The Knicks’ regular-season roster is taking shape. The only remaining question is: will there be room for Bruce Brown?
Brown and James Wiseman have made it through preseason cuts. The Knicks clearly like both players. But New York only has room under the second apron in team salary to keep one player. In order to keep both Brown and Wiseman, the Knicks would need to trade a player on a standard contract without taking back salary.
My read heading into the weekend: Wiseman is a lock to make the roster. There is strong support to add Brown as well. The Knicks would need to make a trade by Monday afternoon if they want to keep Brown. I think they will explore all avenues to make that happen.
It's logical to assume that the Knicks will move third-year wing Pacome Dadiet. But I believe New York will explore other deals — including trades involving third-year guard Tyler Kolek — this weekend and Monday.
The Knicks will be asking teams to take on a player without sending back salary. To get a deal done, New York may need to attach its own second-round picks (New York will have at least 11 second-round picks in the next seven drafts).
Something worth noting here: multiple teams (Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers and others) are trying to attach second-round picks to work through a roster crunch. So the Knicks have competition in that regard. But given their plethora of second-rounders, they have the draft capital to get a deal done.
Here's what Knicks head coach Mike Brown likes about the veteran combo guard:
“Bruce has been through a lot with a lot of different teams at a pretty high level,” Brown said of the NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets. “His toughness, his experience, his feel, all those things — he's a winner. It seems like every place he's gone, he's won, but all those things can add a lot to the program, and then he's versatile both ends of the floor. He could play a few different positions offensively; he can guard a few different positions defensively. So a guy like that, especially a veteran winner, can be helpful to any team.”
Here’s what Brown likes about Wiseman:
“He's young, he's talented, you know, he's raw, still. I think he's still trying to establish a foothold in this league,” Brown said of the former No. 2 overall pick. “But with the God-given attributes he has, in terms of athleticism and length and quickness, [they] can bode well for him on both ends of the floor. And at 25 years old, he hasn't even reached his prime, especially knowing he hadn't played a ton of basketball; having a vertical threat at the rim will help [the Knicks], or could help everybody else play the game a little bit easier, whether it's driving the basketball or playing pick and roll.”
The Lakers are down to one last preseason game which will be against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. The purple and gold will be back on their home floor for this one.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets
When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Oct 16
Where: Crypto.com Arena
Watch: ESPN, Spectrum Sportsnet
Just like that, the Lakers are just one preseason game away from the real thing that is the regular season.
The preseason has provided plenty of early clues about what lies ahead for the Lakers this season. Clues like which lineups work and don’t, what some of the role players can bring to the table alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves and even how the overall Lakers game experience — from the new PA announcer to broadcast — team — will look like this season.
But if there’s one thing that we haven’t seen yet in the last four games, it’s a complete Lakers team on the floor.
We saw perhaps the biggest signing of the offseason, Walker Kessler, finally take the floor in Tuesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas. Kessler, who had 16 minutes of burn, recorded 11 points and nine rebounds.
Besides Kessler’s sensational defense, the highlight was witnessing him already running plays with Reaves, who had himself a night with 28 points and seven assists.
The Lakers may have come up short after resting their key players in the second half but this one was still arguably their most entertaining preseason game yet. Now the question is, will the fun continue in Friday’s dress rehearsal against the Nuggets?
Hopefully we see even just a few minutes of Dončić, Kessler and Reaves together on the floor. If those three indeed suit up, it’ll be interesting to see who takes the last two slots in the starting five as well as head coach JJ Redick’s substitution patterns.
Quentin Grimes when asked if anyone on the Lakers knows who the other two LAL starters will be next to Doncic/Reaves/Kessler: “I don’t know. I guess you’re going to find out next Wednesday!” Grimes said the process to identify the starters created “healthy competition” in camp pic.twitter.com/NlmOyl4hP5
Speaking of Redick, yes, it may be preseason but it’s hard to imagine him not having a game plan against Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets. Note that this will also be the Nuggets’ last preseason game, so it’s fair to assume that they’ll treat this one like a dress rehearsal as well. All of Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon played minimal minutes in their previous game so they could possibly suit up and do the same on Friday.
It may be preseason, but it sure will be nice to see how these two projected playoff teams in the Western Conference match up. Remember, the purple and gold have won four of their last six matches against the Nuggets since Dončić arrived in Los Angeles. Facing a reenergized Nuggets team is a great test for the Lakers ahead of the season opener.
Let’s see if LA can get that win on Friday.
Notes and Updates
Collin Sexton has yet to play in any preseason game as he continues to recover from a lower leg injury. There is optimism that he could play on opening night.
JJ Redick said Collin Sexton is “trending in the right direction” for Opening Night against the Warriors on Oct. 21.
One thing to look at for in Friday’s game is how the Lakers perform in the rebounding department, something they worked on in practice on Thursday.
