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James Wiseman is among several veterans competing for the Knicks’ final roster spot. 

New York is prioritizing keeping another big man in the mix, perhaps giving Wiseman and others the inside track for the position. 

The 25-year-old made a strong first impression in Monday’s preseason opener. 

Mike Brown played the Knicks’ regulars sparingly their first time out, creating an opportunity for the reserves to showcase what they can do. 

While he only saw nine minutes off the bench, Wiseman took advantage. 

The former No. 2 overall pick made his presence felt on both ends of the floor, knocking down three of four shots and a pair of free throws for eight points while also pulling in five boards. 

One of those buckets came on a nice alley-oop feed from Jordan Clarkson, and another on a putback layup after cleaning up a missed shot on the offensive glass. 

Wiseman finished the night a -13, but also recorded a block. 

“It felt good just contributing to the team,” he said. “I’m just focused on taking things one day at a time, building on each game and each practice, and doing the simple things.”

If Wiseman can carry this strong start into the Knicks’ next three preseason matchups, perhaps he can earn himself a deal and the third center spot to start the year. 

The big man does already have a fan in head coach Mike Brown, who was on the Warriors' coaching staff during his first two NBA seasons. 

"When you’re that long and athletic with skill, there’s a place for you in this league," Brown recently said. "Sometimes it takes the right moment, the right team, the right situation, all of that to be able to fit someplace and grow -- he’s one of the many guys that we’re excited about.”

Wiseman hasn’t quite fit in just yet during his NBA career, but perhaps he’ll be able to while reuniting with Brown. 

No player in NBA history has ever played 24 seasons before. LeBron James is about to change that. James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in the most shocking move of the NBA summer to chase his fifth championship. He’s already the eighth oldest player in league history to start the season, and he’ll turn 42 years old in December. James has been remarkably durable throughout his career, but nagging injuries started to pop up during the end of his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers. As the Sixers go through training camp, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin detailed one injury James isn’t going to get over.

James has chronic arthritis in his left foot, according to McMenamin, which requires special attention from the Sixers’ medical staff. The superstar also dealt with sciatica in his lower back that caused him to miss a month last season, which is another area that continues to get treatment in Philly.

The Sixers might have the most dubious recent injury history in the NBA, though there are a few teams (the Pelicans, the Grizzlies) who would challenge that claim. Ben Simmons’ career fell apart at age-24 because of injuries after making three All-Star teams. Markelle Fultz’s career never got off the ground in part because of injuries after Philly made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft. Joel Embiid has dealt with seemingly hundreds of different maladies over the years. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, as any Sixers fan will tell you.

James played 60 games last year, 70 and 71 games the two years before that, and 55 and 56 games the two years before that. How many will he play this season? LeBron no longer has to carry the scoring load for his team, and the Sixers should be well equipped offensively with Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey even when he and Embiid miss games. Philly could really use James’ signature playmaking component, but that’s more important in the playoffs than the regular season. The goal for the Sixers’ training staff will be to get LeBron in peak shape come playoff time. Can they do it?

It’s easy to imagine the frustration from Sixers fans if James deals with more injuries this year. Just remember: he’s about to 42, and he already has chronic arthritis in his foot. It’s remarkable that he was still so good in the first-round playoff series against the Rockets last season despite that, averaging 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game as he helped the Lakers advance without Luka Doncic.

LeBron made the NBA Finals in eight straight years the last time he was in the East. That was also nine years ago. James could still have some magic left in his body, but there’s no doubt the end is near. Having chronic arthritis is just one sign of that.

There are a few underrated stars in the NBA, but over the last few years, perhaps none have been more consistently overlooked than Jarrett Allen.

In his six seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Allen has averaged 14.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and just over one block per game. Last year, Allen averaged 15.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and just under one block per game. His shooting efficiency took a dip from the season before, but the Cavs remained a better product on the floor with Allen on it.

Then the Cavs traded for James Harden, one of the best pick-and-roll passers ever and a master at maximizing bigs. Regular season lineups with both Allen and Harden on the floor scored 122.7 points per 100 possessions (94th percentile). Prior to Harden, the most-used lineup with Allen was in the 55th percentile in points per 100 possessions. The two most common scapegoats for when things go wrong actually work the best when they are on the floor together.

