Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) has been ruled out for the upcoming matchup against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. Brogdon will now miss his second game in a row due to a lingering hamstring issue. This is not good with the team entering a back-to-back set starting on Tuesday. That means, there is a good chance that Brogdon misses both of these games. The Blazers are already shorthanded without Scoot Henderson (ankle) and Anfernee Simons (thumb) available. It looks like Shaedon Sharpe and Skylar Mays could be playing big minutes in the next few games. Both are possible streaming options, but Sharpe is the better choice between the two.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Brogdon was forced to exit early during Wednesday's game due to a left hamstring strain. This injury will force him to miss at least one game, but it wouldn't be shocking to see Brogdon miss additional time as well. The Blazers are already without Scoot Henderson (ankle) and Anfernee Simons (thumb) for Sunday's game. That means, Skylar Mays and Shaedon Sharpe should see fairly significant minutes in the rotation. Sharpe should be a viable streaming choice with the Blazers extremely shorthanded right now.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon picked up another injury Wednesday night against Sacramento, exiting the game with a left hamstring strain. The oft-injured guard made a third consecutive start but was limited to only five minutes of action. The team has yet to provide an update on Brogdon's status, but muscle injuries typically take at least a couple of weeks to heal, meaning he is facing a multi-game absence. Brogdon has done well in Portland, producing 17.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in close to 28 minutes of action. Injuries have ravaged the Blazers backcourt early in the year, and Skylar Mays is looking like an intriguing pickup for fantasy managers. He recorded an 18-point, 11-assist double-double Wednesday with two steals.

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, the 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. 

Introduction

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 2023 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 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon could still have a future with the team despite multiple reports suggesting he might be moved on quickly following his arrival from Boston. "They want me here, I want to be here," Brogdon said. "There's a lot of misleading information out there about they need to trade me or I want to go I'm embracing being here." If he indeed ends up staying in Portland, Brogdon will likely have to settle for a bench role again. He put up decent numbers coming off the pine last year with the Celtics, but Brogdon's fantasy value would certainly receive a boost if he landed on a team that sees him as a starter.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon was part of the deal that sent Jrue Holiday to Boston, and it looks like he may not have time to settle in Portland just yet. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Blazers are likely to discuss trades surrounding Brogdon. They've jump-started their rebuild and they want to keep both Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III. Brogdon, who will be turning 31 years old this season, doesn't seem to fit the timeline of the rest of the roster. He could potentially find his way to a competitive team that needs a sixth man.

According to ESPN senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics traded guard Malcolm Brogdon and center Robert Williams III to Portland on Sunday. In return, the Celtics acquired All-Star guard Jrue Holiday. Brogdon is coming off a solid year, averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 44.4% shooting from deep while earning the Sixth Man of the Year award. Unfortunately, the relationship between the 30-year-old and the organization went south in recent months after he was nearly moved in July. Without question, Brogdon has All-Star upside. But he's battled injuries throughout his career, which hasn't done fantasy managers any favors. The Blazers are obviously rebuilding after trading Damian Lillard to Milwaukee, so it's hard to say what Brogdon's role will be this season. But if he gets minutes and stays on the floor during the 2023-24 campaign, he should provide plenty of value in all fantasy formats.

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon is reportedly angry with the team after the Celtics tried to trade him to the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason. "Malcolm is the one I'm concerned about, too, because we've heard nothing," Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe said on a recent episode of the Celtics Beat podcast when discussing pre-training camp injuries. "And he's angry with the team. So, I don't think communication between the two sides has been fruitful." Brogdon suffered an elbow injury in the Eastern Conference Finals. Washburn suggested that Brogdon might elect to skip surgery, which will slow his recovery process, to fix the issue as something of a revenge act for the team's trade attempt.

It's a crazy time of year around the National Basketball Association. Not long after the Denver Nuggets captured the franchise's first championship, French big manVictor Wembanyama was the top pick of the 2023 Draft.While new talent entering the league is all well and good, nothing turns the NBA upside down quite like the beginning of free agency. Since June 30, many notable players have signed with new teams. There were also more than a few significant trades. In either case, at least a handful of clubs will look very different (for the better?) come training camp. Let's take a look at some of the biggest names on the move and how they might affect the NBA landscape this season. 

Fred VanVleet - Houston Rockets

The Rockets entered the 2022-23 campaign as the second-youngest team in the National Basketball Association, and it showed. The club finished with 22 wins and 60 losses, with the Pistons being the only team with a worse record. As a result, the front office made a point to shake things up after the exhaustingly long year came to a close.The overhaul began when Stephen Silas, winning just 59 of his 236 games in Houston, was relieved of his head coaching duties. In his place, Ime Udoka, who helped guide the Celtics to an NBA Finals appearance in his first season, took the reigns. While Udoka's tenure in Boston didn't end on a positive note, he's still regarded as one of the sharpest minds in the league, even by those who lost respect for him on a personal level.https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1650612243661242369?s=20While having a knowledgeable head coach will help accelerate the growth of an up-and-coming squad, the Rockets needed someone to facilitate things on the floor. With Houston having plenty of cap space entering the offseason, the team signed ... [More]

According to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com, the Celtics aren't interested in trading guard Malcolm Brogdon. The 30-year-old averaged 14.9 points in 2022-23, down from the previous season. However, he logged 67 games, the most since his rookie season, and shot a career-high 44.4% from deep. At one point, Brogdon was to be included in a swap for Kristaps Porzingis. But after concerns surrounding his health surfaced, he remains in Boston. That said, Marcus Smart is gone, leaving Boston with a void in the backcourt. Brogdon could easily be the team's floor general, although he'll need to avoid missing time, which has been a issue for fantasy managers in the past.