After getting out rebounded in three out of of four preseason games, JJ Redick said the Lakers did “three different box-out drills” Thursday. How did they go? “They went.” pic.twitter.com/X3qByXC4kY
We have an exciting new feature in our app this season. It’s easier than ever to chat in our game threads. Each game, this post will become a live chat and will be easy to find at the top of the Lakers community page, so be sure to download the app and give it a try this preseason.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks reacts during the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden on October 15, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks played their final preseason game—a rematch with a Toronto team that clobbered the reserves on Tuesday. This time, the fight was fairer. The visitors played their starters (Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Kawhi Leonard, and Jakob Poeltl), but so did the Knicks (mostly: Mohamed Diawara took Josh Hart’s spot). Determined to not lay a complete goose egg this preseason, coach Mike Brown returned to his starters in the fourth quarter, and that gave them just enough juice to win, 122-120.
The game started on the right foot. Resuming their championship ways, Karl-Anthony Towns took turns with Jalen Brunson on give-and-go sequences that were money in the bank. When KAT sat around the three-minute mark, he had five points, five boards, and six dimes on perfect shooting. Included in those buckets was a laser from deep. Every time he swishes the net this season will sound like a whispered, “Pay the man.”
Across the aisle, Barnes converted his first four shots for an early nine points. That’s what has Toronto fans excited: four scoring options in their starting lineup to complement a top-ten defense. Neither team lived up to their defensive potential in the first frame, however. They allowed each other to shoot over 60% from all areas of the floor by the midway mark.
Even Diawara (carrying two fouls) laced a corner three. Not to be outdone, Miles McBride (who had two triples through four preseason games) dropped three threes in his first four minutes. Those were positives. What wasn’t: Pacome Dadiet checking in and promptly getting stripped while over-dribbling. Soon after, he flushed a pass from Brunson, but there was nothing to change our minds about the youngster. In preseason form, the two teams traded buckets, but by the quarter’s end, the good guys were up, 35-32.
Miles McBride knocks down 3 threes in 67 seconds of play 🎯
Andre Drummond provided a steady hand off the bench, hoovering up rebounds (seven in seven minutes), rattling in a jump hook, tipping in a putback, and making a free throw or two. That softened the sting of seeing Mitchell Robinson doing his best Bill Russell impersonation at TD Garden. Also off the bench, Landry Shamet picked Jamal Shead’s pocket and, on a fast break, fed the trailing Jordan Clarkson. Just a few pros giving the team solid minutes.
Toronto fell behind by 10, but clawed their way back by disrupting New York’s offense. Shead and Jamison Battle hit threes; the former is a defensive pest and blocked two perimeter shots (Diawara, Shamet), while Collin Murray-Boyles intercepted two Brunson passes. Towns had lost the touch, missing two threes and coughing up the rock twice. Nonetheless, New York won the quarter 28–26, and entered intermission ahead, 63-58.
The hosts had shot 55% overall, 47% from deep, and had a 32-18 advantage in the paint. They’d out-bounded the Raps, 26-16, but turned the ball over 12 times, which kept them from running up the score. Top scorers through the half were Barnes (15 points) and Mikal Bridges (14 points, two blocks, 6-of-8 shooting). Bridges made all five of his two-point attempts and canned a Brunson-assisted three, but his jump-out-of-the-seat play was the block of Barrett’s three at the buzzer. I’d say Mikal is ready for opening night.
With our team fumbling and bumbling after the break, the guests gained ground and overran the score, 69-66, with scores from Leonard, Quickley, Barrett, and Murray-Boyles. For the Knicks, Anunoby continued to struggle from yard, having made just 1-of-11 through the preason after his miss early in the third. Diawara committed another foul trying to grab a board, and his fourth infraction in 13 minutes earned him a quick hook.
Remember when Brunson joked that his SNL episode would be like a Knicks playoff game: crappy through three quarters with a big finish at the end? The Knicks still feel like a team that can’t play a complete game. We cheered when Towns dished to a cutting Shamet for a dunk (yes, Shamet!), but no one boxed out Barrett at the other end for an easy response.
Coach Mike Brown wanted this win, we gather, as he left Brunson and Towns on the floor late in the third quarter. Brunson steadied the offense, scoring seven points and dishing two dimes to fuel a 9–0 run. Dadiet made a hook to tie it at 74 (then missed a dunk), and KAT connected from deep to regain the lead. With a 19-5 run—including OG’s first basket after missing seven shots—our heroes finished the frame up, 87-79.
A few times tonight, we saw Jose Alvarado and Drummond playing a nice two-man game. When Andre drove to the cup for a finger-roll, it gave the home team double-digit lead. Alvarado made his first three dingers from deep, too. We’re eager to see more of this dynamic duo. The Dinos went on a Barnes-heavy run and scored eight unanswered to tie the game around the 9:30 mark, but then Alvarado, Anunoby, and Shamet stimulated a seven-point swing to stop the insanity.
