LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots a free throw during the game against the Houston Rockets during the 2026 NBA Summer League Semifinals game on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It wasn’t a lot of fun for Duke to play against Ty Jerome when he was at Virginia, but that guy was a winner. He understood Tony Bennett’s system perfectly and led his team brilliantly.
As it has turned out, he’s become valuable in the NBA too. He’s expected to start for the Memphis Grizzlies, where he’s now a teammate of a former Duke star and current NBA rookie, Cameron Boozer.
Here’s what Jerome says about Boozer, after working with the star rookie throughout the preseason: “I think Boozer has got to be one of the most mature 19-year-olds I’ve seen. On the court, off the court, feel for the game. His ability to shoot, pass, and dribble at that height is super impressive. I think he’s just going to impact winning.”
You think? That’s all he’s ever done. There’s no reason to think that’ll stop now.
I know you’re tired of reading about Amen Thompson’s jump shot.
The Houston Rockets aren’t immune to the usual offseason fare. Everyone’s stronger, everyone’s got the right mindset, and most importantly, everyone has improved their jump shot.
Until the season starts and it becomes apparent that some players have regressed. How is that possible? They spent all summer posting video footage of themselves beating non-NBA players in empty gym drills!
Cynicism aside, there’s reason to be optimistic about the Rockets. Many of their key players are young, so improvement is expected. Just don’t go into 2026-27 expecting Thompson to morph into a knockdown three-point shooter.
What is a reasonable expectation for the youngster?
Rockets’ Thompson can improve his shot
The Gold Standard for a wing improving his jumper is Kawhi Leonard, but actually, Leonard’s shot was never broken at the NBA level. He shot 37.6% from three as a rookie, and rarely (if ever) dipped below league average.
Of course, he worked with Chip Engelland before his rookie year.
In college, Leonard shot 25.0% from three-point range. So, that’s at least a bit of Engelland proof of concept that’s directly applicable to Thompson.
Skeptics will point out that Leonard is an outlier case, and they will be 100.0% correct. It’s rare for such a poor shooter to make such an improvement.
But it does happen.
How about LeBron James? He shot 29.0% from deep as a rookie (granted, this was what most NBA historians know as the Yao Ming Era), and didn’t start consistently shooting around league average until his 9th NBA season (age 27).
Need a less GOAT-ish example? Tobias Harris hit 26.1% of his rookie season threes and wasn’t very good until his sixth year (age 25).
Here’s where Thompson is a weird case. At 21, he was an older rookie. So he’s heading into age 24 season, and it’ll be his fourth year.
The (very limited set of) data here doesn’t know what to do with that. James and Harris both took longer to find their stroke, but if age is the more relevant variable, Thompson is close to where Harris was. He’s also worked with Engelland, but most who’ve found success with him started earlier, whether in college or their first couple of NBA seasons.
So, long and short, this has been an exercise in futility. It’s unknowable. Some will also point out that Thompson’s jumper will be perhaps Engelland’s greatest challenge yet.
The reality is that Thompson is likely to never be a “good” shooter. The objective is to get him to a place where a wide-open three is a good shot for the Rockets’ offense. Here’s a (not very) fun fact: Thompson shot 21.6% from deep last year. When he was designated as wide open by NBA.com? Yup:
21.6%.
That’s the same number. This suggests that the vast majority of Thompson’s threes were wide open. That’s likely to hold in 2026-27, but if he could get that number up to around 27-28%, it would be indicative of real improvement and a reason for optimism:
Although unfortunately, not reason enough to stop writing about it.
Rui Hachimura moved on from the Lakers, and he’s hoping his fans do, too.
On his official Instagram account @blacksamurai, a clip of Hachimura gifting a Clippers jersey to a fan was posted. The fan originally was wearing Hachimura’s No. 28 Lakers jersey, but the forward asked the boy to swap it for a new Clippers jersey instead.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Rui Hachimura (28) on media day at Intuit Dome. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“This one looks way cooler,” Hachimura said of the Clippers’ threads. “Everyone, please go buy the Clippers jersey.”
Hachimura joins the crosstown rivals at a dark time in the franchise’s history.
The Clippers were stripped of five first-round picks, fined $30 million, and owner Steve Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank face suspensions. It’s a trying time for an organization that has never quite stepped out of the Lakers’ shadow.
The 2026-27 campaign will be a key opportunity for the organization to win fans back after the summer’s biggest scandal.
“Our fans deserve to hear from us before this, and for that we’re sorry,” Redden said Monday. “We’ve been listening to the thoughts, the concerns and feeling the emotions of our fan base. They mean everything to us. … We hope to fulfill our promises to them, to build their trust and move forward through this time.
“This franchise often has done its best work with its back against the wall … We hope to represent our fans the same way we always have in dark times, by coming out fighting.”
The Clippers are attempting to retain their fan base, but it appears Hachimura is hoping to add Lakers fans to the group ahead of his inaugural season with the team.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Bradley Beal (3) and forward Rui Hachimura (28) pose for a photo on media day at Intuit Dome. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectRui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. NBAE via Getty Images
Dub Nation, the Golden State Warriors went 0-2 against the Philadelphia 76ers last season. That Philly team had a young, springy energy through Tyrese Maxey and the rookie V.J. Edgecombe. Those two dudes were a two-headed monster that took turns giving the Warriors fits. Steph Curry missed both contests, and former MVP Joel Embiid played in only one, but regardless it was clear that Philly was a force to be reckoned with.
