Category: Basketball

With eight different teams the winners over the past eight seasons, it is hard to predict who takes home the NBA's Larry O'Brien Trophy in June.

If there is to be a ninth different name in as many seasons, you might look to San Antonio Spurs, with Victor Wembanyama leading the team to the Finals last season before coming unstuck against the New York Knicks.

Maybe the Philadelphia 76ers off-season moves to acquire Jaylen Brown and sign the NBA's all-time leading scorer LeBron James is an attractive pick, or perhaps the Cleveland Cavaliers.

As the season tips off, the first British-born coach in the NBA, Tim Lewis will be hoping he can assist Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves to their first NBA title.

Lewis has been something of a journeyman in basketball.

Born in Saint Asaph, Wales, he went on to represent the country in the 1990s, before forging a coaching career that spans almost the entire globe.

He has coached the Thailand and Qatar national teams and had spells in Germany, Belgium, Canada, the United States of America and Panama. He most recently worked in Japan as head coach of Eneos Sunflowers who he helped to the Empress Cup in January.

That is not including more than 15 years of coaching England and Great Britain age groups, where he was an assistant to now Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch at the London 2012 Olympics.

Lewis was one of the Team GB assistant coaches, alongside Philadelphia 76ers head coach, Nick Nurse.

But Lewis and American Finch's friendship began way before that.

"We played against each other when I was back at [Crystal] Palace and Chris was at Sheffield [Sharks], he said.

"I've had stops with Chris when he was in Belgium and then before the Olympics, I spent six months at Houston with him.

"We've become close, it's almost like brothers. We've known each other 25 years and it's a strong bond."

After a previous brief spell with Minnesota, Lewis left to continue to be a head coach in Japan for three years, but Finch was persistent.

"For the last year and a half, Chris has knocked on the door and said, 'come back, come back'.

"Eventually I gave in this summer again and gone back for a more influential role, with more of an input and impact on things with stuff that's going on and I'm excited."

Lewis had a spell as a replacement coach with Minnesota's G League team, the Iowa Wolves during Covid, before joining the staff the following season with a responsibility for post-game analysis.

"I would just go through all our game plans," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"I had a little bit of player development, but it was time consuming, nobody had done it before.

"Teams do the analysis pre-game of what we're going to do and how we're going to do it with plans, but not post-game.

"I'm not sure how many of the other staff appreciated me critiquing what was going on, but that was my role, and it stayed in place."

As Lewis returns to Minnesota, his role has expanded.

"Pablo [Prigioni] is going to take the lead on the offence and my role will be to help create some of these game plans offensively," he said.

"It's a full assistant's role with responsibility for offensive game planning.

"I look at what the other team are doing defensively and what can we do to maximise our ability to beat them offensively.

"On top of that, some player development with a couple of the young bigs."

A new-look backcourt pairing

In July, Minnesota acquired Josh Green and LaMelo Ball as part of a four-team trade.

Ball scored with 272 three-point shots in the 2025-26 season, the second most of any player in the NBA.

His partnership with Anthony Edwards in the backcourt appears to be an offensive coach's dream.

"Anthony and LaMelo and those guys are going to be exciting to watch," said Lewis.

"With LaMelo, you've got somebody that can now throw the lob and Rudy becomes a bit more of a rim threat, which we haven't necessarily had.

"It takes the pressure off Anthony.

"Teams will find it harder to double-team him when you've got people like LaMelo on the floor with him."

Lewis says Edwards is "easy to coach".

"I don't know whether or not Anthony wants the burden of being the next face of the NBA, who knows?

"He is an immense talent, very responsive, a great kid overall and he's a great person, very coachable and wants to get better."

An NBA title?

It will be a daunting start for the Timberwolves this season, with Giannis Antentokounmpo and Miami Heat first up but Lewis says the team are ready for the challenge.

"We come out of the gate hard, Miami, Orlando, and then Toronto," he said.

"They've all got three bruising power forwards, which is one area where we're a bit light.

"Everybody's worried we don't have size at the four, but Chris [Finch] will figure out how that looks.

"One of the things Minnesota's going to be lucky to do is be able to play different ways and the team's going to be exciting to watch."