The toughest move of the night was Mike Brown refusing to go winless this preseason. At 8:28, he subbed Brunson, Towns, and Diawara in to hold the lead alongside Shamet and Anunoby. OAKAAKUYOAKs Barrett and Quickley would not willingly roll over on their old home court, however, scoring their 21st and 18th points respectively. For a scrimmage, this one was competitive late.
When Towns sat at 5:15, his box score read 13 points, 15 boards, and nine assists and his team clung to a six-point advantage. It would be up to the reserves to close out the dub: Tyler Kolek, Tyler Nickel, Dadiet, Diawara, and James Wiseman.
Tonight we got just four minutes of Wiseman, who seems to have secured the third-string center spot with today’s annoucement that Drew Eubanks has a torn pectoral.
With a minute to go, Jaden Bradley had tied the score at 117. From there, though, the Tylers combined for five points (including a trey for Kolek) that offset a late bucket by Malachi Smith. These games don’t count, but this one sure had some fun moments.
It’s no secret the connection that Knicks fans of a certain generation feel toward the 1972-73 championship-winning squad. But a pair of stars from that team share a deeper connection that was on display Thursday morning in the South Bronx.
Speaking before a packed gymnasium at the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School, two-time NBA champion and former U.S. senator Bill Bradley spoke from the heart about his friend, one-time on-court rival and eventual Knicks teammate, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe.
“The fact that it has Earl Monroe on the [school] name, that might be a little reason why I’m here, but you guys are the reason that makes my heart full. Earl is the reason of my heart, because he is in my heart,” Bradley said with Monroe sitting off to his left and drawing an audible reaction from the school’s students in the crowd. “When you are a teammate and you go to the top, it’s a forever bond, and we did that twice.”
New York Knicks legend Earl Monroe, surrounded by Sen. Bill Bradley, NBA commissioner Adam Silver, and kneeling from left, former Knicks John Starks, Stephon Marbury and Tim Thomas, poses for a photo at the dedication of the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School in the South Bronx, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Bradley, 83, added that his appearance Thursday was “one small way for me to say to my friend, I love you.”
The two Knicks legends were side by side once again to celebrate the opening of the new 69,000-square-foot facility for the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School, a specialized charter school in The Bronx whose curriculum is based around basketball and careers beyond the court.
The school opened in 2021 and provides its 440 students from grades 9-12 with an education in topics ranging from broadcast, print and digital media to law and marketing.
“Everybody can’t play basketball, even though everybody wants to, but there’s so many other aspects of the sports and the game that you can be involved in without being the sports person,” Monroe, 81, said after the event. “I think that this is an excellent way for people to be involved in the sport and still get the same satisfaction as scoring a basket.”
New York Knicks legend Sen. Bill Bradley, left, shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The ribbon-cutting ceremony drew a star-studded list of guests, including former Knicks stars John Starks and Stephon Marbury, Knicks celebrity superfan Tracy Morgan, ESPN personality Mike Greenberg, who hosted the event, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
Silver noted how fitting it was that Thursday’s ceremony was taking place after the Knicks ended their 53-year championship drought this past summer, making them the first Knicks title squad since Monroe’s 1973 team.
“It felt great,” Monroe said about seeing the Knicks win another title. “We’ve had some great players come through over the years, and finally getting over the hump. Not only just for me, just for the city itself. We’re a city of champs, so we deserve it.”
But the Knicks will have a target on their back this season as defending champions, and repeating is no small task.
Former New York Knick Stephon Marbury takes a selfie at the dedication of the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School in the South Bronx, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Monroe was part of the Baltimore Bullets team that prevented the Knicks from repeating in 1971, knocking them out in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer didn’t seem too worried about the Knicks’ mindset going into this season.
“Certainly, the fact that you’ve won, obviously, it makes it so that you understand that you can win again,” Monroe said. “So I’m quite sure that they’re coming into this thinking that we’re No. 1, and I’ll tell other people to prove that we’re not.”
New York Knicks legends Earl Monroe (right) and former Sen. Bill Bradley attend the dedication of the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School in the South Bronx area of New York on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostNBA commissioner Adam Silver stands with Dan and Abbe Klores as Silver announces the new Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School building will be named after them, in the South Bronx, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
While Monroe and Bradley are forever tied together on the court, from their days playing in the Baker League in Philadelphia through college and into the NBA, Bradley’s lasting memory of Monroe reflected more from what he saw Thursday than on the court.
“This is the Earl Monroe that I know,” Bradley said prior to the start of the ceremony. “From the first day I met him, when we had a shootout at Bry Pope Baptist Church in Philadelphia in the summertime, Earl Monroe was interested in the community, and this is the epitome of being interested in the community.”
