LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Johni Broome #22 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2026 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks have signed former Philadelphia 76ers forward Johni Broome to a training camp deal, the team announced today; in a related move, the Bucks will waive John Butler Jr. Philadelphia selected Broome with the 35th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, but he spent most of his time with the Delaware Blue Coats on a two-way deal. In the G’, he averaged 21.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.5 BPG, and 1.1 SPG in 26 games before undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in February.
Despite dominating in college with Auburn and playing well with the Blue Coats, Broome struggled in the NBA. He made just 11 appearances for the Sixers last year, posting 0.9 PPG and 1.5 RPG, mainly in garbage time. Moreover, he has yet to develop a consistent perimeter jumper; he shot just 22.9% from beyond the arc in the G League, and is undersized as an NBA center. As such, the bully-ball brand that made him a consensus All-American in college has yet to translate to the NBA. Although he’s produced consistently in the G League, it remains to be seen whether Broome can develop into the high-IQ big scouts hoped for.
This offseason, Broome was traded to the LA Clippers to clear cap space ahead of their signing of guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Clippers then waived Broome a month later amid a roster crunch, leaving him without a team ahead of the 2026-27 season.
As mentioned, to make room for Broome—who will join Milwaukee on a non-guaranteed deal—the Bucks bid farewell to John Butler Jr. Butler joined the Wisconsin Herd a few seasons ago after bouncing around the G League, averaging 9.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 1.7 BPG; he is still expected to rejoin the Herd for the upcoming season, though.
Looking ahead, Broome will likely compete for Milwaukee’s open two-way slot as the preseason continues. If he permanently joins the Bucks, he’d slot in behind a frontcourt rotation that includes Myles Turner, Kel’el Ware, and Jericho Sims at center (along with a lot of unknowns at power forward). That depth could prove necessary ahead of an 82-game season.
Former Knick and current 76ers center Ariel Hukporti suffered a torn right Achilles tendon during Philadelphia’s preseason opener on Monday night.
Hukporti, 24, was injured during the first quarter against the Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena, and an MRI on Tuesday confirmed the injury. The team said that he will undergo surgery.
The big man signed with the 76ers in the offseason to a one-year, $3.4 million contract after playing on the Knicks’ championship-winning 2025-26 team.
New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti reacts to a call during the first quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“When I came back in the locker room, I went to go check on him, ” Brunson said. “Sad to see. Obviously, we’ll pray for him.”
Philadelphia 76ers center Ariel Hukporti (55) sits on the court after an injury during the first quarter of a game against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Monday, October 5, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Knicks head coach Mike Brown also wished Hukporti well after the exhibition game — a 120-97 New York loss.
“We hope Ariel — whatever is wrong with him — he has a speedy recovery and he’s back on the floor,” Brown said. “You hate to see anybody go down with an injury, but especially somebody who is a caliber person who Ariel is.”
ESPN reported that the Sixers are eligible to apply for and receive a $1.7 million disabled player exception.
Per the report, Philly is only $1.8 million below the first apron and would not be able to bring in someone to replace Hukporti without waiving another player or making a trade.
BROOKLYN, NY - SEPTEMBER 28: Julius Randle #30 of the Brooklyn Nets poses for a portrait during NBA Media Day at the Brooklyn Nets HSS Training Center on September 28, 2026 in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Ready or not, it’s time for Brooklyn Nets basketball.
If you aren’t aware by now, it’s a new era in Brooklyn and it should include less tanking, more winning. They’ll face off against the Charlotte Hornets to kick off this so-called new era — both tonight for the preseason debut and also for the Nets season opener on Oct. 21. Preseason doesn’t get much hype, but you can count on the Nets to play hard. After all, most of the regular season rotation is active.
On the other hand, Mikel Brown Jr. rolled his ankle early in training camp and won’t suit up. Sean Marks told reporters at Media Day that he doesn’t anticipate this being a serious injury.
Game Info & Broadcast Details
Who: Brooklyn Nets at Charlotte Hornets
What: Preseason
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 6
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
Channel: YES on DAZN or NBA TV
Injury Report: Who’s Out?
Nets: Mikel Brown Jr. (ankle) and Joshua Jefferson (back).
Hornets: Grant Williams (hamstring), Kon Knueppel (hamstring), Coby White (calf), and Kylan Boswell (knee).
💬 Discussion
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LeBron James fulfilled his dream of becoming the first NBA player to play alongside his son.
