Derrin Horton’s first job was in public address announcing. His first passion was the Lakers. The longtime sports broadcaster’s new job is the marriage of both.
Horton will take over the mic as the Lakers’ home public-address announcer, the team announced Thursday, stepping into the role for legendary Lakers announcer Lawrence Tanter, who died last week.
“There’s no way you can fill his shoes,” Horton said in an interview with local reporters. “And so you just come here with a passion and a goal to be informative and entertaining and be a part of Showtime.”
Tanter, who provided the smooth, baritone soundtrack for Lakers home games for 43 seasons, suffered a stroke on March 17 and missed the final six regular-season home games and the playoffs last season. Tanter announced his retirement in June, transitioning to a game-day advisory role with the team. Horton, a former KTLA broadcaster who has worked as an anchor, reporter, host, play-by-play announcer and voice actor, reached out to the team about the opportunity.
Horton showed up to his audition and instinctively tried to emulate Tanter’s signature baritone voice. He wanted to sound like what he thought the classic PA announcers should sound like. Lakers president and chief business officer Lon Rosen stopped the tryout in mid-sentence.
“He said, ‘Hey! Knock it off! I want to hear your voice,’” Horton said. “And so I just was myself.”
Horton’s new role is a return to his roots. Before carving out a career in sports broadcasting and voice acting, Horton was just a teenaged high school basketball reject. Not good enough to play on the team, he found his first job in communications as the PA announcer for Holy Cross High in Queens. The New York City-raised Syracuse alumnus has been enamored with the Lakers since the Showtime era. He doesn’t think enthusiasm will be a problem; Horton considers himself a diehard Lakers fan.
And he knows what Lakers fans want at a game.
“They’re there to see the Lakers,” Horton said. “So what I do is just try to enhance the experience like a little salt and pepper. Season it up a little bit.”
The Lakers have their first home preseason game Oct. 8 against the Sacramento Kings. Horton said he is focused on informing fans and mastering the fundamentals. He has been working on player names and practiced at several Sparks games to understand the rhythm of professional basketball. The broadcaster said he favors understated and professional PA announcing. The style that made Tanter famous.
Horton considered the Lakers announcing legend a friend. Tanter even recorded an introduction for Horton’s wedding, announcing the newlyweds as they entered the reception: “‘For the very first time,’” Horton said, dropping his voice low like Tanter’s “‘Mr. Derrin and Elise Horton!’”
Horton wished he could have spoken to Tanter ahead of the first game.
“We’re going to miss him,” Horton said, “and I hope I do him proud.”
Scouting department change
The Lakers hired Pooh Jeter as director of pro scouting, The Times confirmed Thursday. The L.A. native was the Portland Trail Blazers’ player development coach and the assistant general manager of the team’s G League affiliate Rip City Remix.
After an ownership change in 2025, the Lakers have worked to build out their front office, following the lead of the Dodgers. After adding more than 15 people to the front office, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said, the Lakers were still focused on adding more scouts.
Staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this report.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 13: The sneakers worn by Jalen Crutcher #40 of the Orlando Magic during the game against the Toronto Raptors during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 13, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CAMDEN, NJ - SEPTEMBER 28: Jaylen Brown #7, Joel Embiid #21, LeBron James #23, Tyrese Maxey #0, and VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers pose for a portrait on NBA media day on September 28, 2026 at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jabari Walker is unlikely to be in the Sixers’ rotation to start the 2026-27 season.
As a guy who had to work his way up from a two-way spot to a standard deal last season, he understands his role is simply to be ready, no matter what the team asks of him.
“I’m more in the mindset of just doing what I can every day to be an asset to this team,” Walker said. “These are my brothers at the end of the day. … I have a relationship with all of them, so it’s something bigger than just being a teammate.”
While Walker’s mentality is ideal for the 14th guy on the roster, it was a sentiment shared by many on media day Monday — including from arguably the best player to ever walk the earth, LeBron James.
VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft who was named to the All-Rookie First Team, has been a topic of conversation. How will Edgecombe adjust his game while still developing alongside such a star-studded team?
James made a simple point — everyone will have to adjust.
Including the 41-year-old, 22-time All-Star.
“I think with the group of guys, no one mentioned that everybody’s role will probably be different,” James said. “And that’s for the greater good, if we want to accomplish something that’s really, really important. Like if we say that we want to be something special, there will be a collective sacrificing in a good way. Sometimes in sports, people hear sacrificing … people start thinking negatively about it. It’s not a negative thing.”
Every player, including the team’s stars, shared that sentiment. When Jaylen Brown was asked who would be the “alpha” on this Sixers team by a national reporter, Brown dismissed the question immediately. After all, even the person who came up with the theory of the “alpha wolf” has since debunked his own research. In fact, we’ve learned wolf packs are simply regular families, doing whatever is necessary for survival.
