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Egor Demin, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, will make his preseason debut on Friday when the Nets play the Toronto Raptors in their final exhibition game before the regular season starts next week.

The 19-year-old has been out with a plantar fascia tear, causing him to miss Brooklyn's first three preseason games. Demin suffered the injury after summer league, GM Sean Marks said at the end of September during media day, but head coach Jordi Fernandez noted Thursday that he's been playing five-on-five and is "ready to take the next step."

"So he’s been practicing based on the program that we’ve had for him. As you guys know, it’s been a ramp up and he’s been able to play five-on-five, and now he’s ready to see the floor," Fernandez said, via the New York Post. "So, good news is (Friday) he’ll have some minutes. And that’s exciting. I’m excited for him. He’s done a great job and now we’re ready to take the next step."

Demin, along with fellow rookie guards Nolan Traore (No. 19 pick) and Ben Saraf (No. 26 pick), will all play a major role for the Nets during their rebuilding 2025-26 season.

Traore started both preseason games against the Suns in Macao, China, playing 17 minutes in each and scoring four points and six points, respectively. While Saraf came off the bench in those two preseason games and showed some impressive flashes, dishing out 11 assists in Brooklyn's 111-109 win on Oct. 12.

As for how Fernandez will operate the lineups with all three rookie guards in the mix, the coach is excited to see them fight for minutes while he figures out the rotation.

"Yeah, I don’t have a crystal ball, so I don’t know if I can answer the question," Fernandez demurred. "What I’m very excited about is seeing how that process is going to go. They’re all going to fight for some of the same minutes. They’re all going to fight for some of the wing minutes.

"But right now for sure the starting point guard and backup point guard, those three are fighting for those minutes. And that’s great because we’re going to see a lot of the young talent we drafted playing real NBA minutes."

Demin, who's listed at 6-foot-9, averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game over three NBA Summer League contests, shooting 43.5 percent from three-point range. Fernandez believes the rookie's size and skill will be a boost for the team, adding that he wants to see Demin "have fun" in his first preseason minutes.

“Yeah I don’t have too much (expectation) for him as far as he doesn’t need to feel much pressure or anything. I want him to enjoy his first minutes,” Fernandez said.

“Obviously, I’m going to ask him things like I ask everybody else as far as doing certain things with purpose, and play really hard and use his superpowers. That’s his passing and shooting and his size. But don’t overthink it. I don’t want him to try to analyze everything, and just go out there and have fun.”

How ‘night labs' help Xavier Tillman maximize potential for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

After entering the league as a second-round pick in 2020, nothing was ever going to be given to Xavier Tillman at the NBA level. Anything he wanted, he was going to have to work for it.

Now set to begin Year 6 of his NBA journey — after ending the preseason with a flourish — the work continues, even with a set role seemingly carved out for him in Boston.

“He’s just the ultimate professional,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said after Tillman’s last-second shot to beat the Raptors in the team’s final preseason game Wednesday night. “It’s a credit to him and just his mindset to come in like he has, and he’s given us everything we could ask for.”

While everybody gets to see his work during games and his coaches and teammates see the work that takes place at practice, Tillman revealed that he puts in some extra work at night to make sure he’s maximizing his potential in the NBA.

“The process is really just not being comfortable. Like, the comfortable thing to do is to not do my — I call them night labs, which is when I shoot at night,” Tillman told Celtics insider Chris Forsberg. “But the comfortable thing is to not do the night labs and to just be home every night and just kicking it and just being content with everything that I have.

“I’m grateful for everything that I have, but I’m not content with it. And the separation I guess for me is that I just want the most that I can get out of playing basketball. And so for me, in order to get that, you’ve got to put in the work.”

Tillman noted that the night labs involve more than just shooting.

“You have to do all these extra stretches and get all this treatment and get massages all the time. Even if you’re like, ‘I’m not even that sore,’ you have to do all these things to make sure you’re feeling as good as possible for as long as possible,” he shared.

