Category: NBA

DETROIT – Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks didn’t waste any time living up to his villain persona.

He drew a technical foul with 7:23 left in the first quarter of Phoenix’s preseason opener on Monday, Oct. 5, against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.

Brooks led the NBA in technical fouls last season with 17.

In Monday’s game, Brooks was guarding Pistons forward John Collins in the paint with his usual physicality. He extended his forearm and made physical contact with Collins, who reacted in a “you see this” fashion with his hands upward.

On the same possession, Collins got an offensive rebound over Brooks, who started reaching for the ball and making more contact by reaching around Collins from behind.

Collins responded by facing Brooks and putting his hand in Brooks’ face with the ball.

DILLON BROOKS AND JOHN COLLINS GET CHIPPY

5 MINS INTO PRESEASON GAME 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ZQQmNF0qYM

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 5, 2026

Referees and security separated the two.

They initially received double technical fouls. After review, Collins was called for a flagrant one penalty. Brooks went to the line and split two free throws.

Brooks is in his second season with the Suns while Collins is in his first with the Pistons.

The Suns had a 68-50 halftime lead.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Dillon Brooks, John Collins involved in dustup in Suns-Pistons preseason game

SACRAMENTO — Adou Thiero is going to have an opportunity with the Lakers he didn’t have this time last year. 

And he’s cherishing it.

The Lakers uber-athletic forward is healthy and available for the team’s preseason slate, starting with Monday’s opener against the Kings at Golden 1 Center. 

It’s a much different place Thiero found himself in this time last year, when he missed the entire 2025 Las Vegas Summer League, 2025 preseason and start of the 2025-26 regular season because of left knee ailments. 

And with the Lakers undergoing a significant roster reconstruction over the summer, Thiero is looking to seize the chance for more playing time.

“I feel like I have a pretty great opportunity in front of me considering the guys that aren’t here anymore,” Thiero said Monday afternoon after the team’s shootaround. “And now everybody’s still trying to figure out where to be at. So that gives me an opportunity to [earn a spot in the rotation].”

Thiero earned a lot of praise for his performance during training camp in the week leading up to Monday’s preseason game.

It came after coach JJ Redick said Thiero had an “unbelievable last two months of development” after having uninterrupted time in the gym for the first time since the Lakers selected the No. 36 pick in the 2025 draft. 

Second-year forward Adou Thiero on the opportunity he sees for himself during the Lakers' preseason, which starts with tonight's exhibition in Sacramento: "I feel like I have a pretty a great opportunity in front of me considering the guys that aren't here anymore. Everybody's… pic.twitter.com/hU7xNj22GH

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) October 5, 2026

“His body’s been in great shape,” Redick said, “and he’s just gotten better.”

Thiero has a better understanding of what the coaching staff wants of him after playing 25 regular games (149 minutes) in 2025-26, six of the Lakers’ 10 playoff games last season and in Summer League in July. 

“It’s different watching it, and then it’s different going in there and actually doing it and understanding it,” Thiero said. “So being able to go out there and actually do it and understand it now, I understand everything a lot better than around this time last year. Last year, they threw me in and I’m still a little confused on some things because that might be my first time actually doing it. And that’s during a live game. But now I’m doing that in practice and everything, I’m a lot more comfortable.”

Austin Reaves said during training camp that Adou Thiero has been asking him a lot of questions since the summer. Adou on what he's asking/learned from Austin: pic.twitter.com/RDvRR0HAm3

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) October 5, 2026

Star guard Austin Reaves said during training camp that Thiero has been asking him a lot of questions since the summer. 

“AR’s one of the best offensive players in the league. So just being able to play defense against him…he’s so crafty, like there’s multiple different ways he can score,” Thiero said. “Shooting, getting to the rim,  floaters, little pull-ups, even whenever he gets into his little foul baiting. So just being able to guard him, that’s setting me up to guard the other players, good offensive players too.”

Thiero’s NBA career trajectory is imperative to the Lakers’ future. 

As Redick put it, “if we can develop the Adou and develop [rookie wing] Cam [Carr] and develop these guys into functional rotation NBA players over the next 12 to 24 months, it changes our ceiling.”