Now it’s Bronny’s turn to fulfill his dream.
He wants to be respected as an NBA player. And we all know that was a nearly impossible task while sharing a locker room with LeBron, who’s not only his dad but also one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Bronny turned 22 years old on Tuesday. He’s entering his third season with the Lakers. He’s the third- longest-tenured player on the roster. And he’s no longer under his father’s shadow after LeBron left for the 76ers in free agency over the summer.
It wasn’t a flashy statline by any means, especially not during a time of the year when coaches are experimenting with different lineups, stars are shaking off rust and fringe players are trying to earn a roster spot.
But Bronny doesn’t need to be flashy. He needs to do the small things. He needs to be dependable. Consistent. He needs to undisputedly prove that he’s an NBA player without being in his father’s oversized orbit.
Now’s his chance.
He has been trying to blaze that path for a while. He has been trying to shake off the nepotism label. He has been keeping his head down and putting in the work.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James poses for pictures with NBA photographer Adam Pantozzi during media day in El Segundo, Calif., Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
After he had a 17-point, five-rebound and three-assist performance against the Bucks as a rookie in March 2025, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith even acknowledged that he “might have been wrong” about Bronny’s NBA readiness.
Last season, Bronny went on to earn playoff minutes against the Rockets and Thunder.
This season, he has a new challenge. Really, a new opportunity.
He finally can prove that his NBA career no longer has anything to do with his father. LeBron is out of the locker room. Bronny is on his own.
It’s something he’s clearly embracing.
“I mean, he’s got his own path, and I got my own,” Bronny said at Lakers media day when asked about LeBron leaving the Lakers. “So he knows that I want to make a name for myself and continue my career and keep growing as a player. And he knows that I want to focus on that.”
Bronny spent the first week of Lakers training camp trying to build his “defensive instinct.”
During the offseason, he devoted himself to working on his craft, with one of the focuses being his jump shot.
“I’ve been in the gym all summer working on fluidity and the speed of my release, stuff like that, moving,” Bronny said at Lakers practice on Saturday. “Tied into that, just running a lot. I’m the same weight, 215 or 220-ish, but still slim so I can move fast. Just getting in the gym every day and continuing to keep a routine.”
Los Angeles Lakers player Bronny James (9) is shown during media day at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, Calif., Monday, September 28, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Next season should be telling.
Bronny can finally show the world what he can do without accusations that his father is holding the door open for him. The cries of nepotism will be quieted if he can thrive while LeBron is on the other side of the country.
Really, ever since Bronny entered the league as the the 55th overall pick by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, he has had an impossible task.
LeBron has been the face of the league for two decades. He gets treated differently by players and staffers. Imagine being his son. Imagine being a rookie or a second-year player sharing a locker room with him.
While Bronny spent the last few years talking about how cool it was to play with his father, it’s obvious that he’s also excited to now have a chance to step out from under his father’s enormous shadow.
“I think for me, just the motivating factor of creating my own path and my own career makes me want to get up every day and work hard,” Bronny said.
Bronny James (9) of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket while guarded by Emanuel Sharp (34) of the Sacramento Kings during the second half of a preseason game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, Monday, October 5, 2026. Getty Images
It’s easy to root for Bronny.
He went from having a cardiac arrest that threatened his life as an incoming freshman at USC to making good plays in NBA games. He’s the son of a billionaire. He doesn’t need the scrutiny and pressure of being LeBron James’ son in the NBA. He’s doing this because he loves this.
He earned the respect of his coaches and teammates. He’s likable. He’s humble.
But his detractors were always the loudest ones in the echo chamber.
Even though Bronny was playing better than nearly anyone picked near him in the draft, he was always held to a different standard. He was LeBron’s kid. His bloodline meant that he had to suffer a spotlight that wasn’t meant for him.
Well, that spotlight has moved to Philadelphia.
Bronny is now on his own to forge relationships and earn playing time without one of the most powerful people on the planet standing in the room watching.
And if he does that, his detractors will finally be screaming into a void.
LeBron is gone.
And Bronny now has his first real chance to prove he’s where he’s supposed to be.
HONOLULU, HI - OCTOBER 4: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors warms up before the game against the LA Clippers during the 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 4, 2026 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. 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 Jay Metzger/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors continue their preseason with Tuesday night’s home matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. The game will be played at 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBA TV and NBC Sports Bay Area.