The ambition is clear for Minnesota and Lewis, the NBA title is the ultimate goal for 2027.

"We want to make the play-offs and get to the championship games, everybody wants to win a championship, but you've got 29 other teams that are trying to do the same thing," said Lewis.

"Fifty-plus wins a season is what you want, that puts you in a great position to make the play-offs and to be a contender for that first seed.

"You don't ever want to jinx it but everybody's saying this team has an opportunity to go a long way this year, but you never know, we've been close every year.

"Teams are going to have to adjust to the way Minnesota plays and the personnel we have."

In terms of his own predictions for the season, Lewis offered a few suggestions for potential Larry O'Brien trophy winners.

"It's one of the things about the NBA at the moment, it's somewhat unpredictable," he said.

"Teams that maybe surge in the regular season but aren't built to compete in the playoffs.

"San Antonio could be that team, Minnesota could be that team.

"We've had Denver's number now for a number of years, other than the year they won it [2023].

"Who knows what Philly's going to do with the additions they've made."

Lewis says an NBA title would mean "so much" to Minneapolis.

The franchise formed in 1989 as an expansion team, with the supporters patiently waiting to make it to the NBA Finals.

"Minnesota fans are unbelievable," he said.

"It goes way back to Minneapolis Lakers [1947-1960] that are now the Los Angeles Lakers, who did win a championship.

"As an organisation, being able to win in that environment against a bigger market team is always a huge success.

"It's more for the city, it would be an amazing accomplishment."

Former Kentucky Wildcats standout Cason Wallace is staying in Oklahoma City, as Shams Charania reports that Wallace signed a five-year, $139 million rookie-scale contract extension with the Thunder.

Wallace has been a valuable piece for the Thunder since being drafted in the first round in 2023. Last year, coming off the bench for the Thunder, Wallace averaged 8.6 points per game to go along with 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

However, Wallace’s value has consistently been on the defensive side of the ball, where he has averaged almost two steals per game the last two seasons and has been one of OKC’s most reliable perimeter defenders and one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, as evidenced by being named a member of the 2025-26 NBA All-Defensive Second Team.

After some offseason moves, including trading Luguentz Dort to the Atlanta Hawks, Wallace is expected to see an expanded role with the Thunder, and it’s clear from this contract extension that the Thunder see Wallace as a key piece to the team long-term.

Just in: Oklahoma City Thunder All-Defensive guard Cason Wallace has agreed to a five-year, $139 million rookie-scale contract extension, agents Jeff Schwartz, Max Lipsett and Marcus Monk of Excel Sports Management tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/vCNVSJjp0q

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2026

Congratulations to the former Kentucky Wildcat!

With the start of the 2026-27 NBA season right around the corner — NBC has a tripleheader on Tuesday! — it’s the time of the year where teams start nailing down the details of contract extensions as deadlines to file rapidly approach. That has benefited a former Marquette Golden Eagle, as Oso Ighodaro has agreed to terms on a three year extension with the Phoenix Suns, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Suns are picking up Ighodaro's $2.5M team option for 2027-28, so the extension starts in 2028 and runs through 2031 for the franchise's second-round find who has established into a reliable center. https://t.co/wPhFMCxiZm

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 18, 2026

When Ighodaro was drafted #40 overall in 2024, he signed a deal for three years with a team option for a fourth. The 2026-27 season is the third and final full year of the deal, which the Suns guaranteed for the former Marquette center back in June. Part of the process of agreeing to this extension is Phoenix already picking up the option for the 2027-28 season and thus guaranteeing Ighodaro his nearly $2.5 million salary for that season.

The three year extension then kicks in after that, guaranteeing Ighodaro a paycheck through the end of the 2030-31 season. Spotrac’s breakdown of the deal has him making just under $9 million in 2028-29, $9.7 million in Year Two, and then $10.3 million in Year 3. Oso Ighodaro is a $10 million a year player in the NBA, what a time to be alive.

Ighodaro played in 61 games as a rookie for the Suns, starting six times and averaging 4.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and just over an assist per game in 17 minutes a night. Last season, he played in all 82 games, getting 24 starts for Phoenix. He averaged 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 22 minutes per game overall, but as a starter, that was up to 8.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in nearly 27 minutes per game. Ighodaro started all four games of Phoenix’s first round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder last spring, putting up 7.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in more than 32 minutes. That’s, uh, not too shabby for a former second round pick, so you can see why the team is enthused about locking him up on a deal that’s worth roughly 5% of the salary cap through 2031.

