Shams Charania of ESPN reports that the New Orleans Pelicans and free agent forward Jalen McDaniels have agreed to a deal on Monday. McDaniels has posted averages of 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.7 steals while shooting 44.9 percent from the field. He's recorded 252 career regular-season outings during six NBA seasons spent with Charlotte, Philadelphia, Toronto, and, most recently, with Washington last season. The 27-year-old is not a player that should be on fantasy managers' radar going into the upcoming campaign.

Michael Scotto of USA Today reports that restricted free-agent center N'Faly Dante and the Atlanta Hawks agreed to a two-way deal worth $4.5 million for two seasons. The 23-year-old made four appearances last season for the Rockets, posting averages of 6.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per contest. He also shot 76.9 percent from the field during 12.8 minutes. Dante spent the majority of the 2024-25 campaign in the G League with Rio Grande Valley, leading the team with 2.2 blocks per contest.

According to Michael Scotto of USA Today, point guard Dru Smith (Achilles) agreed to a three-year, $7.9 million deal with the Miami Heat. Smith has played in 28 regular-season games across three NBA campaigns, mostly with Miami. In 2023-24, his season was cut short due to a torn ACL after just nine outings. His injury woes continued into last season as he had surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon. The 27-year-old played in 14 games, averaging 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.5 steals during 19.1 minutes per contest before suffering the injury. Once available to suit up, Smith will likely make a minimal impact on fantasy as he will have to battle for minutes with Davion Mitchell, Terry Rozier, and rookie Kasparas Jakucionis.

According to Ashish Mathur of Dallas Hoops Journal, "multiple teams" have attempted to acquire Chicago Bulls guard Coby White. However, Chicago has "shot down all inquiries." The Bulls have made several moves in the last few seasons that indicates the club is heading in a new direction. Still, it appears the front office isn't looking to move White, who is entering the final season of the three-year deal he signed back in 2023. He is coming off a productive year, averaging a career-high 20.4 points, adding 4.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds. With that in mind, White is expected to improve even more moving ahead, making him an even bigger asset for fantasy managers. He's also an excellent free throw shooter and has improved his shot from deep, which is a plus for category participants.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (knee) was injured during Saturday's EuroBasket exhibition versus Latvia after a Slovenian teammate fell on his right knee. Fortunately, the injury "is not believed to be serious," with NBA insider Marc Stein reporting Doncic was diagnosed with a contusion. The 26-year-old was moved to the Lakers ahead of last season's trade deadline after spending his entire career with the Dallas Mavericks. He appeared in 28 regular-season contests for Los Angeles, averaging 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.6 steals. With that in mind, he is arguably the top fantasy option in any format heading into the 2025 campaign, especially after he focused on his diet and conditioning this offseason. As far as his immediate future is concerned, he should be considered day-to-day, so there's a good chance he'll be ready to go when Slovenia faces Poland on August 28.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) is making progress toward an eventual return to the court. The 25-year-old suffered a torn right Achilles tendon during the Game 7 NBA Finals loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, resulting in surgery. He will miss the entire 2025 campaign. However, there is some good news, with Haliburton recently revealing that he's no longer using a scooter or crutches. Instead, he's been able to walk in a boot. The 2020 No. 12 overall pick averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 38.8% shooting from behind the arc last season. He won't receive any attention in redraft formats heading into the new season due to the injury. Still, managers in dynasty leagues shouldn't consider any low-ball offers, especially since Haliburton is predicted to remain in the All-Star conversation for many years moving ahead. While he's off the floor, Andrew Nembhard could see a bump in usage at the one. Bennedict Mathurin should also be in line for an increase in fantasy production, considering he's slotted to move into the starting lineup.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Miami Heat traded forward Haywood Highsmith and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for a protected 2026 second-round pick on Friday. Highsmith will get a fresh start in Brooklyn after he recovers from a torn meniscus in his right knee, which he suffered while training recently. He underwent surgery last week and is expected to be sidelined for at least eight weeks. The 28-year-old started in 42 games for the Heat throughout the 2024-25 campaign. However, he wasn't a reliable contributor on the fantasy end overall, averaging 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 74 regular-season contests. Highsmith is considered questionable to open the season and will likely come off the bench for the Nets when he is available.

On Thursday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Milwaukee Bucks signed free agent forward Amir Coffey to a one-year contract. Coffey joins the Bucks after spending his first six NBA seasons in Los Angeles with the Clippers. In 2024-25, the 28-year-old appeared in 72 regular-season contests, posting averages of 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists during 24.3 minutes per game. He had been a helpful piece in the rotation for the Clippers most recently and could benefit from a fresh start in Milwaukee.

According to NBA insider Grant Afseth, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard is expected to move into the starting lineup this season, with Anfernee Simons anticipated to be used as a "high-scoring option off the bench." The Celtics are projected to take a step back, with superstar Jayson Tatum (Achilles) in line to miss the entire season. The team also traded Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday during the offseason. As a result, Pritchard appears to be getting a chance to roll with the first five moving ahead. The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 14.3 points throughout the 2025 campaign, earning him a Sixth Man of the Year award. He also amassed 21.7 points in three starts. All things considered, Pritchard might very well be entering what could be the best year of his career. He's an excellent shooter from behind the arc, and he's only missed two games in the last two seasons. Pritchard's ceiling should rise even more if Jaylen Brown, who has struggled with injuries over the years, misses time.

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant is poised to significantly enhance the team's title hopes in 2025-26. But the leadership in Houston reportedly isn't interested in offering him a maximum contract extension. "Certainly, I think both sides want that to be more than a one-year window," ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported on Wednesday. "But it's not going to be a max extension. If that was the priority for Kevin Durant, it would have been done in conjunction with the trade and he probably wouldn't have ended up in Houston." The veteran superstar is entering the final season of a four-year, $198 million deal. He is currently eligible to sign a two-year, $118 million extension. MacMahon added that Houston's priority at the moment is to extend Tari Eason.

