

According to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham could receive a contract extension this offseason. Edwards, who covers the Pistons, is "99.9 percent sure" it will happen, adding he'd "be stunned" if it didn't. The 2021 No. 1 overall pick has averaged 20.0 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.0 rebounds during his career. But some may argue against giving Cunningham a max rookie extension, considering he's been limited to 138 games since entering the league because of various injuries. Nonetheless, he still has upside for fantasy managers if he can stay healthy during most of the 2024-25 campaign. However, he has had issues taking care of the ball, averaging 3.5 turnovers. At the same time, Cunningham has shot a subpar 32.9% from behind the arc, which won't earn him praise from category participants.


According to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal underwent a nose procedure after the team was bounced from the postseason. The former Wizard suffered a broken nose in January. However, Beal had hinted after it happened that he would need to have his "septum realigned," so the latest update on his health didn't catch many by surprise. The 30-year-old averaged 18.2 points in his first season with the Suns, five fewer than his final season in Washington. He also logged just 53 games, missing time because of back and hamstring injuries. But Phoenix is strapped for cash this offseason, meaning everyone in the starting lineup should see plenty of minutes. If Beal can stay healthy, he has a chance to turn it around, even with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker also in the mix for scoring chances.


Boston Celtics guard Derrick White didn't need to break out the heroics in Game 1 for the team to notch a blowout win over the Dallas Mavericks. The veteran guard finished with 15 points, five assists, two rebounds, one steal, and two turnovers while shooting 5-for-11 from the floor and 3-for-8 from downtown. The fact that this seemed like a down game for White is a problem for the Mavericks. The offensive firepower ran through Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis in this one, but White has the ability to lead the team in scoring on any given night. His defense has also been a key piece in their success and he'll look to do more of the same in Game 2 on Sunday.


Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy provided the biggest scoring punch off of the bench while the rest of the bench combined for just seven points. The second-year combo guard finished the game with 13 points, three rebounds, one assist, and one made three. He shot 4-for-8 from the floor and knocked down all four of his free throw attempts as well. Hardy saw fewer minutes per game this season than his rookie year, but he's played in more games and has put together some important performances through the playoffs so far. He's climbed higher in the postseason depth chart than Tim Hardaway Jr. which wasn't something that many people predicted in the preseason.


Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington delivered the second-most points on the team behind the 30-point performance from Luka Doncic. The bad thing is that resulted in a blowout loss in Game 1 by the tune of 107-89. Washington posted 14 points on 5-for-11 shooting and chipped in eight rebounds and one assist. He was unable to hit any threes in this contest and the team followed suit as they went 7-for-27 from deep. The former Hornet has been a key piece to the Mavericks' playoff run so far, and he's likely to deliver at least a couple of big offensive performances. His defensive abilities will be tested against the potent Celtics offense.