Phoenix opens their season on Wednesday, October 21st, with a road game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

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An exciting new era of Lakers basketball kicked off this preseason with lots of excitement and intrigue.

While we only briefly got a look at the new Big 3 that will guide the team into the future, there were plenty of other players fans got a long look at, for better and for worse.

Let’s dive into some of the preseason winners and losers for the purple and gold.

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Winner — Sandro Mamukelashvili

Lakers fans didn’t have to wait long to find their new fan favorite. As a jack-of-all-trades type of player, Mamu found many ways to make an impression.

Some nights, it was knocking down a barrage of threes. Other nights, it was an unexpected reverse dunk. But most often, it was each of those things and more throughout the game.

Pretty quickly, Mamu established himself as someone who is going to be able to come in and change games with his energy and his versatility, all while getting the fans into the game as well.

Loser — Jarred Vanderbilt

A byproduct of the Lakers bringing in multiple new wings this offseason is that Vando became a lot less valuable in that sense. And with head coach JJ Redick already showing his hand in being willing to sit Vando even when there was more of a need for him, it probably shouldn’t have been a shock to see how little he was used in the preseason.

Even with the team shuffling through players and lineups because of injuries and rest, it was not an uncommon occurrence for Vando to have to wait until the fourth quarter to get his first minutes.

He can still bring value to the team as a chemistry and locker room guy as everyone on the team seems to like him. But he’s very far down the pecking order when it comes to actually getting on the court.

Winner — Ziaire Williams

From effectively the first preseason practice on, Williams was mentioned as a standout player. Despite missing time with an injury, Williams seems to be an odds-on favorite for the starting lineup to open the season.

Considering he was waived by the Nets and came to LA on a minimum deal, it’s already a strong start to the season. The goal now is to make that a springboard to a better campaign and not the high point.

Loser — Jaden Hardy and Dalton Knecht

Coming into training camp, there was supposed to be a battle for the final roster spot and most circled Hardy and Knecht as the guys likely duking it out.

Somehow, both lost.

Based on preseason playing time, Knecht seems likely to lose that battle. But Hardy did not paint himself in any sort of glory. The Lakers probably won’t cut both of them, but it wouldn’t be shocking if they did. President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka likes to have an open roster spot going into the season and Hardy certainly didn’t do enough to earn a roster spot.

Winner — Jake LaRavia

LaRavia’s campaign was a roller coaster last year. After a fast start, he hit a funk and struggled for most of the rest of the way. By the postseason, he seemed scared to even look at the basket.

But a revamped jumper and a renewed mindset have him in a much better space this preseason. His shot looks unorthodox, but he’s shooting it with confidence and it’s going on. It doesn’t matter how pretty it looks, just whether he hits it regularly.

If he does, then he’s another wing the Lakers can turn to this season.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

For revamped Sixers, youth and growth should still matter plenty originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The surface impression of the 2026-27 Sixers is that they’ll lean on experience and star power as they pursue grand ambitions.

LeBron James is the NBA’s eldest player, set to turn 42 years old in December and impossibly accomplished. Joel Embiid is a seven-time All-Star, Jaylen Brown a five-time All-Star. Tyrese Maxey is fresh off his first All-NBA team selection. Veteran role players like Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have made careers largely out of accepting and executing blue-collar work. 

That’s all well and good. The Sixers won’t be naive to the bumps and battles that come with an NBA season. Youth and internal improvement should matter plenty, though.

Time and again, Maxey’s teammates have echoed his mantra of “One percent better every day” in press conferences over the past several weeks. It’s a solid default to any sort of team-building question and words are words. Still, it makes plenty of sense for this Sixers squad to be focused on steady growth. 

While James, Brown and the other pickups from the Sixers’ very eventful summer are far from strangers, so much newness always presents major challenges. The awkward turnovers and miscommunications won’t stop just because the preseason is over. As James highlighted at media day, patience and day-after-day dedication will be required.