The Warriors lost their preseason opener to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night, 104-101. The veteran starters played just the first half before turning things over to the rest of the roster. Steph Curry looked like his usual self, scoring 10 points in 13 minutes, including 2-of-3 from the three-point line. Meanwhile, Draymond Green and Al Horford made their presence felt on the defensive end, combining for four steals and five rebounds.
Rounding out the starting lineup were Yaxel Lendeborg and Brandin Podziemski, both of whom remained in the game to start the third quarter. Lendeborg continued to impress with his versatility, leading the team with nine rebounds while adding four points, three assists and one block. However, with the Warriors implementing a new offensive approach this season, head coach Steve Kerr and the rest of the team want to see Lendeborg be more aggressive as a scorer.
Steve Kerr mentioned an early third quarter Yaxel Lendeborg mistake where he tried to fit in a pass instead of attempting a layup, leading to turnover and transition 3.
“We need him to have an aggressive scoring mentality and that’s something we are going to work with him on.” pic.twitter.com/oN8SJ4eSUj
While the Warriors’ offseason saw the team bring back a majority of last season’s roster, one of their new additions is backup guard Brandon Williams. The 26-year-old, entering his fifth NBA season, showed off a natural ability to attack the defense off the dribble and finish at the basket, scoring 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field during the preseason opener.
For a Warriors team that has traditionally relied on Curry’s gravity and overall ball movement to generate offense, having someone like Williams off the bench who can create his own shot could add an interesting dynamic to the offense this season.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was left looking for answers after his team’s blowout Week 4 loss in Jacksonville.
He found the answer in Buffalo.
The Patriots bounced back in Week 5 with a thrilling 29-26 victory over the 3-0 Bills. Drake Maye overcame his early-season struggles with three touchdown passes, including the game-winner hauled in one-handed by Efton Chism III. The defense largely held perennial MVP candidate Josh Allen in check.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was an encouraging and hard-fought win for Vrabel’s group. According to Patriots safety Kevin Byard, Vrabel set the tone for New England’s gutsy victory with his pregame messaging.
“I truly believe that the culture of a team is exposed when you face adversity,” Byard said on Tuesday’s Early Edition. “Let’s face it, we got our behinds whooped in Jacksonville. And I think starting from Monday, from the team meeting we had to taking the off day to prep for this team, watching film, and obviously coming in on Wednesday, I think the tone was set that Vrabel kind of spoke the message that the answer to getting ourselves back on track is right in this room.
“We don’t have to search for anything outside of what we already have, believe in what we have, and I think guys kind of really took heed to that. It was very rewarding or just exciting to be able to finally kind of — I won’t say get the monkey off your back, but to go up in Buffalo and get a huge win on the road, first win in Highmark Stadium too as well, so I’m kind of proud of that as well.”
To get his message across, Vrabel referenced the famous clip of Philadelphia 76ers great Allen Iverson stepping over Los Angeles Lakers guard Tyronn Lue in the 2001 NBA Finals. Iverson drilled a 3-pointer over Lue, then stepped over him in what became one of the most iconic snapshots in NBA history.
“He showed a video of the famous Allen Iverson, NBA Finals, making the 3-point shot, stepping over Tyronn Lue. So at first, you don’t really know where he’s going with it. … I think the overall messaging was, ‘it’s time to start stepping over people.’ You know what I mean? It’s time to get back to where we’re stepping over people and making sure that we’re not about to be the team that’s gonna let people bully them. …
“So yeah, I think that was kind of the overarching message to, hey, we are physical. We are a tough team. Let’s, let’s start stepping over people kind of like how A.I. did in that video.”
Vrabel’s Patriots channeled Iverson’s stepover last season, starting 1-2 and finishing 14-3 with division and conference titles. The schedule is tougher this year, and the injuries are mounting, but the mindset is the same.
New England will look to carry its momentum back home as it prepares for a Week 6 showdown with the 3-1 Las Vegas Raiders. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium.
Watch Kevin Byard’s full Early Edition segment below:
SAN FRANCISCO – Schedule makers didn’t do the Warriors any favors for their next game, and the same can be said about the challenges the Los Angeles Lakers faced Tuesday night at Chase Center.
The Lakers were on their second night of a back-to-back after playing the previous night in Sacramento, so head coach JJ Redick decided to not suit up Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler. And the Warriors took advantage in a 124-98 blowout win.