Allen’s turnaround after the Harden trade cannot be ignored. He scored an additional seven more points per game and was consistently put in better offensive positions after the Cavs acquired the future Hall of Fame guard. That isn’t a coincidence — it is the standard for Harden with traditional bigs like Clint Capela and Ivica Zubac. The ceiling for Allen is unquestionably higher with Harden as the primary point guard. Now, the Cavs will get a full year (barring injury) of Harden as the tip of the spear on offense. Allen’s production on that end should, in theory, be better than ever.

On defense, the Cavs as a unit must be better. Allen didn’t have a bad season on that side of the ball, but his (and Evan Mobley’s) ability to defend at all levels is paramount for a team with small guards and less wing depth than before. Defensive metrics are hard to measure down to the individual player level, but Allen plays a big part in righting the ship on that end. The Cavs’ defense was in the 58th percentile with Allen on the floor, and slightly better in the half-court. There is room for improvement from everyone.

Despite traditionally being the public punching bag when the going gets tough, Allen has been a resolute force with a high floor. His impact transcends the box score, but his 40-point, 17-rebound effort last season doesn’t hurt either. The upcoming season figures to be a good one for the Cavs’ starting center, and they will need it if they want to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s debut season with the Atlanta Hawks was one that could only be described as resounding success. Embracing a larger role compared to the one he saw with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Alexander-Walker raised his scoring output 9.4 points to 20.8 points per game en route to winning the NBA’s Most Improve Player Award. From his scoring — on which the Hawks learned to depend on quickly — including fourth quarter takeovers, to his defensive intensity, Alexander-Walker established himself as one of the most important players of the 2025-26 Hawks.

It was the first time in Alexander-Walker’s career that he has taken on a much larger role, an adjustment that Alexander-Walker is better prepared for this season. Alexander-Walker scored the team’s most total points, while also playing the most minutes of all Hawks last season with 2603 minutes across 78 games.

“I think the recovery part (is important),” said Alexander-Walker when about his expected high minutes this season. “Doing just as much off the court as I do on the court has taken a leap of saying. I’m going to be more diligent with rest, I’m going to be more diligent with days on or days off… The best ability is availability, and now I’m learning and feeling what a high intensity season is with my minutes and the such.”

It was also a role, as described by Hawks head coach Quin Snyder, that wasn’t necessarily planned for originally but became what the team needed as the season unfolded.

“I think my expectation for Nickeil was a player who puts the team first and is going to compete, and we saw him do that night in, night out.” said Snyder. “He is one of the guys whose role consistently evolved throughout the course of the season. If you recall, the Nickeil we had in November evolved when we had some injuries, the Nickeil we had in December evolved when we had trades. I think Nickeil’s ability to find out what the team needs and to provide that I think is a calling card of his.”

While the postseason didn’t see Alexander-Walker replicate that regular season success, little changes in terms of his role going forward. Heading into his second season, while the Hawks have seen roster changes around the fringes, they will depend on Alexander-Walker’s play on both sides of the ball; to be a leader on both sides of the ball. The player that can take the opposing team’s best offensive wing, while also bearing a scoring burden that the Hawks need filled. Alexander-Walker scored the team’s most total points, while also playing the most minutes of all Hawks last season with 2603 minutes across 78 games.

When looking at Alexander-Walker’s shotchart from last season, there’s not a ton you’d look at and say that needs improving:

You can see Alexander-Walker’s preferred side shooting the ball, and if it isn’t above average, Alexander-Walker’s shooting slightly above or just below league average in many other zones. His corner shooting is excellent and far-exceeds league average shooting.

If you had to choose an area of the court that Alexander-Walker could improve upon, you could say you’d like to see his finishing at the rim creep above league average, and his shooting from the right-slot at a higher clip than 32.7%. This is nit-picking, to be frank, because if Alexander-Walker can replicate his shooting percentages from last season (including 39% from three on over eight attempts) it would be a successful season.

The key to Alexander-Walker’s continued success with the Hawks is being able to translate what he did in the regular season to the NBA playoffs. Against the Knicks, Alexander-Walker was limited to 13.7 points on 38% shooting from the field, one of the keys to the Hawks’ eventual defeat to the eventual champions in six games.

The 2026 playoffs were Alexander-Walker’s first taste of the postseason as a leading scorer, and has taken his lessons from that series going forward, and what he worked on over the summer.