Maybe not an apples-to-apples comparison to a professional basketball team, but everyone has to eat. In the case of the Sixers, they’ll be looking to wins over stats for nourishment.
“Like [James] said, sacrifice has a negative connotation, but has its perks and its benefits,” Brown said. “Anytime you’re going for something great, something of high metric, it’s going to take a level of sacrifice. So that’s just the understanding that someone like him, who has been great all his life, he understands sacrifice at a high level, and I agree with him.”
Nobody has felt the pain of the Sixers’ recent failures more than Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Embiid is by far the longest-tenured Sixer. In fact, he’s the third longest-tenured athlete in Philadelphia after the Flyers’ Sean Couturier and Eagles’ Lane Johnson. After Embiid is Maxey. The drop-off to the third longest-tenured Sixer is quite steep.
It’s obvious they’re willing to scale back in any capacity in order to finally get over the second-round hump and win the franchise’s first championship since before LeBron was born.
“One through 17, 18, we got the talent. Whatever,” Maxey said. “But if we’re not willing to sacrifice, we’re not willing to put in the work, it ain’t gonna mean nothing.”
“I think it’s hard to win,” Embiid said. “I haven’t done it. Feel like I know what it takes, but it is hard to win, man. You need that consistency. You need to get guys on the same page. But feel like this year we have that.”
After the first day of training camp, the team’s first full practice together, head coach Nick Nurse didn’t like the use of the word “sacrifice.”
“Sacrifice just seems like such a negative term to me,” Nurse said at practice Monday, “and I’d rather like really emphasize being who you are, right? But maybe we need you to do something super special for our team at this moment, and you have the abilities to do it. Then let’s do it.”
But luckily for him, his players don’t see it that way.
James’ perspective was a little different. Instead of viewing the word “sacrifice” as a negative, why can’t it be a positive?
“So many guys that’s been in our league over the course of my career that’s never made a sacrifice in their career,” James said, “and they average 20, 22 points per game and they’ve had one or two postseason appearances and zero postseason wins. If that’s the way you want your career to be then, that’s fine, everyone has different goals. But I don’t think anybody downstairs or I don’t think anybody in the locker room, have that feeling, or want their career to be like that, or we wouldn’t be here.”
Sacrificing for a greater good is not only positive, but laudable.
From LeBron James to Jabari Walker and every player in between, it’s what the Sixers will have to do to accomplish their ultimate goal.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 28: TristanVukcevic #00 of the Washington Wizards poses for a portrait during NBA media day on September 28, 2026 at Capital One Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Wizards forward/center Tristan Vukčević sustained a left hip impingement and will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks, the Wizards announced Thursday.
The Washington Wizards announced today that forward/center Tristan Vukčević has sustained a left hip impingement.
Vukčević will remain a partial participant in training camp as he continues his rehabilitation work. He will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks.
Vukcevic had been a partial participant during the first two days of training camp. He’ll continue to be a partial participant throughout the remainder of camp.
The 23-year-old averaged 9.0 points and 3.0 rebounds across 49 appearances last season. He shot 47.9% from the field and 34.7% from 3-point range.
Vukcevic projected as Washington’s third-string center behind Alex Sarr and Deandre Ayton. He can play some forward as well, as showcased by his impressive shooting touch for a 7-footer.
Sports betting is everywhere. One place – or person, rather – where you won’t find any support is with San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama.
According to the American Gaming Association, sports betting revenue surged to a record $16.96 billion in 2025, a staggering 22.8% year-over-year increase. That figure was bolstered by a 22% annual growth of the online sports betting market.
Despite the popularity, and despite the potential revenue Wembanyama could net, he’s not interested in those endorsements.
“Absolutely not,” Wembanyama told reporters Thursday, Oct. 1 when asked if he would ever become a brand ambassador for a sports gambling company. “I would never do that. Honestly, I think it’s very sad to see some players promote it, in my opinion. Everybody does whatever they want, but without me.”
As the landscape for sports betting and prediction markets has exploded in recent years, several players have profited by signing deals to endorse these companies.
Recently, LeBron James’ previous deal with DraftKings expired, so he partnered with Polymarket. In February 2026, Giannis Antetokounmpo took a passive equity stake in Kalshi that is less than 1%, and he’s doing promotional work for the prediction market. Boardroom, a sports and entertainment media network co-founded by Kevin Durant, has partnered with FanDuel, with Durant frequently appearing in ads and even floating proposed parlay bets that fans and users can tail.
Wembanyama, 22, has repeatedly been outspoken about several cultural and societal issues, from his rejection of soda products, to saying he was “horrified” of fatal shootings of civilians by federal immigration enforcement officers.
Similarly, Wembanyama has expressed a desire to be very intentional about the brands he partners with.
