Tue May 20 2:58pm ET
Field Level Media
Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs was unanimously voted to the 2024-25 NBA All-Rookie first team, the league announced Tuesday.
Castle, 20, averaged a rookie-best 14.7 points and also led with 74 steals while playing in 81 games (47 starts). The guard also averaged 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds and made 95 3-point baskets.
Castle is joined by forwards Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies, who finished second and third, respectively, in the Rookie of the Year voting in April.
Wells is joined by his Memphis teammate, center Zach Edey. It's the first time a team had multiple players named to the All-Rookie first team since the Grizzlies did it in 2019-20 with Brandon Clarke and Ja Morant.
Rounding out the first team, voted on by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, is Washington Wizards forward-center Alex Sarr. With Sarr and Risacher both hailing from France, it marks the first time the team includes two players from the same country other than the United States.
The All-Rookie second team features Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, Wizards guard Bub Carrington, Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi and Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware.
Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins may be on the move again this summer. According to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, there is a 50-50 chance that Wiggins will be traded just a few months after the Heat acquired him from the Golden State Warriors. Wiggins' contract is worth $28.2 million next season, and he holds a $30.2 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign. Following his move to Miami, Wiggins had a larger role offensively, averaging 19.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals in 32.1 minutes. At 30, he is still at the peak of his powers and will likely attract many suitors if the Heat decide to part ways with him.
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday is keen to remain in Boston. "We still have a really, really great opportunity and a great window to be successful and win a championship again," Holiday told reporters during his exit interview. "I think the talent that we have on this team, not only on the court, but the coaching staff all the way up to (Celtics president of basketball operations) Brad [Stevens], has been amazing. So, the opportunity to win is now, and I still want to be a part of that." The veteran guard has completed his second year in Boston, and from a statistical standpoint, it was his worst season since his rookie campaign. Holiday will soon turn 35, and his best days are clearly behind him. However, a move away from Boston may boost his fantasy stock if he joins a team willing to give him a larger role. Trading him won't be easy, though, as Holiday will enter the second year of a four-year, $135 million deal next season.
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Ty Jerome is scheduled for unrestricted free agency, but he will remain in Ohio if the team has its way. "Love to keep him. We're hopeful," Cavaliers president Koby Altman said. Jerome had his second season with the Cavaliers, although it was essentially a debut campaign for him after an ankle injury derailed his year in 2023-24, during which he played in only two games. The 27-year-old was one of the best bench players in the league, averaging 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals in 19.9 minutes. He finished third in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. Now, Jerome is looking at a substantial raise from his current $2.5 million salary. The Cavaliers can offer him a maximum of $14.3 million for next season, and it remains to be seen whether that will be enough to keep him around.
New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Zion Williamson hasn't seen any success during his time in Louisiana, leaving his future murky, but he remains an integral part of the team's plans. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Pelicans' newly-hired president of basketball operations, Joe Dumars, wants to "make things work with Williamson as the team's centerpiece." New Orleans has aimed to build around Williamson ever since drafting him in 2019 as the No. 1 pick, but his availability is a significant concern. The 24-year-old has never played more than 70 games in a single NBA season and was limited to just 30 appearances in 2024-25. When healthy, Williamson can be a fantasy beast, but history has shown that managers can't count on that.
Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo has experienced three consecutive first-round exits with the team and is reportedly considering his future with the club. He is scheduled to meet with the team this week to discuss his future. NBA insider Marc Stein has reported that the Bucks remain "hopeful" that Antetokounmpo won't request a trade. Antetokounmpo has spent his entire NBA career in Milwaukee, where he has become a two-time MVP and nine-time All-Star. However, he will turn 31 in December, and personal accolades seem to be secondary for him at this stage of his career, with Antetokounmpo focused on winning another championship. Even if he moves on, Antetokounmpo will remain among the top producers in fantasy basketball, and there should still be plenty of juice left in him.
