Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain is progressing after undergoing surgery in December on a torn meniscus in his left knee. "It's going great," said McCain to Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype.com regarding his rehab efforts. "Slowly getting back. I'm not trying to rush back, of course. I'm taking my time." He also reported "he's done running, skipping, and jumping." The 2024 No. 16 overall pick was in the running for Rookie of the Year honors before his season came to an abrupt end, averaging 15.3 points in 23 appearances, including 23.8 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in eight starts. Joel Embiid (knee), Tyrese Maxey (finger), and Paul George (knee, adductor) should be ready to go when the season begins in October. In addition, Philadelphia owns the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. As such, assuming McCain is cleared to begin the 2025-26 campaign, he may have a tough time finding consistent playing time. However, he should draw some starts on occasion while having an opportunity to carve out a routine role from off the bench. Dynasty managers should also acknowledge there is plenty of untapped potential, although it will take McCain more time to develop.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.com, Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is someone who could be involved in trade discussions this offseason. It's worth noting that this isn't the first time his name has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate. But the veteran is looking to win now, and he's also entering the final year of his current agreement. Vucevic continues to play at a high level despite being in the National Basketball Association for well over a decade, finishing the 2024-25 campaign by averaging 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds. He also shot a career-high 53.0% from the field while draining 40.2% of his attempts from deep. Granted, he can be a liability on the defensive end at times. Still, he should remain a reliable fantasy option for at least another season, potentially flirting with another trip to the All-Star game before calling it a career.

New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart was the team's top scorer with 24 points on 7-for-15 shooting in Wednesday's heavy 127-102 defeat to the Boston Celtics. Hart's night began painfully when he sustained a cut near his eye in a collision with Celtics center Luke Kornet, leaving his face and uniform covered in blood. Despite this, he ultimately had his best offensive outing of the postseason. The veteran finished 5-for-9 from downtown and bagged seven rebounds with two assists in 36 minutes. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns both battled foul trouble and combined for only 41 points. Hart's offensive outburst came at a good time for the Knicks, but his efforts weren't enough on Wednesday. Going into Game 6 on Friday, he holds averages of 15.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists for the series.

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White scored a game-high 34 points on 9-for-16 shooting in Wednesday's must-win clash against the New York Knicks, playing a key role in a 127-102 win. White was hot offensively right from the start and dropped seven three-point bombs on the Knicks with 13 attempts. As usual, he was also highly impactful on the defensive end, racking up three blocks. Additionally, White's line included three rebounds and two assists for the night. White stepped up big time on Wednesday night, offering Celtics fans hope that everything is not lost with Jayson Tatum's (Achilles) injury. With Boston still in survival mode for Friday's Game 6, we can expect another busy night from White.

Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet turned into an unexpected hero in Wednesday night's Game 5 against the New York Knicks, producing a hugely impressive two-way performance off the bench in a 127-102 victory. Kornet finished the contest with 10 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one steal, and a career-high seven blocks. It's the third-highest number of blocks a player has achieved coming off the bench in NBA Playoffs history. The seven-footer from Vanderbilt shot a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and ended up logging 26 minutes on the floor, as Boston played the entire second half without Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis, who finished scoreless in 12 minutes of action on Wednesday, is clearly not himself this postseason, and the Celtics may need to rely even more on Kornet going forward.