Forward Keyontae Johnson has signed a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets. Johnson joins the Hornets organization following an underwhelming rookie year in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 24-year-old was limited to only nine appearances and 7.4 minutes per game. However, Johnson had a great spell in the G League, notching 19.4 points per game with 6.7 rebounds and helping the Oklahoma City Blue win the championship. Johnson should get more opportunities on a rebuilding team like the Hornets, but he remains off the fantasy radar for now.

Cleveland Cavaliers small forward Emoni Bates has signed a new two-way deal with the team ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. The 20-year-old was also on a two-way contract last season after landing in Cleveland as the 49th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. Bates made 15 appearances in the big league, notching 2.7 points in 8.9 minutes. He was a 20-point scorer in the G League. The young Michigan native clearly has good ability, but he still appears to be some way off from being an impactful NBA player.

Guard/forward Javonte Green is set to sign a one-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources have told NBA insider Shams Charania. After starting out in the G League, Green had an impressive nine-game spell with the Chicago Bulls at the end of last season, averaging 12.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. However, a repeat of it in New Orleans appears unlikely, as Green will be limited to a bench role. The 31-year-old has posted 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 16.3 minutes across 195 career games in the National Basketball Association.

Phoenix Suns forward Nassir Little has been waived by the team. Little's stint with Phoenix came to an end after only 45 games. He was acquired ahead of last season from Portland in a three-team trade that sent Damian Lillard to Milwaukee. The 24-year-old couldn't make an impact on his new team, logging only 10.2 minutes per game and scoring 3.4 points. According to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, the Suns plan to stretch out the $22 million remaining on Little's deal over three years. Little had a solid campaign in 2021-22, posting 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds, but he has struggled to stay healthy and hasn't been a factor in fantasy hoops in recent years.

According to Ashish Mathur of Hoops Wire, the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs tried to trade for Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland. Although Mathur didn't get into the details of each offer, it's apparent it wasn't enough. The Cavaliers made moves this offseason to bolster the roster for years, specifically, giving new deals to Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. However, Garland's future with the Cavaliers is far from guaranteed. The 24-year-old has spent his entire career in Cleveland since entering the NBA in 2019. He finished last season by averaging 18.0 points, 6.5 assists, and 1.3 steals. While some of those averages are a dip from the 2022-23 campaign, Garland has at least kept himself with the club. He could still be one of the first players traded if things fall apart for the Cavaliers, impacting his fantasy value. But outside of that, Garland's inability to stay healthy remains the most significant issue for fantasy managers, considering he's logged fewer than 60 games in three of his first five years in the league.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (hand) remains "on course" to be ready for the start of training camp. The multi-time All-Star had a stellar year in 2023-24, averaging 25.6 points, 5.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. He also shot 41.1% from deep, one of the best marks of his career. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken left hand while training and underwent surgery in mid-July. While the addition of Klay Thompson might cause Irving to see few scoring opportunities, he could remain a potent fantasy producer for at least a few more seasons moving forward, assuming he can stay healthy and out of trouble.

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray will draw attention as he looks for a new contract. While KSE vice chairman Josh Kroenke didn't get into specifics regarding the situation, he still took the time to express his confidence in Murray despite the All-Star's most recent issues staying healthy. " Jamal's a great player, one of the best in the NBA," Kroenke said during a recent golf outing. "I know he was frustrated a little bit. So I have no doubt he'll use that the right way for motivation going into the season." Without question, Murray is one of the best players in the NBA. He finished the 2023-24 campaign by averaging career-highs in points (21.2), assists (6.5), and three-point shooting (42.5%). However, he appeared in just 59 regular season games due to various injuries. Murray was also limited throughout the 2024 Summer Olympics. At any rate, fantasy managers can't trust that the 27-year-old will remain ailment-free. Yet, if Murray does stay off the injury report, he has top-25 fantasy potential.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro is hoping to stay healthy this season. He's also looking to improve in certain areas of his game. "My biggest thing right now is developing my body and trying to get stronger so that I can stay as healthy as possible throughout the season," said Herro during a recent interview. "As for adding to my strengths, I really want to sharpen up my efficiency to maximize my abilities as a scorer." The 24-year-old was the league's Sixth Man of the Year in 2022. However, after moving into the starting lineup in the last two seasons, he's been limited to 109 games due to injury. On a positive note, Herro finished the 2023-24 campaign by averaging 20.8 points, a career-high, and making 39.6% of his tries from behind the arc. But considering Herro hasn't played more than 67 games in a season since entering the NBA, Herro must prove he can remain off the injury report before fantasy managers feel comfortable adding him to the roster in the years ahead. With that said, if the 2019 No. 13 overall pick can stay on the floor, he has All-Star potential.