Health permitting, 21-year-old VJ Edgecombe should be a crucial piece of the picture. He was game for anything last season and a well-earned finalist for Rookie of the Year.

“Look at the team I have around me,” Edgecombe said with a laugh on Sept. 29. “There’s no pressure on me at all. I’m just going to go out there and be myself. Once I’m out there being myself, playing with joy, I think we’ll be good.”

James certainly does not view Edgecombe as an immature youngster. 

“He’s just not quiet,” the four-time MVP said on Oct. 3 after the Sixers’ Blue-White scrimmage. “And I’m saying that in a good way. If there’s things that happen on the floor, if there’s things that he sees, if there’s things that we see, we just automatically figure it out right there. … He’s a very cerebral player and he’s always looking for ways to get better on the floor, even at his young age. 

“It definitely feels like he’s much older. It definitely feels like he’s not in Year 2. … We have a lot of guys that have been around the block, a lot of guys that have a voice, and a lot of guys that want to get better every day and hold each other accountable. It’s great to see.”

The Sixers will rely on Edgecombe to keep developing defensively, sink open three-pointers, and trust his instincts as the kid in the starting lineup. 

He has an abundance of star ingredients. 

“VJ’s gotten better every single day,” Maxey said Thursday. “He grows as a player every single day. His mind grows, his athleticism grows. He was dunking last year, but he wasn’t dunking like this. You can tell he got a little bit stronger, a little bit more confident. I’m excited to step on the court and compete with him.”

Maxey, meanwhile, is 25 years old and exceptional in the self-improvement department. 

After averaging career highs last year in points (28.3 per game), assists (6.6), rebounds (4.1) and steals (1.9), what’s on his agenda this season? 

“I’m at the point now where I’ve showed what I can do talent-wise, I think,” Maxey said following Day 2 of training camp. “Of course I’m going to get to better, but I want to be judged by winning. If we win, that’s what I want to be judged by. That’s really my main mindset, my whole goal, is finding ways to win. 

“And because I’ve played so many different roles, I’m capable of doing so many different things. I think that’s going to be a positive for myself and for this team. I can play on the ball, I can play off the ball, I can play in transition, I can catch and shoot, I can play off pin-downs, I can play in pick-and-roll. I’m going to play however they need me to play.”

Shifting to the bench, the notable young names include 23-year-old backup center Adem Bona and rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. 

Philon’s role may very well be minor unless another injury or two pops up. The 22nd overall pick won’t turn 21 until next month. The starting backcourt of Maxey and Edgecombe tends to log a massive volume of minutes and Anfernee Simons is an established, bucket-getting guard.

However, a world in which Philon eventually seizes a meaningful rotation spot isn’t outlandish to imagine. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said at training camp that he was “super impressed with his vision and his passing and his offensive creation.” 

Philon played 24.3 minutes per game in his first preseason and averaged 9.3 points and 4.5 assists. He’s been curious about all his veteran teammates have to offer, asking questions on topics ranging from Brown’s secrets to making tightly contested shots to Edgecombe’s process for building a personal routine in the NBA.

Philon has maintained a deep belief in his own game, too. 

“I would say I’ve always been a great passer,” he said on Oct. 2. “Having the right guys, the right plays and the right mindset. First, you have to be unselfish. Second, you’ve got to have guys that want to move on the floor. And then third, it just comes down to making the best decision. For me, the best decision is making the easiest play. 

“Right now I don’t really need any showtime or any flashy plays. The position that I’m in right now, making the right play every time will be great for me. And I’ve been doing it. So just seeing that (in training camp) has been good.” 

The Sixers will happily take right play after right play this season. 

The hunch here is that the youngsters will make many of them. 

Any chance of Ben Simmons making a comeback this season will have to wait until next season.

The Sacramento Kings announced on Sunday that an MRI confirmed Simmons has suffered a torn right Achilles injury during practice.

“Sacramento Kings guard Ben Simmons was injured during a live drill in practice on Sunday, Oct. 18. An MRI revealed a torn right Achilles tendon. Simmons will undergo surgery,” the Kings announced in a press release this afternoon.

Simmons signed a one-year $3.5 million deal with the Kings last month after spending last year as an unsigned free agent. The deal was reportedly a non-guaranteed contract that would’ve paid him $1 million if he made the opening night roster.

