Player Notes NBA

The Boston Celtics have signed 2016 first round pick Guerschon Yabusele.

What It Means:

The two sides were set to agree to terms all along, but now it's official. That makes the Frenchman the 16th guaranteed contract for Boston, who will likely treat the 21-year-old as a project at the four and/or five spots.

This past season, in what is now the NBA's G-League, the 6'8" forward averaged 14.4 points and 6.7 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game in a seven-game showing. He also averaged 1.1 three-point makes on 38.1% shooting from beyond the arc.

Source: Rotoworld

The Miami Heat and forward Udonis Haslem have agreed to a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum, according to The Vertical's Shams Charania.

What It Means:

The deal is worth $2.3 million for what will be Haslem's 15th season in Miami. Just don't expect Haslem to contribute much as he likely plays out the last year of his NBA career. He'll serve as a role model for the younger Heat players.

In 2016-17, the 37-year-old averaged 1.9 points in just 16 games. His -0.2 nERD ranked seventh on the team and 129th among all NBA forwards.

Source: Shams Charania, The Vertical

Free agent point guard Derrick Rose is scheduled to meet with the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

What It Means:

This news comes shortly after reports that Derrick Rose has been in serious discussion with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Lakers can extend Rose a more lucrative offer than Cleveland, and those two seem to be the two favorites to sign Rose, while there hasn't been much news out of Milwaukee after he was connected to the Bucks last week.

Rose averaged 18.0 points, 4.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 turnovers per game last season for the Knicks. His -2.9 nERD in 2016-17 ranked only 190th among the 245 qualifying guards in the NBA.

Source: Rotoworld.com

The Minnesota Timberwolves are working on a five-year contract extension for guard/forward Andrew Wiggins, per Minnesota's president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau.

What It Means:

The extension would start in the 2018-2019 season, meaning Wiggins would be under contract for the next six seasons, and would be worth almost $148 million.

Wiggins averaged a career-high 23.6 points to go with 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game last season. His -4.1 ranked only 451st in the NBA.

Source: Rotoworld.com

Free agent point guard Derrick Rose is in serious contract talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers, per ESPN.

What It Means:

Rose hasn't drawn much interest in free agency so far, and the talks with Cleveland are for a one-year deal. The Cavs only have room under the cap to offer him a veteran minimum deal or to use up to $2.5 million of their taxpayer mid-level exception.

Rose averaged 18.0 points, 4.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 turnovers per game last season for the Knicks. His -2.9 nERD in 2016-17 ranked only 190th among the 245 qualifying guards in the NBA.

Source: Rotoworld.com

The Boston Celtics could pursue New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, according to The Vertical's Chris Mannix.

What It Means:

If the Pelicans' 2017-18 season were to go awry, Mannix says that it is "widely believed" that the Celtics would go after the four-time All-Star. Considering they have the young assets to pull off a blockbuster trade, expect the organization to keep close tabs on the situation in New Orleans going forward.

With a nERD of 12.4 in 2016-17, Davis finished the year as our 14th-ranked player overall. That same score would rank second on the Celtics, just ahead of new addition Gordon Hayward (12.0 nERD).

Source: Chris Mannix, The Vertical

Restricted free agent forward/center Nerlens Noel is disappointed with how negotiations have gone with the Dallas Mavericks, according to his agent, Happy Walters.

What It Means:

As a restricted free agent, Dallas can match any offer Noel could receive in the market. However, if no one steps up and makes him an offer, the Mavericks could get him at a one-year qualifying offer.

In 22 games with Dallas this past season, Noel accounted for 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 block in 22 minutes per game. His 3.9 nERD for the season placed him 24th of all 119 centers in our database.

Source: Rotoworld

Free agent center Willie Reed has reportedly agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.

What It Means:

Reed declined his player option with the Miami Heat, and his contract with the Clips is reportedly a one-year, $1.5 million deal.

Reed averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game this season while also posting 14.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in his five starts. He ranked 68th in the NBA and third among Heat players with a 3.0 nERD.

Source: Rotoworld.com

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said he plans to start Rajon Rondo at point guard and Jrue Holiday at shooting guard next season.

What It Means:

This bodes well for Rondo's fantasy value, as he'll be guaranteed playing time in an offense with high-level scorers in Holiday, DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis. Holiday started in the backcourt with Tim Frazier for 12 of the Pelicans' final 13 games last season, so he already has some experience playing off the ball.

In 69 games with the Chicago Bulls in 2016-17, Rondo averaged 7.8 points, 6.7 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.7 threes a game on a career-best 37.6 percent shooting from deep. His -3.2 nERD ranked 425th of 486 NBA players. Holiday's -1.9 nERD was 349th. He averaged 15.4 points, 7.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 32.7 minutes per contest (67 games).

Source: Mason Ginsberg

The San Antonio Spurs and guard Manu Ginobili are finalizing details on a new contract according to Adrian Wojnarowski‏ of ESPN.com.

What It Means:

Ginobili will be 40 years old at the end of July and while is he coming off another year of diminished playing time, he is still productive when he doesn't have to play more than 15 to 20 minutes a night. However, that doesn't help fantasy owners much.

Ginobili averaged 7.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals over just 18.7 minutes per game. He had a .491 effective field goal percentage and his nERD of 0.6 ranked 123rd among all players in 2016-17.

Source: Adrian Wojnarowski‏