The Warriors led by 14 points after the first quarter, 28 points at halftime and 21 points after three quarters before an eventual 26-point win.
Steph Curry was a plus-26, scoring 16 points in 14 minutes. Draymond Green was a plus-25, making his only shot – a three from the right corner – and handed out eight assists in 15 minutes. The biggest bright spot was the young combination of Yaxel Lendeborg (17 points) and Brandin Podziemski (16 points), who combined for 33 points on 14-of-22 shooting.
On Wednesday, the Warriors will be the ones playing shorthanded on a back-to-back. Curry, Green and Al Horford, among others, won’t even make the trip. But first, the Warriors handled business by playing fast and smart to execute a game plan that gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ first win of the preseason.
New Starting Lineup
All it took was one preseason game for Steve Kerr to tinker with his starting five. It wasn’t his highly touted rookie who took a seat, but the oldest player on his roster. Al Horford was replaced by Gui Santos, who began the game alongside Curry, Podziemski, Lendeborg and Green.
Lendeborg, of course, is new to the group. But the previous four enjoyed a whole lot of success together last season. Curry, Podziemski, Santos and Green were a plus-24 in 2025-26 over 13 games and 70 total minutes, which was Golden State’s second-best four-man group overall. They produced a 111.6 offensive rating and 102.1 defensive rating.
Adding Lendeborg only brought more juice, and Kerr has to be happy with what he saw Tuesday night. The starting five raced out to an 11-2 lead and were ahead 23-13 when Kerr made his first substitutions. Warriors starters combined for 31 points in the first quarter, which is how much the Lakers finished the frame as a team.
The Warriors at halftime were ahead by 28 points, 81-53. The starting five through the first two quarters combined to score 56 points, three more than the Lakers as a whole. Though Curry, Lendeborg and Podziemski were the ones pouring in points, Green dropped dimes to the tune of eight assists and did the dirty work of six points on 2-of-2 shooting, 2 of 2 on free throws and had two rebounds and two assists.
Between Kristaps Porziņģis’ mysterious health issues and managing Horford’s minutes, there’s a strong chance this is the same starting five Kerr uses against the Lakers in LA to open the regular season.
Aggressive Yaxel
The message from Kerr and Lendeborg’s teammates was clear after his first preseason game: Be more aggressive. From the looks of it, Lendeborg listened.
He scored four points and took six shots Sunday in Hawaii. By the end of the first quarter two days later, Lendeborg already was up to seven points on five shot attempts to go with four rebounds and a blocked shot. Lendeborg took advantage of mismatches from the start while still playing his all-around game.
Lendeborg did all his work in the first quarter around the rim, and then drained his first two 3-point attempts of the game in the second quarter on back-to-back possessions – the first off an assist from Green and the second on his own.
His size as a ball-handler is a force that can split the sea. There are numerous ways where Lendeborg automatically has an advantage, and that includes going coast-to-coast on his own.
Lendeborg led the Warriors with a game-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first half and led both sides with eight rebounds. He went 5 of 8 in the paint and made both of his 3-point attempts. The adjustments Lendeborg made after one preseason game were that of a veteran ready to make an instant impact.
Podz Bounces Back
Outside of Curry, the key to the Warriors this season can fall in the hands of Lendeborg and Podziemski. They need Podziemski to continue ascending in his fourth season, and Lendeborg to be the kind of win-now rookie they expected when they drafted him No. 11 overall. If they play in the regular season how they did Tuesday night, both boxes will be checked.
Podziemski was the talk of training camp but then struggled to find his shot Sunday in the Warriors’ first preseason game. In their second, Podziemski provided instant offense. Podziemski completed a four-point play off a 3-pointer at the top of the arc on the Warriors’ first offensive possession and then cut behind his defender the next time down the court.
After scoring seven points on 2-of-10 shooting the other night, Podziemski dropped 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting against the Lakers. Though he missed his other two 3-point attempts, Podziemski was crafty and decisive as a scorer. If the Warriors are going to tread water while down Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, it could be Lendeborg and Podziemski keeping them afloat.
If they’re going to surprise many around the league and be a top six team in the Western Conference, it really could come down to how consistently impactful the duo of Lendeborg and Podziemski are on a nightly basis.