Which makes Thiero’s playing during the next two weeks of preseason a signficant storyline to monitor. 

The Golden State Warriors lost their preseason opener on Sunday in Honolulu, falling 104-101 to the LA Clippers in a game that came down to the wire. If you want to dismiss the results because regulars don’t play as much in the preseason, well … that doesn’t help Golden State’s case, since they trailed by 12 points at halftime, before pulling Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Al Horford.

Instead, try this as a reason to dismiss preseason results: they just don’t matter. And who better to make that point than Curry, who reflected on a fun and productive week in Hawaii, as the team packed up and prepared to return to California.

Steph Curry on his biggest takeaway from the entire training camp in Hawaii:

“We had a very impressive luau at our hotel that included some fire. I don’t want to be, I don’t know the term, but the fire spinning and the tribute dances, travel dances, and all that type of stuff,… pic.twitter.com/dUrh3AQL39

— aly ✶ (@jinthirty) October 5, 2026

“I’ve been in this league 17, or going on 18 years,” the two-time MVP said, after stating that a team luau was the highlight of the first week of camp. “I don’t remember a single preseason game in terms of the outcome, other than Lindy Waters making a buzzer-beater here two years ago.”

A reporter then reminded Curry of a special preseason moment about Kobe Bryant, to which he responded, “That’s also a great one. So we got two. Two out of however many. So we’re not gonna get bogged down by the results of the game.”

It’s generally the consensus that preseason results don’t matter, and there are plenty of data points each year backing that up. There are, admittedly, also plenty of examples suggesting that the preseason is a decent barometer. The Dubs went 6-2 in preseason before winning their first title in 2014-15, and 6-1 two years later, when they won the championship again, before going a league-best 5-0 prior to their shocking 2021-22 championship.

Then again, they went just 2-2 ahead of the title-winning 2017-18 season, and they had a losing 3-4 record in 2015-16, before starting the year with a 24-game winning streak. So yeah … safe to say it doesn’t really matter.

PHILADELPHIA — Former Knicks center Ariel Hukporti suffered a scary noncontact injury just five minutes into his 76ers career.

Hukporti collapsed to the court after planting his foot in Monday’s preseason opener, holding the back of his right ankle before Philly trounced the Knicks 120-97. He was helped off the court by former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns amid concerns of a dreaded Achilles tear.

He left the arena on crutches and in a walking boot.

“Definitely heartbreaking,” Jalen Brunson said. “When I came back in the locker room, I went to go check on him. Sad to see. Obviously, we’ll pray for him.”

Hukporti played two seasons with the Knicks — winning a championship as the third-string center. He signed a one-year, $3.4 million deal over the summer with the Sixers, leaving the Knicks searching for center depth because they also lost second-stringer Mitchell Robinson to the Celtics.

Looks like Ariel Hukporti is off with a non-contact injury. He was helped off the court and checked on by his former Knicks teammates. pic.twitter.com/Aw9tsYt0X6

— Knicks Fan TV (@KnicksFanTv) October 5, 2026

Before Monday’s game, Knicks head coach Mike Brown said he was happy for Hukporti because of the bigger opportunity in Philadelphia. It might not happen now.

“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.”

---

Brunson’s surgically repaired wrist looked fine. The point guard scored 12 points in 15 minutes on 4-for-8 shooting — including 2-for-5 from beyond the arc — in his first game since the procedure in early July to fix a tendon injury.

Otherwise, the Knicks struggled while shooting just 38.5 percent, with the starters playing about 15 minutes apiece.

---

The Sixers injected their roster with star power, and the Knicks understand it makes the road to the Finals tougher.

The Sixers have four multiple-time All-Stars in their starting lineup with newcomers LeBron James and Jaylen Brown joining Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.