According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, "some teams" around the NBA "expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations" ahead of the 2025 Draft. Philly owns the No. 3 overall selection. However, the front office is rumored to dangle that pick in potential deals involving Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant or Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen. Interestingly enough, a name mentioned in possible swaps with the aforementioned teams is Paul George. The 35-year-old signed a four-year, $212 million contract last offseason. Unfortunately, George struggled to stay healthy, logging only 41 games due to various ailments. He also took a step backward in terms of production, averaging 16.2 points, one of the worst marks of his career. It appears George isn't a lock to remain on the roster. Regardless, his days of playing at an All-Star level may be over, and his inability to stay on the floor makes him an even bigger risk for fantasy managers, no matter what uniform he's wearing in October.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray finished with 13 points in Sunday's loss to the Thunder. He added three steals and two assists. This was arguably Murray's worst showing of the series with OKC, especially on the scoring end. He shot a rough 6-for-16 from the field and made only one of his eight attempts from downtown. The 28-year-old averaged 21.4 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.9 boards during the regular season. While his three-point percentage dropped, he at least appeared in 67 games, eight more than the 2023-24 campaign. With that said, Murray has All-Star potential. However, his health is always a concern for fantasy managers, and he's also been known to go cold at times throughout his career.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (hamstring) managed to suit up for Sunday's playoff loss to OKC. Unfortunately, he finished with only eight points, adding 11 rebounds while turning the ball over four times. Had the hamstring strain occurred during the regular season, Gordon likely wouldn't have been out there. However, he gave it his all, although it wasn't enough to stop the Thunder from earning a 32-point win. The 29-year-old finished the regular season by averaging 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. He also shot a career-high 43.6% from deep and was also instrumental in the Nuggets' success throughout the postseason. Still, injuries were an issue for Gordon. But if he stays healthy during the 2025-26 campaign, he should stay relevant for fantasy managers.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in Sunday's postseason loss to OKC. The Thunder defense made defending Jokic a priority in Game 7. As a result, OKC managed to earn a decisive 32-point victory to earn a trip to the Western Conference Finals. Without question, it was a chaotic year in Denver, with the team firing head coach Michael Malone in April and replacing him with David Adelman. Still, Jokic had the best campaign of his career, averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.7 assists in 70 appearances. The Nuggets have some work to do to bolster the roster. However, no matter how the depth chart looks, Jokic should remain the top fantasy option heading into the 2025-26 season.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams had 24 points in Sunday's win over the Nuggets. He added seven assists, five rebounds, and one steal. The 24-year-old struggled to find the bottom of the net throughout most of the series. Fortunately, he got his act together when it mattered the most, going 10-for-17 from the field and 2-for-5 from behind the arc. With OKC eliminating the Nuggets in seven games, the Thunder will next turn their attention to the Timberwolves for the Western Conference Finals. In four meetings with Minnesota during the regular season, Williams averaged 19.8 points, 6.8 assists, 4.8 boards, and 2.0 steals.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren had a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double in Sunday's win over Denver. The 2022 No. 2 overall pick had trouble getting some of his shots to fall in Game 7, going 4-for-9 from the field and 0-for-3 from deep. Still, he did enough to help lead OKC to a 32-point win. The Thunder will next meet the Timberwolves on Tuesday to begin the Western Conference Finals. In two games against Minnesota during the regular season, Holmgren averaged 15.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks while shooting 61.1% from the field and 66.7% from behind the arc.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 35 points in Sunday's win over the Denver Nuggets. He added four assists, three rebounds, three steals, and one block. SGA had some rough shooting performances during the series against Denver. However, that wasn't the case in Game 7, with Gilgeous-Alexander going 12-for-19 from the field while missing only one of his four attempts from behind the three-point line. OKC needed seven games to eliminate the Nuggets from the postseason. Still, the club got the job done and will next meet the Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. Gilgeous-Alexander played extremely well versus Minnesota during the regular season (four games), averaging 35.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 55.6% shooting from deep.