This year? They have suddenly morphed into the modern-day Monstarz, with the additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. Damn.
Philly pried the Finals MVP out of Boston in July. A few weeks later, King James decided the last chapter of his career would happen right back in the conference where he spent most of it. The Eastern Conference was his house for a decade and a half, and he ran it like a landlord who changes the locks whenever he feels like it. LeBron spent two stints in Cleveland and four years in Miami pushing that whole conference around, and he made eight straight Finals out of the East while he was at it. He was already in the greatest-of-all-time conversation before he ever put on a Lakers jersey in 2018.
The biggest knock on him for 20 years has been that he runs off to build superteams. So what does he do at 41? He walks into what might be the deepest roster he’s ever had, which is saying something for a guy who played on some damn good Cleveland, Miami, and L.A. rosters.
Look at who he’s sharing the floor with! Maxey is an All-Star and Edgecombe is coming for everybody’s lunch. Embiid is a premier center when his body cooperates, and now Brown is there too, simmering with motivation after being dumped by the Celtics.
LeBron: Top 10 player of all time Embiid: MVP-caliber player Maxey: 28ppg last season Brown: 29ppg last season, champ, F-MVP
The worst of the starting five is a Edgecomb, who averaged 16/6/4 as a rookie last season.
LeBron is the headline, but I keep coming back to Brown, because none of this happens without that trade. Warriors fans know Brown well from the 2022 Finals, when he gave Golden State fits in a series the Dubs won in six. He spent his entire career on the other side of that rivalry, and now he’s wearing their colors. Josh Grieb at Liberty Ballers put it in wrestling terms, which might be the only language that fits:
The excitement around James joining the Sixers and his first day at the team’s practice facility nearly overshadowed the first major domino that brought him here in the first place. While it wasn’t Jaylen Brown’s first time talking to the Philadelphia media, it was also his first time wearing a Sixers uniform. Frankly, it was weird to see a guy who spent the first 10 years of his career terrorizing the Sixers as a member of the Boston Celtics put on the other team’s jersey.
It didn’t feel any more real when VJ Edgecombe crashed his press conference, prompting Brown to jokingly tell him to get his ass out of there like they had been teammates for years. I think I finally understand how people felt when Hulk Hogan joined the nWo.
Lebron describing his teammates and his role with the 76ers:
Embiid: Beast Jaylen: Motivated Maxey: Lightning VJ: Star His role: Swiss Army knife pic.twitter.com/D9wHTjbpzK
So here’s LeBron at 41, and the Atlantic Division rivalries are already lined up waiting for him. Boston is the obvious one: a bitter rivalry just got a defector, and Brown gets to hear what the Garden sounds like when it boos him. The Knicks are the defending champs after winning their first title in over 50 years, and if LeBron is the guy who ends that title defense, he goes straight to the top of New York’s villain list. I’d bet he’d love every second of it. Toronto has Kawhi Leonard now, so we get Bron and Kawhi again more than a decade after their back-to-back Spurs-Heat Finals. Brooklyn is a rest night.
And through all of this, Philadelphia is still waiting on its first championship since 1983.
For the Warriors, the best part of this summer happened when LeBron left the West. That’s one less obstacle in the Western bracket, and the Dubs remember exactly what that obstacle looked like when the Lakers knocked them out in the 2023 conference semis. Now Steph is on the other coast, LeBron is a guy he sees twice a year, and there’s only one way that turns into a series.
That way would be a Finals. Steph and LeBron met in four straight of them from 2015 to 2018, and nobody thought we’d get a fifth.
But we’ve seen plenty of superteams look great on paper and never come together, whether because of chemistry or injuries. ESPN’s Sixers preview hit this nail on the head:
Embiid’s health will be monitored, as it has been the past few years. So will James’, as he’s averaged an admirable 67 games the past three years as he plays well into his 40s. Much regular-season weight will be placed on a new acquisition in Brown, a second-year emerging star in Edgecombe and a franchise mainstay in Maxey.
Will there be enough continuity through the first six months to cash in during the playoffs? Recent history says it takes a couple of years for talent to coalesce, but do the 76ers have that kind of time with James and Embiid? James’ personal history says by Year 2, his teams are ready to win titles. It seems, though, that the 76ers are loaded up for this June, not next June.
“The East is bully ball.” 🔥
After eight seasons out West, LeBron James breaks down the challenge ahead as he returns to the East with Philadelphia in search of his 10th Eastern Conference crown! pic.twitter.com/8fQSHaiz2B
But they did get a veteran backup to Day’Ron Sharpe. And a different look from any center they’ve had in years.
And maybe, just maybe, an ace recruiter for their next star.
Wagner — signed away from the Magic, and younger brother Franz — isn’t going to replace the departed Nic Claxton’s rim protection. He can’t.
New Nets big man Moritz Wagner talks to the media at HSS Training Center on Sept. 29, 2026 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
But he’s going to be a defensive disruptor, playing a style under Jordi Fernández that may fit his skills better than Orlando’s — which relied on elite athleticism and rebounding — ever did.
“I’ll be honest with you, I love this. I want to be disruptive. I want to be active on the ball,” Wagner, 29, said. “I don’t think it’s a secret — I’ve been in the league eight years — I’m not a shot-blocker. I contest shots and I give it my all, but I’m not Anthony Davis. I’m not going to beat people up on the rim.
