Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton had a rough start at his new club but feels his first year was "amazing" overall. The 2023-24 was almost like two different seasons for Ayton, as he greatly improved his performances after the All-Star break. The former first-overall pick became a 22-12 guy following the break and ended up averaging 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds for the season. Hopefully, we will see the post-break Ayton for the entire year in 2024-25, and he will stay clear of injury troubles -- the 25-year-old saw action in only 55 games in 2023-24.

Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma plans to come back next season with a "different type of conditioning." The 28-year-old has just completed his third campaign in D.C., averaging a career-high 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, which is another career-best number for him. However, Kuzma went from averaging 35 minutes a night to clocking 32.6 minutes. He'll be carrying extra fantasy value in 2024-25 if he can stay on the court for longer. Kuzma is set to be among the team leaders for a while after Washington inked a four-year, $102 million deal with him last offseason.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Derrick Rose (groin, back) is planning to be back on the court with the team in 2023-24. The former MVP signed a two-year deal with the Grizzlies last summer and appears to have no plans of retiring despite another injury-riddled season. Rose, who will turn 36 in early October, played his final game of the campaign on Feb. 28 and ended up featuring just 24 times for the Grizzlies. He averaged 8.0 points and 3.3 assists in 16.6 minutes as a bench piece. He will likely be used even more sparingly next season, with a number of younger players on the rise in Memphis.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (shoulder) is on schedule with his recovery and is expected to be cleared for basketball activities halfway through the offseason. The Grizzlies star had his 2023-24 campaign limited to only nine games after he underwent surgery on his right shoulder in January. Despite missing the first 25 games of the season with a suspension, Morant was on fire right away when he returned to the court, posting 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. Hopefully, Morant doesn't suffer any setbacks over the summer, and we can finally enjoy his talents over the course of a full season. Various issues have resulted in Morant playing in only 190 regular-season the past four years.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (knee) doesn't carry an injury designation ahead of Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the Lakers. The 26-year-old injured his knee during a matchup with the Orlando Magic in March and was sidelined for 12 games. However, he returned for the regular-season finale versus the Lakers, amassing 13 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes. Fortunately, head coach Willie Green reported that Ingram looked good during practice on Monday, so the plan is to increase his minutes for Tuesday's rematch with Los Angeles. Of course, he'll likely see less work than usual. But Ingram is still worth considering for any DFS contest after Green's latest update.

Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (back) didn't practice on Monday. The 25-year-old has been bothered by a back injury for most of the season. He's appeared in only seven games since the start of 2024, and he combined for only 21 minutes in the previous two contests before sitting out for Sunday's regular-season finale versus the Brooklyn Nets. It appears Melton is still having issues, so there's a good chance he won't be on the floor for Wednesday's Play-In battle with Miami. If that's the case, Cameron Payne would be a viable DFS value option for the limited two-game slate.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) practiced on Monday. The reigning MVP logged 32 minutes in Friday's win over the Orlando Magic, finishing with 32 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and one block. However, he briefly exited the contest after tweaking his knee, although he returned to finish the game. Embiid wasn't available for Sunday's regular-season finale versus the Brooklyn Nets, so there is some concern about his health. Yet, head coach Nick Nurse indicated the 30-year-old was held out for precautionary reasons. With that said, it would be surprising if Embiid weren't available for Wednesday's Play-In battle with the Miami Heat. But if he can't suit up, Paul Reed would see a surge in interest from DFS managers.

Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (calf) won't suit up for Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the Sacramento Kings. The 31-year-old missed the final three contests of the regular season because of a strained calf. With that in mind, Payton only averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds throughout the 2023-24 campaign, so his absence won't have much of an impact on DFS managers.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) is probable for Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the New Orleans Pelicans. James has battled a left ankle injury for months. However, he should be ready to roll for the pivotal contest. These clubs met on Sunday for the regular-season finale, with James finishing with a 28-point, 17-assist, 11-rebound triple-double. He also had five steals and a block. Of course, the 39-year-old will receive plenty of attention from DFS managers. Yet, James will receive more if Anthony Davis (back) can't suit up.

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (back) is questionable for Tuesday's Play-In matchup with New Orleans. These clubs met on Sunday for the regular-season finale. AD logged 33 minutes in that one, finishing with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and two steals. Unfortunately, his day ended after experiencing back spasms. As a result, Davis is now on the injury report, although he's adamant he will be out there for the pivotal contest. If he's not, Jaxson Hayes will presumably take his spot in the rotation. Hayes has averaged 11.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in five starts during the 2023-24 campaign, giving him plenty of value potential for DFS managers.