The Knicks looked like their championship selves Thursday night, beating the Toronto Raptors, 122-120, in their final preseason contest. New York finished the preseason 1-4.
Here are the takeaways...
-- New York mounted its strongest performance of the preseason, avenging (can you seek revenge for a preseason game?) its 50-point loss to the Raptors on Tuesday. Despite falling behind early, New York quickly took the lead with confident threes, quick drives to the basket, and clean rebounds.
Overall, the team shot 48 percent from the field, 36 percent from behind the three-point line, and 78 percent from the free-throw line — the first two representing preseason bests.
-- Though coach Mike Brown stayed true to his pregame promise of treating the matchup like a dress rehearsal for the regular season, affording his five starters — Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mo Diawara — real starter minutes for the first time, the winning effort came from players up and down the roster. (Diawara was starting in place of Josh Hart, who missed the game with ankle soreness.)
Eleven different Knicks saw the court across the first half. Every one of them scored at least two points, and six grabbed five or more. Aside from Pacome Dadiet, they each played six-plus minutes.
-- Brunson, though, drove the effort, racking up 20 points, three rebounds, and seven assists across 29 minutes of play. He also went 5-for-6 from the free-throw line and landed his single three-point attempt.
-- Towns had a huge impact at the high post, recording one-third of the Knicks' 21 first-half assists (7 of 21) and rebounds (9 of 27). He finished the game just one assist shy of a preseason triple-double (13 points, 15 assists, 9 rebounds).
-- After waiving Tony Bradley and Drew Eubanksduring the day Thursday, the Knicks were left with just two candidates looking to fill the highly contested final slot: James Wiseman and Bruce Brown.
Only Wiseman played, and he only took the court in the waning minutes of the game. In that four-minute stint, he recorded two points and one rebound.
-- Though Miles McBride sat out much of the latter half of the game, the longest-tenured Knick carried the first quarter on his back, ending the frame with three-straight triples and going 3-for-6 both from the field and from the arc.
-- Toronto's Jaden Bradley, a 2026 second-round draft pick, tied the game at 117 with less than a minute left, landing a field goal and earning a free throw on a foul from Tyler Kolek, but the Knicks pulled ahead again by the end thanks to a three from Kolek and two foul shots from Tyler Nickel.
-- Scottie Barnes (23 points, 4-for-5 from beyond the arc), as well as former Knicks RJ Barrett (21 points) and Immanuel Quickley (18 points), kept the Raptors in the mix, but their efforts to topple the reigning NBA champions once again fell just short.
Game MVP: Scottie Barnes
The 25-year-old guard led all players in points (23).
The Knicks will kick off their title defense with the first game of the 2026-27 regular season at MSG, hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 20. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
In an ideal world, by now the Lakers would’ve already gotten at least one look at what their team would look like with close to their full roster available.
But that’s not the situation the Lakers find themselves in entering Friday’s preseason finale against the Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.
It’s also not a matter that coach JJ Redick is worrying about, with his team primed to getting closer to being whole before the games start to matter in the standings next week.
“Can’t control it, so it’s not even a concern,” the Lakers coach said. “Play the guys you can play.”
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick reacts to play in the first half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. AP
Thursday provided optimism that the Lakers will have more guys available to play in their final exhibition after multiple key players sat out the previous four games.
Ziaire Williams is trending in the right direction after dealing with left foot swelling, fully participating in Thursday’s practice after sitting out the previous three exhibitions.
Luka Doncic also fully participated after getting the night off against the Warriors on Tuesday.
Which means the Lakers could have their preferred starting lineup available against the Nuggets for the first time this preseason.
But even with a healthier roster, the Lakers still need to show they can improve in two key areas before the Oct. 21 regular-season opener against the Warriors: defensive rebounding and ball security.
Both have been areas of struggle over the last couple of weeks.
Which is why it was a significant focus of Thursday’s practice.
“I’d like us to do a better job taking care of the basketball, and I’d like us to do a better job on the defensive glass,” Redick said. “Those two things, showing improvement there, showing a heightened awareness offensively of being organized with certain groups, and the heightened awareness of not playing in a crowd and just making a simple play.
“And then defensively, we did three different box-out drills [on Thursday] at practice; it’s a point of emphasis going forward.”
It’s clear why those areas are being emphasized.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Walker Kessler (14) high fives a teammate during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers had the third-worst defensive rebounding rate (63.1%) and second-worst turnover rate (24.1%) among all teams that’ve played in the preseason entering Thursday.
They emphasized reducing their turnovers before playing the Warriors this week but recorded 30 giveaways.