“So I like to be aggressive early, and I want to be disruptive and be able to make people speed up and take charges and stuff like that. So I’m actually extremely excited about that stuff because it plays a little more towards my strength. [Fernández] is super aggressive at the ball screen and stuff like that. We have all these quick guards, they’ll help you to eat up space. So it’s been super fun so far.”
It’s easy for Wagner to enjoy his time with rebuilding Brooklyn now, before the losses start. But while he’ll miss his brother, whose tenure in Orlando is going to be watched carefully all season,Wagner will be a fit both schematically and culturally.
The Nets struggled defensively even before dealing Claxton. Now they’re even more bereft of rim protection. But Fernández wants to play up at the level and be more aggressive further upcourt to force turnovers, unlike Orlando, which defended the rim and dominated the glass.
The Nets inked Wagner to a two-year, $19 million deal this summer understanding that he’s not going to be a shot-blocker, but a shotmaker, and a vocal defender.
Moritz Wagner (second from left) talks with Egor Dёmin (8) during the Nets’ practice on Sept. 29, 2026 at HSS Training Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
For his part, Fernández doesn’t anticipate changing schemes but leaning even further into what the Nets do.
“No, the reality is we have an identity defensively and we’re going to stick with what we believe works. … Then the more you grow, the more you can expand your coverages,” Fernández said. “So we’re going to be an aggressive team on both ends of the floor.”
Wagner should also feel comfortable living in New York.
New Nets big man Moritz Wagner talks with the media on Sept. 29, 2026 at HSS Training Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
He’s already been doing it.
“I’ve always loved New York. I love that I get an opportunity to play here, and at a point where this organization is trying to make the next steps to win. I’m excited to be here,” Wagner said.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in New York. This is somewhat of a home to me in America just because it reminds me a lot of where I’m from. Brooklyn is as close as it gets in the U.S. to Berlin. So I’m not necessarily new here. … I take the subway all the time. I love the subway. It’s so convenient, cheap when you go into Manhattan. So yeah, I’ve actually lived here for quite some time. So yeah, I love Brooklyn. I love New York.”
His younger brother seemingly does as well. But just how much?
The elephant in the room is whether one Wagner could help recruit the other.
To date, the whole of the ill-fitting Franz Wagner-Paolo Banchero duo has been less than the sum of its parts. If Magic GM Jeff Weltman decides to break them up, the Nets could try to get the brothers back together.
Franz spoke Monday about missing his older brother already, never having played an NBA game without him as a teammate.
“It’s a work in progress. He spent three weeks down here in Orlando, it’s definitely been a little weird being alone at the house, to work [out] alone and stuff like that. Obviously it’s bittersweet,” Franz said. “I love playing with my brother, we shared a lot of cool memories here in Orlando together.”
Jalen Brunson, now a championship-winning point guard, has recently built a relationship with the two-time champion point guard and potential Hall of Famer.
Rajon Rondo attends a Knicks practice on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Jared Schwartz/ for NY Post
“I got to talk to him, got to really get to know him this summer,” Brunson said. “I definitely watched him. He was just so creative and someone who was innovative in the way they play basketball.
“Definitely an icon when I was younger. So it was really cool to get to know him and his family.”
He remembers vividly just how much Knicks fans took over the Philadelphia arena during the second round, when the Knicks swept the 76ers.
“It was crazy,” Drummond said Tuesday. “It felt like an away game the whole series. They came down and took over the entire arena.
“Crazy seeing some of the fans from [Philadelphia] even wearing Knicks jerseys, too, so the Knicks fanbase is just far and wide. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world. It’s the basketball Mecca, so they did what they were supposed to do.”
Two of the biggest moves this offseason were LeBron James signing with the 76ers and Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded to the Heat.
Both praised the Knicks — and specifically, Brunson — at their respective Media Days on Monday.
“I really do appreciate it and I respect the hell out of them,” Brunson said. “It’s honestly really cool, and it’s a sign of respect. To hear that from those guys, I really do appreciate it. It’s just like a lot of things — when you hear praise, when you hear negativity, it has to go through one ear and out the other. You gotta continue to be the best version of yourself or people are gonna pass you. I really do appreciate it, it shows where I’ve grown, but still got a lot of work to do.”
Nolan Traore spent last season as a waifish rookie, one too slight and skinny to finish at the rim.
The young point guard returned to the Nets bigger and brawnier.
It remains to be seen if he’s better.
“He’s a year older, and maturity is important — presence, confidence, all that. And you can see him with his sleeveless, and how much [bigger he is],” Nets coach Jordi Fernández said. “It’s great. He’s put the work in. You watch him move around and play. It’s a second-year player, now he knows a little bit more about what is the NBA, and I’m excited to watch him play.”
Anybody who watched Traore at the start of camp saw a more muscular version — because he was wearing a sleeveless hoodie to show off his newfound physique, earned through hours of lifting over the offseason.
Brooklyn Nets’ Nolan Traore shoots during practice at the HSS Training Center, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Though Traore missed summer league — recovering from June arthroscopic surgery — he clearly hit the weight room.
“My knee is completely fine now, so there’s no concern,” Traore, 20, said. “For me, [the offseason] was more the physical aspect. Obviously the shooting, too. I worked a lot on it and I feel good now. Changed a few things, too.
“Offseason was a lot of [time in the] gym. That was the main thing. Focusing on just getting better as a player, watching clips from the playoffs or watching reads. Working on my shot, too.”