“In the past, a dimension of money, but not anymore,” Wembanyama said. “But even with that, I refused much, much more money than I’ve made for things that were not to my values. And now I want to promote things that have a good impact, have a good influence with who I can share messages and values. The one thing that’s very important for me: our biggest strength is not our millions and millions (of dollars), our biggest strength is by inspiring. And we can inspire in a good or bad way.
“I want to inspire in a good way; that’s the strongest thing I can do.”
PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 28: Jalen Green #4 and Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns poses for a portrait during NBA Media Day on September 28, 2026 at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
My annual “5 Lineups to look forward to” piece is finally here. The season must be getting closer, folks.
This is one of the deepest Suns teams in recent memory, even with the Mark Williams injury factored in. Thinking back to some of the past issues I’ve done this for, it was slim pickings. Now, I struggled to fit everyone in.
The question is, can Jordan Ott figure out how to maximize that depth with the right combinations and minute distributions? He has the rest of training camp and the preseason to figure it out.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 01: Khaman Maluach #10 and Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns celebrate a win against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on December 01, 2025 in Los Angeles, 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. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This lineup gives the Suns a strong blend of size and athleticism, while keeping just enough scoring on the court between Booker and Brooks to make it work. On paper, assuming Fleming and Maluach both make leaps, this could be the Suns’ best overall defensive unit. Oso may have something to say about that, but either way… this team would cause chaos.
Goodwin at the point of attack. Booker taking on the two. Brooks bodying the smaller wing/forward and Fleming harassing the larger wing/forward, with Maluach lurking in the back line. This could be a winning lineup.
Lineup 2: Bench Mob + Book + Floor Spacing
Collin Gillespie – Luke Kennard – Devin Booker – Jordan Goodwin – Khaman Maluach
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 28: Luke Kennard #8 of the Phoenix Suns poses for a portrait during NBA media day on September 28, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I tried to draft up the most optimal floor spacing unit for Devin Booker. Gillespie and Kennard at the 1 and 2, with Booker playing “up” as a wing and Jordan Goodwin at the 4, anchored by Man Man down low, who can also pick and pop.
This could be a unit we see occasionally, even with Bridges at the 4 here to give Green and Brooks run in a staggered lineup opposite of Book/Bridges. There could be some defensive concerns with this group, but it would questionably be their best shooting combination.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 28: Rasheer Fleming #20 of the Phoenix Suns poses for a portrait during NBA media day on September 28, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This lineup is basically surrounding your two best shooters and small(er) guards with three super athletic players. We may not see this specific lineup a ton, but it could be one of those late-game lineups that gets thrown out there whenever the game is already decided.
Not garbage time, the time just before it hits garbage time, where there’s just too much time left to call it that. That’s when they’d throw this unit out there.
Lineup 4: Balance
Devin Booker – Luke Kennard – Dillon Brooks – Miles Bridges – Oso Ighodaro
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JANUARY 30: Oso Ighodaro #11 of the Phoenix Suns keeps teammate Dillon Brooks #3 away from Nae'Qwan Tomlin #35 and Lonzo Ball #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of an NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on January 30, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Kelsey Grant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This lineup has a decent blend of scoring, shooting, size, and just enough playmaking, with Oso handling some point center duties along with Booker as the primary ball-handler.
It very well could be one of the first subs we see (or Collin Gillespie) to take over Green’s spot alongside the starters for floor spacing or playmaking purposes, depending on what they feel they need most.
Lineup 5: Athleticism over everything
Jalen Green – Miles Bridges – Koa Peat – Rasheer Fleming – Khaman Maluach
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 28: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns poses for a portrait during NBA media day on September 28, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is a very realistic chance that we do not see this lineup next season at all. Miles Bridges at the 2?! Why not. Let’s get weird. It’s a requirement to throw at least one curveball your way in these pieces.
I really wanted to find somewhere to place Pat Spencer. With the Booker/Green backcourt plus Gillespie, Kennard, and Goodwin off the bench, it’s a tough ask. Ryan Dunn was also omitted due to my affinity for Fleming and Peat.
What lineups are you looking forward to the most? Let us know below!
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 28: Kelly Olynyk #8 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 28, 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
During the free agency waiting game this summer, many players were linked to the Golden State Warriors. While the Dubs ultimately went in a different direction, veteran center Kelly Olynyk was one name that came up in multiple reports. Now, it seems, Olynyk was unable to get an offer he wanted from an NBA team this offseason so he’s heading abroad. According to a report by Alessandro Magro of the Italian outlet Superbasket, Olynyk is expected to sign a deal with BC Roma in Italy.
While it’s technically possible that Olynyk could eventually return to the NBA, it seems most likely that his career in the most prestigious basketball league in the world has come to an end after 13 seasons. Now 35, Olynyk began his pro career with the Boston Celtics, who acquired the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft to select him out of Gonzaga.