While the game itself presents numerous variables that determine wins and losses, hard work away from the arena never loses.

“Preparation to me is like, when I say it’s better than the game, it’s more so just getting to see yourself progress and progress and progress and progress, because in a game, you have wins and losses,” he said. “But like when it comes to just progression, working out, there’s not too many losses — as long as you’re pushing yourself in there. So it’s pretty awesome.”

Reggie Miller believes ‘this is the year' the Knicks reach the NBA Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Reggie Miller has a message for New York Knicks fans.

“I will say this, cause people always think that I hate on the Knicks, which I do not, I love the Knicks,” the Basketball Hall of Famer and longtime New York sports villain said Thursday during an NBA on NBC conference call. “If the Knicks cannot get out of the Eastern Conference this year, something is wrong!”

Hear that, Spike?

Some of the potential obstacles on the Knicks’ path to the NBA Finals have been cleared in the eyes of Miller and others with Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers suffering Achilles injuries that are expected to sideline them for most or all of the season.

The Knicks went 51-31 last season to take the third seed in the East behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and Celtics. New York upset the Boston in the second round before falling to Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks brought back their entire core, added depth with Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, and replaced head coach Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown.

With both the Celtics and Pacers each missing their top player, and with up-and-coming teams like the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic still developing, the Knicks are expected to compete with the Cavs for the top spot in the East.

“Cleveland had the best record a year ago…they kept their core intact, but they’re still unproven in the playoffs,” Miller said. “To me, the Knicks with their new coach in Mike Brown and the best clutch player in the game from a year ago in Jalen Brunson, I just think everything is set up for the Knicks to win the East. Now again, you’ve gotta go out there and actually do it, but I think this is the year for the Knicks in the East, guys.”

“Well, Reg,” Miller’s fellow NBC analyst Jamal Crawford added, “I’m shocked to hear you give the Knicks this much love.”

It’s in the NBA Finals where Miller thinks the Knicks could run into trouble.

The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder open the season Tuesday against the Houston Rockets in the NBA’s long-awaited return to NBC. Miller, who will call the season-opening game on NBC and Peacock alongside Crawford and play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico, believes the Thunder are positioned for a potential dynasty.

“Are we seeing the formation of maybe a young Chicago Bulls team here in OKC?” Miller asked – comparing the young core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to the Bulls’ 1990s core of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. “With Shai being à la MJ, and J-Dub being à la Scottie Pippen, Chet-Rodman? I mean they have the makeup, the coaching pedigree, they’re very deep and from everything I’ve been reading and watching, they seem very hungry. Look, I know the West is loaded and Denver has reloaded, and Minnesota, but to me OKC, if they stay hungry and healthy I love their chances of repeating.”

The celebration for the upcoming season and the league’s return to NBC got underway Thursday in New York City at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Outside the iconic building is a new LED-basketball court that’s open to the public and a display of 30 customized basketballs – titled “30 Rocks” – designed by local artists to reflect the culture of each NBA team and the unique style of the artist.   

The Larry O’Brien Trophy also made its way to the Top of the Rock.

“The NBA is like no other sport in terms of excitement, energy, greatest athletes, front row seats to it for those of us who get to broadcast the games,” Tirico said, “and I cannot be more excited for next Tuesday in Oklahoma City as they raise the banner and get this started.”

Miller was one of the faces of the league when NBC last broadcasted NBA games from 1990 to 2002. Some of his most memorable performances aired on the network – usually against the Knicks.

“When this opportunity presented itself with NBC, I had some of my best moments on this network,” Miller said. “And personally, for a chance for myself to come home and be able to tell stories and hopefully create new moment for the next generation, personally for me, I’m a kid in a candy store.”

Mike Dunleavy ‘can't imagine' Steph Curry ending his career not on Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The one and only Steph Curry is meant to be a Warrior a life.

Which is why general manager Mike Dunleavy can’t picture a universe where No. 30 doesn’t hang his jersey up as a member of Golden State.