Brooklyn Nets Nolan Traore shoots during practice at HSS Training Center, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
While Traore did focus on more repeatable shot mechanics, more important might be the 10 pounds of good weight he packed on. After being a lithe 180 pounds coming into training camp as a rookie, he tipped the scales at a more solid 190 this year.
Part of that is the help of sports and performance dietitian Sarah Wenig, and the Nets training staff, and more from his own weight room diligence.
The Nets hope it will help what was arguably league-worst finishing.
Of every player who attempted at least 100 layups, his 44.4 percent was dead last. He’s expecting his added muscle to help.
“Yeah, for sure. Now instead of going around players like I was doing, maybe I’ll go through them a little bit more, and I’ll be able to absorb contact way more than last year. So of course it’s going to help me,” said Traore, adding finishing is part muscle and part mentality. “You’ve got to have both, but it’s easier when you’re stronger.”
Although the Nets drafted Mikel Brown Jr. sixth overall at point guard, Traore’s development is vital. Of their record five first-round rookies last year, only lottery pick Egor Dëmin was taken higher than Traore. That makes the latter’s development vital, with Fernández showing faith in the guard’s promise.
“I think he’s a good finisher,” Fernández said. “Once again, you guys are judging a rookie going into the NBA, a 19-year-old at the time. He’s 20 now. So I don’t see any problems in his finishing.”
Last year’s playoffs might have only been an appetizer.
The postseason brought out a new version of the Knicks offense — one that fueled a historically dominant championship run. But it was born out of desperation, a change made on the fly after they fell to a 2-1 series deficit in the first round against the Hawks. Now, the Knicks have a full training camp and preseason to practice and experiment with it.
“I feel like we can do a lot more, do a lot of different things,” Jalen Brunson said after the first Knicks practice of the season Tuesday. “I think we unlocked something last year in the playoffs at a time of need and it worked. It’s gonna be fun to kind of integrate it from the beginning of the season, too.”
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson speaks at a press conference when the New York Knicks practiced Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The most important change was the well-documented decision to alter how they used Karl-Anthony Towns in the offense — having him serve as a “hub” at the elbows and facilitate with the ball in his hands. It allowed Brunson to play a bit more off the ball and took some of the playmaking burden off his shoulders. It amplified Towns’ prowess as a passer — in turn dragging opposing centers out of the paint — and also allowed OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges to thrive as cutters and screen setters around Towns. The Knicks’ offensive efficiency exploded as a result.
That role for Towns will continue to be a focal point going into this year, with a few potential new twists.
“Obviously playing with KAT at the elbow a little bit more than what we did [in the regular season last year],” coach Mike Brown said Tuesday. “Being with this group for a year now, you get a better feel of what players can do what. Like I didn’t know if OG could be as effective as he was in the pick-and-roll game. Same with Mikal. So to try to continue to find ways to get those guys involved at the top of the floor is something that we’ll take a look at.
“We have great cutters that have tremendous size. We’ll continue to mix that in, and we all know that KAT is a really good facilitator at the elbow. Maybe Andre [Drummond] is too? I don’t know. Maybe we move OG to the five a little bit more than what we did last year. So there are a lot of different ways we can go with the team on both ends of the floor. The biggest thing is knowing that nothing’s set in stone.”
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during practice on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, at the Madison Square Garden Training Center. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Those potential new roles for Anunoby and Bridges are particularly interesting. Brown’s system for most of last year emphasized Anunoby and Bridges staying in the corners for kick-out 3-pointers — or as Brown calls them, “sprays.” Bridges and Anunoby led the NBA in corner 3-point attempts during the regular season last year, taking 199 and 198, respectively, per the league’s official tracking stats. It was a core tenet of the Knicks offense.
But both grew as ball handlers and slashers — creating their own shots — during the playoffs. Anunoby, in particular, at times carried the offense, showing an ability to score off the dribble and delivering some of the best production of his career.
Maybe letting him spend time away from the corners and in the middle of the floor can help bring out the best version of him — an All-Star-caliber version. The idea of increasingly using Anunoby as a small-ball center is also notable given Drummond is the only backup center behind Towns that is a lock to make the roster.
“There’s a lot that will carry over for this year. We’ll also experiment with some new things here and there, but the stuff that we had in the playoffs may not work during the regular season. So we have to be ready to evolve or pivot as the year goes along and hopefully come close to playoff time, we’re trending upwards so that we feel we’re in a pretty good spot with the confidence needed to take off from there.”
That ability to adapt is critical. It only happened because a veteran-heavy group was willing to come together and adjust their own roles for the greater good. It hinged on a close-knit team’s ability to communicate honestly and openly.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby shoots around during a practice at Frost Bank Center, Thursday, June 4, 2026, the day before Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Jason Szenes for The New York Post
“I think as a group, we figured out that we need each other to win, obviously, and we need each other to be on the same page,” Brunson said. “You never know when things are going to turn for you, when things are gonna click for you. But as long as you keep putting the work in every single day, you keep tapping the rock, tapping the rock, eventually it’s going to break.”
It’s hard to imagine a better version of basketball than the playoff finish by the Knicks: 13 wins in the final 14 games — several in utterly dominant fashion.
But as the encore got underway this week at the Tarrytown practice facility, coach Mike Brown twice pumped the brakes on the idea that the steamroll will persist. At Monday’s Media Day, he cautioned that adversity is inevitable.
And after Tuesday’s first practice, the championship coach acknowledged the impossibility of maintaining the near perfection of the playoffs.