---

“They’re just loaded, man,” Brown said. “Multiple-time All-Star, multiple-time All-Star, multiple-time All-Star. … MVP candidate, MVP candidate, MVP candidate. I remember back in the day, [Gregg Popovich] said, when I was an assistant for him with the Spurs, that there is a change from having two All-Stars on your team to having three. He brought it to our attention as a staff. He was like, you need at least three NBA All-Stars, and not just one-offs, but perennial All-Stars, to go win a championship. And you look at the Sixers now, and they got as many All-Stars, or guys of that nature, as they had in Miami when LeBron was down there.”

Still, the unveiling of the new Sixers had to wait. Coach Nick Nurse rested most of his starters — including James and Embiid — while the Knicks played everybody except Jose Alvarado (knee contusion).

“They’re definitely going to be one of the teams that are contending in the East, and in my opinion, it just got harder for everybody with the team that they assembled here,” coach Brown said.

---

Earlier Monday, Towns reiterated that he doesn’t expect an extension agreement before the start of the season. The Knicks have offered four years and approximately $200 million according to sources, which is $77 million less than Towns’ max.

“Simply put, I want to do something to keep the team together and can work with the Knicks and also values me,” Towns said. “And none of those things are close to happening.”

The vibes were high entering the Sixers’ preseason opener Monday vs. the New York Knicks, but the excitement was quickly dampened.

Ariel Hukporti, starting while Joel Embiid sits out, appeared to hurt his leg early in the first quarter while attempting to contest Karl-Anthony Towns. The former Knick seemed to know it was bad right away, telling his teammates to call a timeout. He was helped to the locker room without putting any weight on his right leg.

This is potentially a huge blow for the Sixers. The team signed Hukporti on the second day of free agency to compete for backup big minutes behind Embiid. With Adem Bona already out with a foot sprain, it felt like a big opportunity to establish himself. The 24-year-old big man showed out during the Blue X White Scrimmage over the weekend and was off to a nice start Monday.

With Embiid sitting, Bona still nursing his injury, Dominick Barlow out with a back issue and Exhibit 10 signee Tacko Fall dealing with a hip strain, Jabari Walker was the only player active who resembled a center. Nick Nurse even experiemnted with using Dean Wade as a small-ball five.

Update: 9:37 p.m. ET: After the game Nick Nurse didn’t have an update on Hukporti, but the information he did provide was not encouraging. Nurse told reporters that Hukporti will go in for imaging Tuesday, and they are looking at his right achilles.

If it indeed is the worst case scenario, the Sixers are going to have a hard time replacing him for the season. As Derek Bodner of PHLY pointed out, the Sixers could get a Disabled Player Exception, but they wouldn’t really be able to use it because they’re still hard capped at the first apron. Basically, the only big the Sixers could add before December would have to be a two-way contract.

Point of clarification: If the Ariel Hukporti injury is worst case scenario, and even if Sixers get a Disabled Player Exception as a result, they still would not be able to exceed the first apron, which is a hard cap b/c they used the full, non-tax MLE. The DPE does not clear…

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) October 6, 2026

It seems, in the case of Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks, that someone’s going to have to blink first.

What’s abundantly clear, however, is that there’s a lot of work to do for the franchise to keep its star locked up in the long term, and the prospect that he may be playing his final months as a Knick are suddenly a real possibility.

Towns, the 30-year-old All-Star center who helped propel the Knicks to their first championship in 53 years, is eligible for a four-year extension. He had hoped to ink it before the start of the season. Yet, Towns expressed unfiltered pessimism Monday, Oct. 5 to reporters in Philadelphia, indicating just how far apart the two sides are.

“It don’t look good,” Towns told reporters when asked if he thought both sides could agree to a deal before the regular season opener October 20 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

KNICKS: After summer of adoration, New York gets back to business of title defense

Towns was even more candid later when asked if he thought he deserved a new deal.

“No (expletive), Sherlock,” he said. “I just won a championship. You’d think it would be pretty easy, unless you guys think I have something else to prove.”

Towns was instrumental in New York’s historic postseason run. Aside from NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Jalen Brunson, Towns was easily the second-most important player on the Knicks, and it all started after New York lost two consecutive games in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks, to fall into a 1-2 series hole.