Olynyk immediately became a mainstay in the Celtics rotation as a valuable stretch big. He would subsequently play for the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, and San Antonio Spurs. Over his NBA career, Olynyk averaged 9.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 21.8 minutes per game on 48.6%/36.9%/79.4% shooting in 842 games (283 starts). However, this past season, Olynyk had the smallest role of his career on the Western Conference champion Spurs. He appeared in just 42 games, averaging just 8.6 minutes per appearance.
EL SEGUNDO, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Quentin Grimes #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers poses 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
Aside from Walker Kessler’s four-year, $130 million deal, the largest contract the Los Angeles Lakers handed out to an external free agent this summer went to Quentin Grimes, who signed a four-year, $60 million deal. With two open spots available in the starting lineup to join Kessler, Reaves and Luka Dončić, the Lakers will likely hope one of their biggest money signings of the offseason can solidify himself as a member of that quintet.
Other than Grimes, candidates to earn a starting spot on the wing are players like Jake LaRavia looking to rebound from a tough second half in 2026-27, Ziare Williams trying to fully break through in the NBA and Matisse Thybulle aiming to put a few injury-riddled years behind him. Grimes is embracing that spirit of competition and believes it will ultimately benefit the Lakers.
“You want to be competitive every day in practice. I want to fight for [a starting spot], I want to earn it,” Grimes said. “You don’t want anything handed to you or given out to you. So, I feel like having that competition aspect to go out there and try to fight for a starting spot is going to be big for our team.”
Beyond his floor-spacing and ability to attack closeouts, Grimes was signed for his point-of-attack defense. While he didn’t flourish in that area as much during his time with the Philadelphia 76ers, it was perhaps his greatest skill back when he played for the New York Knicks and he sounds ready to set the tone defensively for a Lakers roster that certainly skews toward the offensive side of the floor.
“I feel like I take a lot of pride defensively…Everybody wants to have responsibility, whatever it is on the court, and mine happens to be defensively,” Grimes said. “I know what I’m capable of offensively and they know that as well.
“So, just to be able to know that and guard the best player every night, take on that challenge, want to be competitive, want to do whatever I can to help this team win. That’s all I want is that responsibility.”
It may have seemed surprising that Bradley Beal chose to re-sign with the Clippers this summer.
Gone are Ivica Zubac, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, as well as any chance to compete.
The Clippers were embroiled in the salary cup circumvention scandal, which led to them being stripped of five first-round draft picks, the franchise being given a $30 million fine and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer being suspended for a year, among other penalties.
Bradley Beal of the Los Angeles Clippers poses for a photo at the Los Angeles Clippers Media Day at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. Getty Images
To put it mildly, the Clippers weren’t exactly a shining beacon for free agents.
“Obviously, I’m getting older,” Beal told reporters. “I can go try to win and go chase winning, and I had plenty of opportunities to go do that. But I can’t be of service to them, either, if I’m not healthy. My biggest thing is being healthy and making sure that I can consistently play, consistently be available.”
Beal is a three-time All-Star and averaged more than 30 points in consecutive seasons from 2019-2021. But he has missed at least 29 games the last five seasons due to various injuries. He’s currently out for the start of Clippers training camp because of right knee inflammation.
“It’s been a knock on me the last four or five years. And I can’t shy away from that,” Beal said. “My biggest thing is who gives me the best advantage of being available, being myself consistently. And I have a great relationship with the staff here. And I entrusted them with putting me in that position.
“I feel like if I went anywhere else, I’d be starting all over again, kind of putting a lot of unnecessary stress and pressure on myself to perform and do things. And I can’t answer and necessarily check that box yet. So giving myself time to be able to check some of those boxes before making those types of moves.”
Beal, who only played six games for the Clippers last season after suffering a left hip fracture that required season-ending surgery, is clearly prioritizing his mental and physical health over the prospect of winning a title.
The revamped Heat, who acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo in June, showed interest in Beal in free agency. The Celtics and Warriors had varying degrees of interest in him as well.
Dec 25, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) walks down the court during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The back-to-school-like excitement that surrounds Boston Celtics Training Camp is unmatched. The Patriots stink, Drake Maye may be a fraud, and the Red Sox just played 18 innings of torturous baseball in a humiliating Wild Card Series sweep vs. the rival Yankees.
Many, if not all, Boston sports fans are wondering what Lucky has for them this fall. Washed away in all of the preseason wonder is Payton Pritchard’s new extension eligibility. As of Thursday, the Celtics can offer Pritchard an extra three years for a total of $67 million — roughly $22.3 annually.
The seventh-year guard still has two seasons remaining on his current four-year, $30 million contract. Said deal has become one of the most valuable in the league ever since the former Oregon standout hit his stride two years ago en route to a Sixth Man of the Year worthy campaign. He’s averaged 15.7 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game on 46.8% from the field and a crisp 39.3% from beyond the arc during that span.