“We’re not playing at that level for 82 games,” Brown said. “You know, we played at a pretty high level, and … that’s not going to happen over 82 games. You know, for me, the 82-game season is about trying to find your way.”
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown speaks at a press conference at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Indeed, the Knicks aren’t predicted to smash any regular-season records. The East is too good and the veteran Knicks have clearly learned about pacing toward a sprint finish. A year ago, the young Thunder were coming off a championship and quickly threatened 70 victories (amid injuries, Oklahoma City finished with a 64-18 record). New York’s Over/Under for wins this season is in the low to mid-50s, depending on the sportsbook.
Part of the early adjustment will be trying to recapture the efficiency of an offense with Karl-Anthony Towns as the hub, a strategy that will become more difficult to implement when the opposition studies enough film to counter. The Knicks benefited from the element of surprise during the playoffs. They also weren’t dealing with tense contract negotiations — a reality facing the Knicks now, as extensions for Towns, Josh Hart and Miles McBride remain unoffered or unsigned.
“You don’t want that trickling into the season. Because whenever there’s uncertainty, there’s gonna be a lot of questions, there’s gonna be a lot of rumors,” Hart said. “At a human level, sometimes that can wear people down, and it can affect how you go out and handle business on a day-to-day basis.”
Another potential early hurdle, at least for the start of the season, is a rusty Jalen Brunson. The star point guard is coming off left wrist surgery that disrupted his typical summer routine.
“I don’t want to say I’m catching up,” Brunson said. “I feel good, but also I know that it wasn’t just my normal summer.”
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during a team practice Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Surgery to his left hand two years ago — after he fractured it in Game 7 of the 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Pacers — was less of a hindrance because the rehab started earlier in the offseason (his procedure was in May). This time, Brunson didn’t know surgery was necessary until July.
“I was shooting earlier [two years ago] than I was this time. I was in a cast longer this time than I was before when I broke my hand,” Brunson said. “Plus it was a little bit earlier, I think I got surgery right after it happened [two years ago]. I didn’t get surgery for my wrist until like three weeks later because I didn’t know it was a necessity.”
It was also a once-in-a-lifetime type of summer for Brunson, who didn’t shy from the off-the-court limelight and opportunities that come with ending a 53-year title drought. He found it hard to relax.
“It exceeded expectations, honestly,” Brunson said about being a champ in NYC. “Winning in New York was no joke. It was a really cool experience. … Have I decompressed at all? Not really. I’m gonna be honest with you, not really. But I’ve had times where I had time to relax. I enjoyed that. I spent time getting away from everything. Most times, it was rehabbing. Once I was out of the cast and cleared, I had obligations I had to go through, so I did all of that. But I feel good. And I know where to go to get to my happy place. I know where to go when I need to decompress. I’m good.”
Brunson was obviously more than “good” in the playoffs. He was extraordinary. So were the Knicks. But they’re not making that the regular-season baseline.
“We’re gonna face new challenges throughout the course of the year. We’re gonna hit adversity, which, you know I said this last year, we’re gonna embrace it,” Brown said, “but we’re gonna hit adversity in an 82-game season.”
EL SEGUNDO, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Austin Reaves #15 and Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers pose for a portrait during NBA Media Day on September 28, 2026 at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The hole left by LeBron James’ departure is a wide-stretching one within the Lakers.
On the court, the team will have to replace roughly 20 points, six rebounds and five assists per game along with the intangible impact he had on a nightly basis. Off the court, and perhaps more to that point about the intangibles, the leadership void will likely be the biggest.
No matter what his role or status was during games, LeBron was The Guy for the Lakers. He was the star around which all others orbited. Even if the team was moving into the Luka Dončić era, LeBron was still, at the very least, a leader of the team.
His departure, then, leaves a massive leadership void that the pair of Luka and Austin Reaves will be tasked with filling this season. For Luka, it’s a role he’s very familiar with. For Austin, it’s unchartered waters.
“People lead in different ways,” Austin said on Monday at Media Day. “I’m not someone that’s going to sit out here and scream at people. I like to talk to people one-on-one, have a real conversation. That way, people will never feel like I’m trying to embarrass them in front of people.
“If it’s practice, whenever we have a down period of time, pulling people to the side, talking to them about what I see, what I think they can do better. Just trying to give everybody my input and how I see things to help them moving forward.”
It’s not necessarily a natural role for Austin, who has spent much of his basketball career scrapping for his spot even before entering the league. Rarely are former two-way players ever looked upon as leaders, but it’s even rarer for two-way players to earn the nearly max deal that Austin Reaves got this summer.
Big contracts bring big expectations. Reaves can no longer be The Other Guy on a roster, hiding behind Luka or LeBron.
“I think he improved a lot,” Luka said of Austin’s leadership. “He talks more to a lot of people. Obviously, the new players, they’re going to look up to him, asking things. I think he took a big step forward.”
As for Luka himself, while this is a new role for him in the purple and gold, it’s one he’s very familiar with. Not only was he the leader in Dallas from an early age, but even his time in Europe as a teenager saw a lot placed on his shoulders.
“I was in this position in my career a lot of times, so it’s not new to me,” Luka said. “But I feel great. I feel excited and, like I said, I’m ready to go. It’s been a long time since I’ve played basketball so I’m ready.”
The often-goofy, always-competitive duo might not be seen as natural leaders, but the Lakers are banking on that competitiveness to be the driving force.