Power forward Isaiah Mobley has moved to Europe for the season, signing a deal with Manisa Basket in Turkey. Manisa joined the Turkish championship just a few years ago, so this is quite a coup for the team. Mobley will pause his NBA career after making 23 appearances in the league. Following a couple of campaigns with his brother Evan in Cleveland, Mobley suited up once for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2024-25. He's made minimal impact as a player in the Association, averaging 2.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.5 minutes. Mobley has done well in the G League, though, posting 18.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game for his career.

Forward Cole Swider has inked a deal with Turkish team Anadolu Efes for the upcoming campaign. Anadolu Efes, which won consecutive EuroLeague titles in 2021 and 2022, picked up Swinder following a standout G League season. The 26-year-old averaged 20.7 points with 44.3 percent shooting from three-point range and grabbed 5.9 rebounds. In the NBA, Swinder was limited to 10 outings with the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors. The sharpshooter from Rhode Island has also seen time on the court with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, averaging 3.1 points in 35 career NBA appearances.

Shooting guard Ethan Thompson will join the Miami Heat for training camp, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports. The 26-year-old has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract, meaning Miami now has 18 of its 21 preseason roster spots filled. Thompson, who went undrafted in 2021, is looking to finally break into the NBA after a productive season with the Osceola Magic in the G League. Across 31 regular-season appearances, Thompson averaged 18.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, shooting 39.1 percent from downtown. The Heat had one of the lowest three-point percentages in the NBA last season, so Thompson could definitely help the team improve in that aspect.

Point guard Jason Preston has signed a training camp deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac.com. The 26-year-old will try to earn a roster spot in the NBA after missing the entire 2024-25 campaign with a calf strain. Preston started his pro career with the Clippers in 2022-23 and has also suited up for the Utah Jazz, making 21 total career appearances. The former Ohio Bobcat hasn't seen any success at this level so far, averaging only 2.5 points and 2.0 assists in 9.3 minutes. However, Preston has been impressive in the G League, notching 16.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta has a big season coming up, during which he's likely to take on a much bigger role than in previous years. He is focused on improving in 2025-26. "Obviously, I think it's making sure I get in great shape," the Portuguese big man said in an interview with CLNS Media's Bobby Manning. "Go out there and make elite decisions with the ball in my hands and making sure I get great finishes this year. I also want to raise up my free throw attempts this year." Queta added that he's also trying to improve his 62.7 career free-throw percentage and is "always" working on three-point shooting. Boston is expected to use Queta as its starting center in the new season, which will significantly increase his fantasy value.

Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons remains in limbo regarding his future. Sources have told Grant Afseth of FastbreakJournal.com that Boston is having trouble finding a trade partner for Simons' expiring $27.6 million contract. Simons signed a $100 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022 and has been productive during the contract, but it appears he currently doesn't have enough trade value on the market. It's happened after a season in which Simons led Portland in scoring with 19.3 points per game and ranked second in assists with 3.8. According to Afseth, Simons "remains a trade candidate to monitor."

Milwaukee Bucks guard Cole Anthony wants to battle for the NBA championship in the upcoming campaign. "I look at it as a great opportunity to enter another team where they have a playoff pedigree and a championship pedigree," Anthony told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. "They've won a 'chip there. I just want to get in there, contribute and do whatever I can for the team. I want to be a part of winning." Anthony is likely to have a decent role with the Bucks, whether as a starter or not, and should provide at least low-tier fantasy value. Over his career, he has averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, despite only starting 125 of 320 games.

Forward Kessler Edwards has agreed to a deal with the Denver Nuggets. Per Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette, the 25-year-old signed an Exhibit 10 contract. Edwards, who was drafted in the second round in 2021, has already joined his fourth NBA team. In the past season, he featured in 40 games with the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 4.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.2 minutes. Edwards was able to improve his numbers to 7.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 18 outings as a starter. His production isn't good enough to warrant attention from fantasy managers.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal is looking forward to playing for a new team in 2025. "I feel like I've got a new life of rejuvenation," said Beal during a recent interview. "I'm excited about the opportunity, new city, a new environment." Beal was once a top performer in the National Basketball Association. His best season was in 2020, when he averaged a career-high 31.3 points with the Washington Wizards. Unfortunately, Beal's production has significantly decreased ever since, with the 32-year-old most recently amassing 17.0 points with the Suns throughout the 2024 campaign. He's also struggled to remain on the floor, logging 60 games or fewer in the last six seasons. Beal, who signed a two-year deal with the Clippers this offseason after getting bought out by Phoenix, is a bounce-back candidate. However, he'll need to stay off the injury report.

According to an anonymous NBA scout, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic appears to be in fantastic shape. "Man, he looks incredible," said the scout, who watched Doncic during a recent EuroBasket friendly contest. "He's quicker and more explosive. He's getting by people more easily. I think he's on a mission, man. I think he's gonna win MVP and the scoring title next season." The multi-time All-Star has reportedly focused on his diet and conditioning throughout the offseason, resulting in a dramatic weight loss. He spent his entire career with the Dallas Mavericks before surprisingly being dealt to the Lakers ahead of last season's deadline. Doncic played as well as expected, averaging 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.8 steals in 28 regular-season games for Los Angeles. The 26-year-old is still in search of his first MVP award. He's also on the hunt for an NBA championship. With that in mind, Doncic has a good chance of accomplishing both before calling it a career. However, he'll need to stay healthy, which has been an issue over the years. As far as his fantasy stock is concerned, he's arguably still the No. 1 option available in any format heading into the 2025 campaign, although Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are also in the conversation.