“Of course. I think that’s where everything’s tracking,” Dunleavy told Sirius XM on Sunday. “You never know, but [I] can’t imagine a scenario where he doesn’t. It’s about all he’s done, all the records he’s set, the championships he’s won. It’s just the right thing for him to finish his career here, and I think he’s focused on that.”

Curry has done all of his work in the Bay.

Since Golden State selected him with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Curry has earned 11 All-Star nods, 11 All-NBA team, four championships, two MVP awards and a spot on the league’s 75th anniversary team.

It truly wouldn’t make sense for the 17-year Warriors veteran to end his storied career with any other team.

But before the conversation even reaches that point … Dunleavy doesn’t even want to think about a Curry-less future for the Warriors organization.

“I kind of hope it’s a lot further down the road than we think,” Dunleavy said.

Dunleavy speaks on behalf of Dub Nation when saying he hopes Curry’s Golden State tenure ends later rather than sooner.

Not only is Curry one of the best basketball players of all time, but the 37-year-old is the face of the organization and likely all of Bay Area sports. A change in the region’s ecosystem would arrive upon Curry’s retirement.

For now, Dunleavy is focused on helping Golden State contend for a fifth title during the Curry Era, rather than crafting and managing a timeline where the greatest shooter isn’t around.

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Why Draymond Green doesn't feel like a sidenote to Steph Curry's accomplishments originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green has heard it all before — how much of the Warriors’ success is tied to Stephen Curry, and how one more title could cement the guard’s legacy among the all-time greats.

In an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke, Green made it clear he never has felt like a footnote in that story — and never will.

“I don’t think there’s any bigger Steph fan than me,” Green told Burke. “I don’t think there’s any bigger supporter, I don’t think there’s any bigger believer. I don’t think there’s anyone that will gracefully take a back seat to that and enjoy it. So, no, I never feel that — and in large part, probably because he would never let me feel that.”

Curry and Green were drafted three years apart — Curry in 2009 and Green in 2012 — and have spent their entire NBA careers with Golden State. In that time, the Warriors have won four championships, appeared in six NBA Finals and recorded the league’s best single-season record: 73–9 in 2015–16.

Green has earned four NBA All-Star selections, two All-NBA nods and a Defensive Player of the Year award, while Curry has collected two MVP trophies and revolutionized the modern game with his shooting.

So many around the league have put Curry on a pedestal — including coach Steve Kerr, who told Burke he is “the solar system of everything Golden State does.” Burke reminded Green that much of the conversation centers on maximizing Curry’s greatness and getting him a fifth ring. But that ring would be Green’s fifth, too.

Public opinion, though, means little to Green — not if it isn’t Curry’s opinion.

“Everybody else can say what they say, and that’s fine, but I know how he feels,” Green explained. “And as long as I know how the man feels, that’s good enough for me, you know, I know the love and support and appreciation that he has for me. If I’m not appreciated by one other person, what other one really matters if he does?”

As the Warriors prepare for another season and a possible fifth championship run, Green’s focus remains on the same thing that’s fueled their dynasty from the start — his belief in Curry and the team around him.

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NBA players making their debut this season will wear a special patch on their shirts as part of a programme by trading card brand Topps, made by sports company Fanatics.

Any player making their debut will wear the patch on their shirt for their first game, before the patch is removed and placed onto a unique one-of-a-kind trading card.

That trading card will not only consist of the debut patch, but will also have the player's autograph on it.

A similar programme of using debut patches on trading cards has been used by Topps trading cards in Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball previously.

"Imagine having LeBron [James]'s, [Michael] Jordan's, [Steph] Curry's debut patch and what that would mean?" Fanatics Collectibles CEO Michael Mahan told ESPN.

"Well, the next generational superstar will have a debut patch - the ultimate rookie card."

Fanatics have also announced plans to make special patch cards for the Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

For those players, they will wear a gold NBA Logoman Patch which will then be used on rare trading cards.