Impending free-agent guard Lonnie Walker IV appears to be noncommittal on his future with the Brooklyn Nets. "I'm just looking for a home Just looking for a team that finds me valuable. [I want to be] an important piece for a team that can consistently play We'll see how things go", Walker told reporters following Sunday's blowout loss in Brooklyn's regular-season finale against the Philadelphia 76ers. The 25-year-old swingman netted a one-year pact with the Nets last offseason and was a serviceable part of their rotation when healthy during 2023-24, averaging 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.8 three-pointers on 38.4% shooting from beyond the arc through 58 appearances as a reserve. Walker is a decent spot-up shooter and spark plug off the bench, but he doesn't provide enough on the defensive end to consistently handle big minutes.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is rehabbing daily, but there's some real doubt for his status to begin the first-round series versus the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Although Antetokounmpo has rare recovery ability, he's very much up in the air for Game 1. Antetokounmpo sustained a strained left calf in last Tuesday's win over the visiting Boston Celtics, and early indications suggest he won't be available for the Bucks at the start of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Expect Milwaukee's offense to run through co-superstar Damian Lillard for any games he sits out, as Lillard averaged 29.9 points, 7.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 three-pointers, and 1.1 steals over eight games without Antetokounmpo this season. Additionally, Bobby Portis averaged 20.8 points, 10.1 boards, 1.7 dimes, 1.2 swipes, and 2.0 threes across eight outings sans the Greek Freak this year.

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen has agreed on a four-year, $70 million contract extension that includes a player option. The deal keeps Allen out of unrestricted free agency this summer and rewards him for a career-best season after joining the Suns as part of last offseason's blockbuster Damian Lillard trade. The 28-year-old three-and-D wing started all but one of his 75 games in the desert, returning top-75 fantasy numbers in nine-category leagues via averages of 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.7 three-pointers on an NBA-best 46.1% shooting clip from downtown. Allen should continue to be an integral contributor during Phoenix's postseason run.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic eased his way to his 68th double-double of the year in Sunday's 126-111 win over Memphis, completing the regular-season finale with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Jokic, who shot 7-for-11 from the field, also had five assists and stretched his streak with multiple steals to five games with four swipes. The two-time MVP posted a new career-high in double-doubles this year and registered 25 triple-doubles. He ended up averaging 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists. It's been another spectacular campaign for Jokic, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him earn MVP honors again. The big man from Serbia will now begin the title defense with the team in the 2024 playoffs as the second seed in the Western Conference.

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal had an outstanding game in Sunday's regular-season finale against Minnesota, leading all scorers with 36 points in a 125-106 win. The Suns were in a must-win situation to qualify directly into the 2024 NBA Playoffs and did the business in impressive fashion with Beal leading the way. He was a red-hot 6-for-6 from three-point range and shot 14-for-21 overall while collecting six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block. Beal's debut year in Phoenix was a disappointment for many, but he came up huge for the Suns in the final couple of regular-season games. The three-time All-Star will now be expected to deliver in the playoffs as well. Beal has averaged 23.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals across his previous five post-season campaigns.

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner completed the 2023-24 regular season with a bang, scoring a team-high 31 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a 157-115 victory over Atlanta. He was also in dominant form defensively, swatting away four shots. Turner missed only one of his four attempts from deep and shot 13-for-17 overall in just 22 minutes of action. This should give the Pacers big man a nice bit of momentum ahead of the playoff series against Milwaukee. The Bucks have struggled against Indiana all year, with Turner going for 19.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in the matchup.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Max Strus had a memorable outing in Sunday's regular-season finale against Charlotte, picking up his first career triple-double in a 120-110 loss. With Donovan Mitchell (knee) and Darius Garland (back) rested for the contest, Strus got to play the role of a playmaker and totaled a career-high 11 assists while scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. He finished with 5-for-12 shooting, doing most of the damage with a 4-for-6 effort from three-point range. Strus has enjoyed deep playoff runs in recent years with Miami and will hope to do the same with the Cavaliers in 2024. The 28-year-old will enter the postseason after averaging 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists with 2.4 makes from deep during his first regular-season campaign in Cleveland.

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum netted a team-high 25 points on 9-for-19 shooting in Sunday's 124-108 loss to the Lakers. He hit 4-for-9 from downtown and was also among the team leaders with seven assists, completing his line with four rebounds. McCollum had a fairly inconsistent regular-season campaign, but he's heated up at a good time for the team, with the Pelicans set to begin the play-in tournament against the Lakers on Tuesday. The 32-year-old has averaged 30.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists over his last seven appearances.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Brandon Ingram logged 23 minutes in his first game back from a knee injury in Sunday's losing effort against the Lakers. The Pelicans produced a sub-par performance in a must-win game, but Ingram played well in his first action since March 21, shooting 6-for-9 from the field en route to 13 points and five rebounds. Ingram missed the previous 12 games, but the team should ramp up his minutes quickly, as the Pelicans now enter the play-in tournament, with a rematch against the Lakers scheduled for Tuesday. Ingram has always saved some of his best performances for his former team, averaging 23.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists for his career against the Lakers.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James completed his 21st regular-season campaign with his 112th career triple-double in Sunday's 124-108 win over New Orleans. James put on a playmaking clinic in the first quarter and finished with 17 times, as well as having 28 points and 11 rebounds. He shot 11-for-20 from the field and also produced a monster game defensively, racking up five steals with one block. James averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists for the year across 35.3 minutes. It wasn't enough to help the Lakers get a top-six seed in the West, but the team is well-placed to make the playoffs via the play-in tournament. The Lakers start the action on Tuesday against the Pelicans, whom they have dominated all season. James has averaged a 28-6-12 line in the matchup.