Simmons was once a No.1 overall pick in the NBA Draft in 2016 but spent his career hampered by injuries, including a right foot fracture in 2016-2017, as well as constant knee and leg injuries from 2021-2025.

This season, he was expected to be a backup point guard, behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr., who’s played in four of the Kings’ preseason games.

Simmons has appeared in two preseason games this season and recently had 25 minutes of playing time last Friday when he scored 14 points, with eight rebounds, seven assists, and one steal against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Kings are set to open their season this Wednesday when they travel to Los Angeles to play the Clippers.

Josh Hart predicted it. Really, we all did.

It was obvious.

“Wherever LeBron [James] went in the East, I figured that’d probably be our opening night [game],” Hart said after Knicks practice Sunday. “That will be good for headlines and box office and those kinds of things.”

With training camp and the preseason over, all attention now turns to the opener against the 76ers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

With it being banner/ring night and the opener, there is already plenty of intrigue and attention. But it is impossible to escape all the extras involved.

The NBA, with LeBron and Jaylen Brown joining the 76ers to create a supposed “superteam” this offseason, is clearly interested in making this a rivalry and season-long storyline. The two teams play each other twice in the opening six games — both on national television. In fact, all four matchups this season are on national television.

Most have labeled the 76ers — with a core of James, Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe — as the biggest threat to the Knicks’ chances of repeating as champions.

Add in the close geographical distance, the recent playoff history between the two teams and the fact LeBron has publicly said he envisioned finishing his career with the Knicks had they not won the title (and is living part-time in New York City), and there are all the ingredients of a renewed rivalry.

Mike Brown’s first head coaching gig was coaching James with the Cavaliers. He knows that when James is involved, everything is just bigger.

“The reality of it, in coach talk, you want to say every game is the same,” the Knicks coach said Sunday. “That’s what you try to impress upon your guys is, ‘Hey, when we step on the floor, no matter who’s in front of us, you want to give the same focus, energy and effort to the next possession in front of you.’ But because of the talk, because of who he is — he is a large figure not just in life, but in the NBA.

“You also gotta look at the guys they have on the team and the guys they’ve added and the potential of that team and what we accomplished and what we’re trying to accomplish again — all those storylines, with the social media and all that other stuff, it’s pressed upon you, pressed upon you, pressed upon you, so it gets larger than life in general.”

The Knicks would like to treat it like any of the other 82 regular-season games. But the reality is that, one way or the other, it will be used as an early statement in what could become a relentless discourse.

“As a coach, you hope it doesn’t, but at times yes, you have to take into account that yes, it can be something that guys think, ‘OK, this is a big game,’” Brown said. “It gives you a little bit more juice, a little bit more energy because of all the stuff around it. Is it gonna be a rivalry at the end of the day? I don’t know. I don’t know where we’re gonna be and where they’re gonna be. … Because of the storylines and all that other stuff with the social media, could it be right now? Yeah, it’s a fun story.”

The two teams also represent opposites of sorts.

The Knicks are a bastion of stability, returning nine of their top 10 players in terms of minutes played last year. It’s a group that knows each other well and has exceptional chemistry.

The 76ers, by contrast, are a newly assembled unit that must come together quickly with immediate championship expectations.

“Obviously, we have the same team, but sometimes individuals’ expectations are different than what they were before,” Hart said. “So it’s different. Especially a team like that, I’m sure they’re gonna have some bumpy times in the beginning of the year because they gotta get used to playing with each other. The media at that point [will say,] ‘They should blow it up and trade everybody’ and those kinds of things. That’s kind of the world we live in.”

The world we live in will have a dramatic reaction to Tuesday’s result.

Buckle up. 

Phoenix just bet on one of its own. Per Shams Charania, Oso Ighodaro agreed to a three-year, $29 million extension that runs through the 2030-31 season.

Phoenix Suns center Oso Ighodaro has agreed to a three-year, $29 million contract extension through the 2030-31 season, his agent Erika Ruiz of Primera Sports tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/8MiSwgmCdE

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 18, 2026

ESPN’s Bobby Marks added the key piece of the structure: “To help the Suns financially for next season, Ighodaro’s $2.4M team option for 2027-28 is picked up. Good deal for both sides.” Translation: Phoenix keeps Oso on his bargain rookie number for one more year, and the new money doesn’t kick in until 2028-29.