“Just like a bunch of new guys,” Quentin Grimes said of the Lakers’ ball security issues. “You don’t know where guys might cut, guys might spot up, you don’t know guys’ tendencies right now. Like some guys play in certain preseason games, some guys don’t, but it’s getting those reps in with each other, figuring out where guys like the ball, where they don’t cut when you got the ball, stuff like that. So guys are just trying to figure out a rhythm, but once we get that rhythm and the spacing and stuff like that, it’ll calm down, for sure.”
Walker Kessler’s return helped on the defensive glass against the Warriors — at least for the first half that he played before sitting out the second half.
Having Williams, the Lakers’ second-tallest player at 6-foot-10, should also help.
“It just takes all five of us to gang rebound,” Williams said. “Especially when [Kessler’s] not in. We just gotta do a better job of just wanting it a little bit more. We’ll get there.”
SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 14: Jamaree Bouyea #17 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 14, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the NBA season beginning in five days, the Phoenix Suns are narrowing down who the final members of their regular-season roster will be, and it appears they’ve likely decided on who the last standard roster spot is going to, according to Arizona Sports insider John Gambadoro.
Based on what I have heard and the way he has played Jamaree Bouyea will earn the 14th roster spot for the Phoenix Suns. Bouyea had 15 points (7-11 FG, 1-2 3Ptr), eight assists, four rebounds and one steal in 28 minutes last night. I do not expect the Suns to fill the 15th…
27-year-old Jamaree Bouyea is in line to stay on the roster after a strong end to last season and a noteworthy preseason. Even though the team can roster 15 players on standard deals, Gambadoro reports they will likely use the flexibility they have for a few of the two-way players they signed this offseason and stay at 14. This means the Suns will most likely cut Haywood Highsmith, who is currently on a non-guaranteed deal.
The 6’2” guard from the University of San Francisco had the best season of his NBA career last year, reaching career highs in points per game and games played. After the team waived Cole Anthony in March, Bouyea’s contract was converted from a two-way to a standard deal.
Known for his quickness, Suns fans saw Bouyea in spurts last season, with his playing time increasing as the season went on. His development into a full-time NBA player is one that team owner Mat Ishbia has lauded as an example of the team’s ability to develop players who’ve been with other teams and can fly under the public’s radar.
While no formal cuts have been made yet and no decisions have been formally announced, expect a slew of announcements on the final roster after tomorrow’s game against the Utah Jazz, their last game of the preseason.
The Suns’ season tips off next Wednesday, October 21st, at 7:00 pm Arizona time when they head to Portland to face the Trailblazers.
Lakers coach JJ Redick and Luka Doncic believe the team could compete for a championship this season.
But is that realistic?
In the Western Conference alone, there’s a Goliath-sized impediment.
You know, the 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama who carried the Spurs to the NBA Finals last postseason before his team blew double-digit leads in four of its five games against the eventual-champion Knicks. Wembanyama, who’s next in line to become the face of the league after LeBron James retires, spent all summer stewing — and plotting.
There’s also a well-established impediment.
You know, two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the Thunder to a championship in 2025 and is now chomping at the bit to carry his team back to the Finals after the Spurs stunned Oklahoma City in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.
The thing with this Lakers team is that their championship hurdles will be as much external as internal.
There are nine new players, including Walker Kessler, who’s going to be an integral part of the Big 3 alongside Doncic and Austin Reaves. There are questions around the team’s perimeter defense. It’s going to take time for everyone to build chemistry. To jell.
Walker Kessler #14 and Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers smile during a game against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Not only do the Lakers have to worry about everyone else. But they have to worry about themselves. What’s their identity?
Redick raised eyebrows when he claimed ahead of media day that he was confident the Lakers would develop into a championship-level team this season.
When asked at Thursday’s practice why he believes that, he didn’t hesitate.
“I think that every season,” Redick said. “Unless somebody blatantly tells me that we’re not trying to win, I think that every year. That’s why I say I’m confident. I said the same thing last year for all of January and February that we were going to figure it out at some point, and we did. And then we had some injuries.”
Redick’s not wrong.
He kept insisting that Doncic, Reaves and LeBron James would work out their kinks. Those words seemed empty at times. But eventually they shape-shifted and came together, going on a 16-2 run last spring before Doncic suffered a strained hamstring and Reaves suffered a strained oblique on April 2.
During that time, Doncic looked like the NBA’s best player, regularly delivering stunning 40-point performances. Reaves looked like an All-Star. And James, who’s arguably the greatest player of all time, wholeheartedly committed to becoming the team’s third offensive option.
Redick has his work cut out for him again.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick attends a news conference before a preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images
Can Walker become an All-Defense-caliber player? Can Redick unlock the potential of guys like Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero, Cameron Carr, Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton and Matisse Thybulle?
Redick has a way of getting through to players.