According to Sean Cunningham of FOX40 News (KTXL), the Sacramento Kings will work out 35-year-old free-agent point guard Isaiah Thomas. Last season, Thomas suited up for the Phoenix Suns and appeared in just six games, averaging 1.3 points per contest while going 30.0%from the field. Thomas kicked off his NBA career with the Kings, playing 216 games and averaging 15.3 points across three seasons. Should the veteran guard sign a contract with Sacramento, his minutes on the court will be limited, and he will not be a factor in fantasy in the upcoming season.

Spanish forward/centerUsman Garubais set to return to his homeland after signing a three-year contract with Real Madrid, according to Eurohoops. The 22-year-old has spent three seasons in the NBA, suiting up for the Golden State Warriors last season and playing in just seven contests. In the two previous campaigns, Garuba averaged 2.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 11.7 minutes across 105 appearances for the Houston Rockets. For the upcoming season, the Madrid-born big man will be in his second stint with Real Madrid.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (knee) stated his rehab has gone well. He also told fans to expect to see him back on the court in 2024-25. The 26-year-old last played in 2021-22 when he averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals in 25 games for the Bulls. He also shot a career-high 42.3%. Unfortunately, he has undergone numerous knee surgeries and hasn't been on the court since. At any rate, Ball appears to be moving in the right direction in the recovery process. But it will take time before he's ready for a full workload. Even then, the Bulls have Josh Giddey and Coby White, meaning Ball could struggle to find minutes.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson played a career-high 70 games in 2023-24. However, it appears Williamson remains committed to staying on the floor, with the 24-year-old appearing slimmer in a recent photo posted to Instagram. Without question, his durability has been an issue since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2019. His work ethic has also been questioned. Yet, while Williamson's statistical numbers were down slightly last season, fantasy managers will take it as long as he stays healthy. With that said, he has top-10 fantasy potential. But the former Duke Blue Devil has an uphill climb to convince fantasy managers he's no longer injury-prone.

Los Angeles Clippers forward P.J. Tucker will likely remain with the team for the start of the season. The veteran was sparingly used by the team in 2023-24, and Tucker even publicly requested a trade. According to The Athletic's Law Murray, the Clippers have explored trading him in the offseason after Tucker picked up a $11.5 million player option for the 2024-25 campaign, but a deal before training camp is considered unlikely. Despite seeing big minutes on multiple teams during a lengthy career spanning nearly 900 games, Tucker has never been a productive fantasy asset, and his stock will be at an all-time low if he can't get out of L.A.

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard struggled by his standards in his debut campaign with the team but is confident that he can regain the form he previously had playing in Portland. "I'm not a player that's breaking down," Lillard told Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I live a clean, good, healthy life so I can do it. I can do the same (expletive) I did two, three years ago. I can do it right now." Lillard's rebounding and assists remained around the same level he had with the Trail Blazers, but his scoring numbers nose-dived in 2023-24 due to poor shooting efficiency. If Lillard can boost his shooting numbers back up to his career average levels in the upcoming campaign, he should become a regular 30-point scorer again.

