News: Pacers forward Sam Young left Friday's Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat with a sprained left ankle. Young left the game in the third quarter and did not return. He finished with one point and two rebounds in a 97-93 win.
Analysis: Young may have been held out as a precaution, especially since he logged just 10 minutes in each of the first two games of the series. We'll continue to monitor his status moving forward. Young averaged 2.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game this season and is considered a marginal contributor in Fantasy. He should be ignored on Draft Day.
News: Heat guard Mario Chalmers, who left Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals with a shoulder injury, returned to action in Game 2 Friday against the Pacers. Chalmers scored six points on 2 of 6 shooting and dished out five assists in a 97-93 defeat.
Analysis: Chalmers seemed shaken up during a few sequences on Friday, but was healthy enough to stay on the floor. We'll continue to keep an eye on his status throughout the postseason. Chalmers shot 40.9 percent from three-point range this season, and that is where his Fantasy value will always come from. This injury is unlikely to linger into the offseason, so it should not change his Fantasy value for next season. He remains useful in deeper Rotisserie Fantasy formats on Draft Day.
News: TSN.ca reported last week that Raptors forward Linas Kleiza and center Aaron Gray picked up their player options for the 2013-14 season. Kleiza's option will pay him $4.6 million, while Gray will make $2.6 million, in the final years of both of their deals.
Analysis: Gray averaged just 2.8 points per game over the course of 42 games, and he saw his role dramatically reduced as the team leaned on younger options. He will likely assume a similar role for Toronto this season, and should be ignored in most Fantasy formats on Draft Day.
News: TSN.ca reported last week that Raptors forward Linas Kleiza and center Aaron Gray picked up their player options for the 2013-14 season. Kleiza's option will pay him $4.6 million, while Gray will make $2.6 million, in the final years of both of their deals.
Analysis: Kleiza did not play after Dec. 28, thanks in part to lingering issues with his surgically-repaired knee. He averaged just 7.4 points on 33.3 percent shooting in the 20 games he appeared in, and is unlikely to be worth targeting in any Fantasy formats on Draft Day.
News: Warriors forward Carl Landry would like to return to Golden State, but he has an opt-out clause for next season's $4 million contract. He has yet to choose whether to do so, and he told the Contra Costa Times Wednesday that it is the hardest decision he has faced in his career. “The Warriors are home whether I opt in or out," he said. "Hopefully, I can spend the rest of my career here because this is a very special place. Everything here is what you want: the city, the fans, the front office, the coach, the teammates. You can’t ask for anything more.”
Analysis: Landry would probably be underpaid at $4 million next season, so he would likely be turning down millions of dollars to remain on what is essentially a one-year deal. Landry averaged 10.8 point and 6.0 rebounds per game for the Warriors in just 23.2 minutes per game, and he could get a much bigger role on another roster. We will keep an eye on his free agency as it moves forward, but Landry is likely to be more of a late-round Fantasy option on Draft Day no matter where he ends up.
News: Predictably, Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva picked up his option for the 2013-14 season, a deal that will pay him $8.5 million. Villanueva is entering the final year of a five-year, $37.7 million contract.
Analysis: Villanueva appeared in 69 games this season, averaging a career-low 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. With the Pistons continuing to rebuild, it is unlikely that he sees a larger role than that this season, so Fantasy owners should ignore him in most Fantasy formats on Draft Day.
News: Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao has been taken off blood thinners, a sign that he has recovered from the blood clot issue that ended his season. According to The Plain Dealer, Varejao is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.
Analysis: Varejao was in the midst of the best season of his career, before quad surgery and the ensuing developments with a blood clot. He averaged 14.1 points and 14.4 rebounds per game prior to the injury, both of which are by far career highs. Varejao has emerged as a very solid Fantasy option over the last few years, however he has also missed 149 games over the last three seasons. He is a major injury risk heading into the season, but he should still be gone by the middle rounds in most Fantasy leagues on Draft Day.
News: Knicks guard Pablo Prigioni becomes a free agent after his rookie season, and he reportedly wants to stay in the NBA rather than return to the Spanish League. It might just depend on what his wife says, according to the New York Post. Prigioni is set to become a free agent July 1, and is expected to look for a one-year contract worth around $2 million.
Analysis: Prigioni ended up moving into the starting lineup for the Knicks, but he did not have much of an impact this season. He averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 assists per game in 16.2 minutes. After showing what he can do, he might be able to get a bigger role next season, but he should probably still be ignored until the very end of most Fantasy formats.
News: Wizards guard Bradley Beal has yet to be cleared for basketball activities, nearly two months after being shut down due to an ankle and right leg injury. According to the Washington Post, Beal is still a week or so away from getting back on the court. “It’s always frustration,” Beal said Thursday. “But at the same time, I have to stay positive, make sure I’m doing what I’m supposed to do. Making sure I’m able to take care of myself and just stay on top of it. Basically just being patient and when I get out there, I’ll get out there.” Beal is lifting weights, riding a bike and swimming, but it mostly limited to free throws on the court for now. He is expected to be ready to go by the time the team opens training camp.
Analysis: Beal became just the seventh player to make the all-rookie first team as a teenager, a pretty good indication of the kind of upside he has when healthy. He missed 26 games due to a variety of ailments, mostly related to his ankles. He finished the season averaging 13.9 points per game on 41.0 percent shooting, however he improved dramatically as the season went on. Beal shot 47.1 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from three-point range after the All-Star break, with 16.5 points per game. If that is any sign of what Beal can do when healthy, Fantasy owners should be very excited to see him in his second season. Plan on targeting Beal in the middle rounds on Draft Day, with plenty of upside.
News: According to his agent, Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire was not happy with how the season ended, as he was barely able to contribute in the team's six-game loss to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. “You know Amar’e, he’s going to work as hard as he can during the offseason,” Happy Walters, Stoudemire’s agent, told the New York Daily News. “It was a tough year, but Amar’e is already looking forward to next season. He’ll be ready.” Knicks coach Mike Woodson would not comment on whether he thinks Stoudemire will return to the starting lineup next season, after the Knicks enjoyed great success with Carmelo Anthony at power forward. Stoudemire came off the bench in all 29 of his regular season games this season, after doing so just 17 times in his previous 10 seasons.
Analysis: Despite eventually needing two knee surgeries, Stoudemire was actually quite productive for the Knicks, when he played. He averaged 14.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in just 23.5 minutes, while shooting 57.7 percent from the field, his best mark since 2007-08. Stoudemire may be best suited coming off the bench on the Knicks' current roster, but that probably limits how much playing time he can get on a nightly basis. Given injury concerns and questions about his role on the Knicks, Stoudemire is a risky Fantasy option heading into next season. He should be left for the middle rounds at the earliest on Draft Day.