To help the Suns financially for next season, Ighodaro’s $2.4M team option for 2027-28 is picked up.

Good deal for both sides https://t.co/oXu7mZ0V4z

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 18, 2026

That works out to roughly $9.7 million a year for a guy who came into this league as a second-round flyer.

Just on Friday, Ighodaro told reporters: “Yeah, we’re talking about it. We’ll see what happens in the next couple days.”

The timing is the win here. Picking up the $2.4 million option keeps next season’s books clean while the front office works through bigger financial decisions. Oso gets long-term security, Phoenix gets one more year of a rotation big at near-minimum money, then a fair number after that, especially if he continues to progress.

The Suns acquired Ighodaro’s draft rights at No. 40 from the Knicks in exchange for the draft rights to Kevin McCullar Jr., the 56th overall pick, and Boston’s 2028 protected second-round pick. He’s also a hometown kid, a Chandler native who led Desert Vista to a state championship.

He earned it with availability

Ighodaro appeared in all 82 games last season, starting 24, and his role expanded when a foot injury sidelined Mark Williams. In a frontcourt that got banged up, he was the one big the Suns never had to worry about showing up.

This front office keeps telling us what it wants: length, motor, and guys who can switch. Ighodaro checks all three at a backup-big price. Keeping him means the Suns don’t have to overpay in free agency for that profile.

Ighodaro has been in a battle with Khaman Maluach for the Suns’ starting center job with Mark Williams sidelined for the foreseeable future. He will play a major part in their rotation this season.

Phoenix Suns big Oso Ighodaro said he and the team are having talks about contract extension.

"We'll see what happens in the next couple of days."

On if he wants to remain in Phoenix: "For sure." #Sunspic.twitter.com/5naX1xjKKb

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 16, 2026

Knicks coach Mike Brown had tremendous praise for Bruce Brown, whom the team waived on Saturday to bring the roster to 14 players.

“Bruce, he’s a winner,” Brown said after practice Sunday. “He shows a level of toughness and versatility — not just defensively, he can guard one through four, but even offensively, he can initiate the offense. Our point guard’s not one that has to come down every play and break his guy down and make the game easier for everyone else. We have a system where we play out of concepts, and Bruce is good enough to initiate the offense, or he’s good enough to be off the ball. So he fits in with how we want to play on both ends, while giving us versatility on both ends. Having a chance to get to know him, he seems like a good guy. He seems like he knows a lot of our guys because he was in the same [draft] class as a few of them. So it was tough from that standpoint.”

The Knicks only have room to keep 14 players and stay under the second apron. They wanted to keep both James Wiseman and Bruce Brown, but were unable to make a trade to unload a player — either Pacôme Dadiet or Tyler Kolek — in order to make room for Brown.

And with the Knicks needing a third center behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond, Wiseman won the roster spot over Brown. It is possible the Knicks eventually find a deal and are able to bring back Brown.

“When you have a guy that’s 25 years old, that has the length and the athleticism and the talent as a James Wiseman, because KAT’s not athletic like that and Andre was once that, he still has some of it. But to have that at 25 years old, especially with where we’re at as a group, you look for guys that coulda, shoulda, but at his age maybe he still can be a coulda, shoulda,” Brown said. “That vertical threat at the rim, the vertical threat defensively, how good he runs, you welcome that at his size and age and athleticism.”

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Josh Hart, who missed the Knicks preseason finale against the Raptors on Thursday due to a sore right ankle, practiced on Sunday.

He said the ankle is feeling “solid.”

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OG Anunoby appreciated a New Jersey fan’s viral Halloween decoration recreating his iconic game-winning tip-in in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

“That was amazing,” Anunoby said. “That was super cool. Very creative. It was really cool.”

SACRAMENTO, CA – The Sacramento Kings were excited to enter the 2026-27 regular-season relatively injury-free but the team received a massive just a few days ahead of the regular-season opener.

Recently signed forward Ben Simmons sustained a torn right Achilles tendon during a live drill in practice on Sunday, Oct. 18, the Kings announced.