He got James to agree to be the third option for the first time in his then-23-season career. He helped Luke Kennard transform into an ephemeral star in the first round of the playoffs against the Rockets when Doncic and Reaves were sidelined. He got the best out of defensive juggernaut Marcus Smart.
It’s not far-fetched that he could work wonders with this team. It’s not out of the question that he could make them believe they’ve arrived. It’s not absurd that they could buy into the idea that their time is now.
The Lakers have arguably the best player in the league in Doncic. They have a lot of talent. They have a great coach.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Luka Doncic, right, shoots as Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa defends and head coach Doug Christie watches during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
But they also have holes, such as proven starting forwards and a reliable backup center. There’s a lot of questions around them. They have a lot to prove. Especially against teams that already have most things figured out.
The Thunder have been atop the league together. The Spurs tasted victory before letting it drop out of their mouths like a dog rejecting a healthy snack.
The Lakers are seemingly behind.
But they could get there.
Now, being a championship-level team doesn’t necessarily mean walking away with the Larry O’Brien Trophy. That’s not what Redick is saying. There are too many variables there.
“Being a championship-level team or being a — I don’t like the word ‘contender’ — but being a team that can make a run and can play in the playoffs and can play different ways in the playoffs, those things take time, and it doesn’t mean you’re going to be in the NBA Finals,” Redick said. “It’s just not the way this works, particularly with the way the playoffs work in terms of just matchups and what you can exploit and what you can’t exploit versus certain teams. But I think because of our talent, because of our fit, because of our depth, I really like our team.”
Redick thinks the Lakers could be elite.
They could make the league nervous. If things go right, they could become a threat. They could really be in the mix.
LA has already been actively exploring trade avenues for Jarred Vanderbilt, but have reportedly had no luck in their efforts. As Opening Night quickly approaches, the Lakers are looking to trade Dalton Knecht before the season begins.
The Lakers’ roster crunch doesn’t bode well for Dalton Knecht. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Brett Siegel of Clutch Points reported the latest on the Lakers’ roster battle.
“[Dalton Knecht] will not be apart of this roster long-term,” Siegel said.
Vanderbilt and Knecht have been the odd men out for a while as the new look Lakers embark on the Luka Doncic era. But it appears the Lakers are running out of options in their attempts to part ways with the former, who is currently owed $12 million as Vanderbilt is in the final year of a four-year, $48 million deal.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick looks on during the game against the Golden State Warriors. NBAE via Getty ImagesLos Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka speaks to the media during a press conference. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Lakers have traded Knecht before in February 2025. Knecht was sent to Charlotte in exchange for center Mark Williams before the trade was rescinded.
Since the trade, Knecht has been a non-factor on the court. The Lakers had high hopes for the small forward as the team selected him with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Knecht has shown flashes of brilliance in the purple and gold, particularly during his breakout rookie year where he averaged 18.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in the final nine games of November 2024. But his confidence seems to have vanished since the Lakers attempted to trade him to the Hornets.
Now, the Lakers are actively looking to find Knecht a better opportunity elsewhere with an inevitable roster crunch looming.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 07: Collin Sexton #2 of the Chicago Bulls looks on during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on April 7, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — On the eve of their final preseason game against the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers are more concerned with getting healthy than using it as a dress rehearsal.
The Lakers have been shuffling through different lineups and players through the first four games, but haven’t gotten a clear look at their full revamped roster.
“Can’t control it, so it’s not even a concern. Play the guys who can play,” JJ Redick told reporters after practice on Thursday. “We would have loved to have gotten looks with everybody healthy and everybody good to go. But we also have to be smart with an 82-game season.”
Redick added that the decrease to five preseason games has been a blessing in disguise because it afforded Los Angeles double the amount of preseason practice time compared to seasons prior, which is more beneficial when integrating a bunch of new players.
It has also allowed more time for players to heal from injuries, which has been a storyline of these preseason.
Collin Sexton hasn’t suited up for a game and, though his status for Friday’s game against Denver is still up in the air, Redick says he is making good progress toward playing on opening night. Sexton has been dealing with what Redick labeled a lower body/leg injury. Sexton was seen in practice Thursday with his calf taped up.
Los Angeles’ struggles without a tertiary ballhandler have been evident all preseason, and that’s exactly where Sexton slots in.
Ziaire Williams, who played in only the Lakers’ first preseason game, was a full participant in Thursday’s practice. He told reporters that he was dealing with some swelling in his left foot, but that it all looks good now.
“Good,” Williams said on how he’s feeling. “It’s up to the staff now. I’m in good hands. They’ve been taking care of me. See how we feel. But yeah, it’s up to them. I’m ready to go as long as they say I am.”
Redick also noted Adou Thiero was a limited participant in practice, but that it’s just a maintenance thing for him. Cameron Carr was out on Thursday. We last heard that he was dealing with a contusion of some sorts, but haven’t been given much clarity on it.