“Just getting stronger, being a better playmaker,” said Alexander-Walker of what he worked on over the summer. “In the Knicks series they did good job when I was off-ball. How do I be better while being off-ball and facing top-locks and physicality and teams being up? I feel the game is slowing down for me even more, understanding how to be effective, almost in the sense of the art of war. Using the opponent’s pressure against them, using it to my advantage, sometimes allowing physicality and the different things I learned this summer to set the tone and not necessarily get side-tracked from what’s the most important thing. It can turn into an internal battle: you know you’re not at your best and the only thing you can think about is trying to be at your best. I’ve learned that it’s about trying to figure it out. Driving manual has taught me that. When you get caught on that hill, you’ve got to figure it out. The small things I’ve done this summer to help me mentally as well as skill: shooting off the dribble, getting to the paint, decision-making, getting comfortable in the mid-range as well.”

Snyder also identified Alexander-Walker’s focus on making those around him better.

“As you look at his game, he’s someone who embraces the opportunity to improve,” said Snyder. “I think that can take many different forms. When you embrace something, usually you have success doing it . That versatility he has as a player, and also as a teammate, I think is foundational part of our identity. Nickeil more than anybody, he’s lived it: the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. His focus is on making the people around him better.”

Alexander-Walker will once again play a starring role on both sides of the ball on a team which hopes to make an automatic playoff berth and establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with within the Eastern Conference…

CHARLESTON — When Mike Conley was a little kid playing basketball, all he worried about was making sure that his 10-year-old teammates were having fun.

“I can remember being in elementary school, on little rec league teams where you had a mix of boys and girls, and I was doing my best to get all people involved,” Conley told CelticsBlog in an exclusive interview. “Like, I knew I might have been the best on the court and could score every time, but I was like, let me just make sure that he got a shot, or she got a shot, and just make sure that everybody was happy and having fun.”

Looking back, Conley is still not entirely sure why involving teammates was such a priority to his 10-year-old self. Part of it, he admits, was the result of how he was raised: both his mom and dad constantly hammered home the importance of caring for others.

“They really made it seem like the world is always bigger than you,” Conley said. “It’s not about you. Your time here is: how can you affect people in a positive way and change people’s lives? That’s been the mantra from day one.”

In any case, it’s no surprise that nearly 30 years later, Conley is widely heralded as one of the best teammates and sportsmen in basketball. He’s famously never been called for a technical foul. He’s won four NBA Sportsmanship Awards, the most of any player in NBA history. And he’s earned the league’s Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award twice, most recently in 2024 with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“Leadership just comes naturally to him,” Joe Mazzulla said. “People flock to him.”

After years of it almost happening, Conley landed in Boston in July, signing a 1-year deal as a 38-year-old free agent. In part because they both hail from Indiana, Conley and Brad Stevens have known each other for a long time, and they’d gotten in contact almost every time the point guard was a free agent during his illustrious career.

But it just never worked out.

“The timing was never there,” Conley said. “And then, ironically enough, 20 years into it, the timing finally is right.”

And while Conley is not in his basketball prime, he arrives in Boston ready to bring the leadership and mentorship he’s become so well known for across the league.

“It’s part of the job at this stage of my career,” he said. “I understand it. I understand there’s going to be a lot of times where I don’t play. There’s going to be some times where I’m needed. There are other times where I’m just needed to be the voice for a big stretch of the season. Being comfortable with that, and being able to own that, is my role and my job.”

No one has benefitted more from his mentorship so far than Payton Pritchard

Since training camp began last week, Pritchard has spoken extensively about how helpful Conley has been for him. The two 6’1 guards share the same player development coach this season — God Shammgod Jr. — and they begin their practices with joint workouts. On off days, the two like to golf.

“He’s just reliable, and just a good dude,” Pritchard said. “He’s somebody you can always talk to and lean on.”

Pritchard’s presence in Boston was a draw for Conley, and something he made note of from the start.

“When I signed here, he was one guy I had pegged as like, hey, I’ve loved this game from afar,” Conley said. “If there’s anything I can do to help him, I will do it.”

Little did he know just how much Pritchard would want to be mentored by him.

“We’ve been working out ever since I set foot in Boston, every little micro detail,” Conley said. “He’s so easy to be around because he wants to learn; he asks a ton of questions, texts me at nighttime, and hits me early in the morning about something that he has an idea about.”

So, on Sunday night in Charleston, as the Celtics enjoyed a team dinner at their hotel, Pritchard peppered Conley with basketball questions.

“We’re just sitting there watching football, and he’s like, ‘So you think my pace is a little bit too fast? You think I should slow down on certain things?” Conley recalled.

