Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (personal) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Denver Nuggets due to personal reasons. Green will be absent for the final contest of Golden State's four-game road trip, while the Warriors hope that the 33-year-old four-time All-Star returns to the squad by the time Saturday comes versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. Green's absence gives Jonathan Kuminga a chance at an expanded role from head coach Steve Kerr's bench, while Chris Paul should probably be considered the favorite to re-enter the starting lineup and the better bet for DFS value on Wednesday's massive 14-game slate. CP3 took on 34 and 33 minutes respectively as a starter in the Dubs' first two games of the season, which Green missed both of with an ankle sprain.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (personal) is currently considered as questionable for Wednesday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The veteran forward is dealing with personal issues, so there should be more clarification on his status closer to tip-off on Wednesday. His absence would likely mean either Chris Paul or Jonathan Kuminga moves into the starting unit. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Warriors go with Kuminga because of his size. Whoever gets moved into the starting unit would have increased value for this game.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (ankle) is set to play on Monday night as the team faces the Detroit Pistons. After missing the first two games of the season, there was uncertainty about the veteran forward's status, primarily because the team was on the second night of a back-to-back on the road. The 33-year-old played 29 minutes in Cleveland last night and is fully cleared to take the court tonight. With Green's presence, Kevon Looney and Jonathan Kuminga are likely to have reduced roles. Green has been contributing with an average of 11.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in just over 25 minutes per game this season.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (ankle) is the only one on the team that made an appearance on the injury report for their Monday night contest against the Detroit Pistons. Green is currently dealing with some left ankle soreness and the Warriors could decide to play it safe since they'll be playing a banged-up Pistons squad. If he ends up watching from the sidelines, Kevon Looney should move up into the starting lineup and Jonathan Kuminga should also get some more minutes. Both of them would be solid streaming options if available.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (ankle) plans to make his season debut versus the Houston Rockets on Sunday. The veteran forward has missed the first two games of the season while dealing with a sprained left ankle. His absence has led to Jonathan Kuminga and Kevon Looney playing bigger minutes in the rotation. The expectation is that Green is going to start, which will likely send Looney to the second unit. Fantasy managers should check back on Sunday, but prepare to get Green back in their lineups for this one.

According to Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, forward Draymond Green (ankle) is nearing a return. The veteran missed Wednesday's loss to the Phoenix Suns and won't play on Friday versus the Sacramento Kings. However, Kerr indicated he wanted Green to increase his conditioning level before being cleared, so he might be sidelined for just a few more games. The 33-year-old, who signed an extension with the Warriors this offseason, averaged 8.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.0 steals last season. While his production has decreased over the years, he's still a must-start option in all fantasy setups. Nonetheless, Kerr will likely shuffle around the starting lineup once Green is ready to return, although guys like Chris Paul and Kevon Looney will get plenty of work to stay relevant for fantasy managers even if they come off the bench moving ahead.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (ankle) will remain in street clothes for Friday's battle with Sacramento. The four-time All-Star has made very good progress in his recovery from a left ankle sprain, but he will be forced to skip another game. Green's next chance to make his season debut will come Sunday against the Rockets. With him on the shelf, Kevon Looney got a start in Tuesday's season opener against the Suns, and both Jonathan Kuminga and Dario Saric logged 20 minutes off the bench. Kuminga had the most impressive performance from the trio, scoring 12 points with six rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one block.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (ankle) won't suit up for Tuesday's season opener versus the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. The veteran forward missed all of the preseason while he recovers from an ankle sprain. The Warriors will take the cautious approach here and rest Green in the opener. In his absence, Kevon Looney and Jonathan Kuminga should see increased playing time. Neither of them are great fantasy options, but Looney should be worth a look while Green is out.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (ankle) is making progress on his return from a sprained left ankle. According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Green has moved up to 5-on-5 work at practice, but there still isn't any word on his status for the team's season opener against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. The veteran remains a key piece of their defense, so he'll be important against a Suns team that upgraded their offense this offseason. Fantasy managers will want to stay tuned for more updates leading up to opening day.

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. 