“Obviously, together, they’re immature,” Jarred Vanderbilt said. “But the maturity level, I’ve seen it rise since I’ve been here and seen both of them together. They know that there’s a lot that comes with the position that they’re in.
“I think with both of them, they’ve done a great job of, in their own rights, cultivating the culture and showing the new guys the way.”
Lakers forwards Adou Thiero (left) and Jarred Vanderbilt and guard Bronny James (9) interact during the team's media day Monday. On Tuesday they joined teammates in their first training camp practice. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Walker Kessler wasn’t focused on the stats. He wasn’t really counting the number of shots he swatted — “one or two” — or lobs he dunked — “like four probably” — in his official Lakers practice debut Tuesday.
The only thing the star center cared about was the competition on the court. He and his teammates delivered on that, Kessler said with a smile.
The Lakers opened training camp Tuesday with a focus on competition as the new-look team takes shape. Six of the team’s top nine players from last season are gone. A month’s worth of practices and five preseason games are the stage as players audition to fill the vacant roles.
“This is a meritocracy,” coach JJ Redick said. “You got to earn your minutes, and you cheer for your teammates while you’re doing it.”
Redick can confidently lock in three starters in Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Kessler. The other two starting positions, and even the last spots on the roster as the Lakers need to trim at least one player to reach the NBA-maximum of 15 guaranteed contracts by the Oct. 21 season opener, remain up for grabs.
“Everybody has something to prove,” forward Sandro Mamukelashvili said at media day Monday. “Everybody’s very excited for the season. The guys are hard workers.”
Mamukelashvili, praised for his versatility and ability to be what Redick called “a connector” on offense, is in the mix for the starting power forward position along with Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt and Ziaire Williams. The stiffest competition comes on the wing, where the Lakers lauded their depth between offseason additions Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle and Williams, rookie Cameron Carr and progressing second-year forward Adou Thiero.
Redick said he has tried to give players clearly defined roles for them to earn minutes, and the depth of the wing group makes for a minuscule difference between fulfilling those requirements to stay on the court and falling short and sitting on the bench. After one day, Redick proudly reported the group “understood the assignment.”
“That was exciting,” Redick said. “They set the tone for us defensively. There was a lot of physicality, a lot of grabbing and holding, a lot of disruption without gambling.”
After general manager Rob Pelinka reset the roster to match the timelines for the 27-year-old Doncic and 28-year-old Reaves, the group of almost all 20-somethings was eager and receptive to the first day of camp, Redick said. Players who were not participating in live play still peppered coaches with questions.
Redick, entering his third season as a head coach, relished the buy-in and interest from the young team.
“In terms of myself, the teaching part of it was something that I’ve maybe grown a little bit since like the very first practice I coached two years ago,” Redick said. “It’s a little different now.”
Last season, the Lakers relied on vocal veteran leaders such as LeBron James, 41, and Marcus Smart, 32. Now they have just one player in his 30s: That’s 30-year-old Kevon Looney, who smiled at the thought that he is suddenly the elder statesman of the team.
While Redick has emphasized the importance of Doncic and Reaves growing into larger leadership roles, Redick still set the tone from the coaching staff for the first day of practice.
“In film, I was ready to go fight somebody or something,” Kessler said, raising his fists with a smile. “He’s such a good motivator. He’s incredible. He’s really incredible. Having someone that’s done it for 15 years playing and now three years coaching, it’s easy to see why he’s so successful.”
Beyer retires
Lakers assistant coach Bob Beyer retired this offseason, Redick confirmed Tuesday. The longtime assistant was a key part of Redick’s coaching staff when the first-time head coach was hired. Redick played for five seasons under Beyer in Orlando and then again in New Orleans.
“He’s, like, someone I explicitly trust and believe in,” Redick said. “He’s an incredible teacher. He was an incredible mentor for a lot of our young coaches and an incredible example.”
JJ Redick on assistant coach Bob Beyer's retirement this offseason: "He's an incredible teacher. He was an incredible mentor for a lot of our young coaches and an incredible example." pic.twitter.com/De2pFaXyrl
While the retirement took Redick by surprise because Beyer shared the news late in the offseason, Redick said he understood the reasons. The 64-year-old Beyer joked he was “basically retired” by the time Redick called with the Lakers’ job in 2024. Two seasons later, he was ready to retire for good.
“He’s a legend,” Redick said. “We all love him. We’re so appreciative of everything you did for us.”
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 29: Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets handles the ball as Stephen Curry #30 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors plays defense during the game on December 29, 2025 at Barclays Center in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Let’s get it Dub Nation. As training camp begins and the Golden State Warriors are getting back into the swing of things, I’m continuing my review of what the rest of the NBA has done, division by division.
We’re still in the Atlantic Division right now, and I’ve already covered the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors. Next up on the list is the Brooklyn Nets, fresh off of winning their third straight title with the super trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden.
Wait wait, you mean to tell me those three stars have been gone for hella long and the franchise is a wasteland that hasn’t won anything since Dr. J was playing? Whoaaa.
Last season the Warriors went 2-0 against Brooklyn. On December 29th at Barclays, Golden State won 120-107. The rematch at Chase on March 25 was tighter, 109-106, and the leading scorer was Gui Santos with a career-high 31. Santos detonating on Brooklyn was a pretty clear indicator of how badly the non-Knicks New York team was spiraling.