"Trading cards haven't been associated with achievements, success and accolades: we're going to bring that into trading cards," added Mahan.

The NBA season starts on Tuesday, 21 October. Among those who will make their debuts this year are Amari Williams, a British centre who was picked up in the NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics earlier this year.

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How Warriors could solve Opening Night lineup decision with Moses Moody doubtful originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Moses Moody, who entered the starting lineup during the Warriors’ impressive late-season run to the NBA playoffs, likely will be a spectator on opening night this season.

Moody started the first two preseason games but has since been sidelined by a calf strain. He did not practice on Thursday and will miss the preseason finale Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers at Chase Center.

“I would say Moses is doubtful for the opener,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He just hasn’t practiced yet, and we’re hoping that he gets on the floor maybe Sunday or Monday. But without enough ramp-up time, he’s doubtful for the opener.”

Moody’s expected absence is a considerable blow to Golden State’s guard/wing rotation. Guard De’Anthony Melton, reconditioning after surgery last December to repair a torn left ACL, will be sidelined until at least November. Both are quality defenders capable of filling the role alongside Stephen Curry in the backcourt.
With LA’s Luka Dončić looming on opening night, to whom does Kerr turn? There is no perfect move.

Brandin Podziemski has started three of the team’s four preseason games, alongside Curry for two of the three games. He’s an option, but he seems too light to match up with Dončić. Kerr also considers Podziemski his best choice to lead the Warriors’ second unit.

Buddy Hield has started alongside Curry in the past and could get consideration this time around. He’s a better physical matchup with Dončić, but such an assignment would come with the risk of early fouls that could limit Hield’s offensive impact. He thrives on offense when coming off the bench and exploiting opposing second units.

Gary Payton II could get a look, as his defense could annoy Dončić as well as anyone. But that move would severely cramp Golden State’s floor spacing on offense.

Would Kerr turn to rookie Will Richard? Feels like a reach to have someone – anyone – make his NBA debut against an MVP candidate. But Kerr makes it abundantly clear that he believes in Richard, so the possibility can’t be ruled out.

“He has great feel,” Kerr said of Richard. “He’s a really good cutter. The game flows when he’s out there, at both ends. He’s making the right reads and rotations defensively. He’s got a 6-10 wingspan, so he gets his hands on a lot of balls, but it’s the reeds that really (stand out).”

With the versatility of veteran center Al Horford, a two-big lineup – Horford joined by 7-foot Quinten Post up front – deserves consideration. That, however, would force Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler III to contend with Dončić. There are pros and cons to such a decision.

What’s clear is that the Warriors don’t have an ideal defender against Dončić. Neither young Klay Thompson nor experienced Andre Iguodala will be on the floor. Andrew Wiggins, who drew the assignment in recent years, is with the Miami Heat.

With five days to go, Kerr and his staff will convene to explore their options and make a decision.

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Why Kings' long-term commitment to Keegan Murray is win-win for both sides originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Keegan Murray, speaking to the media last month for the first time since last season at Kings Media Day, talked about one life-changing moment this year after marrying his long-time girlfriend, Carly, over the offseason.

A smile – OK, a smirk – lit up his face as he talked about the unforgettable night for several minutes.

Little did he know he would experience yet another life-changing moment a few weeks later.

At Media Day, Murray was asked about where negotiations stood as he entered the final year of his rookie contract. Murray, as expected, kept things simple as he detailed his mindset at the time.

“I told my agent, for me, I just don’t want to worry about that,” he said. “I told him he can handle the business side, and when I hear from him, or if I see his contact on my phone, I want it to be something important.

Murray got that call on Wednesday.

The Kings locked up their former No. 4 overall pick for the long haul, agreeing to a five-year, $140 million contract extension with Murray on Wednesday, his agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed to NBC Sports California. 

Murray, the second-longest tenured King only behind Domantas Sabonis, will remain in Sacramento for the long run. And that’s a win-win for both sides.