Knicks coach Mike Brown then tweaked the offense to run through Towns, instead of Brunson; Towns took on increased ball-handling and play-making duties, allowing Brunson to play off-ball and tactically choose his spots. The move unlocked a new dimension for New York’s offense, whose +283 point differential smashed an all-time record.

But, to illustrate that point further, the Knicks were particularly dominant when Towns was on the floor. In his 578 postseason minutes, New York outscored opponents by 258 points, giving Towns the best individual plus-minus in a single postseason in the play-by-play era.

But, Knicks owner James Dolan has stressed multiple times that the Knicks will avoid triggering the punitive second apron, which limits financial flexibility. It also gives Knicks president Leon Rose a hard line on how much they can offer their stars. In a parallel situation, this also complicates the negotiations with forward Josh Hart.

KNICKS SEASON PREVIEW: Lineup, roster, prediction and biggest question mark

According to ESPN, the most recent Knicks offer to Towns was worth $200 million, which is well short – more than $75 million short – of what he’s eligible to earn.

Now, none of this precludes the Knicks and Towns from eventually getting a deal done. In the NBA, like in all major sports leagues constrained by a salary cap, things get said in public that can sway perception. This is how high-profile negotiations sometimes work.

Towns and his representatives are trying to extract as much value as they can within New York’s financial landscape. Dolan and the Knicks are trying to get their stars to play on team-friendly deals. At some point, for this partnership to continue, compromise is mandatory.

“Simply put: I want to do something that can keep this team together and work with the Knicks and also values me,” he said. “None of those things have come close to happening.”

This isn’t exactly what a team looking to defend its title wants to be dealing with, but this is simply the system in place with the second apron to contend with.

The immediate concern for the Knicks, at least in the short term, is whether this will affect the team’s play.

Towns has plenty of experience handling adversity; while the Knicks were slogging through their schedule in the first half of last season, his name frequently popped up in trade rumors. Towns eventually responded with that postseason run – the best basketball of his career.

Whispers of trade talks are one thing, but if a player feels undervalued, it’s an entirely different issue to navigate. And the interesting thing is that those trade talks could get even louder.

Towns has a $61 million player option next season. While that is a lot of money, he may feel that he could earn even more on the open market. The Knicks, understandably, would not want to let a player like Towns, the premier stretch five in the NBA, hit the open market without getting anything in return. And a player like Towns – as we saw with the blockbuster that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat – would net a ton of assets.

So where does all of that leave us?

Right now, it’s a game of chicken. And while Knicks fans shouldn’t necessarily be concerned as of right now, these next few weeks and months will be pretty telling. Because the Feb. 11, 2027 trading deadline isn’t all that far away.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks face contract extension stalemate. Where do they go from here?

The Knicks travel to Xfinity Mobile Arena tonight for their inaugural preseason game and their first appearance on the court since beating the Spurs for the NBA Championship (yes, that really happened).

The 76ers are not the same team that New York swept in round two of the playoffs. This offseason, Philly bulked up with additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. Paired with fellow starters Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and V.J. Edgecombe, this squad is built to challenge the throne. Temper your excitement for tonight’s tilt, though: James, Embiid, and Maxey, Anfernee Simons, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, and Tacko Fall are all OUT tonight.

We expect limited minutes for New York’s starters—Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, O.G. (The Big Tipper) Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns—as they continue to get back online after a short summer break. Meanwhile, Coach Mike Brown is eager to see what Mohamed Diawara brings to the table in year two, and who stands out among the centers competing for the third-string spot. Jose Alvarado (knee contusion) is the only Knick on the injury report.

Game time is at 7 p.m. EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Liberty Ballers. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be excellent humans. And go Knicks!

SACRAMENTO — Lakers basketball is back – albeit preseason exhibitions. 

And with the Lakers fully in the preseason swing, certain elements of the season are back to, such as morning shootaround. 

The Lakers held their first shootaround of 2026-27 at Golden 1 Center Monday morning ahead of their preseason-opener against the Kings.

While shootarounds don’t always provide insight into the ongoings of a team, Monday did.

Veteran guard Collin Sexton, who the Lakers signed to a two-year deal in July, had his right lower log/calf area wrapped during the portion of shootaround that was open to the media. 