Other than that, Redick says everyone else appears to be good to go. Asked how important it is to have as many people healthy as possible for their final preseason game, Redick said he doesn’t care about that and is more focused on getting everyone as healthy as possible for the season opener.
“It’s important, just to get game reps together, but health is key,” Williams said. “If you can’t go, you just can’t. It’s not the end of the world. … It’s not worth [it] to risk your body for a game that doesn’t count and then be out for the real game. We have a great staff who’s leading us in the right direction.”
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 13: James Wiseman #35 of the New York Knicks goes up for the rebound during the game against the Toronto Raptors during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 13, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks are back at the Garden tonight, wrapping up their preseason with a second rumble with the Raptors. On Tuesday in Toronto, the Canadian starters demolished the New York reserves by 50. In tonight’s final dress rehearsal, with Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the other Knicks’ starters playing, the fight should be a little more fair.
Tip off is 7:30 p.m. EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is RaptorsHQ. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Extend kindness to your fellow humans. And go Knicks!
Lakers forward Ziaire Williams, tris to stop Kings guard Emanuel Sharp from scoring during a preseason game last week. (Sara Nevis / Associated Press)
He made one of the biggest splashes in the Lakers’ first preseason game. Ziaire Williams set the tone of the Lakers’ new defensive style, pressuring the ball the full length of the court and injecting energy into his teammates. The Sierra Canyon High alumnus sank three three-pointers in a stellar debut for his hometown team.
Then came the swelling in his left foot.
After a minor injury slowed Williams’ preseason ascent, the 6-foot-9 forward could be in position to return to the lineup for the Lakers’ preseason finale at 7:30 p.m. Friday against the visiting Denver Nuggets. Williams practiced fully Thursday after missing the last three games. He’ll leave the final call up to the Lakers’ medical staff as the team tries to maximize its preseason preparation.
“It’s important, man, just to get game reps with each other, but health is key,” said Williams, who had 13 points and a steal as a starter in the preseason opener against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 5. “If you can’t go, you just can’t. It’s not the end of the world. Going back to championship identity, we’re looking ahead at the bigger picture. So it’s not worth [it] to risk your body for a game that doesn’t count and then be out for the real games.”
With nine new players, the Lakers needed training camp and preseason games to build chemistry as a group. Small injuries to several players interrupted the process, but with one fewer preseason game than last year and almost double the total practice days, coach JJ Redick said integrating new players still has “been pretty seamless.”
“We would love to have gotten looks with everybody healthy and everybody good to go,” Redick said, “but we also have to be smart with an 82-game season.”
The Lakers debuted new center Walker Kessler only this week, and the star acquisition who jammed a pinky finger early in training camp still has not played in a game with guard Luka Doncic, who was held out of Tuesday’s game for a planned rest day. Doncic participated fully in practice Thursday, as did forward Adou Thiero, who sat out Tuesday because of “maintenance,” Redick said. Rookie Cameron Carr (undisclosed) remained out of practice Thursday after missing the last two games.
Guard Quentin Grimes has been a preseason iron man. The free-agent signing who is angling for a starting position has played a team-high 97 minutes in four preseason games. With Doncic and Austin Reaves playing together only once in the first four games, Grimes has filled a larger ballhandling role than he might have if the Lakers were at full strength. The 26-year-old guard who is on his fifth team in six seasons credited his journeyman history for helping him get comfortable with a do-it-all role.
“I’ve done a good job of just creating offense, creating opportunities whether that be for myself or for teammates, getting everybody involved,” said Grimes, who is averaging 12.3 points and 2.5 assists on 53.3% shooting in the preseason. “I feel like this team allows me to play on the ball, off the ball in any situation. I feel like I’ve played that kind of [role at] every stop.”
Collin Sexton is the only offseason acquisition who has not made his Lakers debut. Battling a lower leg injury, Sexton participated in all of practice except for periods of live play Thursday. After practice, the guard was seen with kinesiology tape snaking up his right calf while working on the court with assistant coaches.
Sexton’s presence could help stabilize the Lakers’ offense, which is averaging 25.3 turnovers during the preseason.
When Sexton was sidelined at the beginning of the preseason, Redick said he was not worried about the guard’s status for the Oct. 21 season opener against Golden State. When asked Thursday about Sexton’s availability, Redick said simply he was “trending in the right direction.”
MACAU, CHINA - OCTOBER 11: Bruce Thornton #2 of Houston Rockets drives the ball during NBA China Games 2026 between Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets at The Venetian Arena on the Cotai Strip on October 11, 2026 in Macau, China. 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. (Photo by Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Houston Rockets vs. ONT Thunder
October 15th, 2026
Location: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Time: 7:30 PM CST
TV:NBA TV and Space City Home Network Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)
Probable Starting Lineups?