The team announced on Tuesday, Oct. 6, that an MRI confirmed Hukporti suffered a torn right Achilles tendon less than five minutes into the 76ers' exhibition game against the New York Knicks a day earlier. The 7-footer is scheduled to undergo surgery, and ESPN reported the injury is expected to be season-ending for Hukporti.
Ariel Hukporti injury: How it impacts LeBron James, 76ers
The loss of Hukporti is a blow to the Sixers' depth at center, a position that is likely to draw scrutiny given Joel Embiid's injury history and the urgency to win a championship with LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and this star-studded Philadelphia roster.
Embiid hasn't appeared in more than 40 games since the 2022-23 season and his projected back-up, Adem Bona, is also dealing with a foot injury and has yet to participate in team workouts this preseason. Tacko Fall, the 7-foot-5 center who Philadelphia signed to an Exhibit 10 contract, is also sidelined and will be re-evaluated in 7-10 days, according to the team.
Hukporti, 24, signed a one-year, $3.4-million contract to join the 76ers after winning an NBA championship with the Knicks. He played sparingly in New York, but the Sixers viewed him as a developmental piece who could compete for frontcourt minutes, particularly during games in which Embiid doesn't play.
The Sixers are eligible to apply for and get awarded a $1.7 million disabled player exception (half of Hukporti's 2026-27 salary), according to ESPN. Philadelphia opens its regular season against the Knicks on Oct. 20.
Ariel Hukporti stats
Hukporti appeared in 54 regular-season games for the Knicks during the 2025-26 season. He averaged 2.2 points and 2.9 rebounds while averaging less than 10 minutes per game.
SAN FRANCISCO – To the NBA at large, Don Nelson was a Hall of Fame coach known for innovative strategies, savvy business acumen and a unique personality.
To those who played for him during his two terms as coach of the Warriors, Nelson was all that and more. He was their life force, their lifeline and the life of the party.
“I mean,” Matt Barnes said Tuesday night, “I may not be here if it wasn’t for Nellie.”
It was “Nellie Night” at Chase Center, an evening dedicated to the memories of the man who passed away on Aug. 9 at age 86. Nelson coached the Warriors for seven seasons (1988-95) and after 10 years coaching the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks, returned to Golden State in 2006 for four more seasons by the Bay.
1-3-3-5 for 1,335 wins.
Larry Riley, Stephen Jackson, Matt Barnes and Chris Mullin hold jerseys to help celebrate the NBA’s second-winningest coach, Don Nelson on "Nellie Night" 👏 pic.twitter.com/pttGt2QlXl
Nelson was a brilliant coach, but those under his tutelage also pay a debt to the man for things he did not only regarding basketball, but also on a personal level.
“I was bouncing around a little bit at that point in my career,” said Barnes, who joined the Warriors as a free agent in October 2006. “Baron Davis called me one day. I was in (Sacramento). We were having a pickup game at the (Oakland) practice facility. I went out there, played well. I didn’t know Nellie was watching.
“He came down, smelling like cigars. I don’t know if it was beer or (Scotch) that I could smell. One of the two. He put his arm around me, said, ‘Son, where are you going to camp?’ I was like, ‘S–t, coach, I don’t know.’” Barnes ended up with the Warriors.
It was Nelson who, concerned about Chris Mullin’s early-career issues with alcoholism, suspended his star forward and strongly encouraged him to enter a rehab program.
Mullin recovered, becoming a five-time NBA All-Star and a member of the fabled 1992 Dream Team that blew through the Barcelona Summer Olympics with the force of a hurricane. He has been sober since 1987.
Stephen Jackson is another of Nelson’s rehabilitation successes. He was one of the league’s troubled souls, considered a villain for his part as an Indiana Pacer in a brawl with fans at the Detroit Pistons’ arena – the Malice at the Palace – in November 2004. He received a 30-day suspension from the NBA and one year of probation. Less than two years later, he fired a pistol outside an Indianapolis strip club, pleading guilty to one count of criminal recklessness.
Mullin, then Golden State’s general manager, and Nelson decided to take the risk and trade for Jackson – current Golden State GM Mike Dunleavy went to Indy in the deal – in January 2007 and it paid off.
Jackson was a central figure on the “We Believe” Warriors, who reached the NBA playoffs on the last game of the 2007 season and then, as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, toppled the top-seeded Mavericks. Jackson, Barnes and Davis were among the veterans who celebrated at Nelson’s penthouse apartment near Lake Merritt in Oakland.
Jackson concedes that his career – and life – found new direction under Nelson.
