Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups, Week 6: With injuries mounting, grab Killian Hayes
Week 5 is in the books, and fantasy managers are left scrambling for backups after a slew of injuries. It's a new week, so I'll break down several players who are rostered in less than 50% of Yahoo fantasy basketball leagues. Before we get to this week's waiver pickups, here are the games played by each team in Week 6. He's still weighing his options, but his absence immediately puts backup point guard Killian Hayes in the must-add territory in 10 and 12 team points and H2H fantasy leagues. In his last six games, Hayes is averaging 1.7 threes made while shooting 41.7% from beyond the arc.
wftv.comLeBron James, Draymond Green and Kevin Love part of group buying a professional pickleball team
LeBron James' ever-growing investment portfolio added a new professional sports team this week. James, along with fellow NBA stars Draymond Green and Kevin Love, joined LRMR Ventures in buying a Major League Pickleball team, the league announced Wednesday. Major League Pickleball launched in Dripping Springs, Texas in 2021. Other pickleball club owners include former NFL quarterback Drew Brees, Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk. James' ultimate goal, though, is to own an NBA team after his playing days are over.
wftv.comCavs blast Bucks backups 133-115 to earn No. 8 play-in seed
Bucks Cavaliers Basketball Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love celebrates after a 3-point basket in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Sunday, April 10, 2022, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer) (David Dermer)CLEVELAND — (AP) — Kevin Love made eight 3-pointers and scored 32 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers took the No. However, they ended any suspense immediately, scoring the first 14 points and dominating a team of backups to the Bucks' backups. Cleveland went 1-3 against Brooklyn this season, but the Cavs led the Nets in the fourth quarter on Friday night before collapsing in crunch time. It's offensive.”UP NEXTBucks: The Bucks went 4-0 against the Bulls this season.
wftv.comCavaliers rally from 20-point deficit, beat Pacers 98-85
Pacers Cavaliers Basketball Cleveland Cavaliers' Cedi Osman (16) and Kevin Love (0) celebrate after a basket against the Indiana Pacers during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb 6, 2022, in Cleveland. Osman finished with 18 in the period, while Love had nine points and drew two charging fouls on Pacers rookie Chris Duarte. Duarte paced Indiana with 22 points, Duane Washington Jr. scored 17 points and Domantas Sabonis had nine points and 11 rebounds. All-Star point guard Darius Garland missed his fourth straight game with a sore lower back. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle announced that the trade had been completed 90 minutes before the opening tip, pending approval from the NBA.
wftv.comNBA All-Star Kevin Love honored for mental health advocacy
BOSTON — (AP) — Kevin Love knows the euphoria of sinking a three-pointer just before the buzzer. He has also established the Kevin Love Fund, with an ambitious goal of helping more than 1 billion people over a five-year period. He's repeatedly taken steps to eradicate the mental health stigma by sharing stories of his struggles with depression, anxiety and other challenges. “When I first spoke out about my mental health struggles, it transformed my life,” Love said Thursday. The award, now in its eighth year, was named after Morton E. Ruderman, a founder of the Ruderman Family Foundation.
wftv.comLove out, US basketball adds McGee, Keldon Johnson to roster
The U.S. basketball team has lost two games and now two players on its road to Tokyo. It means the much of the U.S. roster will have little time together before its Olympic opener July 25 against France. Veteran center JaVale McGee and Spurs guard Keldon Johnson were added later Friday to the 12-man Olympics roster as replacements. He played in two of the Americans' three exhibition games in Las Vegas, scoring one point. “I think we’re the best basketball players in the world," he said.
wftv.comAP source: US adding McGee, Johnson after Love withdrawal
Kevin Love has withdrawn from the Olympics because of a right calf injury, forcing the U.S. basketball team to replace two players on its roster. Veteran center JaVale McGee and Spurs guard Keldon Johnson will be added to the 12-man Olympics roster, a person with knowledge of the details said Friday. It means the much of the U.S. roster will have little time together before its Olympic opener July 25 against France. McGee, who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets last season, has won three NBA titles but has no Olympic experience. Love would have been trying for a second Olympic gold medal, having played for the Americans in London in 2012.