The questions continued throughout the night.

“When do you feel like you were the best version of yourself?” Pritchard asked Conley.

“He was gauging what I was like at certain ages, and how I was at his age, at 28,” Conley said. “It’s just fun to be able to give information to somebody that really wants it.”

Interestingly, Conley serves as a shining example that the future holds endless possibilities; he became the first player to be named an All-Star for the first time in his 14th NBA season or later, when he was an All-Star replacement in 2021 at age 34. So, he views Pritchard’s future as extremely bright.

And Pritchard relishes the chance to pick the veteran’s brain. He’s been asking him for advice on how to draw more fouls without becoming a flopper and how to be a better facilitator.

“As somebody that’s looked up to Mike, [I ask him] how he thinks of the game and how he was able to create his shots and create shots for his teammates and maybe handle playing the point guard position, momentum swings,” Pritchard said. “He’s been in a lot of great environments, great playoff series. How was he able to kill in those moments and dominate the game?”

Conley has grown as a teammate throughout his career

While it was always Conley’s natural instinct to be a good teammate, he feels it’s only become easier with the years.

“When you’re 18, you’re in a room full of 25, 30-year-old guys, and you’re just trying to find your way as an individual,” Conley said. “You’re trying to learn from them as much as you can, and take the back seat, and take your bumps and bruises along the way. And when your time comes, when you’re given more on your plate, when you’re given more responsibility, you take those lessons that you learned from your vets, lessons that you learned from your coaches, and the stuff you’ve instilled throughout your life, and apply it.”

As such, in Year 20 as a pro, he feels poised to lead, even in a locker room filled with NBA champions like Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and Sam Hauser.

Not every aspect of leadership and teamwork came naturally; Conley did not enjoy calling out his teammates early in his career, but over time he came to accept that it was an important part of his role. As his reputation as a good teammate and leader grew, he felt empowered to speak up, even when it wasn’t always comfortable.

“If there’s a guy who’s got bad body language, I’ll approach them like, ‘Man, this isn’t how we want to be seen. This isn’t our culture. This isn’t how we react.’”

And if he sees teammates disrespecting one another or communicating in a way that isn’t productive, he’ll weigh in.

“I’m big on how people address certain people,” Conley said. “Not everybody can be addressed the same way, just the way they emotionally are set up. So, just trying to balance that; being able to step in and say what I need to say, when I need to say it.”

Joe Mazzulla has already observed Conley exhibiting the same caretaking instincts he had as a kid.

“He’s constantly coming into the building, worrying about others and not thinking of himself,” he said. “It says a lot about him. He comes in very present: how can he help the team?”

Luka Garza is intimately familiar with Conley’s impact in a locker room; the two were teammates on the Minnesota Timberwolves for three seasons.

“He’s the best,” Garza said. “He’s able to connect with every guy on the team. He has just a rare skill, but also just is the same, man. Every day, he shows up with a consistent, positive energy.”

Conley is also instilling a sense of perspective in his younger Celtics teammates

It’s only been a few months, and game action hasn’t even begun, but Conley is already wildly impressed by what he’s experiencing in Boston. He’s not thrown off by the fact that he’s a few months older than Joe Mazzulla — he already experienced that when coached by Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy

“I’ve learned a lot, actually, just from being here for a month — from Joe, from the staff, from the culture, the way things are run here,” he said. “It’s a lot. It’s very unique, a very unique place.”

And, as he acclimates, he finds himself constantly hammering home to his younger teammates just how good they have it in Boston.

“I’m telling these guys, I’ve been a lot of places, and you’re not going to find much better than what you have here, as far as the coaches, the way they work, the facilities, the healthcare, all the things that are intertwined in there,” he said. “So, I’m really impressed and excited to spend a year here.”

Jordan Walsh has been among those who have appreciated Conley’s presence.

“He’s an all-around great guy who tries to take mentoring to another level,” Walsh said. 

Walsh laughed as he remembered another aspect of Conley’s presence he appreciates: “Then, of course, there’s the occasional ‘I’m 40. I’m ready for this sub,’” he said. “That’s great as well.”

There’s a world where Conley lands in Boston years ago, when he was still among the best point guards in the game. He can’t help thinking about that scenario sometimes.

“Obviously, I wish it happened earlier,” Conley said. “But hey, I’m grateful for every stop I’ve had, and grateful to be here.”

“It’s been a long time coming.”