Since being drafted by Sacramento in 2022, there has been much discussion about whether Murray has lived up to the expectations of a lottery pick.

He was off to a convincing start in his rookie season, mostly serving as a 3-point sharpshooter while breaking the NBA’s rookie 3-point record along the way. He also finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting.

In the seasons following, his shooting took a dip while his focus shifted to the defensive end of the court. In three seasons with Sacramento, Murray has averaged 13.3 points on 45.1-percent shooting from the field and 37.2 percent from distance, with 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 32.5 minutes per game.

Within the blink of an eye, Murray has emerged as one of the best 3-and-D wings in the league.

And now, with a new contract and the loss of De’Aaron Fox last season, Murray is on a clear one-way path toward becoming the face of the franchise in Sacramento along his trek of reaching two-way stardom potential.

“I think you guys know how I feel about Keegan,” coach Doug Christie told reporters before Sacramento’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. “Incredibly versatile player. Love him as a person. Just watching him grow up as a young man and watching his game continue to blossom. 

“From the time I took over, just trying to put air underneath his wings. And let him know that he’s highly valued and we truly, truly appreciate him here.”

A large part of what’s holding back Murray’s offensive surge falls on Sacramento’s roster construction. He’s had to share the court with players who demand the ball in their hands, taking away and limiting his own touches.

It appears that won’t change during the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Murray will start alongside Dennis Schroder, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis. A small, and perhaps irrelevant, sample size through a few preseason games shows spacing continues to be an issue for this team – specifically with that lineup.

But this move to lock up Murray for at least the next six seasons makes at least one thing clear: the Kings are committed to building this team, the rotations and lineups around Murray. It might not be this season, but it’s becoming more and more evident that’s the end goal.

Aside from roster construction, the next step in Murray’s evolution is to be more aggressive offensively. He knows it, his coaches demand it and his teammates encourage it.

“A key component to our success is Keegan — on both ends of the ball,” DeRozan told reporters during training camp earlier this month. “We won’t be able to go nowhere if we don’t get the best out of him every single night.”

That will be the goal this season and beyond for Sacramento.

While speaking to the media for more than 15 minutes during end-of-the-season exit interviews back in April, Murray reflected on his NBA journey thus far.

He made it clear that he wasn’t disappointed in his third NBA season with the Kings, despite some outside noise critiquing his inability to make a notable and consistent leap. Murray was committed to staying patient, knowing his time would come.

“I’ve had to fill different roles within the team, now that I think about it, every year,” Murray said at the time. “So with me, I think eventually it’ll pay off. I know that eventually good things are going to happen. So I’m not worried about anything.

“I know my time is going to come, and whether it’s next year, or a couple years after, I know eventually it’ll be my time.”

Well, that time is now.

And while Sacramento’s brass maneuvers through unclear waters, Murray’s signing at least gives a loyal Kings fanbase something to look forward to now and in the future as the “Keegan! Murray!” chants are here to stay.

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Mapping out three possible outcomes for Warriors' upcoming 2025-26 NBA season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

A decade now has passed since Steph Curry won his first NBA MVP, and the Warriors won their first championship in 40 years the same season. So much has changed since.

They weren’t supposed to win a title in 2022 and haven’t made it past the second round of the NBA playoffs since. The Warriors’ core is historically old, and also have the talent and experience to be reawakened as a sleeping giant in a league of parity where a young man’s game is played. 

There are three avenues the always intriguing Warriors can go down in the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season: Good, bad and great, with questions and answers for all options. Let’s map out how the Warriors can wind up in each final destination. 

The Rewind 

This road is a straight shot to right about where the Warriors wound up last season. In this scenario, they finish with between 46 and 49 wins and are anywhere from the No. 8 seed in a loaded Western Conference to the No. 6 seed. They have highs, they have lows and end up as an above average team. 

The Warriors last season started off red-hot, going 12-3 in their first 15 games. Then they imploded, falling right off a cliff. They also were two different teams in one season. 