wftv.comKevin Love out; US basketball now to replace 2 players
USA Basketball Kevin Love make a pass during practice for USA Basketball, Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) (John Locher)Kevin Love has withdrawn from the Olympics because of a calf injury, forcing the U.S. basketball team to replace two players on its roster. Love's withdrawal comes a day after the Americans announced the Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal would miss the Olympics because he was in health and safety protocols. The Americans canceled their exhibition against Australia scheduled for Friday night because of health and safety concerns. ___More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/olympic-games and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports___AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.
wftv.comUSA Basketball falls again, this time 91-83 to Australia
Joe Ingles scored 17 points, Matisse Thybulle scored 12 and Chris Goulding had 11 for Australia. The other instances: two straight in the 2002 FIBA World Championship and two straight in the 2019 Basketball World Cup. But Australia closed the quarter on a 19-6 run, Goulding hit a 3-pointer as time expired and Australia took a 69-64 lead into the final 10 minutes. TIP-INSAustralia: The Boomers, according to USA Basketball’s archives, are now 2-28 all-time against the Americans in senior men’s national competition. USA: The Americans changed the starting lineup, with Jerami Grant in for Jayson Tatum and Draymond Green in for Bam Adebayo.
wftv.comAP source: Middleton, Holiday, Love commit to Tokyo Games
(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Frank Franklin II)Jrue Holiday is planning to try to follow in his wife’s footsteps and win an Olympic gold medal. Holiday has committed to USA Basketball for next month’s Tokyo Games, along with his Milwaukee teammate Khris Middleton and Cleveland forward Kevin Love, said to a person with knowledge of the decisions. Holiday and Middleton are planning to play at this point even if the Bucks make the NBA Finals, the person said. It would be the first Olympics for Holiday and Middleton, and the second for Love — who was on the U.S. team that won gold at the 2012 London Games. The additions of Middleton, Holiday and Love put the Americans relatively close to having a full roster for the Tokyo Games.
wftv.comCavs still view Kevin Love as valuable piece in slow rebuild
Cavaliers Love's Future Basketball FILE - In this April 30, 2021, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love (0) dribbles against the Washington Wizards during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane, File) (Ron Schwane)CLEVELAND — (AP) — As the Cavaliers' slow, stuttering rebuild continues around a “core four” of young players, the team still views Kevin Love as an important piece. “Jarrett Allen loves Kevin and I asked him why and he said, ‘Off the court he provides leadership. He has his moments, but he’s ours and he’s uniquely Kevin Love.”Altman said Love is headed into a “significant” summer. But the young guys need someone to show them the way, and Altman feels that's a perfect role for Love.
wftv.comUSA Basketball picks 57 players for men's Tokyo Games pool
USA Basketball is a step closer to choosing the team that will play in this summer’s rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, releasing the names Thursday of 57 players who are part of the pool to fill the squad. It’s also already drawing major interest from some NBA stars who have yet to taste Olympic gold. USA Basketball will pare the list to a 12-person Olympic team by early summer. Jordan, who now plays for Brooklyn, is also a newcomer to the pool even though he was on the 2016 Olympic team. “But for USA Basketball to receive the commitment of so many outstanding players remains an indicator of the great honor of representing your country means to these men.”
Murray scores historic 50 as Nuggets down crumbling Cavs
Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray (27) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers' Cedi Osman (16) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Not himself of late, Jamal Murray got a lecture from Nuggets coach Michael Malone about being more aggressive and not passing up open shots. Following the game, Murray was unaware that he had done something unique. “With the exception of Murray, we took some steps in the right direction,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. They made their first 12 shots, opened a 22-point lead in the second half and then let Murray close out the Cavs.
Cavaliers sitting Drummond while pursuing trade for center
Denver Nuggets forward Paul Millsap, left, fights for position for a rebound with Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond in the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)CLEVELAND – Andre Drummond is on the trade block — and the bench. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the decision to sit Drummond, one of the NBA's leading rebounders at 13.5 per game, was difficult. Drummond will continue to stay on the sideline while the team tries to find a trade partner. But with the NBA's focus on shooting 3-pointers, a player like Drummond — a prototypical center — can be viewed as a liability.