According to ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst, Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon could still get moved over the summer. The reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and shot 44.4% from deep last season. However, he was nearly traded to the Clippers ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft, although it didn't happen due to health concerns. But Brogdon is a proven producer when healthy, and the two years remaining on his contract makes him an attractive option for multiple teams throughout the National Basketball Association.

Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens believes guard Malcolm Brogdon (forearm) will be ready when 2023-2024 commences. Brogdon suffered a partially torn tendon in his right arm early in the Eastern Conference Finals. It's still unknown if the 30-year-old will opt for surgery, which could affect his return timetable. Despite not being dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the Kristaps Porzingis deal, Brogdon was a fantasy winner when the Celtics shipped out longtime glue guy Marcus Smart. Brogdon saw a slight uptick in production during contests without Smart last season, amassing 15.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in those 15 outings. The 2023 Sixth Man of the Year may not have started a single game, but that could change in the upcoming campaign.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo.com, the Suns are reportedly interested in acquiring Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon. The 30-year-old averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and shot 44.4% from deep last season while also earning Sixth Man of the Year honors. But nobody knows how Phoenix plans to acquire Brogdon, who still has a few years remaining on his current deal. However, a move involving Chris Paul, who remains on the Suns' roster, could make sense. Nevertheless, until a trade actually happens, Brogdon's fantasy outlook will stay the same, although it will change if he enters the starting lineup in Phoenix.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Phoenix Suns have "registered interest" in bringing in Malcolm Brogdon from Boston. Phoenix is set to part ways with Chris Paul and will need to strengthen its backcourt following his exit. Brogdon looks like an ideal candidate to complement Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. The reigning Sixth Player of the Year has been a productive player throughout his career and still averaged solid numbers across the board despite making zero starts for Boston in 2022-23. He finished with 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists. His numbers should get a boost if Brogdon finds himself in a situation where he's a starter again.

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon (arm) was reportedly playing in the Eastern Conference Finals with a partially torn tendon in his right arm. At the post-game press conference, he confirmed the suspicion and told the media that he would be considering surgery this summer. Brogdon turned in a fantastic season as he won Sixth Man of the Year and was a key component to the postseason success that the Celtics saw. It's hard to tell how much the tendon tear affected his game, but getting surgery earlier in the offseason should allow him time to recover by the start of next season.

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon (forearm) is expected to suit up for Monday's Game 7 against the Miami Heat. Brogdon only played eight minutes during Game 5 due to a right forearm strain. The 30-year-old was held out of Saturday's Game 6 victory due to the issue. His absence allowed more minutes for Derrick White and Marcus Smart in the rotation. It appears Brogdon will be ready for Monday's win-or-go-home matchup. The expectation is that he'll resume his role as the sixth-man off the bench.

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon (forearm) is questionable for Monday's Eastern Conference Finals finale against Miami. The 30-year-old is dealing with a forearm injury, which kept him off the floor for Saturday's win over the Heat. However, he's averaged only 6.8 points and shot 18.7% from deep during this series, so the injury is obviously negatively impacting his play. If he suits up, DFS managers should think twice before putting him in the starting lineup.

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon (forearm) is questionable for Saturday's postseason meeting with the Miami Heat. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is plagued by a partial tear in his right forearm. However, he's been dealing with it for a while, so it would be surprising if he didn't suit up for Game 6. Brogdon has averaged only 6.8 points during this series, meaning the injury is likely impacting his performance. As a result, DFS managers will be taking a gamble by putting him in the starting lineup.

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon hasn't missed a single game this postseason, but according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, he's been playing with a partial tear in the tendon that runs from his right elbow to his forearm. He reportedly was dealing with a sore elbow during the second-round matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers and then aggravated it during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. It has now escalated to a partial tear. He's been able to play through it, but his performance has noticeably dipped compared to the first two rounds. His play and status will be worth monitoring moving forward.

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon logged just 18 minutes in Sunday's blowout loss to Miami and couldn't score in the contest with six shot attempts. The 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year finished 0-for-3 from deep and failed to score for the first time in his playoff career. Brogdon's only contributions were two rebounds and two assists with one turnover as he finished minus-23 for the game. The 30-year-old has actually played very well throughout the playoffs, but things completely fell apart for the team on Sunday and the Celtics now have to do the impossible - no team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series.