Not all of the top options are listed in the Fantasy Alarm Playbook below. The best players are always in play, but we have options across all salary ranges. We list most players based off their FanDuel positions, but note that they may be eligible at other positions on the other sites. It’s easier to mix and match with the multiple DraftKings. Note: This is a FREE preview of Fantasy Alarm’s NBA DFS Playbook....

Alas, the Hornets took at No. 24 just to flip him to the Heat in exchange for picks 26 (which became North Carolina guard/D-League P.J. Hairston) and 55 in this year’s draft and a future second-round selection. MORE: Round 1 tracker: Hornets get Vonleh at 9 | Wiggins worst-dressed Still, the initial news of Napier going to Charlotte was met with great approval by that other UConn champion, Hornets point guard Kemba Walker:...

The day after the NBA Draft, though, has become filled with so much unappealing fiction as to rank among the worst days on the sporting calendar. MORE: NBA Draft winners and losers Remember a year ago, when the avalanche of international prospects chosen led to questions about the decline of American basketball? There were a record 26 non-American players taken, and so we had to deal with think pieces about the negative effects of AAU competition and the rise of the “more skilled” European player, even as the U....

While the 2017 lottery was dominated by perimeter players, the 2018 version is looking to be more of the big variety. Five of the top eight players on this board are 6-10 or taller, led by the top prospect, Michael Porter Jr. 2017 NBA DRAFT: Winners and losers | Pick-by-pick grades In general, this crop is shaping up to be weaker than the 2017 draft class, but stronger than the 2016 one....

New York is hoping to buy another second-round selection in the 2019 NBA Draft on Thursday, according to a report from The Athletic, which cites unidentified league sources. The Knicks hold the No. 3 pick and are projected to take former Duke star RJ Barrett, if they don’t trade down. They’re also set to be on the clock with the 55th selection. “If that ends up and I’m still there at three, I’d love for (the Knicks) to take me,” Barrett said during a recent interview....

While it may feel wrong to place too much stock into one or two scrimmage games, try telling that to players like Denver Nuggets guard Bones Hyland or San Antonio Spurs guard Josh Primo, both of whom elevated their draft stock considerably after strong showings at last year’s combine. With that in mind, there were a few standout players this year, starting with NC State’s Terquavion Smith, Purdue’s Trevion Williams and Arkansas’ Jaylin Williams in the first scrimmage....

Saturday was the NBA’s contract extension deadline for players on the last guaranteed year of their rookie deals. A small group of guys drafted in 2011 — with the exception of Ricky Rubio, who was drafted in 2009 but didn’t come over until 2011 — inked new deals at the very last second, avoiding the stress of restricted free agency. MORE: Rubio’s new deal | Klay’s new deal | Wiggins introduction | Stars then and now...

MORE: Must-see NBA Finals photos | Curry must play better The Cavaliers shook up the hoops world Wednesday night with a 120-90 victory over the defending champion Warriors in Game 3 of the NBA Finals after having the dog walked on them in the first two games of the series. Now Lue, the first-year, first-time head coach finds himself in a particularly perplexing predicament heading into Game 4: to start or not to start Kevin Love?...

It’s the fourth straight year that the two teams have met in the NBA Finals, but 2018 seems to be the most lopsided affair yet. The Cavs simply aren’t as good as they were a year ago, while the Warriors still have four All-Stars and two MVP-caliber players in Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. AccuScore has consistently picked the Warriors to win the title all postseason long, and a matchup with LeBron James and the Cavaliers did little to change the computer’s mind....

While he finished with a playoff career-high 32 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two blocks — there’s much more to unpack from Siakam’s dominant performance beyond just his stat line. Let’s put his Game 1 masterpiece in perspective: Siakam, who shot 82. 4 percent from the field, is just the seventh player in NBA Finals history to score 30-plus points on 80 percent shooting or better, according to NBA Stats....

Instead of a value captain, we’re going with the King, LeBron James, in our multiplier lineup spot. This move means we won’t have either Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler in our lineup, but both will likely play at less than 100 percent Friday if they suit up. James should put up another monster game and carry our lineup on his back. DraftKings Showdown Picks: Lakers vs. Heat Game 2 Captain (1....

The NBA has handed the All-Star center a $50,000 fine for “directing inappropriate language towards fans” on multiple occasions. It’s fair to say that on both occasions, Cousins was being heckled by fans. The first incident happened on March 5 following the Pelicans’ 105-97 win over the Lakers at Staples Center. WARNING: Language in this video is NSFW. The second incident happened the very next night, after the Pelicans fell 88-83 to the Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena....

But the perception that the NBA has not been able to conquer its issue with stars ditching small markets is just that: perception. The reality is much different, especially with the changes in the NBA’s free-agent system that came into effect after the 2011 lockout. FREE AGENCY TRACKER: Latest news, signings of top available players To show just what we mean here, we offer a list of the players who have, since the ratification of the collective-bargaining agreement in 2011 (which was reconfigured with a new CBA last year), signed as free agents with a new team, one that did not hold their rights at the end of the previous season....

Over the summer, the restricted free agent was told by Rockets GM Daryl Morey that they would match any contract offer. As time wore on, Parsons made connections with both Dirk Nowitzki and owner Mark Cuban, even though Dallas had designs of their own on Anthony. MORE: Noel a work in progress | MKG working on shot | Charlotte’s two-man game “It was a waiting game in the beginning, which I was OK with," Parsons told ESPN....

Los Angeles agreed to send Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and three first-round picks, including the No. 4 pick in the 2019 draft, to New Orleans in exchange for Anthony Davis on Saturday, according to an ESPN report. But now it is looking to make Charlotte’s Kemba Walker a “top target” since it secured a second All-Star to pair with LeBron James, according to a report from The New York Times....

The list of players still available is headlined by a pair of recent lottery picks in Deandre Ayton and Collin Sexton. It also includes a number of veterans who could help teams looking to add to their depth, such as Dennis Schroder and Carmelo Anthony. Here’s where they each rank among the best players still looking for a contract. (Note: This list does not include James Harden, who reportedly plans to take a paycut and sign a two-year deal with the 76ers, and Miles Bridges, who was recently arrested on domestic violence charges....

A source told Shams Charania of The Athletic on Friday (subscription required) that the league is looking into the matter. The New York Times reported early Saturday (subscription required) that a league spokesman confirmed an investigation is underway. MORE: Lin recalls time Kobe said goodbye to ‘bums’ who were about to be traded Lin is playing for the Warriors’ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, Calif. His allegation was part of an Instagram post Thursday in which he spoke out against anti-Asian racism and stereotyping....

MORE: How long is Kawhi Leonard out? The slate features two games that will air nationally, as the Raptors travel to the Wells Fargo Center to take on the 76ers (7:00 p.m. ET, NBA TV) to start things off. Later, the Heat continue a Western Conference road trip when they face the Clippers (10:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV.) MORE: League Pass blackout restrictions, explained While the above two games air nationally, a meeting between the Pacers and Jazz (9:00 p....

Yes, at last, NBA Draft day is here, and we’re so excited, we’re bringing you our final installment of the Mock Draft. The entire thing could be torpedoed by the time the second pick is called, but, well, here goes anyway… Suns — Deandre Ayton, C, Arizona If this one does not happen, then every Mock Draft on the entire internet is in trouble. Kings — Marvin Bagley III, PF, Duke The Kings’ relative lack of interest in Luka Doncic could be a smokescreen, but to what end?...