Cavaliers F Nance to miss 6 weeks with broken left hand
Minnesota Timberwolves' Josh Okogie, left, drives around Cleveland Cavaliers' Larry Nance Jr. (22) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Minneapolis. Cleveland will be without versatile forward Larry Nance for six weeks after he broke his left hand during Saturday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. They won only 19 games in 2020 but have been one of the league's biggest surprises so far this season. AdNance is averaging 9.3 points and 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 19 games. Earlier this week, Cleveland was outscored 60-12 on 3-pointers by the Los Angeles Clippers.
LeBron scores 46, Lakers beat Cavs to stay perfect on road
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers' Dylan Windler (9) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Back home, LeBron James kept the Lakers perfect on the road. When James was short with a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter, the unidentified Cavs executive celebrated. It was only James' second trip back to Cleveland since he left the Cavs for the second time as a free agent after the 2018 season. “It's more of a somber-tone-type-of-day.”The Lakers are spending the night in Cleveland before flying to Philadelphia — Bryant's hometown — on Tuesday.
NBA updates mental health policies amid ongoing pandemic
The NBA is urging teams to make increased commitments toward providing mental health resources to players and staff, releasing updated guidelines Wednesday to reflect the challenge of playing amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The NBA has mandated that teams offer access to mental health professionals in recent seasons — a program the league calls Mind Health was launched nearly three years ago — but that obviously predates the pandemic and how countless aspects of day-to-day life has changed in recent months. Those are a few of the ways the NBA has changed amid the virus. “All this is a little bit like the Twilight Zone,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said when asked about the mental strain of playing amid a pandemic. “The usage of mental health tools and support platforms has increased as have the modalities to assist those in need.
Gordon helps Magic beat Cavaliers 103-83, snap 2-game skid
Gordon broke out of a shooting slump Monday night, hitting six of nine 3-pointers on the way to a season-high 24 points as the Magic beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-83. Gordon scored 13 points in the third as the Magic broke open a close game. Khem Birch added 12 points and 12 rebounds, while rookie guard Cole Anthony added nine points, five rebounds and four assists. Cedi Osman scored 13 of his 18 points in the first half and added seven rebounds and seven assists. Magic: Orlando hosts Cleveland again on Wednesday.
Cavaliers' Love to miss extended time with calf injury
Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love, right, passes against Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Cavaliers forward Kevin Love could miss more than a month with a right calf injury he aggravated Sunday night in a game against Philadelphia. The 32-year-old’s injury is a setback for the Cavs, who are off to their first 3-0 start since 2016. The five-time All-Star made his season debut and played 38 minutes in the Cavaliers' double-overtime win at Detroit on Saturday. Love is in his seventh season with Cleveland, which is counting on him to lead a young team showing early signs of growth this season.
Back to work: NBA's non-Disney clubs start team workouts
The teams that didn't qualify for the restart of the NBA season at Walt Disney World could begin voluntary workouts Wednesday, Sept. 23, to start preparing for their next game whenever that is. Karl Anthony-Towns got to work in Minnesota and his old coach started to mold his new team in New York. After six months without one, it felt so good for some NBA teams to practice again that even Allen Iverson might've enjoyed it. “It gives us some sense of continuity, some sense of togetherness,” said Love, who didn’t want to miss the voluntary workouts. Coaches who didn't know what to expect were pleasantly surprised by the level of play they saw.
The ESPYS focus on honors, pandemic and racial justice
Love received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPY Awards on Sunday, June 21, 2020, for sparking a national conversation about mental health. The focus of Sunday night's show on ESPN was hope and inspiration in the time of coronavirus. Two years ago, he wrote an online essay detailing his struggles with mental health, including having a panic attack during a game. As a result, other athletes and fans began sharing details of their own mental health challenges and sharing resources on how to get help. During the COVID-19 crisis, he's shared tips on how to cope with the stress and isolation caused by the pandemic.