Sexton’s status is uncertain. 

He got some extra work in with the team’s strength and conditioning staff after Saturday practice, and hasn’t been in any of the clips of the team’s that the Lakers have posted on their social media pages last week.

Sexton did light jogging/shuffling after Monday’s shootaround, plus resistance running with a harness around his waist. Two-way forward Arthur Kaluma also did the resistance running.

When asked Saturday if he had an idea of who’d be available in Sacramento, coach JJ Redick responded: “Obviously, still working through stuff.”

Another notable takeaway from Monday afternoon was players wearing the new Nike team gear, which looked heavier than year’s past and more suitable for streetwear instead of clothes that would be comfortable to play basketball in.

Luka Doncic was decked out in the entire sweatsuit while taking a variety of jump shots.

If you don’t have the SB Nation app, it comes in real handy for Game Threads. Just sayin’!

If you haven’t downloaded the SB Nation app yet, now is the time.

Game Threads are so much better in the app, and with Suns basketball back, you’re going to want to be there with us!

📱 iOS: https://t.co/rlWLl9wrHL

📱 Android: https://t.co/4XngVKJDjK

— Bright Side of the Sun (@BrightSideSun) October 5, 2026

The Hawks and Grizzlies meet in the preseason debut of Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, and others.

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Start Time: 7:00 PM EDT

TV: Peachtree TV (WPCH)

Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)

Streaming: N/A

Observations after Sixers win preseason opener, Brown scores 22 in 1st half  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers kicked off their preseason Monday night with a 120-97 win over the defending champion Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. 

Jaylen Brown scored 22 points in the first half and watched the second from the bench.

The Sixers sat a slew of players, including LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Anfernee Simons, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona (left foot sprain) and Tacko Fall (left hip strain). 

Ariel Hukporti exited in the first quarter after a non-contact injury, More on that below.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said before the game that Barlow has a minor back injury and Simons has “muscle tightness.” He expected both players to see game action soon. Simons worked out with Brown following the Sixers’ Monday morning shootaround.

Nurse did not note any other Sixers health issues pregame. He said he anticipates most of the Sixers’ key pieces playing in at least two of the team’s four preseason contests. Next up is a road game Thursday night against the Nets. 

Here are observations on the Sixers’ preseason opener:

Hukporti exits early

The Sixers started VJ Edgecombe, Brown, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Dean Wade and Hukporti. 

The night’s first points came courtesy of reigning Finals MVP Jalen Brunson. He sunk a turnaround jumper for the Knicks, who began with their typical starters and were close to a full-strength squad, 

Hukporti assisted the Sixers’ first make with a sharp dish to Wade for a backdoor layup. Unfortunately for the new Sixers center, he didn’t make it through the first quarter.

Hukporti fell awkwardly while guarding Karl-Anthony Towns on the perimeter and stayed down with an apparent right lower leg or ankle injury. He limped to the sideline with heavy assistance from Towns and Sixers teammates at the 7:06 mark of the first.

Ariel Hukporti leaves the game after suffering a non-contact injury. pic.twitter.com/IRjPYGhfYA

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) October 5, 2026

Jabari Walker checked in at center and drained a top-of-the-key three-pointer soon after entering. Walker competed well on the glass, knocked down two more triples and finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds in 19 minutes.

Wade later slid up to the five. For the time being, the Sixers are sparse on conventional centers behind Embiid. They’ll hope for the best with Hukporti’s injury and that Bona continues to progress in his recovery. The Sixers haven’t set a specific timeline for Bona’s return, though Nurse said last week that he believed the goal was for Bona to play in multiple preseason games. 

Brown gets rolling as a Sixer

The Sixers took an early 7-4 lead on a Brown baseline jumper.

The five-time All-Star was the focal point of the Sixers’ offense and settled into a nice groove as an isolation scorer. Coming off of a career-high 28.7 points per game season, he posted 13 in the first quarter on 5-for-8 shooting.