There’s no disputing that he’s earned a proper payday at this point.
Pritchard’s recent emergence clearly played a role in the front office’s decision to shake up the roster this summer. His consistency on the ball, last season in particular with Jayson Tatum sidelined for the majority, gave Brad Stevens and Co. the confidence to build a roster with an expanded role for him in mind.
He was more than comfortable being aggressive offensively, and the team was better for it. Quite frankly, the most frustrating part of the playoff collapse against the Philadelphia 76ers was Pritchard’s lower usage as the series went on.
Unfortunately, with the way the league works today with all of the financial restrictions, there’s no guarantee that a deal comes together smoothly. The Celtics have the challenge of trying to maximize every dollar they spend to avoid finding themsleves facing the dreaded apron penalties again.
In 2026, two years before an extension would kick in, it doesn’t feel like there’s much risk to paying Pritchard. The reality that Boston’s executives have to live in is that of 2028. The six-foot-one-inch guard will be entering his age 31 season.
As Celtics fans have witnessed with former small stars like Isaiah Thomas and Kemba Walker, time isn’t always kind to the little guys. Thomas’s career was derailed after his age 27 season when he played through a hip injury in the playoffs, and Walker wasn’t ever the same after his age 30 season when recurring knee issues limited his quickness.
Because of their size disadvantages, small guards typically have to rely on quickness and athleticism to thrive in the NBA.
It would be unfair to put Pritchard in a box and pretend like his game is entirely dependant on his burst. It’s a big part of it, but his elite skills play a huge role too. The West Linn native is the Celtic that I am most confident in every time he fires up a three. His patience on drives and attention to detail with his footwork make him a menance for opposing defenders to deal with.
Neither of those skills should go away with age. In fact, I’m pretty sure most shooters will be able to shoot it until the day they retire.
Paying Pritchard, whatever the number is, will most likley work out for the Celtics. The question is more about their eagerness to get a deal done — something to pay attention to over the next two and a half weeks during No. 11’s eligibility window.
As it does every season, the NBA has a few new points of emphasis for officials to focus on, something reporters were briefed on this week.
Flopping is back on the agenda, it's a point of emphasis. Nobody is happier about it than Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, who said this, via Jon Krawczynski at The Athletic.
"Hopefully the league cleans up this crap, because nobody wants to watch it," Finch said Wednesday. "That's what they said was the feedback from the fans. They're tired of watching the flopping. And we know that it's been rewarded at too high a level, so just stop rewarding the flopping."
The league knows what flopping is when it sees it, they just have to call it.
"We have a really strong definition of what a flop is — it's secondary theatrical exaggerated movements (STEM)," said Monty McCutchen, the NBA's head of referee development and training, when speaking to reporters this week. Definition or not, enforcement of that has been inconsistent (at best) in recent years.
There is nobody in favor of flopping. Where it gets tricky for officials is that embellishment — something not as dramatic as a flop — is legal. For example, a player driving the ball and snapping his head back to embellish any contact is not flopping. It has to be more theatrical than that. Also worth noting, just because a player sits down after a contested corner 3 doesn't mean it's a flop or foul either.
There are other points of emphasis for officials as well.
See below for Part 1 of the 2026-27 Points of Emphasis video (narrated by SVP, Head of Referee Development and Training Monty McCutchen), which provides examples and guidance regarding Off-Arm Push Offs by Offensive Players and Freedom of Movement – Screens: pic.twitter.com/zMMmOK3Kxq
• Off-arm push-offs by offensive player. This has become a growing issue in recent years, with high-profile players — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylen Brown, James Harden — singled out by fans and online referees for pushing off with their off arm. In the NBA's view, a ballhandler can use his off arm to feel for an opponent and be firm to hold a space, but if there is force used by the arm — particularly a push-off — to create space, the focus is to make that an offensive foul call. McCutchen admitted referees haven't been as consistent or as focused on that as they should have been in recent years.
It's a tough line for officials to draw.
"We have players that are going to live on the line where 10 times that they have the ball, they're going to be feeling and firming [with their off arm, which is legal] during a game, and three times during the game they may have full extension or have force," McCutchen said. "You're not allowed to call it because of the name on the back of their jersey."
McCutchen added this could tie into flopping, with defenders exaggerating and selling contact from a player's off-arm in hopes of drawing a call.
• Pushes by screen setters. There was a rise in guys setting legal screens last season, then pushing/shoving the guy trying to get over the screen to create space. The league wants those called.
El Segundo, CA, - September 28, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler participates in the team's media day at the UCLA Health Training Center on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026 in El Segundo, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Whether it’s been head coach JJ Redick or superstar point guard Luka Dončić, excitement surrounding Walker Kessler’s arrival with the revamped Los Angeles Lakers is palpable.
