Oklahoma City Thunder's star point guard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, scored 27 points for Canada in their Olympic 82-73 quarterfinal loss to France on Tuesday. Gilgeous-Alexander was crucial in reducing France's lead from 19 points to 71-66 in the third quarter. However, France maintained their lead and closed out the game. In addition to his impressive scoring, the 26-year-old contributed five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. Even though Canada suffered a tough loss, fantasy managers should strongly consider selecting Gilgeous-Alexander with their first pick in the upcoming NBA fantasy drafts, as he will bounce back.

Victor Wembanyama, center for the San Antonio Spurs, grabbed 12 rebounds as France defeated Canada 82-73 on Tuesday, securing a spot in the men's Olympic basketball semifinals for the second consecutive time. Wembanyama also contributed seven points, five assists, three steals, and one block. Although Canada managed to limit the 20-year-old's offensive opportunities, forward Guerschon Yabusele and Isaia Cordinier stepped up, scoring a combined total of 42 points. Wembanyama will need to elevate his offensive game as France prepares to face Germany on Thursday.

Nikola Jokic, center for the Denver Nuggets, scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, leading Serbia to a 95-90 overtime victory over Australia and securing a spot in the Paris Olympic basketball semifinals on Tuesday. Jokic and his Serbian teammates were behind by 24 points at halftime but managed to take the lead 61-60 after a remarkable 40-14 scoring run in the third quarter. In addition, he contributed eight assists, four steals, and one block during his 39 minutes on the court. Despite a busy summer, Jokic is expected to continue to be a massive fantasy contributor once the NBA season begins.

Power forward Luka Samanic has linked up with Turkish club Fenerbahce, signing a two-year deal. The 24-year-old Croatian heads back to Europe after making 86 NBA appearances across four seasons. He averaged 4.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 9.4 minutes with the Utah Jazz in 2023-24. Samanic never got his NBA career going despite being dominant in the G League. He will definitely get more playing opportunities with Fenerbahce, which came close to its second EuroLeague title last season.

Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell faces an uncertain future, with the team reportedly shopping him around. According to Lakers insider Anthony Irwin, Russell is drawing interest from the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets. However, Irwin notes that both teams are interested in acquiring Russell for his expiring contract, not his playing ability. The 28-year-old is on a $18.7 million deal for the 2024-25 after picking up a player option on his contract. A move to a team that isn't particularly fond of Russell's talents on the court could have a negative impact on his fantasy stock.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant has been in trade rumors this summer, but he reportedly isn't keen on switching teams. According to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, Grant is enjoying the stability he's having in Portland. The 30-year-old has spent two seasons with the Trail Blazers, averaging 20.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists with 40.2 percent shooting from three-point range. Grant was signed to a five-year, $160 million extension last offseason. The Trail Blazers are reportedly seeking two first-round draft picks for Grant, who has mostly been linked with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a game-high 22 points in Greece's matchup against Germany at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday but couldn't save his squad from a 76-63 loss in the quarterfinals. Germany managed to limit Antetokounmpo to two rebounds and three assists, which played a big part in the team's success. The Bucks superstar finished with 9-for-14 shooting and was 4-for-6 at the line. Antetokounmpo was in fine form throughout the tournament but clearly lacked support, as Greece barely even made it into the quarterfinals. He averaged 25.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. The two-time MVP can now head off for a vacation before gearing up for another NBA campaign. Antetokounmpo has a chance to average a 30-point double-double for a third consecutive season.

Brooklyn Nets point guard Dennis Schroder produced 13 points and eight assists on Tuesday in Germany's 76-63 victory over Greece at the 2024 Summer Olympics. The veteran guard hit three three-point bombs and finished with 5-for-12 shooting while collecting one steal. Schroder has once again been one of the keys to success for Germany, which has booked a semifinal spot at an Olympics tournament for the first time ever. In four games, Schroder has averaged 18.0 points, 8.8 assists, and 1.5 steals with 41.4 percent three-point shooting. We could see similar numbers from Schroder in the 2024-25 NBA campaign if he locks down a starting role on a rebuilding Brooklyn team.

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner scored a team-high 18 points as Germany reached the Olympics semifinals for the first time in men's basketball by beating Giannis Antetokounmpo's Greece 76-63 on Tuesday. Wagner's three-point shot was off, as he finished 1-for-6 from downtown, but the Magic star went a decent 8-for-17 overall from the field. The 22-year-old made an impact defensively as well, with three steals. His work included three rebounds and two assists. It was another good all-around performance from Wagner, who sits among the top scorers in Paris with 20.8 points per game and averages 1.8 steals with 4.5 rebounds. Wagner has looked excellent at the Olympics, which should be an encouraging sign for the Magic and fantasy managers alike ahead of the new NBA campaign.