Charlotte Hornets point guard Vasilije Micic is drawing links with the Denver Nuggets. "With a salary of $7.7 million this season and an $8.1 million team option in 2025-26, Vasilije Mici continues to be mentioned as a potential down-the-road trade target for Denver given Micic's close relationship with Nuggets star Nikola Jokic," writes NBA insider Marc Stein on his latest Substack post. Micic and Jokic won bronze in the Paris Olympics with Serbia. The 30-year-old is coming off his first NBA campaign. He had a poor spell with the Oklahoma City Thunder but played well in Charlotte after getting traded in February. However, with LaMelo Ball returning to the court, Micic's role will be much smaller in the upcoming campaign. A move to Denver wouldn't be good for his fantasy value either, as he would have Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook ahead of him on the depth chart.

ESPN's NBA insider Brian Windhorst believes Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler could turn things around during the 2024-25 campaign. "Butler is going to be highly motivated," Windhorst said during his podcast. "At times, it seems like Jimmy looks for reasons not to play. And maybe that will be the prevailing situation, but I believe that Jimmy is going to be in 'killer mode' to try to prove himself to the Heat and whoever else in the league." The 34-year-old has been scrutinized over the years, especially since he's played 60 games or fewer in five of the last seven seasons. He also averaged 20.8 points last season, his lowest since 2019-20. While Butler is getting up there in age, he should look to prove his value this season, meaning it's possible he'll return to being an All-Star-caliber player.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, free-agent forward/center Kenneth Lofton Jr. signed a one-year deal with the Bulls. Lofton has already played for three teams in his first two seasons in the league. However, he has averaged just 4.8 points in 45 games with the Grizzlies, 76ers, and Jazz. While he has a chance to earn a spot on the Bulls' opening night roster, he'll likely spend most of his time on the bench if he makes the team.

New York Knicks forward/center Jericho Sims had his $2.1 million contract for the 2024-25 campaign fully guaranteed by the team. The 25-year-old has appeared in 138 regular-season games for New York since he was taken as the No. 58 overall pick in 2021. However, he has struggled to find a spot in the rotation and has averaged just 2.6 points and 3.3 rebounds. With Mitchell Robinson (ankle) potentially missing time to begin the year, Sims could get minutes. Yet, there's a chance Julius Randle (shoulder) and Precious Achiuwa split time underneath the rim while Mitchell recovers, meaning Sims could remain the odd man out.

According to Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., there are plans to discuss a contract extension with forward Jonathan Kuminga. The 2021 No. 7 overall pick had the best season of his career in 2023-24, averaging 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. He also made 46 appearances in the starting lineup, more than his first two seasons combined. With Klay Thompson now in Dallas, the door is open for others to step up offensively behind Stephen Curry, who could also ink an extension of his own in the near future. With that in mind, Kuminga's pre-draft fantasy ranking is higher than ever. However, there are things he must address, specifically his career-low 32.1% shooting from the three-point line from last season. But with a max contract potentially on the line, Kuminga have plenty of motivation to produce.

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry hasn't "expressed any signs of panic or unrest" with the team's offseason moves. Although that could be the case, at least for now, Curry's willingness to extend his contract may paint a better picture regarding his future with the club. It hasn't been the Summer the Warriors had envisioned, with Klay Thompson ending his lengthy tenure with the organization to sign with the Mavericks. Golden State was also unsuccessful in signing free agent Paul George or trading for Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen. That said, Curry appears to have gas left in the tank, considering he was instrumental in helping Team USA capture Olympic gold in Paris. The 36-year-old is coming off a quality season, averaging 26.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.5 rebounds. He also shot 40.6% from deep and appeared in 74 contests, his most since 2016-17. Fantasy managers should expect some bumps in the road while Curry adjusts to life with new teammates Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield. However, he still has familiar faces in Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Jonathan Kuminga, so there's no reason he can't remain a top fantasy producer throughout the 2024-25 campaign as long as he stays healthy.