Kessler himself relayed that excitement during Monday’s media day, expressing optimism about his fit alongside Dončić and Austin Reaves, as well as what the organization’s commitment to him means.
“Obviously, playing with guys like Luka and AR that are unbelievable guards, and especially – and even AR in the pick and roll – but Luka in Dallas with playing with kind of a lob threat big, the formula’s been done before and it makes sense,” Kessler said. “As far as the belief they’ve shown in me, it makes me excited for this year. It makes me feel like I can run through a brick wall for this organization, this team, my teammates. I’m just so excited.”
This isn’t the first time that Kessler has said he wants to bust through a wall. Back in July, one of his first quotes as a Laker was a similar sentiment based on having a franchise back him the purple and gold did.
“It definitely makes you feel a certain way when you know an organization believes in you,” Kessler said on Monday during his first media availability since joining the Lakers. “And I think what they’ve invested, they’re showing that belief in a monetary value, not just with money, but like you said, assets. And for me, I’m somebody that if I know that they have that belief in me, I’m gonna run through a brick wall for them. That’s just how I’ve been wired my whole life and it definitely makes it a lot easier to go out there and compete for a team.”
Run through a brick wall is a classic sports truism, so Kessler was asked to explain how that sentiment may manifest on the court. The fifth-year center clarified he’s willing to embrace the little things and the dirty work to help make the Lakers a great team.
Of course, his rim protection and interior scoring are the headlining reasons Los Angeles sought him but nailing the details of his role could take his impact to another level. He seems ready to do exactly that because of the confidence the organization has instilled him.
“For me, it’s just doing the little things and just competing my tail off every night and doing all the little stuff,” Kessler said. “Whether that’s setting a hard screen, crashing the glass, sprinting the floor, just doing all the things it takes to win. I think when you have someone backing you and someone that shows you the belief that they have in you, it makes it a lot easier to want to make them proud and make them feel like you’re doing your absolute best for them.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 25: Josh Hart of the New York Knicks throws out the ceremonial first pitch before game two of the doubleheader between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 25, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Would you believe the Knicks play basketball tomorrow!?
That’s right, and they do so against the Philadelphia 76ers of all teams, one that surely pays homage to the age of their roster with their moniker.
Here’s the latest we heard straight out of Tarrytown and elsewhere on Wednesday.
Mike Brown
On eventually discussing Miles McBride’s contract situation with him:
“There will probably be a time and place where I talk to him about that because he’s human, and we all want what’s best for ourselves, our families, as well as the organization. That’s a nice balancing act, but at the end of the day, he wants to be here, we want him to be here, and that’s something that I have faith in Leon and Deuce’s representatives to figure that out.”
On staying out of the Knicks’ contract negotiations:
“It literally is the [salary] cap’s above my head. I don’t know how that works, and we’ve got a lot of moving parts as we all know. So I’m gonna let that unfold how it unfolds and in the meantime, we’re all just worried about how we can help each other on the court more than anything else because we know off the court, things get taken care of the right way here.”
On Gregg Popovich reaching out during the Knicks’ playoff run:
“[Pop] is grizzled, experienced. He understands how this works. We actually talked a couple of times during the playoffs. After OG’s tip-in, he called me and talked me through a lot of things. It was great to have conversations with him from time to time.”
On the support he received from the NBA coaching community after winning the championship:
“The coaching community is tight. Everybody wants everybody to do well because they know that the guy across from them is the one that really knows what I’m going through or the other guy’s going through. So because it’s that hard we really try to uplift one another whenever we can and when we won it, a lot of guys reached out if not everybody, and said congratulations in some way shape or form. It was great.”
On the Knicks looking for more centers:
“We’re looking for bigs. We’re looking at that [center] position heavily.”
On adding Tony Bradley and the need for center depth:
“Tony’s a veteran guy that’s still in his prime and has a good feel for the game, knows how to play the game the right way and he’s hurt us in the past. And, to be honest, when a guy hurts you in the past, you tend to remember him more than others. So to be able to add him to camp was a positive for us because, again, I said this last year: KAT has one of the most [difficult] spots out of everybody because I want to move him around when I play him at center. I want to play him at power forward, and at power forward, one through four is interchangeable.
“Same with OG [Anunoby]. OG we put him at the 5 last year. We probably will do it a little bit more this year as well. But to be able to do that, you’ve gotta have enough centers around on the team, so having Tony here with his skill set and feel is definitely a blessing because we’re looking at that position heavily.”
On planning to use Karl-Anthony Towns and OG at multiple positions:
“I want to play him at center, I want to play him at power forward.
“OG, we threw him at the five some last year. We probably will do a little bit more this year as well.”
On Josh Hart suddenly embracing the power forward label for the conditioning test:
“Josh was a power forward but when it came to the conditioning test, the power forwards and centers have an easier time [requirement]. Not much, but an easier time than guards. So all year I was calling him a power forward and he was cool with it but I could tell he didn’t really like it. But as soon as he heard about the conditioning test, he said he was a power forward.”
