Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (calf) won't play in Saturday's game against the Jazz. The veteran has had one of the best years of his career, averaging 10.8 points and shooting 45.2% from behind the arc. It's unknown how severe his current calf contusion is, so fantasy managers will be left wondering if he'll be ready to go when the Nets play the Heat in South Beach on Monday night. In the meantime, Cameron Johnson might slide over to the four, with Jalen Wilson and Keon Johnson gaining more fantasy value due to an anticipated increase in minutes and scoring opportunities.

According to Evan Sidery of Forbes, the Nuggets and Nets held "exploratory talks" surrounding forward Cameron Johnson. The former Sun has been rumored to be on the move for a while. But with teams having more flexibility to make trades, things are starting to pick up steam. Johnson had a rocky 2023-24 campaign. However, he's having the best year of his career, averaging 18.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 43.3% shooting from behind the arc. A trade with the Nuggets would likely involve Michael Porter Jr. Either way, it's unknown how much progress was made between both sides. With that in mind, Johnson would surely see a dip in production in Denver, considering he'd be sharing the floor with multi-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

Brooklyn Nets forward/center Trendon Watford (hamstring) could not complete Monday's contest against Cleveland. He was ruled out for the rest of the game early in the third quarter because of left hamstring soreness. Watford posted eight points in 10 minutes before his premature exit. The 24-year-old missed the start of the season with a left hamstring strain, so this isn't a new issue for him. Watford has contributed 8.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 16.1 minutes off the bench. Noah Clowney and Day'Ron Sharpe should get additional action on the Nets frontcourt if Watford has to sit on the sidelines for a bit.

According to Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez, Ben Simmons will take over as the team's "full-time point guard" moving ahead after the recent trade involving Dennis Schroder. Not only that, but Fernandez wants the Nets to play faster, with Simmons in charge of pushing the pace. The 28-year-old was once one of the league's most promising players. However, he hasn't been the same in recent years, currently averaging 5.1 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.6 rebounds. But with Simmons focusing on one position, at least most of the time, there's a chance he could improve on the scoring end. If anything, his assist numbers should increase. With that in mind, Simmons will need to stay healthy, which has been a challenge. Still, the latest update from Fernandez could mean good things for the former LSU Tiger for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Nets have acquired guard De'Anthony Melton (knee) from the Warriors in exchange for guard Dennis Schroder. Brooklyn will also receive three second-round draft picks. Melton signed with Golden State during the offseason. He played well, averaging 10.3 points and 1.2 steals. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old sustained a torn ACL and underwent season-ending surgery. Melton will be a free agent in the 2025 offseason, so it's unknown if he'll ever suit up for the Nets. But until he stays healthy, his fantasy outlook isn't promising, no matter where he ends up next season.