“I played for a lot of great coaches,” Jackson said. “But Don Nelson was one coach who showed me he believed in me and gave me the confidence to believe in myself. The only coach to make me a captain in my whole NBA career.
“So, all those things the confidence he gave me on the court and the father figure he was off the court, all those things I hold dear to my heart to this day, and something I’m definitely going to miss.”
Mullin was only person Nelson coached who later became his GM. Indeed, with the Warriors reeling from 12 consecutive losing seasons, Mullin reached out to Nelson and the coach, then 66, decided to sign on for a second act.
“When I called Nellie, I didn’t know if he was done,” Mullin recalled. “And I chatted with him a little bit. He still wanted to coach. It’s like a player that still has got something in the tank. When he came back, he wasn’t coming back just to hang out in the Bay Area. He still had that desire to teach, to make players better, and bring a unit together. He still had that that itch to coach and coach at a high level.”
The “We Believe” season was the high point of Nelson’s second act in Golden State. The Warriors won six more games (48 to 42) the following season but failed to make the postseason. Ownership essentially dismantled the roster, firing Mullin, and Nelson bowed out shortly thereafter as the league’s all-time winningest coach.
He retired his farm in Maui, growing marijuana and playing poker with his friends. Basketball stayed in his blood; when the Warriors hired Steve Kerr in 2014, he reached out to Nelson “to pick his brain.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: The sneakers worn by Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 5: Ariel Hukporti #55 of the Philadelphia 76ers boxes out during the game against the New York Knicks during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Sixers’ preseason opener was the textbook definition of a glass-half-full, glass-half-empty night.
The glass-half-full: Jaylen Brown scored 22 points in 15 minutes. VJ Edgecombe couldn’t buy a bucket from deep, but he chipped in a well-rounded 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds in only 20 minutes of action. Even Jabari Walker shined with 11 points and 11 rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.
The glass-half-empty: The Sixers’ depth at backup center behind Joel Embiid, which already looked flimsy with Adem Bona nursing a foot injury, took another major hit when Ariel Hukporti went down with a torn Achilles only five minutes into the game.
The Sixers spent part of their bi-annual exception to sign Hukporti to a one-year, $3.4 million contract this offseason. Losing him is a blow on multiple fronts, particularly since they don’t have an easy way to replace him.
The Sixers do still have one open standard roster spot, but they’re hard-capped at the $209.0 million first apron. They’re only $1.8 million below that line at the moment, which means they don’t have enough room under the first apron for a veteran-minimum contract for anyone with even a single year of NBA experience. If they wanted to sign someone now, it would have to be an undrafted rookie free agent. That’s not exactly what the doctor ordered for the win-now Sixers.
Minimum contracts begin to prorate downward once the regular season begins, so the Sixers will be able to fill that last roster spot with a free-agent signing starting on Dec. 3. However, they might prefer to keep that spot open until the trade deadline to give themselves some additional flexibility for an in-season addition.
If so, they’ll need to explore alternate ways to replace Hukporti for now.
The easiest would be a two-way contract. The Sixers still have one open two-way spot, and they have 7’6″ center Tacko Fall in training camp on an Exhibit 10 deal. However, Fall is currently nursing a hip strain and is not expected to be reevaluated until mid-October, so he might not be ready for opening night, either.
As other teams begin to trim down their rosters to the 15-man regular-season limit, the Sixers could look to poach someone who gets waived. Their pro scouting department should be working overtime for the next few weeks as they figure out how best to fill that open two-way spot heading into the season.
The Sixers could also explore a trade for a backup big, although their options are fairly limited in that regard for now. Anyone whom they signed this summer is not eligible to be traded until at least Dec. 15 (including Hukporti), so their best options would be moving Dominick Barlow ($3.4 million), Walker ($2.6 million) or Justin Edwards ($2.4 million). They can take more salary than they send out in a trade since they’re under the first apron, but they can’t exceed the first apron under any circumstance. (What are the odds they could pry Jay Huff’s $2.7 million contract away from the Indiana Pacers…?)
If Hukporti is confirmed to be out for the season, the Sixers could apply for a Disabled Player Exception, although it wouldn’t do them much good. It would be worth 50% of Hukporti’s contract, or $1.7 million, which means they could only use it to sign an undrafted rookie free agent or a prorated veteran-minimum deal. If they wanted to use it as a trade exception instead, they couldn’t take back more than $1.8 million (the value of the Disabled Player Exception plus $100,000).