On wanting to remain with the Knicks for the rest of his career:
“Obviously, I love being in New York. I’d love to continue my career here, end my career here. Best fans, feel like we’ve done, obviously, something great this past year, and the years leading up to that. And I want to continue with this team.
“I’ve addressed a little bit earlier with some comments. But I’ll let the front office and my agency handle that.”
On being disappointed by the lack of a contract extension while remaining professional:
“It’s a little hard at times, but I’m gonna be a professional. I want to go out and do my job. So that’s in my ability, and to help the team win for as long as I’m with the team.”
On not allowing his contract uncertainty to affect his play:
“In a sense, every year you have to prove yourself. I feel like there’s uncertainty across the board for everybody in the league. Everybody’s going for big contracts and this and that. So I don’t let it really bother me. At the end of the day, I just want to go out there and give it my shot, play my best basketball.”
On whether he sees similarities in Mitchell Robinson’s departure and his situation:
“No, no. I mean, at the end of the day, it’s a business.”
On being fully healthy after recovering over the summer:
“I’m feeling a lot better. It’s kind of crazy thinking about how unhealthy I was playing through that playoff run. You go through surgery in an area where you need it. The easy medical term is sports hernia but it was a lot more complex than that. So having a summer under me, getting back fully healthy, it’s been so much better being able to move around how I want to move.
“They took my hip flexor, my abdomen and my groin and they pulled it and they put it in my pelvis and they did it on both sides. So trying to open a door, reach for a remote and everything you do is in that core, in that core section.
“So trying to keep up with those young guys in the Finals was tough.”
On the Knicks moving on from their championship summer:
“The summer that you’re champions, obviously, you only get to experience that for the summer, and then you’re right back to playing. I feel like we all had a good time. Everybody did the right thing over the summer. And we got right back to work when it was time to get back to work.”
On the Knicks’ championship bringing estranged families back together:
“I have people coming to me and saying, ‘I haven’t talked to my family member in 10 years,’ and I’m like, ‘Well, we should not be the reason that’s happening.’ But, you know, that’s cool to hear. Like I said, it’s not what I want to hear, necessarily, but those are cool moments to hear that what we’re doing on the court was able to bring people back together.”
On getting to take the Larry O’Brien Trophy to his high school:
“So you actually get to request it. You have to get approval from the front office and somebody in the front office is supposed to have it that weekend. They kindly let me have it, so shout out to Leon [Rose] for that. He let me have it for that weekend.”
"I've never been with a team three years in a row, given the camp deal stuff last year. Just the comfortability with the group alone, that's huge"
Landry Shamet talks about his comfort level with the Knicks and within Mike Brown's system: pic.twitter.com/ipLqKvjnUb
“It definitely gives you a sense of perspective and appreciation that I’m grateful for. To be believed in and have that offered to me, for me and [his fiancée] Cammi to be able to stay here in New York and continue to grow this thing, it’s pretty special. To be asked to be a part of it is humbling and I’m grateful for it every day. It means a lot.”
On feeling proud after earning long-term security with the Knicks:
“In a way, it just makes me proud of myself. That’s why you work through the difficult times and the challenging and the questioning ones. Typically, there’s really good stuff on the other end of that. It feels good, it feels good to be a part of this moving forward. I don’t want to drop my level or get complacent or any of that, that’s definitely not the feeling. It’s more, it just feels good to know that you don’t have that heavy wave right on your ass again this training camp.”
On whether he has rewatched his Eastern Conference Finals 11-of-12-from-three performance:
“I haven’t watched it all back in full, no. I’ve seen little clips.”
On staying ready for his playoff opportunity:
“Playoffs are funny in that way, and I feel like I’ve been privy to that with my past experiences, where you sit and you’re not in the rotation, but you’re one or two games away from being called on, being relied on to do something. I don’t know, I kind of just had a feeling, I’ve seen this movie before. It worked out.”
On what his new contract means after years of uncertainty:
“Last couple of years I’ve been pretty open with you guys. It definitely gives you a sense of perspective and appreciation that I’m grateful for. To be believed in and have that offered to me, for me and Cammi to be able to stay here in New York and continue to grow this thing, it’s pretty special. To be asked to be a part of it is humbling and I’m grateful for it every day. It means a lot.”
"I took it on a date. I took it to my wedding. I couldn't have a wedding without Larry there" 😂
Karl-Anthony Towns talks about spending time with the Larry O'Brien trophy this summer: pic.twitter.com/REeNRDVCwe
On bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy to his wedding:
“I took it on a date. I took it to my wedding. I asked to have it. I couldn’t have a wedding without Larry there, you know?”