According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (knee) finished the season with a partially torn meniscus. The 28-year-old was burdened by a right knee injury at the end of the regular season and during the playoffs. However, the exact details of the ailment were never revealed, with the team only reporting Brown had received injections for pain. It was a chaotic end of the 2024-25 campaign for the Celtics, which concluded with Jayson Tatum (Achilles) suffering a torn Achilles in the Eastern Conference semi-final loss to the New York Knicks. But the C's may now have another one of their top stars in need of surgery, although that will be determined in an upcoming evaluation. Brown averaged 22.2 points during the season. Unfortunately, he didn't look his best at times during the playoffs. Hopefully, Brown won't miss any time to begin the year, considering his services will be needed more than ever, especially with Tatum facing a lengthy recovery. With that in mind, Tatum's absence could open the door for Brown to have the best year of his career from a production standpoint, assuming he can stay healthy.
Denver Nuggets point guard Russell Westbrook (hand) carries a probable tag on the injury report for Sunday's Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The former MVP is dealing with a right-hand sprain, but it looks like the injury will not keep him off the floor on Sunday. Westbrook has averaged 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 23.0 minutes against the Thunder in the series. Denver may consider giving him a more important role on Sunday if Aaron Gordon (hamstring) has to drop out of the lineup.
Denver Nuggets forward Hunter Tyson (ankle) is questionable for Sunday's matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. The 24-year-old continues to nurse an ankle injury, which has limited him to just one appearance in the series. Overall, he has participated in four games this postseason, averaging 5.3 minutes on the floor. Therefore, even if Tyson is cleared to play on Sunday, it is doubtful that he will have a significant role in the contest.
Denver Nuggets forward/center Aaron Gordon (hamstring) has been officially listed as questionable for Sunday's Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman labeled Gordon a game-time decision for the matchup after he was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain ahead of Sunday's winner-takes-all game. If the Nuggets cannot count on him on Sunday, Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther may have larger roles in the rotation. The two youngsters have made little impact in the postseason, but Strawther will carry some momentum into the game, having notched 15 points in 20 minutes during Thursday's Game 6 win.
Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray (illness) is considered probable for Sunday's intriguing Game 7 matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Murray played through an illness on Thursday, helping the team extend the series with a 119-107 win, and it appears he won't have any issues suiting up for Sunday's contest. Despite his illness, Murray filled up the box score on Thursday night with 25 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and one block. Although his shooting has been inconsistent, Murray has recorded 25 or more points in three of six games in the series and is certainly poised to have a large role again on Sunday.
New York Knicks forward Josh Hart finished with 10 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds in Friday's win over the Celtics. He wasn't as productive on the scoring end in this one. However, the 30-year-old still had a quality showing, picking up his first triple-double of the postseason. It took the Knicks six games to eliminate the Celtics from the playoffs. But New York will get some much-needed time off before beginning the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Pacers on Wednesday night. Hart played well against Indiana during the regular season, averaging 22.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns finished Friday's win over Boston with a 21-point, 12-rebound double-double. Some had a feeling the Knicks would turn things around after dropping Game 5 on Wednesday. Yet, not many could have anticipated New York defeating Boston by nearly 40 points. KAT can take some of the credit for his squad's success, and while he struggled shooting the ball, going 1-for-6 from downtown, he did enough to help the Knicks punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals versus Indiana. Towns thrived against the Pacers during the regular season, averaging 30.3 points, 12.0 boards, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks while shooting 46.7% from behind the arc.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson scored 23 points in Friday's pivotal win over the Boston Celtics. He added six assists and six rebounds. The Knicks were blown out in Game 5. However, things were different this time around, with New York building a decisive lead early to put the contest well out of reach. Brunson wasn't as productive on the scoring end during this series compared to last. Still, he shot better and took better care of the ball. With the Celtics now in the rear-view mirror, the Knicks will turn their attention to the Pacers to begin the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday. Brunson played well enough against Indiana during the regular season, averaging 22.3 points, 7.3 assists, and 50.0% shooting from behind the arc.
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