffered a small right humerus fracture at the beginning of June and was unable to play for the Serbian national team in the FIBA World Cup as a result. Although he was evidently cleared to resume working out, he's now dealing with an ankle issue that will force him to miss several weeks and could sideline him for the start of the regular season. Pokusevski has had a relatively consistent role over his first three seasons with the Thunder, averaging 8.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 21.7 minutes per game.

Vanderbilt signed a four-year, $48 million extension with the Lakers on Friday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

The final year of the deal is a fully guaranteed player option. After being traded to the Lakers in February, the 6-foot-8 forward excelled as a hard-nosed player who defended multiple positions and rebounded well. Vanderbilt's offense is certainly a work in progress, which limits his overall fantasy value, but he's a core rotational piece for Los Angeles' star-studded roster.

Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Wednesday that Diabate (rib) is healthy and ready to go for training camp, Justin Russo of the 'Clip & Roll' podcast reports.

Diabate missed some Summer League action due to a rib injury, but as expected, he's healthy to start the 2023-24 campaign. The 2022 second-round pick is slated to spend a second consecutive campaign on a two-way deal with the Clippers. Last year, Diabate appeared in 22 NBA games (one start) and averaged 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 8.9 minutes per game.

The Suns traded Camara to the Trail Blazers on Wednesday in a three-team deal that will land Damian Lillard in Milwaukee, Deandre Ayton in Portland and Jusuf Nurkic in Phoenix, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports.

Phoenix will send Camara and Ayton to Portland in exchange for Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson. Camara was drafted with the No. 52 pick in the 2023 draft by the Suns and averaged 16.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 29.2 minutes across four appearances in the 2023 Summer League. The rookie forward will likely compete for a bench role on a rebuilding Trail Blazers team.

Randle (ankle) continues to make steady progress and is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com reports.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau's update on Randle was brief, but it brought positive news for the Knicks. The star forward underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle during the offseason, and barring any last-minute setbacks, it shouldn't force him to miss any game action.

Comanche signed a training camp deal with the Kings on Wednesday, Frankie Cartoscelli of SactownSports.com reports.

Comanche spent most of the 2022-23 season with the Kings' G League affiliate in Stockton and averaged 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game before briefly joining the Trail Blazers during the final days of the campaign. With each of the three two-way slots filled for Sacramento, Comanche will most likely end up in the G League once again in 2023-24.

The Warriors signed Garuba to a two-way contract Friday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Garuba will split time between the NBA and G League for the Warriors in 2023-24. The 21-year-old forward averaged 3.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 12.9 minutes across 75 appearances for Houston last year.

Banchero didn't play Sunday for Team USA during the FIBA World Cup third-place game against Canada due to an illness, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reports.

Brandon Ingram missed the semifinal matchup versus Germany on Friday due to the same issue, and it appears he passed it to Banchero and Jaren Jackson, who were both sidelined Sunday. All three players should be good to go for their respective training camps in October, but it was certainly a disheartening way to end a disappointing tournament for Team USA.

Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Wednesday that Brown (ankle) is healthy and ready to go for training camp, Justin Russo of the 'Clip & Roll' podcast reports.

Brown suffered an ankle injury during Summer League action, but as expected, the rookie first-round pick is good to go for training camp. The Missouri product averaged 15.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 made three-pointers, 1.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks in 25.5 minutes per game during Summer League. Brown's three-point efficiency certainly stood out in college, and it appears his shot will translate to the next level, which should help him carve out a rotational spot to start 2023-24.

Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Wednesday that Leonard (knee) will be a full participant during training camp, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.

Leonard underwent a clean-up procedure in June and was expected to be fully recovered by training camp. While Leonard was expected to be healthy at this point, it's still an encouraging sign to see the oft-injured superstar meeting his rehab timelines after numerous lengthy absences in recent years. Leonard was really starting to look like himself before tearing his meniscus in the Clippers' playoff opener last season. Over the final 35 regular-season games of 2022-23, Leonard averaged 27.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 36.1 minutes per game. If he can perform at that level for Los Angeles in 2023-24, the Clippers could find their way back into championship contention.

Little (core) was traded to the Suns on Wednesday as part of a three-team deal between Phoenix, Portland and Milwaukee, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The deal also sends Damian Lillard to Milwaukee, Jusuf Nurkic to the Suns, and Jrue Holiday and Deandre Ayton to Portland.

Little, Keon Johnson and Grayson Allen all head to Phoenix in the blockbuster deal and will likely compete for depth roles on a top-heavy Suns squad. Little is a proven defender at the NBA level, but his offense has been a mystery. After a career-high year in 2021-22, Little took a step back in 2022-23 from a production standpoint, but he did shoot a career-high 36.7 percent on 2.9 three-point attempts per game. If he can maintain that efficiency from long range, Little could emerge as a quality three-and-D player for Phoenix.

Ryan signed a two-way deal with the Timberwolves on Tuesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Ryan appeared in 34 games between the Lakers and Timberwolves last year and averaged 3.6 points in 9.1 minutes per game. The 6-foot-7 wing is a sharpshooter, connecting on 38.1 percent of 2.5 three-point attempts per game. Ryan will likely split time between the NBA and G League squad during the 2023-24 campaign.

Hall has been waived by the Nets, Billy Reinhardt of Sports Talk reports.

This was an expected move for Brooklyn, as Hall is likely to spend the season in the G League with Long Island. Keifer Sykes was also waived Monday.

Stevens signed a contract with the Celtics on Friday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Stevens started 25 of his 62 appearances with the Cavaliers last year and averaged 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per game. Cleveland picked up his team option in late June before dealing him to the Spurs a few days later. He was let go by San Antonio in mid-July but will have a chance to compete for a role with the Celtics ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. The 26-year-old is a skilled defender and should provide depth on the wing behind Jayson Tatum.

Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Wednesday that George (knee) will be a full participant at training camp, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.

George missed the final eight games of the 2022-23 regular season as well as the postseason due to a right knee sprain. He was slated to resume workouts at the end of May, so it's not surprising to see him good to go for training camp. Kawhi Leonard (knee) is also expected to be a full participant, so with their two superstars back in action, the Clippers could work their way back into championship contention. Before the injury, George was playing at an extremely high level, averaging 25.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.4 steals in 36.0 minutes across 22 appearances.

Johnson (finger) was traded to the Suns on Wednesday as part of a three-team deal between Phoenix, Portland and Milwaukee, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The deal also sends Damian Lillard to Milwaukee, Jusuf Nurkic to the Suns, and Jrue Holiday and Deandre Ayton to Portland.

Johnson isn't a headliner of this blockbuster deal, but he's another depth option for a top-heavy Suns team. Across 40 appearances for Portland last year, the 6-foot-3 guard averaged 4.7 points, 1.5 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per game. Johnson is a raw prospect and likely won't carve out a substantial role to start 2023-24.

Allen was traded to the Suns on Wednesday as part of a three-team deal involving Milwaukee, Portland and Phoenix, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The trade also sends Damian Lillard to the Bucks, while Jrue Holiday and Deandre Ayton land in Portland.

With so many big-name players involved, Allen feels like somewhat of a throw-in in the deal, but he'll bring some valuable depth to a top-heavy Suns roster. With Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in place, Allen may settle into a bench role, but his ability to play both guard spots should prove valuable. Allen finished last season with averages of 10.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.0 made threes in 27.4 minutes per contest.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Wednesday that Oladipo (knee) won't report to the Thunder's training camp, Brandon Rahbar of DailyThunder.com reports.

"[Oladipo will] be back this season at some point," Presti added. "But with our roster situation, we can't prioritize that." The Thunder will have to make a decision on Oladipo's contract soon, but it appears the veteran guard will likely start 2023-24 as a free agent. He's still working his way back from an offseason surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his left knee and remains without a concrete return timeline.

McGruder (foot) signed with the Warriors on Monday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

McGruder missed the final nine games of the 2022-23 regular season due to a foot injury and remained a free agent all summer. It appears he's healthy after signing a deal with the Warriors, and he'll look to compete for a roster spot during training camp. The veteran guard was limited to just 32 appearances (12 starts) with the Pistons last season and averaged 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 made three-pointers in 16.4 minutes per game. McGruder has shot 36 percent from deep during his career.

Keels has agreed to a training camp contract with Minnesota, Jon Krawczysnki of The Athletic reports.

Keels was on a two-way contract with the Knicks in 2022-23 and is a former Duke standout. He'll be facing an uphill battle to make the final roster in Minnesota.

The Heat signed Hampton to a two-way contract Wednesday, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reports.

Hampton made 47 NBA appearances between the Magic and Pistons in 2022-23, averaging 6.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.0 minutes. The 22-year-old guard will take Jamaree Bouyea's two-way spot and should split time between the Heat and the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the G League next season.

The Heat waived Bouyea on Wednesday, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reports.

Bouyea made five appearances in the NBA between the Heat and Wizards in 2022-23, averaging 3.0 points and 1.2 rebounds in 14.2 minutes. His two-way roster spot will now be used by R.J. Hampton.

Holiday was traded to the Trail Blazers on Wednesday as part of a three-team deal that lands Damian Lillard in Milwaukee, Deandre Ayton in Portland and Jusuf Nurkic in Phoenix, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

Milwaukee will send Holiday, a 2029 unprotected first-round pick and pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 to the Trail Blazers and Grayson Allen to the Suns in exchange for Lillard. Holiday averaged 19.3 points, 7.4 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 32.6 minutes across 67 games in 2022-23. While the 33-year-old guard is still one of the better defenders in the NBA, his future in Portland seems uncertain with Anfernee Simons and Scoot Henderson on the roster. Portland will almost certainly look to re-route Holiday to another team. Given his status as one of the better two-way guards in the NBA, he should command a strong return.

Portland traded Lillard to Milwaukee on Wednesday as part of a three-team deal, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

Wojnarowski relays that the Blazers will receive Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara and a first-round pick while the Suns will get Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson. Lillard demanded a trade this offseason and named Miami as his ideal landing spot, but the two sides couldn't reach a deal, prompting speculation that the Raptors could swoop in. Milwaukee was always a long shot, making this move incredibly surprising, but the trio of Lillard, Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo puts Milwaukee firmly back in contention. The move is expected to cut into Lillard's usage somewhat, as Antetokounmpo is the Bucks' No. 1 option.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said Tuesday that Brogdon is completely healthy heading into training camp, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports.

It was reported that Brogdon may need offseason surgery to repair a partial tendon tear in his right elbow/forearm, but he was ultimately able to clear the issue on his own and should be full go for training camp. There was also concern that Brogdon had grown disgruntled with the organization after nearly being traded, but the point guard appears to have put that issue behind him as well. With Marcus Smart no longer in the picture, there should be more minutes in the backcourt available for Brogdon in 2023-24, but Derrick White will still be Boston's starting point guard.

Doncic said Wednesday that he's not 100 percent due to a thigh injury he suffered during the 2023 FIBA World Cup, but he plans to play through the issue during training camp and has some "appointments" upcoming to figure out the severity, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News reports.

It's unclear exactly when Doncic suffered the injury, but he's downplayed the issue since. The MVP candidate was able to get some light scrimmaging in during Wednesday's training camp practice, but he does anticipate being limited moving forward. Fantasy managers should certainly monitor Doncic's situation ahead of their drafts, but for now, it sounds like the superstar point guard has no desire to miss any regular-season action.