On traveling with the trophy and still being amazed by winning it:
“He had a rider and all, and we made sure we got him there first class, and we got it done. So, I spent some time with the trophy this summer, and every time I see the trophy, I still can’t believe it.”
Julius Randle says he’s happy the Knicks won the championship and plans to do the same with the Nets.
“It was a great thing not just for them, for the city…We plan to do the same thing here.”
On being happy for his former Knicks teammates after their championship:
“I’m happy [for the Knicks], man. I kept in touch with guys. I’ve had a lot of great moments here in the city. I spent five years here, my family has grown here; so I was extremely excited, happy for those guys. A lot went into that; it’s not just myself, years before me.
“So, just happy for those guys. I was just last month on a trip with OG [Anunoby] in Brazil, just kicking it, talking with each other. So it was a great thing, not just for them, for the organization, [but] for the city that has craved that — we know how New York is — so has craved that winning formula, winning environment. And we plan to do the same thing here.”
Yankees captain Aaron Judge: “It’s tough to go up against world champs like the Knicks and the run they went on, it was so incredible with the ups & downs. But I got a lot of faith in these guys, man. We’ve got a special group here with a lot of grit.”https://t.co/XQ83Y7ZXz9
On what Knicks and Yankees championships in the same year would mean:
“A Knicks championship in June and a Yankees World Series in October would bring world peace.”
On the Knicks’ championship run and his faith in the Yankees:
“It’s tough to go up against world champs like the Knicks, and the run they went on, it was so incredible with the ups and downs. But I got a lot of faith in these guys, man. We’ve got a special group here with a lot of grit.”
On the Yankees drawing inspiration from the Knicks:
“We’re definitely inspired by the Knicks, and we’ve got to keep the winning going in New York.”
Yanks advance Liberty advance Knicks been advanced It's Winning Time in Gotham pic.twitter.com/IhfJQ63AZu
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 15: Cade Cunningham #2 celebrates with Daniss Jenkins #24 of the Detroit Pistons during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Six of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There might not have been a better story in the NBA’s regular season last year than the Detroit Pistons. After coming up short in the first round of the playoffs in 2025, the Pistons roared back with a vengeance in the 2025-26 regular season, winning 60 games in route to earning the number one seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
The playoffs brought a different challenge, however. Detroit needed an all-time comeback in the first round against the Magic to survive that series, but ultimately their offense failed them in a six-game loss to the Cavaliers in the second round. Jalen Duren was missing in action the entire postseason, which ultimately clouded the offseason in the Motor City. As of this writing, Duren and the Pistons have still yet to come to a long-term agreement. The Pistons did not include him on their media day roster, and the deadline for him to sign the qualifying offer is rapidly approaching.
Detroit Pistons: Over/Under 48.5 wins (-105/-120)
To win Central Division: +130
To win Eastern Conference: +850
To win Finals: +2500
Last season: 62-20, lost in the second round to Cleveland in six games
Key additions: John Collins (via LA Clippers), Ebuka Okorie (17th pick in 2026 Draft), Isaiah Joe (via OKC)
Key losses: Tobias Harris (San Antionio), Caris LeVert (Milwaukee), Isaiah Stewart (Memphis)
DETROIT, MI – MAY 5: Ausar Thompson #9, Cade Cunningham #2, Daniss Jenkins #24 and Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons looks on during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 5, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Cade Cunningham continues to take leaps, as the first time All-NBA first team selection managed a career high in assists last year. A core of he and Ausar Thompson is fun to think about, but Thomspon needs to take a leap offensively to help this team reach its potential. But looking at the rest of this roster, I just have more questions than I did last season. Ebuka Okorie is a great option to play off of Cunningham, but he’s likely a year or two away from slotting into the starting lineup. I don’t believe them to be as deep as they were last year, and the depth that they do have is more limited in what they can do.
Even if the Duren situation works itself out, it’s caused a cloud to hang over this team a bit. It was always going to be tough to replicate the success of last year, but even with the respect that I have for Cade Cunningham, I’m expecting a pretty large step back for Detroit basketball this season.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 28: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards poses for a portrait during Media Day at CareFirst Arena on September 28, 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
The Washington Wizards on Thursday released their 2026-27 promotional schedule, which features an AJ Dybantsa bobblehead night when the Wizards play the Miami Heat on Feb. 10.
Dybantsa will have three separate bobblehead nights throughout his rookie campaign:
Jan. 28: AJ Dybantsa Spider-Man Bobblehead
Feb. 10: AJ Dybantsa Draft Night Bobblehead
March 6: AJ Dybantsa Rookie Edition Bobblehead
The Wizards have released their 2026-27 promotional schedule, which features an AJ Dybantsa bobblehead night when the Wizards play the Miami Heat on Feb. 10.
The Wizards open preseason play on Oct. 8 at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. Their regular-season opener is Oct. 21 at Capital One Arena against the Milwaukee Bucks.
