After seven seasons (playing six) in Los Angeles, Leonard is headed back to the franchise with whom he won an NBA title in 2019. The Clippers’ hesitation to give him a max extension of $126 million over two years opened the door for “The Klaw” to move, with the Raptors reportedly being willing to fork up that kind of money. Not only does Toronto add an immensely gifted offensive player who can score on all three levels, but Leonard is also one of the best wing defenders in the NBA. The issue has been his availability, with Kawhi appearing in at least 65 regular-season games just twice since leaving Toronto in 2019. When on the floor, he is an elite option for fantasy managers, regardless of league format.

Brown is coming off the best individual season of his NBA career, most of which was played without Jayson Tatum as he worked his way back from a ruptured Achilles tendon. Despite past evidence that the two can work together, most notably the 2024 NBA title, Brown’s name has come up in trade rumors, with the Celtics even offering him and two future first-round picks to the Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, while it would be surprising if Brown were not traded, given the rumors, the Celtics are reportedly asking for up to four first-round picks and players. Portland, one team that has been mentioned in connection with Brown, acquired Ja Morant on Monday, and their interest in JB was described as “moderate, at best.” The question is whether the Celtics will be willing to lower their asking price enough to get a deal done, which may also mean that they’re losing out on value.

James, who turns 42 in December, will play his 24th season in the NBA. However, it is not known which team he’ll suit up for. According to agent Rich Paul, the future Hall of Fame forward has informed the Lakers that he will not be re-signing with the team. Given the amount of money now tied up in Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, James’ decision is surprising but not a seismic shock. In recent days, the Warriors have been rumored as a potential destination, with Draymond Green opting out of the final year of his deal to free up additional money for the franchise to make moves. While Dončić was already one of the first players to be selected in fantasy drafts, James’ exit raises Reaves’ ceiling in 2026-27.

For quite some time now, it has been believed that Duren and the Pistons were far apart in their negotiations on a new deal. While the 2026 All-Star struggled during the postseason, Monday’s report is shocking. Not only will Duren meet with the Kings at the beginning of free agency, but he’ll do so to work out a sign-and-trade with the Pistons. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Kings plan to offer Domantas Sabonis to the Pistons to get a deal done. Of course, Detroit can always refuse to do so, especially if they decide to simply match whatever offer sheet Duren signs. If Duren were to move on, that would put the Pistons in the market for a new starting center, which could affect the market for a player like New York’s Mitchell Robinson.

The second overall pick in the 2019 draft, Morant’s time in Memphis has come to an end. While there were certainly high points, most notably his winning Rookie of the Year in 2020 and making two All-Star teams, the inability to stay healthy and off-court issues ultimately led the Grizzlies to seek a way to move on. Morant appeared in 20 games last season, averaging 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 three-pointers. With the Trail Blazers having Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday on the roster, it’s fair to wonder if this will be Morant’s final destination. He’ll likely need a move to a third team to protect his fantasy ceiling in 2026-27.

Haliburton, who ruptured his Achilles tendon during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, did not play at all last season. In addition to recovering from that injury, he had to deal with a case of shingles in February. The good news for the Pacers is that their star point guard is back to full strength and should be good to go for the start of next season. “I feel like I’m operating like I’m a healthy NBA player for the first time in a long time, which is exciting,” Haliburton said on Saturday. “The fact that I’m able to come here without having to answer questions from anybody in our organization about my health, that I’m just able to jump in and do some things with the kids, that means the world to me. It’s something I don’t take for granted after the last 12 months.” While he may need some time to shake off the rust, a healthy Haliburton is one of the most valuable players in fantasy basketball.

Butler, who suffered a torn right ACL during a January 19 game against the Heat, said during a recent appearance that he is making strides in his recovery. However, he still has not been cleared to run or jump off two feet, and the veteran forward also has not been allowed to land on his right leg. Butler guessed that he’s a month and a half away from being cleared to resume running. Given when the injury occurred, Butler may not be ready to go when the Warriors open training camp in late September. However, the Warriors’ focus is on him being healthy for the stretch run as the franchise looks to win another title during Stephen Curry and Draymond Green’s time in San Francisco.

Injuries limited White to 50 games last season. After a midseason trade to the Hornets, his minutes went from 29.1 per game in Chicago to 19.3 per game in Charlotte. White still averaged 15.6 points with the Hornets playing behind LaMelo Ball. With Ball now in Minnesota, White projects as a starter for the Hornets this upcoming season. He’s one of the big winners of the early offseason in terms of fantasy value.

Charania reported late Wednesday night that the Hornets were fielding offers for Ball and NBA Insider Marc Stein pinpointed the Timberwolves as one of the interested teams. Now both sides have agreed on a deal that sends Ball along with Josh Green to Minnesota in exchange for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Anthony Edwards was frustrated with how he’s been double-teamed since the team traded Karl Anthony-Towns. Now the Timberwolves have sent a haul to the Hornets to pair Edwards with Ball in the backcourt. Ball stayed healthy playing 72 games last season and is in line for similar fantasy production in Minnesota while the Hornets’ Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller could see increased usage with Ball no longer in Charlotte.