... [More]

Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (ankle) has been cleared to participate in light workouts and his sprained left ankle will be re-evaluated on Sunday. Golden State kicks off the 2023-24 season on Oct. 24 against the Phoenix Suns, so this development at least gives him a shot to be ready for the opener. It rules the 33-year-old out for the remainder of the preseason, but it's fair to believe he'd get the green light for next Tuesday's affair if he gets in some practice activity before then. As it stands, Green should be considered questionable for Opening Night. The four-time All-Star may not be the same contributor he once was, but Green's multi-stat abilities should allow him to chip in across the entire board as a preferable center option in punt-turnover builds.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (ankle) has recently participated in individual workouts. The 33-year-old, who agreed to a four-year, $100 million deal this past offseason to remain in Golden State, isn't the player he once was. He averaged 8.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.0 steals in 73 games last season, his most action since 2016-17. Unfortunately, Green tweaked his ankle a few weeks ago, meaning he's expected to miss some games to begin the season. But the veteran is due to be reevaluated on Monday, so it appears he's moving in the right direction.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green has injured his left ankle and expects to be unavailable for 4-6 weeks. The four-time All-Star was hurt in a pickup game last week. Green's injury is awful news for the Warriors, who already have to figure out how to fit Chris Paul into their plans in 2023-24. Now, the team could be forced to start the campaign without its best defender. Additionally, Golden State isn't exactly blessed with frontcourt depth either. Kevon Looney and Jonathan Kuminga appear to be the primary beneficiaries if Green indeed can't get healthy for the start of the regular season.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green is confident that his squad is still a championship-caliber team and can win more championships. "I don't like to necessarily put a number on things," Green told ESPN. "But I don't see why we can't get two more championships. Why not?" Green has never lacked confidence, but Father Time might eventually step in and derail his big ambitions. The four-time All-Star will turn 34 during the upcoming campaign, while his long-time running mates Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry are also in the same age bracket. The team's newest star, Chris Paul, will even be 39 by the time we know who's won the 2024 NBA title. Green and Paul have had a complicated relationship through the years, but in an interesting development, Green admits that one of his biggest motivations is getting Paul a championship ring. "I look at this as one of the most important years of my career," said Green. "... It's not to redeem anything about Draymond. My goal is that we can help Chris Paul get his first championship."

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]

Golden State Warriors point guard Chris Paul is looking forward to linking up with his new team on the court and believes that he won't have any issues working well with Draymond Green, despite Green having said a few years back that he doesn't "like" Paul. "I feel sorry for the other teams that's got to play against both of us," Paul said of Green. "Because he's always been very vocal, as I am. I've always thrived with guys like that." Currently, it's unclear how much action Paul will see next to Green, as the Warriors could elect to use the veteran floor general off the bench. Paul has so far started all of his 1,363 career games across the regular season and the playoffs.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green may have declined his 2023-2024 player option, but it appears as though he could return to the team for next season. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski believes "these sides are destined to reunite" and that they seek to renegotiate another deal. It coincides with the sentiment new general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has shared regarding his desire to bring back the perennial All-Defensive player. Green is a dependable fantasy source of assists and defensive stats, but the 33-year-old has averaged less than nine points per game in each of the last five campaigns.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has decided to decline his $27.6 million player option for next season. Despite that, new general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said that the organization wants Green to return. The 33-year-old forward is obviously seeking a long term deal this offseason. He has mentioned before that he wants to retire with the Golden State Warriors. It seems like both sides want to get a deal done, but we'll see if they can agree on the length and the compensation.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has decided to decline his $27.6 million player option for next season. As expected, the veteran forward will opt out of the final year of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent. There is still a chance that Green returns to Golden State next season on a different deal. However, it appears the former DPOY and eight-time NBA All-Defensive team honoree will test his worth in free agency. Green isn't the player that he used to be, but he was a key contributor during the Warriors four championship seasons. There should be plenty of interest for Green, assuming he does intend on leaving Golden State.

According to ESPN's Marc J. Spears, the Warriors are expecting forward Draymond Green to opt-out. The veteran has a $27.5 million player option on his current contract. However, Green is looking for a long-term deal, and while Golden State wants to keep him, it's unknown how much the club is willing to spend to retain him. The 27-year-old has appeared in 758 games for the Warriors since entering the league in 2012 and was instrumental in helping the franchise secure multiple NBA Championships. It's evident he's no longer the player he once was, and his days as a routine fantasy contributor are also probably over, regardless of where he lands next season.