These guys eventually collapsed to a 20-62 finish as their season mercifully ended. Brooklyn walked into the summer trying to figure out a new identity, which can be an exciting thing! But perpetual rebuild mode is enough to break the hearts of even the most hardened fanbase. I wonder if the Nets are ready to play an inspired brand of basketball that would keep all of their supporters from burning their jerseys and bandwagoning the champion orange and blue of their neighbors.
Nicolas Claxton left for Chicago, Ziaire Williams went to the Lakers, and the draft brought in Mikel Brown Jr., Joshua Jefferson and Tyler Bilodeau. Also, financial freedom! Isn’t that what everybody wants if you’re not winning championships?? Per Nets Daily:
Who can forget flexibility!?! To recap, Brooklyn still has $4.9 million in cap space, the $9.4 million room exception, the full $8.5 million in cash considerations plus 32 draft picks. You know the math … or should by now! 13 firsts, 10 of which can be traded, and 19 seconds, all of which can be traded. And at the moment, no Nets player has a contract that extends beyond 2027-28.
And then they traded for Julius Randle.
Mikel Brown Jr. on his vision for the Nets:
“I was talking to Julius Randle about it the other day and he told me, ‘We’re gonna shock the world.’ That’s what we plan on doing.” pic.twitter.com/4fvaUXssBt
Brooklyn’s front office probably faces the biggest disparity between perception and reality of any in basketball. The prevailing narrative surrounding the Nets is that they’ve been poorly run and their outlook is bleak. True, they haven’t yet found any truly foundational players, but they have a clean cap sheet and a six-pick first-round draft surplus (not including swaps, though in fairness they owe their 2027 swap to the Houston Rockets). The reality is that this is a pretty promising blank slate if you’re willing to take the long view.
The Julius Randle addition makes no sense. He’s an expensive floor-raiser in his 30s. The Nets don’t need their floor raised. They don’t control their own pick this year, so the relegation zone isn’t a concern. He overlaps positionally with Michael Porter Jr. (whom they have neither traded nor extended, strangely). He’ll take the ball out of the hands of their many young players who need it.
Julius Randle on playing alongside Michael Porter Jr. and how their games can complement each other 🤝 pic.twitter.com/2SVIsdVKk4
I gotta admit, I do enjoy seeing Michael Porter Jr. pull up with zero conscience and fire up shots from beyond the arc like a real flamethrower. It reminds me of Klay Thompson sometimes; except less accurate. I can see a world where certain nights MPJ and Randle thrive off inferior defenders and light up the scoreboard. I also am curious to see how the Nets win games if they aren’t both clicking. But is Porter Jr. really just trade bait for a potential contender?
Per Sports Illustrated, here’s MPJ’s thoughts on the topic: “I’ve voiced that I’d love to be in Brooklyn and that I’m enjoying playing with these guys. And I think we’ll be a lot better this year, obviously. … The way these young guys have gotten better just in one year, I’m excited to see what we can do. So that’s where my mind is at and I’m not even thinking about anything else.”
I’ve seen the Nets take two major swings at the title in the last dozen or so years. There was the time they assembled Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Deron Williams, and Joe Johnson for an aging superteam back in 2013. Then there was that KD-Kyrie-Harden trio that the pandemic and injuries washed away. To see this franchise struggling while their NY neighbors guzzle championship champagne shows just how close despair and success live.
I expect the Warriors to give these guys the business when they meet this season. And with how stacked their division is, it’s gonna be tough to make some noise. They’ve got the athletic Toronto Raptors, the chip-on-their-shoulder Boston Celtics, and the new and improved Philadelphia 76ers all staring down at them in the standings. And whenever Brooklyn needs a break from looking up at the division, it can glance across the East River and watch the Knicks hang a banner.
Lakers coach JJ Redick quickly established what he’s looking for from his team during training camp before preseason exhibitions start next week. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With so many new players on the roster (9), will that change how training camp looks for the Lakers compared to the last couple of seasons?
JJ Redick: "Not necessarily. We had a really productive August and September with our small group works. ⁰In terms of installs and… pic.twitter.com/QosWYQNTAb
Doncic lobs to marquee free-agent addition Walker Kessler? Check, with Kessler saying Doncic threw him around four lobs on Tuesday, quickly establishing a connection.
“It was great,” Doncic said. “We had a lot of fun, a lot of teaching points, and everybody I think felt that it was like it was a great first day.”
The installs and teaching for this portion of preseason will look the same, with Redick acknowledging his growth as a teacher, continuing to build off the small-group sessions players had in August and throughout September.
The excitement for what this new group can be is palpable.
“They are a very receptive group, eager group,” Redick said. “Even a couple of the guys that sat out a portion of the live play were constantly asking questions, and they want information. and they want to learn and they want to be better.”
Walker Kessler is impressed with the Lakers’ connection early on in training camp. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
And there’s also clear goals for camp ahead of the first preseason game against the Kings in Sacramento on Monday: establish their defensive principles, continue to establish their early offense (which was their main priority for all of September) and get in “great shape.”
“We’ve gotten terrific buy-in over the last several weeks,” Redick said, “and [Tuesday] was very additive to those three things.”
But with so many new faces in the building, it led to a key question: Are there ways to fast-track on-court chemistry so everyone’s in sync when the games start to count beginning with Opening Night against the Warriors in three weeks (Oct. 21)?
“That’s a hard question — I honestly don’t know,” Doncic said. “Some things [we’re] going to figure out quicker; some things are going to [be figured] out later. I feel like we had a great first practice. A lot of teaching points. It was a great practice.”