"An MRI revealed the torn right Achilles tendon and Simmons will undergo surgery. Further updates will be provided as appropriate," the Kings said.

ESPN reported that the injury is suspected to be a season-ending one for Simmons.

Simmons was making his highly anticipated return to the NBA after signing with the Kings, filling out their final open spot, a person with knowledge of the team told USA TODAY Sports. Simmons signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Kings, according to ESPN.

"I've faced challenges before that tested me mentally, physically and emotionally, and I've found a way through every single one of them. This injury is another chapter in my journey, not the end of my story," Simmons wrote on his Instagram story.

"It's never easy being away from the game I love, especially after everything it took to get back here. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that adversity doesn't define you. How your respond to it does.

"I've been knocked down before, and I've always found a way to get back up. This time will be no different."

Statement from Ben Simmons on IG pic.twitter.com/B56kJVvH0E

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) October 19, 2026

Simmons' deal with Sacramento gave him a fresh start in the league as he worked his way back into the feel, and conditioning, of the game.

"Coming to work hard, play the game I know how to play," Simmons told USA TODAY during training camp on what he brings to the Kings. "Communicate, and just lead. Lead how I know how to. So it's been good. We're locked in, focused."

Simmons has missed time throughout his career due to chronic back problems and a series of leg injuries. He took time off last year, missing the entire 2025-26 season to rehabilitate his body from his lingering injuries. He has also battled through mental adversity throughout his career.

Simmons, 30, was entering his eighth NBA season and his first season with the Kings. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2017-18 season and was twice named to the NBA's All-Defensive first team (in 2019-20 and 2020-21) as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. He was also named third team All-NBA in 2019-20.

He has career averages of 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.

Simmons played well in Kings' preseason

There were shades of the three-time NBA All-Star during the Kings preseason games. Simmons averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game in the preseason.

He was projected to make his way into the starting lineup, playing alongside Darius Acuff, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Zach LaVine. The team felt that his acquisition would add versatility to their roster where Simmons could defend every position on the floor, making Sacramento a bigger team.

However, he won't be back on the court in the immediate future and may miss his second consecutive season.

ESPN just featured Simmons in an E60 documentary titled "Being Ben" that premiered Sunday afternoon. The documentary, hosted by ESPN senior writer Marc Spears, follows Simmons, going behind-the-scenes and discussing in-depth Simmons' thoughts and emotions upon his return to the NBA.

Ben Simmons' injury history

Health has been a major concern for Simmons throughout his NBA tenure.

He came into the NBA as a bonafide star, coming out of LSU where he averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, two steals and nearly a block per game as a freshman in 2015-2016.

He always has been looked at as a guy who can do a little bit of anything and everything on the floor. After the 76ers selected him with the No. 1 overall pick the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons missed the entire 2016-17 season after rolling his ankle in his first practice, fracturing in his right foot and ankle – which did not heal throughout the season.

Simmons then played nearly every game for Philadelphia in his next two seasons earning three consecutive All-Star nods before injuries began to mount again after the 2020-21 season.

First was the fiasco when the Sixers lost a 2021 Eastern Conference semifinal series to Atlanta Hawks in seven games that was infamous for Simmons passing up a wide open layup or a dunk under the basket with 3:30 remaining in the game as Philadelphia trailed 88-86.

During the offseason, Simmons asked for a trade, held out from the team and didn't appear for training camp, stating he was away dealing with his mental health. He ended up missing the entire 2021-22 with a back injury in addition to the mental health hurdles and trade holdout.

Simmons was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets in February 2022. He returned the next season but was limited playing only 43 games as he dealt with a number of knee injuries and lingering back issues.

His back issues continued into the next season in 2023-24, where he appeared in 15 games with the Nets before being shut down with continued back pain, eventually required surgery.

During the 2024-25 season, Simmons played 33 games with the Nets before he was waived. He signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in February 2025 but appeared in only 18 games as he struggled with his physical health and athletic mobility. He became a free agent after that season and sat out the entire 2025-26 season to rehab his body.

He felt like he was back, signing with Sacramento in the offseason amid optimism his injuries were behind him.

