News: Spurs point guard Tony Parker as able to play through a Grade 1 hamstring strain in Game 4 for the NBA Finals Thursday. Parker made a trip to the locker and was held scoreless in the second half. He finished with 15 points, nine assists and four rebounds in a 109-93 loss. "[My hamstring] was kind of weak," he said. "I didn't know what to expect. So the first three, four minutes, I was testing it. And the first half, it felt OK. And the second half I think I got fatigued a little bit. But overall, I'm just happy I didn't make it worse. That was the goal, to not try to get hurt because Pop was not really happy, meaning I wanted to play and took a little risk. So I'm happy I'm not worse."
Analysis: Parker was obviously not at full strength during the second half and Miami took advantage of his inability to score. Still, Parker will receive two days of rest before Game 5, so we expect him to be ready to go. Parker missed 17 games in the regular season due to injury, which was the most since his 2009-10 campaign. He averaged 20.3 points on 52.2 percent shooting, along with 7.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds this season. Consider grabbing him in the first few rounds on Draft Day next season.
News: The Knicks announced Monday that guard Jason Kidd will retire. Kidd, 40, spent 2012-13 with the Knicks in a reduced role and averaged 6.0 points, 3.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds while making 114 3-pointers. For his 19-year career, Kidd averaged 12.6 points, 8.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds. He should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as one of the best point guards in NBA history.
Analysis: Kidd was an elite Fantasy option for the majority of his career and should go down as one of the best point guards of all time. He is no longer worth drafting in any Fantasy leagues.
News: USA Today reports that Grant Hill has decided to retire. The 18-year veteran and seven-time All-Star, who played for the Clippers this past season, announced his retirement Saturday on TNT moments before the start of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Heat and Pacers. Hill, 40, hinted at retirement this season but didn't come to his decision until earlier in the week. "The last four or five years I would take about a month (after the season to decide to continue) and within a month, if I still wanted to do it, I would. Putting it simply, after a month, I just realized I didn't want to play anymore," Hill said. "There's a lot of reasons for that, but you know when you know. It just felt right. I'm excited and looking forward to moving on and doing other things. I worked hard. I put a lot into it, and I enjoyed every minute of it. But now is the time to move on. I feel great physically. It's important to go out feeling good, particularly considering all the setbacks I had health-wise throughout my career."
Analysis: A gifted all-around player – he could score, pass and rebound – Hill seemed destined for a Hall of Fame career before ankle injuries derailed him. For his career, he averaged 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals. He was once a great Fantasy option, but now that he's retired he should no longer be owned in any leagues.
News: Knicks center Tyson Chandler has made his reputation in the NBA on being a stout defensive presence, but that did not prove to be enough as the Knicks were handled fairly easily by Pacers' big man Roy Hibbert in a playoff series loss. As a result, Chandler is hoping to expand his offensive game this offseason, with the hopes of becoming a bigger part of the team's plans. “I definitely want to be a more involved, more consistent on the offensive end,” Chandler told NBA.com. “I would like for us to develop some consistency with the offensive game plan. Right now we are a jump shooting team and I would like us to have a more free flowing offense that we all can be comfortable with and we’ll go from there.” Head coach Mike Woodson plans to work with Chandler on developing his offensive game as a go-to option on the block, as well.
Analysis: Chandler averaged a double-double this season, but managed 10.4 points per game on just 6.1 field-goal attempts per game. He can post gaudy rebound totals and contributes in blocks, but a more well-rounded offensive game would certainly be a boon to his Fantasy value at such a shallow position. Chandler turns 31 before the season begins, so it is fair to wonder how much room there is for him to grow. Fantasy owners should not expect a big increase in Chandler's offensive production when they target him on Draft Day, but it would be a nice bonus. He remains an early-middle round Fantasy option at this point.
News: Hornets guard Greivis Vasquez had surgery to remove bone spurs from his right ankle last week, and tweeted from his personal account that he will likely need 12 to 16 weeks to recover fully from the procedure. That will likely put his return to the court between August and September, giving him plenty of time to be fully healed for training camp.
Analysis: Hopefully Vasquez does not suffer from any lingering effects heading into the season, as he was a true breakout Fantasy option last season. The 26-year-old not only posted career highs in almost every major offensive category, but also established himself as a high-end Fantasy option. Vasquez averaged 13.9 points, 9.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game on 43 percent shooting. He finished as the 11th highest scoring Fantasy guard in standard formats last season. Fantasy owners should plan on targeting Vasquez in the middle rounds of all formats on Draft Day next fall.
News: Blazers guard Wesley Matthews underwent an athroscopic debridement of his left elbow Wednesday, a procedure that is expected to require three to four weeks of recovery time. He is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp.
Analysis: Matthews averaged 14.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, a career high, in 2012-13 with the Blazers. He missed 13 games due to a variety of injuries, mostly related to his ankle. Matthews is a solid scorer and three-point shooter, but he doesn't bring a ton to the table otherwise, which limits his Fantasy value. Fantasy owners should plan on targeting Matthews in the later rounds in most draft formats next fall, assuming he does not have any setbacks with his elbow.
News: It comes as little surprise, but Warriors forward Richard Jefferson opted into the final year of his player option Wednesday. He will make $11 million for 2013-14, despite appearing in just 56 games last season, averaging 3.1 points per game.
Analysis: Jefferson's days are clearly behind him, but the Warriors are saddled with a big contract they have no use for. He will likely play a similarly limited role in the upcoming season, and can be safely ignored in all Fantasy formats 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.