Lastly, they could waive Walker, who has only $250,000 of his $2.6 million contract guaranteed until Jan. 10. If they waive him and sign someone else to a one-year, veteran-minimum deal in his place, they’d add about $100,000 to their books in total, but they’d still be $1.7 million below the first apron. That would leave them enough flexibility to still add someone else mid-season on a prorated minimum contract, although they’d have to wait until roughly mid-December to do so.
To put it lightly, the Sixers don’t have a ton of great options to replace Hukporti right now. If Bona hasn’t recovered from his foot injury by opening night, the Sixers will not have a single healthy backup center behind Embiid. Perhaps they plug the gap with a two-way signee, but they’ll otherwise have to experiment with small-ball 5 looks until Bona returns.
In the games that Embiid sits out, the Sixers’ center rotation is even more of a question mark moving forward. Bona and Hukporti figured to split a majority of the minutes on those nights, but that’s no longer on the table. Head coach Nick Nurse will need to break out his mad-scientist cap and figure out a way to patch a center rotation together. Barlow, Walker and Dean Wade all might wind up playing some minutes at the 5.
Hukporti’s injury is by no means a death knell to the Sixers’ title chances this year, but it shouldn’t be downplayed, either. Until the Sixers figure out a way to patch that hole in their rotation, they’ll be vulnerable in the frontcourt, particularly given Embiid’s lengthy injury history.
DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 22: Naji Marshall #13 of the Dallas Mavericks dunks against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter of the Emirates NBA Cup at Ball Arena on November 22, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If Naji Marshall doesn’t watch himself, the Dallas Mavericks are going to have an international incident on their hands.
It came after a practice session in Southern China as the team prepares for two preseason games against the Houston Rockets. The two teams will play on both Friday and Sunday.
Marshall apparently brought down a rim during the Mavs’ first practice session in China. He was proud of his work, taking time to snap some photos with his trophy before teammate Dereck Lively II slung it over his shoulder and carted it back toward the locker room like a felled piece of game in the wild.
But Marshall’s violent streak didn’t stop there. I mean, you can’t take this guy anywhere, apparently.
He broke a folding chair in the arena after the fact.
“No disrespect — I think I’m took big for China,” Marshall said in the video.
Mavs fans are hoping he brings the same destructive mindset to the court this year as he did last season, when he averaged a career-high mark of 15.2 points on 51% shooting from the field in 29.5 minutes per game, which is also a new career-high.
“Now that Willie, we linked up again, I feel like I’m comfortable. Going into the season, it makes it much more easier,” Marshall told Dallas Sports Journal during training camp. “I feel like easier communication, understanding that we really know each other and he knows how to get to me, I know how to talk to him. So I think it’s beautiful. … He just helped me be more of a dog. Worry less about things I couldn’t control, control what I can. Just worrying about what helps the team and stop worrying so much about myself. For real, a lot of different things, life outside of basketball, he taught me some stuff.”
The Mavericks’ preseason schedule begins on Friday, with a pair of preseason games this weekend at Macao’s Venetian Arena. Tipoff on Friday is scheduled for 7 a.m., and tipoff on Sunday is at the ungodly hour of 5 a.m., which will be an early measuring stick for your status as a Mavs sicko.
Both games will be televised on NBA TV, and for those who don’t get that channel, the Mavericks have you covered, with a stream of both games available here.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: Cameron Carr #43 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after making a three-point shot against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of a preseason game at Golden 1 Center on October 05, 2026 in Sacramento, 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In his first career NBA preseason game, Cameron Carr tallied 19 points (7-of-13 shooting, 3-of-7 from deep), three rebounds, two assists and two steals. He flashed impressive range and a smooth stroke beyond the arc and an ability to take tight routes around screens for space, and looked incredibly fluid covering ground with his 6-foot-5 frame and 7-foot-1 wingspan.
Despite the encouraging preseason opener, Carr conceded postgame there were some jitters flowing through his body.
“I was definitely nervous. It’s real. It’s human so I was definitely nervous,” he told reporters after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 127-103 victory. “But it’s basketball. I enjoy it and have fun, so got to go out there with another opportunity to play basketball and now at the highest level. It’s fun to get to compete with my guys.”