Brown tends to look comfortable attacking against just about anyone who’s in front of him. It’s not difficult to imagine the Sixers leaning on that ability in certain lineups that are relatively light on stars. Monday’s performance was a reminder that even with all the adjustments to come in Brown’s first Sixers season, he’s the sort of player who can be very productive in any situation. 

Edgecombe had a good outing serving largely as a facilitator next to Brown. He tallied 12 points, seven assists and zero turnovers.  

First look at young guards 

Rookie Labaron Philon Jr. was first off the Sixers’ bench.

He hit his first shot, a smooth mid-range jumper. Philon generally made sensible decisions with the ball, including on a drive-and-kick feed in the second quarter that set up a Rayan Rupert three. He had six points on 2-for-9 shooting and four assists in his preseason debut.

The 20-year-old should refine his sense for how to counter NBA size and athleticism as he gains experience. Purely in terms of offensive tools, Philon has plenty to work with.

Two-way contract players Rupert and Caleb Love each played alongside Philon in the first half. Love’s shotmaking talent shined.

He drilled his third long-range jumper of the second quarter with a buzzer-beater right in front of the Sixers’ bench, giving his team a 14-point advantage. With the big names on both sides sitting, the Sixers maintained their lead in the second half.

Love scored 15 points on 4-for-10 shooting in the game. Improved three-point efficiency would be a significant step for the second-year guard, who shot 32.6 percent from deep over five college seasons and 31.8 percent last year.

There were plenty of reasons why the Golden State Warriors shocked the world four-and-a-half years ago, and won their fourth NBA championship in a span of eight years. Steph Curry was the main reason, obviously, while Steve Kerr, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson were huge factors. Andrew Wiggins’ temporary leap to stardom was integral, as were the contributions of the team’s rookies.

One of the most underrated reasons for the Warriors championship that year? Jordan Poole, who blossomed from an inconsistent and often inefficient youngster into a bonafide bucket. Bouncing between a starting role and a sixth man gig, Poole dropped in 18.5 points per game that year on remarkable efficiency, while jump-starting the offense seemingly every time Curry needed a breather.

And ever since that breakout campaign, the Warriors have been in search of someone to fill that role. Whether it was due to regression or the result of being punched at practice by Green, Poole was unable to reprise his role as effectively the next season, and was traded at the end of the year. The Warriors tried to shift Thompson into a similar role, but it was clunky and awkward, and he left town. They hoped Jonathan Kuminga could fill the void, but it never happened. Buddy Hield was signed for that explicit purpose, but was far too inconsistent. Seth Curry arrived as a feel-good story, but was never healthy.

For the Warriors to have another surprising year of contention, a lot of things will need to go right. One of those things is the emergence of someone to fill that role that Poole perfected all those years ago.

And after one preseason games, Brandon Williams certainly looks like he could be that player.

Williams was sensational in Sunday’s meaningless Hawaiian loss to the LA Clippers. He attacked the basket relentlessly and effortlessly, scoring 11 points in just 15:30 of action, while adding two rebounds, three assists, and one steal, and finishing with a team-high plus/minus of +16. He gave the Dubs something that they’ll sorely be lacking until Jimmy Butler III returns from his ACL surgery: scoring inside the arc. While Williams missed both of his three-point attempts (and is just a career 28.0% shooter from deep), he went 4-for-7 from inside the arc, and compounded that with a trio of free throws (where he’s shot 77.5% for his career).

Three of Williams’ four buckets were on plays where he cut through the defense and got to the rim, and afterwards it was fairly clear that Kerr was excited by what the speedy 26-year old can bring to the offense.

Dubs go to their "Thumb out" set for Brandon Williams. The get action gives him the downhill momentum for the paint touch and finish at the rim. Such a welcome addition he's been proving to be so far. pic.twitter.com/0eqPjqYH8w

— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) October 5, 2026

It’s a downhill dynamic that has been missing from the Warriors since Poole’s departure. We all remember Poole hoisting heat-check three after heat-check three, but the element he brought to the offense that impacted the team the most was his ability to splice through the defense and attack the rim. That ability is crucial when the team is in need of a bucket, and it opens up perimeter opportunities for the rest of the team.