In light of the significant roster changes, are there ways for the Lakers to fast-track on-court chemistry?
Luka Doncic: "I honestly don't know. Some things [we're] going to figure out quicker, some things are going to figure out later…I feel like we had a great first… pic.twitter.com/gBmQ7EM9V4
With a lighter preseason schedule compared with the previous year (five exhibitions instead of six), the Lakers will have more time to work out the kinks that could come with such drastic roster turnover.
Their teamwide trip to Slovenia, which Doncic led, helped fast-track the players’ connections with each other.
And that connection, which was felt on Tuesday, already has most of them believing they can compete with not just the best teams in the Western Conference but throughout the NBA.
“No question — undoubtedly,” Kessler responded when asked whether the Lakers can be NBA title contenders. “We have a lot of great tools and a lot of versatility. The guys are already getting along. Connection makes championship teams, and we definitely could be a contender.”
Redick established that no team is already at a championship level to start training camp. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Like Redick mentioned last week, no team is a championship-level team on Sept. 29.
And they likely won’t be on Sept. 30, either.
The journey to becoming a contender is an ongoing process that lasts from the early fall all the way through the following spring.
But the Lakers felt great about Tuesday being a step forward in that process.
Which is all that the first practice needed to provide.
Bob Beyer decided to call it a coaching career, which started for the 64-year-old when he became an assistant coach for Alfred University’s men’s basketball team in 1983 and ended after two seasons on Redick’s staff from 2024-26.
For the first time, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick will have to coach without Bob Beyer on his staff. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Beyer was an assistant coach in Orlando (2007-12) and New Orleans (2020-21) when Redick played for the Magic (2006-13) and Pelicans (2019-21).
“He’s been a very important person in my NBA life and a very important friend,” Redick said after the Lakers’ training camp practice Tuesday. “He’s someone I explicitly trust and believe in. He’s an incredible teacher. He was an incredible mentor for a lot of our young coaches and an incredible example.”
JJ Redick on longtime NBA coach Bob Beyer's retirement after two years on his coaching staff.
"To be honest with you, it came as a surprise…I understood the reasons why. I didn't try to talk him out of it. What he did say to me was like, 'I was basically retired, and then you… pic.twitter.com/pcAJJTdmJn
Redick said Beyer’s retirement came as a surprise since Beyer shared the news around mid-August.
“I understood the reasons why,” Redick said. “I didn’t try to talk him out of it. He leaves on great terms with the Lakers. What he did say to me was like, ‘I was basically retired, and then you asked me to do this with you, and I did it for two years, and now I’m ready to retire.’ But he’s a legend. We all love him. We’re so appreciative of everything you did for us.”
Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean (right, working with Luka Doncic) has been promoted. NBAE via Getty Images
After coaching in college for 20 years, Beyer took his first NBA assistant coaching job with the Raptors in 2003-04. He was an assistant coach at Dayton in 2005-07 before coming back to the NBA with the Magic in 2007, staying in the NBA coaching ranks for 19 consecutive years before retiring.
With Beyer’s retirement, assistant coach Greg St. Jean has been promoted to a front-of-bench role.
Michael Wexler was elevated to assistant coach after being the head video coordinator the last two seasons on Redick’s staff.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick had many changes to his staff. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Zach Guthrie was also promoted from the South Bay Lakers (now known as the Coachella Valley Lakers) to assistant coach and head of player development.
Drew Seifert was promoted from assistant video coordinator to head video coordinator, while Gerdarius Troutman went from assistant video coordinator to player development coach.
Austin Pope (previously the South Bay Lakers head video coordinator) and Lucas Vargas (coaching associate) are the new assistant video coordinators.
The NBA plans to select the winning bid for owner of the Las Vegas expansion team “in the very near future.”
The franchise and new arena is expected to be sold for $12 billion to $13 billion. There are three finalist groups, according to ESPN: Nancy Walton Laurie and Bill Laurie; Steve Apostolopoulos and Marc Lasry; and Bill Foley and Jerry Colangelo.
The NBA is preparing to add two expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle.
The league will hold an official approval process by the end of December on two expansion teams, but Las Vegas is expected to be settled before Seattle. For one, Las Vegas has a more active bidding market that consists of higher offers.
In Seattle, there are no logistics of developing a new arena as Climate Pledge Arena is already a set home for the new team. Moreover, the Vegas runners-up may have interest in joining the Seattle bid process.
Nancy Walton Laurie is the daughter of Walmart co-founder James “Bud” Walton. She is married to Bill Laurie, the former owner of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. The couple resides in a suburb of Las Vegas and has a net worth of $17 billion, per Forbes.
Apostolopoulos showed interest in purchasing the Charlotte Hornets from Michael Jordan in 2023, but the Canadian billionaire pivoted to buying the Washington Commanders. The NFL franchise was later sold to a group led by Josh Harris, Philadelphia 76ers owner.
Lasry is the former co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and sold his stake in the franchise to Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam at a valuation of $3.5 billion.
Colangelo, the former owner of the Phoenix Suns, began talking with Foley about teaming up with his Las Vegas Jacks group. Colangelo and Foley became partners because of the latter’s ties to the city and the Jacks’ plans for a new arena as well as the relationship equity with key league stakeholders.
The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images/iStockphotoLas Vegas is scheduled to get a new NBA team and arena. Getty Images
