It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent (UDFA) signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.... [More]

The Rockets acquired center Derrick Favors from OKC on Thursday. In addition, Houston is also receiving Ty Jerome, Theo Maledon, and Maurice Harkless in exchange for David Nwaba, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, and Marquese Chriss. Favors averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 39 games with the Thunder in 2022-23. While the veteran's career is seemingly nearing an end, he likely has some solid performances left in the tank. With that said, if Alperen Sengun goes down with an injury this season, Favors will earn streaming appeal in deep formats.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it? Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA.Plus, I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games, or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2022 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2022-23 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence. ... [More]

Brooklyn Nets guard Patty Mills has decided to decline his player option and enter free agency. Last season, Mills averaged 2.8 three-pointers while playing nearly 29 minutes per game. He could draw plenty of interest in free agency, but is unlikely to find a starting spot anywhere. Mills is really only useful for his ability from beyond the arc, but can still be a decent contributor off the bench. Honestly, his fantasy value should be about the same on any team he lands.

The Denver Nuggets have acquired guard/forward Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and point guard Ish Smith in a trade with the Washington Wizards. The Nuggets sent guard Monte Morris and forward Will Barton to Washington in the deal. KCP figures to be a key wing for the Nuggets in 2022-23. Last year, the versatile veteran averaged 13.2 points, 2.1 three-pointers and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 39% from three-point range. Smith, meanwhile, will help give the Nuggets point guard depth behind Jamal Murray, who is expected to make his long-awaited return at the start of the upcoming season.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Danny Green (knee) remains focused on getting back on the court sooner rather than later. He was dealt to Memphis during the 2022 NBA Draft in exchange for De'Anthony Melton. Yet, the front office hasn't revealed whether Green will remain on the roster moving ahead, with general manager Zach Kleiman unable to say for sure what the future holds for the veteran. The 35-year-old, who suffered a torn ACL during Game 6 of the postseason series against Miami, is hoping to return by the All-Star break. Still, while Green should have no problem finding a home if he gets released by the Grizz, he probably won't see any fantasy interest until he's active.

Unrestricted free-agent guard Ricky Rubio (knee) continues to rehab after tearing his left ACL in December. However, that doesn't seem to be stopping the Cavaliers from looking to add him back to the roster, assuming the price is right. The 31-year-old played 38 games for Cleveland last season, averaging a respectable 13.1 points, 6.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals. But after sustaining the injury, he was traded to Indiana ahead of the deadline. Nonetheless, although it may not be until January, it's unknown when Rubio will officially be available to return to the court. Still, if he ends up in Cleveland, he'll likely receive a generous serving of minutes off the bench. Additionally, factoring in Darius Garland and Collin Sexton's inability to stay healthy over the years, Rubio could also get some starts here or there in 2022-23.

Upcoming free-agent guard Patty Mills remains undecided about his future in Brooklyn. He has a player option, which if exercised, would pay him $6.2 million in 2022-23. However, it appears his decision may be based on the future of Kyrie Irving, who reportedly caused moral issues in the locker room after refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. While Mills wasn't a consistent fantasy presence, he averaged 13.1 points and shot 37.5% from behind the arc throughout 48 appearances in the starting lineup, so it seems the 33-year-old still has plenty of gas left in the tank. Nonetheless, it's hard to tell how impactful the veteran will be for fantasy managers this season, primarily since it's not known where he'll be playing. But there is still upside for those in deep formats, no matter where he ends up moving forward.

Upcoming unrestricted free agent guard Lou Williams plans to continue playing. The multi-time Sixth Man of the Year has been a reliable option for teams throughout most of his career. However, he took a step backward throughout the last two seasons in Atlanta, averaging only 7.4 points. Nonetheless, the 35-year-old has an excellent chance of getting back on track for a new team despite his advanced NBA age. While that doesn't mean he'll receive much interest from managers during fantasy drafts, he's certainly someone to watch, especially those in deep category formats looking for scoring and efficient shooting percentages.