And it’s an area where Williams has thrived. Last year, when he averaged a career-best 13.0 points per game (in just 22.2 minutes), the majority of his shots were near the hoop, despite always being one of the shortest players on the court. An impressive 59.0% of Williams’ shots last year were within 10 feet of the hoop, with more than half of those shots coming at the rim. That’s compounded by the shots that aren’t counted: despite the modest minute totals, Williams attempted 4.6 free throws per game last season.

The Warriors need someone who can attack, attack, attack, and Williams could perfectly fit that role. Of course, as is always the case with the Dubs, so much of his success will be dependent on if he can make the right reads and decisions, and commit to defense and other factors in the game. After all, Kuminga had no problem attacking the rim, but trying him out for the spark plug role was a five-year demonstration of shoving a square peg through a round hole. Thankfully, after his first stint in a Warriors jersey, Williams seems to be endearing himself to his new team, which would suggest that Golden State is happy with the other elements of his game.

Brandon Williams' day is done. Steve Kerr just walked to him on the bench and dapped him up with a big smile

He leaves the game as the Warriors' leading scorer (11 points) and was a plus-16 in 16 minutes

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) October 5, 2026

We’ll learn more in the coming weeks, but Williams certainly has a chance to be one of the steals of the offseason. With Yaxel Lendeborg and Brandin Podziemski looking like they can be high-impact role players this year, the door is open for Williams to be the spark plug off the bench who leads the second unit when Curry is off the court.

We can finally put contract drama behind us and focus on some honest-to-goodness, doesn’t quite count, but it’s still great because it’s basketball basketball. In other words, the preseason starts tonight as the Detroit Pistons face the Phoenix Suns.

This game will be at Little Caesars Arena and will feature zero blown coverages by the Detroit Lions’ secondary, so we can all take a little comfort in that. The game will also feature the Detroit Pistons, including superstar Cade Cunningham and the newly signed duo of Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson, who received a collective $355 million from the Pistons this offseason.

This is also the first year of our post-FanDuel lives, so remember that the Pistons have transitioned to games being on local, free channels in many Michigan markets. That includes TV20 in Detroit. For those looking at a streaming option, the team also signed a deal with DAZN to carry games (and replays) digitally.

Game Vitals

When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: TV20 Detroit (TV), DAZN (Streaming)
Odds: Pistons-3.5

Analysis

Tonight’s game will also be a chance to see just how different this offense and defense will look. Detroit has added some serious shooting. While Duncan Robinson was one of the best, most prolific, and most reliable shooters in the NBA last season, he was just one man. What if two?

Robinson will be joined by Isaiah Joe, and while they won’t start alongside each other, I wouldn’t be surprised if they share plenty of minutes on the floor. Joe joined Robinson as one of the NBA’s premier movement shooters last season, and the hope is that the threat of those two shooting from deep opens up the floor for Cunningham, Duren, and Thompson.

Those weren’t the only shooters Detroit added to its roster, however. New starting power forward John Collins is a perimeter-shooting upgrade over Tobias Harris, and Taurean Prince offers some corner shooting off the bench. Heck, it’s preseason, the time when we can still dream that Kevin Huerter is going to rediscover the deadly shooting stroke that has somehow abandoned him for the past few years.

Defensively, the team has many more questions than answers. Not that they still shouldn’t be a very good defense, but they were one of the best last year. But the team lost its interior defensive anchor in Isaiah Stewart, and while Thompson is perhaps the league’s best perimeter defender, there are concerns about how vulnerable the paint could be. That means that Duren needs to take his game to yet another level. He went from awful and a bit lost on defense in his first few years to passable last season. This year, passable just won’t be good enough. He needs to read and react quicker and put much more mental energy into that side of the floor for the Pistons to have the kind of success they’re hoping for.

Elsewhere, we’ll get our first looks at things like Ausar’s offensive responsibilities, rookie Ebuka Okorie, and what Daniss Jenkins can do after coming out of nowhere as a two-way player last season.

Projected Lineup

Detroit Pistons (0-0)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Jalen Duren

Phoenix Suns (0-0)

Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, Oso Ighodaro

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