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine remains on the roster despite months of trade rumors. While the lack of movement would appear to suggest LaVine is no longer in danger of being moved, that's not the case, with Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times reporting the team is still looking to trade him. Several things are holding up a potential swap involving the veteran, including the length and amount owed on his current deal. He's also played fewer than 67 games in seven of the last eight seasons. With most teams trying to keep costs down in hopes of avoiding the dreaded first and second aprons, LaVine's asking price could drop even more moving ahead. If he stays in Chicago, he'll have a chance to become the No. 1 scoring option now that DeMar DeRozan took his talents to Sacramento.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen remains at the top of the Golden State Warriors' trade wishlist. However, the team has yet to come up with an attractive offer for the 2023 All-Star. NBA insider Marc Stein wrote in his most recent Substack post that Golden State has pursued Markkanen with trade packages laden with future draft compensation without including Brandin Podziemski or Jonathan Kuminga in the offers. Both players are highly regarded by the Warriors hierarchy. However, as it's turned out, it's proven to be extremely difficult to get a deal done without including either of them in any offers. Markkanen will be entering the final season of his contract and is eligible for a four-year, $113 million extension. If he signs it after Aug. 6, Markkanen will be officially off the market, as he then won't be eligible to be traded before the 2024-25 trade deadline has passed.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen is expected to remain in trade rumors despite recently signing a contract extension. NBA insider Marc Stein has noted on Substack that Allen becomes trade-eligible on Feb. 2, 2025, a few days before the 2024-25 trade deadline. Stein adds that the Cavaliers will continue to get calls on Allen because of "league-wide belief" that he and Evan Mobley are a bad fit long-term. Allen signed a three-;year, $91 million max extension with Cleveland last week following a very productive campaign. He averaged career-highs with 16.5 points and 2.7 assists while grabbing 10.5 rebounds and swatting away 1.1 shots.

Forward Jordan Nwora has joined EuroLeague's Anadolu Efes Istanbul for the upcoming campaign. The 25-year-old also has an option to remain with the Turkish team next season. Nwora won the NBA title with Milwaukee in 2021 and has played for Indiana and Toronto as well, averaging 7.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in 206 career games. The Louisville product split 52 games between the Pacers and Raptors in 2023-24, posting 7.0 points and 2.9 rebounds in 13.7 minutes. Nwora has looked decent when given opportunities at the NBA level, but there haven't been regular minutes available to him anywhere he has been, which has limited his fantasy impact.

Forward/center Micah Potter is back with the Utah Jazz, having agreed to a new two-way contract. Potter signed his first two-way deal with the Jazz in 2022. He has made 23 NBA appearances with the team. The 26-year-old started his NBA career in 2021-22 with the Detroit Pistons. He has averaged 3.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.4 minutes across 26 career appearances. In the G League, Potter has been a double-double machine, and he was part of the Team USA Select Team this summer, but the former Wisconsin Badger looks far from being an attractive fantasy asset.

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton has been linked with a trade elsewhere. NBA insider Brett Siegel has noted that the Trail Blazers and Ayton are expected to part ways at "some point." Siegel added that there currently isn't a trade market for the former first-overall pick. Ayton looks to be on the move soon despite arriving in Portland less than a year ago. All things considered, he had a decent campaign in 2023-24 with averages of 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds. However, the Trail Blazers have acquired themselves a new big man, Donovan Clingan, who has drawn a lot of plaudits. Ayton has received a bad rep in recent years, but he has the tools to remain a productive NBA big man for years to come. Staying healthy is the key for him. The 26-year-old has been limited to 358 appearances in six seasons.

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025-26 after his four-year, $194 million contract expires. While he would immediately draw interest from most clubs around the National Basketball Association, Suns CEO Joel Bartelstein doesn't appear concerned about things getting to that point. "The most important thing is Kevin Loves being here, and we love having Kevin here," said Bartelstein recently. "We're always having dialogue. The relationship is what matters the most. The relationship is in a great spot." Durant remains one of the league's top performers, recently averaging 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 75 games in Phoenix last season. With that in mind, Durant is anticipated to remain a potent fantasy producer for at least a few more seasons if he stays healthy. The 35-year-old has until October 21 to agree on an extension.

According to Team USA head coach Steve Kerr, guard Jrue Holiday (ankle) will play on Tuesday against Brazil. The veteran was held out of Saturday's meeting with Puerto Rico. However, he wasn't needed, with Team USA cruising to an easy win. Holiday had a down season in 2023-24, averaging 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 69 games in Boston. Of course, anyone on a team featuring Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would naturally see a reduction in statistical contributions. But he should remain a potent fantasy presence in 2024-25 if he stays healthy. Fortunately, it appears his latest ankle issue isn't something fantasy managers should be concerned about.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards finished with a team-high 26 points for Team USA in Saturday's Olympic win over Puerto Rico. The United States built a commanding lead early in the contest, allowing the bench to receive more minutes, with Edwards shooting an efficient 11-for-15 from the field and adding two steals. The 22-year-old finished last season by amassing a career-high 25.9 points with 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 steals. His fantasy value is already at an all-time high. However, his play throughout the 2024 Summer Olympics will make him an even more attractive fantasy commodity heading into the 2024-25 campaign.

According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle may need to take less cash if he's interested in receiving an extension from the team. The veteran is entering what could be the final year of his current deal but could make around $180 million on an extension. However, the Knicks still need to round out the roster while hoping to avoid hitting the second apron, meaning Randle might need to settle for less, much like Jalen Brunson did at the beginning of July. Without question, the 29-year-old is a top player in the National Basketball Association, most recently averaging 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists during the 2023-24 campaign. Unfortunately, he appeared in only 46 games before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury. The upgraded roster in New York could mean fewer statistical contributions from Randle in 2024-25. Yet, he'll remain a top fantasy provider as long as he stays healthy.

Free-agent forward/center Chuma Okeke agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the New York Knicks. The 25-year-old was drafted in 2019 by the Magic. In 189 games in Orlando, he averaged 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds. However, he never carved out a routine role in the rotation. With that said, despite the re-signing of Precious Achiuwa, the Knicks lack depth underneath the basket, meaning Okeke could make the team if he has an impressive training camp. While he probably won't be a reliable fantasy option anytime soon, he's worth watching in case he earns some starts with the Knicks or another team during the 2024-25 campaign.