NBA

The pick compensation is part of the Anthony Davis trade from a few years ago, with New Orleans having the right to either claim the Lakers’ first-rounder this year (17th overall) or defer the choice until next season. According to HoopsHype, the Pelicans will defer and receive the Lakers’ 2025 first. Many draft analysts consider the projected 2025 draft class to be stronger than 2024, and the Lakers have some significant questions to answer this offseason (LeBron James’ future, for one).

Days after the Pistons hired Pelicans executive Trajan Langdon to serve as the team’s president of basketball operations, the first significant change of his tenure has occurred. Weaver is reportedly out after four seasons as the Pistons’ general manager, an era that saw Detroit sink to the bottom of the NBA pecking order and remain there. According to The Athletic, Pelicans vice president of basketball administration Michael Blackstone is a serious candidate to fill the void left by Weaver.

Claxton will be a coveted free agent, but Brooklyn is expected to retain him on a deal that will cost them anywhere from $80-100 million over four years. He has been an excellent fantasy option the last two years, and that won’t change if he remains with the Nets. However, that will likely prevent Noah Clowney from moving into a prominent role in his second season with the team. They can legally begin negotations with Claxton as soon as the NBA Finals conclude, so he may have a new deal in place within the next few weeks.

Dealing with a strained right soleus muscle throughout the conference finals, Conley only played 21 minutes on Thursday. The nature of Game 5 had much to do with that, as Dallas blew things wide open during the first quarter and did not look back. This was a rough end for a veteran point guard who played in 76 games after injuries limited him to 24 the season prior. Conley’s scoring average decreased by over two points but still provided top 75 per-game value in 9-cat formats. Expecting that level of production from him would be unrealistic, especially since he’ll turn 37 in October, but Conley is undoubtedly capable.

McDaniels struggled with fouls in Game 5, playing a series-low 21 minutes as a result. After scoring 24 points in the series opener, the Timberwolves wing struggled in Games 2 and 5 while producing solid all-around efforts in Games 3 and 4. McDaniels is one of the top wing defenders in the NBA, but his fantasy value is capped due to his being no higher than fourth in the offensive pecking order on most nights. While his status as a starter led many fantasy managers to select Jaden with a late-round pick (Yahoo ADP: 114), he finished just inside the top 200 in 9-cat formats. McDaniels should be selected in most drafts, but managers must keep their expectations in check.

Reid’s production tailed off considerably after scoring 14 points or more in the first three games of the Western Conference Finals. He only attempted six shots in Game 4, but Game 5 was arguably his most disappointing effort of the postseason. The five points were the fewest in a game for Reid since Minnesota’s Game 2 win over Phoenix in the first round, and he missed all four of his 3-point attempts. While Reid finished the regular season ranked outside the top 100 in fantasy, he was a dependable option despite coming off the bench. Minnesota would likely have to move Karl-Anthony Towns or Rudy Gobert for his ceiling to be raised.

Gobert was relatively quiet on Thursday night after recording a double-double in Minnesota’s Game 4 victory. He averaged 11.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for the series but could not significantly impact the action as a rim-protector. Gobert’s 2023-24 season was an improvement on 2022-23, his first after being traded to Minnesota. The chemistry between him and Karl-Anthony Towns improved, but the partnership lowered the fantasy ceilings of both players. Gobert has top-50 potential, but this represents his ceiling rather than his floor.

Edwards did what he could to extend the Western Conference Finals, but the lack of production from Minnesota’s supporting cast was too much to overcome. Already accepted as one of the NBA’s top young talents, Ant-Man took things to another level this season. He played well enough during the run to the conference finals to be the focus of some “future face of the NBA” chatter, which should only intensify in the years to come. Edwards’ fantasy value moving forward will depend on how much of the playmaking responsibilities he’s asked to shoulder. Mike Conley isn’t getting any younger, and there could come a point where Edwards shifts to the point. That could be what makes him a first-round player in standard leagues.

Towns may have tied for the team lead in scoring, but he had another rough night from three in Minnesota’s final game. After shooting 4-of-5 from three in Game 4, KAT was 1-of-6 on Thursday night. He shot 24.2% from three for the series and 37.9% from the field overall. A player many expected to approach top 25 fantasy value before the season began, Towns was a 4th-round player in 9-cat formats. While the chemistry between KAT and Rudy Gobert improved, the continued emergence of Anthony Edwards factored into the former’s fantasy production. As long as Minnesota keeps Towns and Gobert together, the former will have a lower fantasy ceiling than he did pre-trade.

Lively was back in the rotation after sitting out Tuesday’s Game 4 defeat, and the rookie was impactful on both ends of the floor. He didn’t miss a shot from the field and was also effective as a playmaker in the short roll. Add in eight rebounds and three blocked shots, and Lively was one of the other difference-makers in Game 5. Starting center Daniel Gafford was also 3-of-3 from the field, tallying 11 points, nine rebounds, and one blocked shot in 20 minutes. Next up for Dallas are the Celtics in the NBA Finals, which begin on June 6.