Before the Jimmy Butler trade, the Warriors went through a five-game losing streak, two three-game losing streaks and four two-game losing streaks. After his acquisition, the Warriors had a losing streak – which lasted two games – only once. 

To run it back as a similar result to last season, the Warriors’ veterans of Curry, Butler, Draymond Green and Al Horford would be bitten hard enough by the injury bug. Curry in this case is the lone All-Star with Butler either barely missing the cut or not being healthy enough. Their talent and experience is too much, but so are the miles on their bodies. 

Whether it was home or on the road, the Warriors were the same team last season. Literally. The Warriors were 24-17 at home and 24-17 on the road. But they also were just 5-11 against their Pacific Division foes. 

The older players are good enough but run into bumps and bruises and can’t always find their second gear on the second night of back-to-backs. The young players make minimal leaps and the Warriors can’t find a good enough upgrade at the trade deadline. 

Verdict: Unlikely 

The Disaster 

Isn’t this scenario obvious? It all starts with the health of the Warriors’ core four. Horford (39), Curry (37), Butler (36) and Green (35) are all over 35 years old to start the season. Golden State will be rolling out a historically old group, and that always comes with major risk. 

Curry’s hamstring ended the Warriors’ 2024-25 season the second he began grabbing the back of his leg in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. The Warriors were 7-5 without Curry in the regular season and then lost four straight games after his injury in the playoffs. They were 6-8 without Green and lost the one regular season game Butler didn’t play for them.

But even the younger guys dealt with some injuries, too. Kuminga missed more than two months with a badly sprained ankle. Brandin Podziemski twice missed time and then had to undergo two surgeries in the offseason. Moses Moody missed just a handful of games but also is coming off surgery as well. 

De’Anthony Melton? He played a grand total of six games for the Warriors and won’t be ready until the first few weeks of November at the very, very earliest. Gary Payton II also always is an injury risk.

A Warriors recipe for disaster is major injuries to their stars and older players, at least one bad injury to their younger players and steps backwards from them too. Their win total would be somewhere between 37 and 40 games, fighting to even make the play-in tournament.

Verdict: Scary possibility, but unlikely

The Title Hunt 

Turn on the film from the moment Butler put on a Warriors jersey and stop right before Curry’s hamstring injury in Minnesota. Now imagine a full season of that team, which is the ride the Warriors are looking to revel in.

From an offseason perspective, all the Warriors lost was Kevon Looney, which will be hard to replace in his own right. But they now have Butler from the start, while signing Horford and Seth Curry, and bringing back Melton and Payton.

Once Butler arrived, the Warriors, like their newest teammates, found their joy again. The Warriors went 23-8 the rest of the regular season, which in an 82-game season would have them on pace for 61 wins. That win total is probably out of reach but there are reasons the analytics love the Warriors. 

Most sportsbooks have the Warriors’ over/under at 46.5 wins. One ESPN wins projection has the Warriors winning 56 games, and another ESPN simulation has them winning 63 and making it all the way to the NBA Finals. The goal should be at least 50 wins, which was tied for the Nos. 3, 4 and 5 seeds in the Western Conference last season. 

Winning that many games would ensure the Warriors wouldn’t have to be in playoff mode starting in early February. It also would mean they start hot out the gates, don’t have extended losing streaks, can withstand back-to-backs, have at least two All-Stars, their young players take major leaps and Kuminga is either too good to trade or brings back the exact player the Warriors need to compete for a title.

Quick history lesson: The Warriors have made the Finals every season they have won at least 50 games with Steve Kerr as their head coach.

Avoiding the play-in tournament is a must for the Warriors. Finding themselves as a top-four seed with home-court advantage is something the rest of the league doesn’t want to think about. Curry played like his first MVP season after the Butler trade and is as motivated as ever to chase his fifth ring.

Compiling between 49 and 55 wins should have him gearing up for 16 playoff wins, and maybe even in the MVP hunt. 

Verdict: Better than 50/50 chance

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