At Baylor a season ago, Carr shot 60.2% on 2-pointers and 37.4% from 3-point range on 6.1 attempts per game. Monday night, he appeared confident as a long-range shooter with seven attempts in 23 minutes and really did seem to read space well inside the arc (4-of-6 shooting on 2s), whether it was efficiently curling around screens to shoot or running in the open floor.
The Lakers’ wing room is crowded — even if not among the roster’s standout areas — with guys like Quentin Grimes, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle and Jake LaRavia (not to mention, Austin Reaves), so it’ll be interesting to see how much serious burn Carr could garner this season. Presumably, he’ll spend a good bit of time in the G League with the South Bay Lakers, receiving plenty of playing time to refine his game, improve his physicality and add strength.
Regardless of how seriously he factors into the Lakers’ rotation this year, his outing Monday night was a positive showing during his first taste of real NBA basketball. Based on his own assessment, it sounds as though he’s ready to keep building on that performance and help the Lakers whenever his number is called.
“Every chance I get to step on the court,” he said, “[I’m] just growing in areas and just getting more comfortable with just playing in the offense and being more efficient.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: Ariel Hukporti #55 of the Philadelphia 76ers is helped off the court after an injury against the New York Knicks during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 120-97. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Ariel Hukporti went down in the opening minutes of the Sixers’ preseason opener, it didn’t look good.
Now we know Hukporti suffered a torn Achilles in his right leg, which will sideline the center for the entire 2026-27 season. The team announced he will have surgery “later today.”
Early in the first quarter, Hukporti was looking good against his former team, the New York Knicks, getting the start for the resting Joel Embiid. Then, while guarding former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, Hukporti went down — there was no contact and Hukporti seemed to know the severity immediately, staying on the ground while grabbing his right leg.
The 24-year-old center, who was born in Germany, began his professional career overseas. During the 2022 preseason, he ruptured his left Achilles while playing for Melborne United of the NBL in Australia. He was selected in the second round of the NBA draft by the Knicks in 2024 and spent the first two seasons of his career in New York.
It’s an injury you hate to see for any player, but especially one in Hukporti’s situation. He served as the Knicks’ third-string center last season and came to the Sixers in free agency this offseason. He was set to compete with the incumbent Adem Bona to be the team’s primary backup five. With Bona sidelined with a foot sprain, Hukporti seemed to be taking advantage of the opportunity. Now, he’ll spend this upcoming season rehabbing.
It puts the Sixers in a tough spot. Backup center is an evergreen position of need here given Embiid’s injury history. With Hukporti going down, Bona is the only true center on the roster, with guys like Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow capable of providing the team a small-ball five look. Even Exhibit 10 signee Tacko Fall is on the shelf with a hip strain and might not return to action in time to earn the Sixers’ final two-way spot.
Part of the issue for the Sixers is that final two-way spot is all that’s available to them to make an addition at the moment. Remember, the Sixers are hard-capped at the first apron since they accessed the full non-taxpayer MLE. They have an open roster spot, but not enough space below the first apron to make a minimum signing until December.
It’s a real test for Mike Gansey’s front office after a sensational offseason.
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 4: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Denver Nuggets plays defense on Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz during the NBA preseason on October 4, 2026 at CU Events Center, Boulder, Colorado. 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a solid preseason opener, the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets shift to Salt Lake City for part 2. One talking point which will undoubtedly be repeated hundreds of times over the course of the season will be this: The tank has been parked, hopefully forever. The Jazz are trying to win and it’s apparent even during preseason.
All eyes are on Jazz rookie Darryn Petersen, who had a rather pedestrian 3/6/2 in 19 forgettable minutes. This is not a cause for panic. Rookies do rookie things. This man has all the tools he needs to be a special player and is in the perfect system to succeed now and continue development. The thing to watch as Will Hardy and the Jazz iron out their wrinkles is whether or how Petersen and Keyonte George share the floor. How does Coach Hardy balance his attack so both guards get their shots? Keyonte had a solid game last night. It appears that he is going to earn every bit of his new contract and then some:
Both guards started game 1, but don’t be surprised to see Ace Bailey or even Svi Mykhailiuk slide into the 2 spot tonight for evaluation. A Keyonte/Ace/Lauri/JJJ/Nurkić lineup would boast a whopping average height of 6’9″ and presents interesting problems for opposing defenses.
Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets—How to Watch:
Who: Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets
Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
When: 7pm Mountain Daylight Time
How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+ (in market) or NBA League Pass (out of market)