Rockets: Fred Vanvleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun
I truly have no idea what the starting lineups will be for this game, and whether either team will try to play their first string against each other. My sense is, they won’t. This is the Rockets third, and last preseason game, and it will be the fifth and last for OKC, too. NBA preseason basketball wraps up tomorrow night, with the actual season (hooray!) beginning on Tuesday the 20th, which will see the Thudner play the Spurks.
The Rockets will begin their season on Wednesday the 21st, at home against their overseas foe, the Dallas Mavericks.
The following players are listed as Game Time Decisions or Day To Day:
Rockets: Steven Adams, Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, Kevin Durant
OKC: Jaylin Williams, Chetnik Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Thomas Sorber, Nicola Topic – Otega Oweh is out for the season.
There’s a reason I picked Bruce Thornton for the picture. I suspect we might see a good bit of Basher Thornton.
The Lakers provided a positive update on one of their potential starters on Thursday.
Ziaire Williams was a full participant in the team’s practice ahead of Friday’s preseason finale against the Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers forward Ziaire Williams fully participated in practice. Khobi Price
The 6-foot-10 forward missed the team’s previous three preseason games after dealing with “a little bit of swelling” in his left foot.
“No idea actually,” Williams responded when asked what caused the swelling. “But the swelling is back down and I was getting up and down and it felt great.”
Ziaire Williams says he's feeling great after dealing with "a little bit of swelling" in his left foot.
His status for tomorrow after missing the previous three preseason games?
"Good. It's up to the staff now. I'm in good hands. They've been taking care of me. See how we… pic.twitter.com/27btQpgrjL
The Lakers haven’t filled those starting slots yet.
“It’s great competition,” Quentin Grimes said. “Everybody wants competition, everybody wants to compete for something, fight for something, earn something. Nothing’s given, so I think it just creates a healthy competition within the team.”
Williams appeared to be optimistic about his available for Friday’s matchup against the Nuggets.
Ziaire Williams (11) was praised for the fullcourt defensive pressure he showed in his lone preseason game with the Lakers so far. NBAE via Getty Images
“Good – it’s up to the staff now,” the former Sierra Canyon star said. “I’m in good hands. They’ve been taking care of me. See how we feel. But yeah, it’s up to them. I’m ready to go as long as they say I am.”
Doncic also fully participated in Thursday’s practice after sitting out of Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors.
Guard Collin Sexton participated in all of the team’s drills but didn’t play in the live scrimmage against his teammates, according to Redick.
“He did some up and down drills vs. coaches,” Redick added, “and then we played live the rest of practice.”
Sexton, who hasn’t played in a preseason game, “trending in the right direction” for the Oct. 21 regular season opener against the Warriors in Los Angeles, according to Redick.
Second-year forward Adou Thiero (maintenance) was a partial participant in practice, while rookie wing Cameron Carr was out.
Collin Sexton’s status for the regular season opener against the Warriors next week is trending in the right direction, according to coach JJ Redick. NBAE via Getty Images
Arkansas men’s college basketball coach John Calipari was too intimidated to approach pop megastar Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden for the Knicks-Spurs Game 4 of the NBA Finals earlier this year.
During an interview on the “Eye on College Basketball” podcast on Thursday, Calipari explained that he was embarrassed to go up to Swift and acted like he was on his phone.
“I’m in the back corner just kind of watching, and Taylor Swift was there,” Calipari said, painting a picture of a star-studded “dugout” area where celebrities were mingling at the game. “I was embarrassed to go up to her. She was talking to whoever she was talking to, Adam Sandler and his wife [Jackie].
John Calipari closed down SEC Media Days with me at the third-floor bar last night and shared a hilarious story about how he was too scared to say hello to Taylor Swift during the NBA Finals. The phone detail at the end is incredible. pic.twitter.com/F6GdX105NS
“Normally I take a picture, and then I send it to my daughters and stuff. I was intimidated. [Swift] came up and was bubbly, and then I’m sitting here at this table. She’s at the other end. Adam and his wife go up. They converse…
“… Chris Rock is with his mom [Rosalie] right there. I’m fine, ‘Chris, how are ya?’ But she walked up. And what I did was this. I took my phone, and I acted like I was on my phone. I wasn’t on my phone, but I acted like I was… intimidated,” Calipari said.
Singer Taylor Swift sits on Celebrity Row during the second quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden in New York, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I didn’t get invited. I was kind of disappointed, but, you know, things happen,” Calipari joked.
Calipari shared a photo he took with Sandler and his wife while sitting on Celebrity Row for the Game 4 thriller at MSG.
“I got to spend some time with all the Knicks Alums, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock but I was too nervous to introduce myself to Taylor Swift! LOL!” Calipari said at the time.
Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook in Birmingham, Ala., Wednesday, October 14, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