Sacramento Kings' projected starting five

With Simmons' now out indefinitely, the Kings have a decision to make ahead of their season opener regarding their starting lineup. Sacramento begins the 2026-27 regular season with a game against the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Here is their projected starting lineup following Simmons' injury:

• Darius Acuff Jr., guard
• Zach LaVine, guard
• Deandre Hunter, forward
• Keegan Murray, forward
• Domantas Sabonis, center

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ben Simmons sustains Achilles injury during Sacramento Kings practice

Injuries not only robbed Adou Thiero of his rookie season, but also the Lakers of getting a chance to really integrate him into their team.

As a team that lacked athleticism on the wing last season, Thiero was the ready-made solution already on the roster. However, most of his season was spent either rehabbing and recovering from various injuries or getting up to speed in the G League.

However, that hasn’t dampened the team’s excitement for Thiero entering his sophomore campaign. Evidenced by his playing time this preseason, the team still has a lot of belief in him.

If you read between the lines, they’re also signaling some of that belief as well. On a recent episode of “The Zach Lowe Show,” Dan Woike of The Athletic spoke about the Lakers’ pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga this summer. In doing so, he also expressed how high the team is on Thiero.

“Another ceiling raiser for them is Adou Thiero. Part of the reason, I think, why they weren’t totally bent out of shape about losing out on Jonathan Kuminga, I mean they were interested but it wasn’t a full-press recruitment, I would say…The version of Kuminga they wanted, they didn’t want the ‘I think I can be T-Mac’ version. They wanted, like, ‘Is there a way I can be some sort of discount Aaron Gordon?’ Hyper athlete who can space the floor a little bit and defend and run in transition and be a monster.

Adou Thiero is one of the best athletes in the NBA. Adou Thiero didn’t play a lot last season because of a knee issue. A knee issue that kept him out of the NCAA Tournament in college. A knee issue that pushed him down a lot of draft boards. A lot of teams had him red-flagged. He’s been healthy for most this preseason…He’s a guy that gives them a level of pop and athleticism that, really, no one else does.”

Seeing how much more controlled and impactful Thiero has been this preseason should give the Lakers even more hope that Thiero can be a meaningful piece of the team this season. It certainly seems like he’s going to get the opportunity to do so once the season starts.

On a team with plenty of wings, Thiero’s incredible athleticism sets him apart. If he can add some of the other skills along the way this season, then the Lakers could be looking at a new, young piece of their core.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

It was always going to be a longshot for Dalen Terry to make the Golden State Warriors roster. After Saturday’s roster moves, his best chance might be a spot on the Santa Cruz Warriors.

Terry was waived, along with 26-year-old forward Tyler Burton, and Australian Alex Toohey, a Warriors second-round pick from 2025. All three are candidates for the G League squad.

Burton played 12 games at the end of the season for the injury-decimated Memphis Grizzlies. Toohey played just two games for Santa Cruz last season before undergoing knee surgery in December, a procedure he’s still recovering from. Terry had a big preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers, putting up 23 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and four steals while most of the team didn’t make the trip. However, he has too much NBA experience to sign a two-way contract, so there’s really no spot for him on the roster.

The last spots on the roster still belong to Georges Niang and Brandon Williams, who will have his contract partially-guaranteed when he’s on the opening night roster. Niang and Charles Bassey each have partially-guaranteed deals, though waiving them wouldn’t open up much money to sign a replacement. Bassey figures to be a necessary part of the rotation, particularly while Kristaps Porzingis remains out.

It didn’t appear that there was a real competition for roster spots during training camp, though Williams impressed by scoring in double digits in his first four games, before sitting out the final game with back soreness. The Warriors remain quite close to the salary cap apron, which limits their options, and the team seems focused on staying afloat until Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler can come back from their own knee injuries.

Could there be a change in the team’s two-way contracts, which currently belong to Graham Ike, LJ Cryer and Malevy Leons? It really depends on who might become available during league-wide roster cuts, but the Warriors tend to value continuity, which favors Cryer and Leons. Like Bassey, Ike might play a lot out of sheer necessity, given the fragile center rotation.

The roster appears set. Santa Cruz looks like they have a nice roster as well. Dalen Terry, we’ll always have Portland.