Indiana Pacers forward Lance Stephenson isn't ready to hang it up yet. The veteran forward returned this season following a two-year hiatus from NBA action. He returned and played six games for the Atlanta Hawks before joining the Pacers. Stephenson averaged 9.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists with Indiana. He put together some nice moments and showed he still has something left in the tank. It's likely that the Pacers consider giving Stephenson another contract. However, fantasy managers shouldn't expect much value from him.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Danny Green (knee) believes he'll be back by the All-Star break next season. The veteran forward suffered a torn ACL during the Game 6 loss to the Miami Heat on May 12. Despite that, Green believes he'll be back by February. It's great to see the veteran forward confident he can return in a seven month timetable. However, the Sixers haven't picked up Green's final year yet. It's uncertain if Green will be playing in Philadelphia next season. Regardless, it's unlikely he carries any fantasy value wherever he goes.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Derrick Favors has opted in to his player option for the upcoming season. The 30-year-old will accept his $10.2 million option and remain with the team for the 2022-2023 campaign. This isn't too shocking as it's unlikely Favors would get more than $10 million in free agency. The former third overall pick has put together multiple successful seasons during his time with the Utah Jazz. Although, his best days are behind him as he'll likely play a minimal role off the bench with the Thunder next season.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Danny Green (knee) was diagnosed with a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. The injury occurred during the first quarter of the Game 6 loss to Miami after teammate Joel Embiid ran into him. The news was confirmed on Friday by an MRI, and he will go under the knife as a result. The veteran has averaged 8.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 steals while shooting 39% from deep throughout his career. However, with Green in line to earn $10 million, which will be fully guaranteed after July 1st, his time in Philadelphia could be over, especially since he may miss most (or all) of the 2022-23 season.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Danny Green (knee) exited Thursday's postseason matchup against Miami. However, he didn't return. The veteran sustained a left knee injury after Joel Embiidcollided with him, and according to ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, there's "significant concern on the severity." The 25-year-old averaged 8.2 points while shooting 55% from deep during the series with the Heat. He'll have an MRI to determine the severity, although things aren't looking good.

Atlanta Hawks guard Lou Williams (back) is out for Game 4 of the playoff series versus Miami. No surprise here, as the 35-year-old hasn't played a game yet this postseason. However, Williams wouldn't have contributed much of anything even if he was available, so it will be business as usual for DFS managers regarding lineup construction on Sunday.

Atlanta Hawks guard Lou Williams (back) is out for Game 2 of the playoff meeting with the Miami Heat. The most recent update concerning his availability shouldn't surprise anyone, primarily since he hasn't played since the April 5th showdown with the Toronto Raptors. Williams, who averaged only 6.3 points per game during the regular season, didn't have a consistent spot in the rotation, so his absence won't impact the fantasy attractiveness of anyone on Hawks' roster.

Atlanta Hawks guard Lou Williams (back) won't be available for Game 1 of the postseason matchup against the Miami Heat. The veteran continues to deal with a sore back, an injury he's been dealing with for a while, so his absence on Sunday shouldn't surprise anyone. Williams averaged only 6.3 points throughout 56 games this season, so even if he were available, his presence wouldn't do much to benefit DFS managers.

Atlanta Hawks guard Lou Williams (back) will be sidelined once again for Friday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The veteran is currently hampered by lower back discomfort. Williams hasn't had much of a role with the Hawks this season. He appeared in 56 games and logged just over 14 minutes per contest while averaging 6.3 points per game. Delon Wright and Bogdan Bogdanovic (ankle) will be the primary guards off the bench on Friday, assuming Bogdanovic is able to play. If he sits, fellow bench guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot should wind up with some extra playing time.

Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Lou Williams (back) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game vs. the Wizards due to lower back discomfort. Williams has played a limited role among the Hawks' second unit this season, averaging just 6.3 points across 14.3 minutes per night. His absence figures to kick a few additional minutes in the direction of Delon Wright, but it's unlikely that Williams being sidelined changes the Hawks' rotation math too drastically. While the three-time Sixth Man of the Year can still go get a bucket when asked, he has yet to score in double figures over his last 12 outings, making him an unviable fantasy commodity for the remainder of the year.

Utah Jazz center Hassan Whiteside (foot) was able to make his return to the court on Saturday versus the Golden State Warriors. The big man had missed four games prior to that due to a minor bone spur fracture. Whiteside didn't offer much in terms of fantasy production during Saturday's loss. He finished with two points, two rebounds, and one block in 10 minutes. To be fair, it was his first game back and fantasy managers shouldn't expect too much when he's behind Rudy Gobert. Whiteside will have a better matchup on Tuesday versus Memphis, but remains a shaky fantasy option in all formats.