Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Cedric Coward is focused on improving his ball-handling ability. "The biggest thing is my handle and showing that I'm a primary ball handler," Coward told Mark Medina of R.org in an interview. "I have it. But we had a lot of point guards last year. So I wasn't able to show quite as much. But at the end of the day, that is something that I've been working on." The 22-year-old averaged 13.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists during his first year in the Association, earning a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team. As Coward develops his playmaking abilities, his assist numbers should naturally rise, increasing his fantasy value.

Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas appears to have his sights set on Europe if the Nuggets don't exercise a $10 million option on his contract for next season. "I received attention," Valanciunas said during a podcast appearance in his native Lithuania. "Yes, there were talks with one team, another team, and the Lithuanian club. There are discussions, and we are deciding. But the final word belongs to Denver. First of all, it depends on whether they trade me, keep me, or not. That's their decision. Right now, I think the bigger question for them is what they will do with the roster overall: who stays and who goes. As I understand it, only Nikola [Jokic] is untouchable, and everyone else can be moved." Valanciunas noted that his future will be clear in the first week of July, or maybe even earlier. As a backup in Denver this season, Valanciunas averaged 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is not expected to join the Boston Celtics for next season, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports. "I know some people are linking him to Boston, but I have not heard that Giannis, Boston, and Milwaukee are serious about it. That's out there, but I haven't heard it," Windhorst said Wednesday on ESPN Cleveland. While Antetokounmpo's move to Boston appears unlikely, it's widely believed he has played his final game for the Bucks and will move on this offseason. With the 2026 draft just weeks away, a deal may be close.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is waiting for the team to approach him with its offseason plans, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports. "The LeBron side, from what I am told, would like the Lakers to come and say, 'LeBron, here's our plan for you,' or 'here's what we were offering,' and if they're offering less than the max, here's why. Because we're going to use this cap space to sign these players, and this is where you slide in," Windhorst said on Wednesday's episode of The Hoop Collective podcast. James will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after earning $52.7 million in 2025-26. If he agrees to take a pay cut, the Lakers would have a chance to build a better roster around him. Recently, James suggested he isn't in a rush to make a decision on his future.