Category: NBA

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers are a franchise adorned in the bright lights, celebrities and stars. And with that comes pressure.

Plenty of players have come and gone with expectations of making an impact and results that left them estranged from the fanbase. This season, the Lakers are welcoming in a host of new additions, led by the likes of Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Kessler, the biggest addition of them all, doesn’t look at the spotlight as added pressure, though.

“I think it’s more of an opportunity,” he said at Media Day on Monday. “To play for an historic franchise, to play for history like this, I don’t really feel pressure. I more so just feel grateful. Grateful for this opportunity and grateful to play for this franchise.”

If the proverbial pressure were on anyone the most, it’d be Kessler, for whom the Lakers traded two first-round picks to the Utah Jazz and are paying upwards of $130 million over the next four years. He comes in as the cornerstone big man alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. Dončić expressed his desire to play with Kessler on Monday as well.

Kessler comes from one of the smallest markets in the NBA. And from a team that, for the most part, wasn’t focused all that much on winning while he was there, which only amplifies the transition. Not only will more eyes be on him, they’ll also be quicker to scrutinize.

“I’m a big believer in ‘out of sight, out of mind,’” Kessler said. “Obviously [the] fanbase is incredible … but not to get too high when they sing (my) praises. Not to get too low when they’re upset about certain performances. So, for me, it’s best to just keep my nose to the grindstone and just keep working.”

Kessler’s frontcourt mate, Mamukelashvili, is also keenly aware of the grand stage he’s playing on now. Growing up in the country of Georgia, he recalls rarely being able to watch NBA games as a kid. Whenever he could catch one, it was always the Lakers.

Mamukelashvili, like Kessler and Grimes, signed a four-year deal this offseason. The NBA, for a subset of players, is mostly about making it to the next contract. The popular understanding is that with a longer-term deal comes stability, especially for a player like Mamukelashvili, who came into the league on a two-way contract.

He doesn’t agree with that.

“You can’t get comfortable,” he said. “I really mean it. I think the moment you get comfortable in this league is the moment you’re going to find yourself declining. To me, even though I signed a four-year deal, doesn’t mean (anything). I feel like I got to prove every game, every practice, every year.

“Of course it’s good to have years, but I just want to be the guy who doesn’t settle. I want to achieve something in my career. I want to win. I want to be a part of something great. So, to do that, you’ve got to always be on your toes. You got to always be aware of the situation you’re in. I think that’s what got me here.”

Grimes also signed a four-year deal, but unlike the two big men, has experience in a market the size of Los Angeles. He was drafted by the New York Knicks and played his last two seasons in Philadelphia. He admits that, despite the Lakers being a much bigger brand globally than the two franchises, Los Angeles is just a different beach.

“You’ve got to not worry about if you get good praise, bad praise,” Grimes said. “At the end of the day, I’m here to play basketball and I’m here to handle business every single day. You can’t get caught up in external noise. You’ve got our team — that’s the only noise we’re really worried about. Just keep the main thing the main thing and everything will be alright.”

Expectations can be tempered anytime. Anyone who plays for the Lakers is expected to win. Whether or not a player is able to handle the pressure is an entirely different thing. Talking the talk and walking the walk are different challenges.

For now, the newest Lakers look ready to step up to it.

You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers were hoping to land LeBron James in free agency after he announced he was leaving the Los Angeles Lakers last July. After almost a month of waiting around, he ended up choosing to end his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. A decision that he says won’t result in him leaving his family just to end up getting bounced in the second round — which is pretty optimistic since the Sixers haven’t advanced out of the second round since 2001.

The only people seemingly aware of what James was thinking during the free agency process were the players he was communicating with. But from the sound of things, not even those on the short list of his final destination knew much of what LeBron was thinking.

“I knew probably as much as you did,” Mitchell said when asked about his thoughts on James signing with Philadelphia.

Mitchell also admitted that he thought LeBron was going to come back and end his career where it started.

“I think for a lot of reasons it made sense (for him to sign with Cleveland),” Mitchell said. “I didn’t think Philly. I thought if he didn’t come here, he’d be in Golden State.”

Now James is in Philadelphia playing for one of the handful of teams that stand in the way of the Cavs and their goal of reaching the NBA Finals. Former Cavs general manager Mike Gansey drastically transformed Philadelphia’s roster in a few short weeks, placing them as one of the favorites to win the conference.

The Cavs won’t have to wait long to see how they stack up against the Sixers as they open their season in Philadelphia in under a month.

“For us, it’s about moving forward and not really looking back at that,” Mitchell said. “They’re an opponent. The’ve gotten stronger. Not just him, but they have Jalen Brown, obviously [Tyrese] Maxey, V.J. [Edgecomb], [Joel] Embiid, (and) Anfernee Simons coming off the bench. They got a lot of talent over ther. They’ll be a fierce competitor so we’re excited.”

SAN FRANCISCO — There were two things Steve Kerr omitted from his usual preseason address to the Golden State Warriors to set the tone for the season ahead.

For one, there will be no more special treatment for Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

“Our team was built in such a way that I literally told everybody, all of you guys have to take care of the ball, they’re allowed to turn it over six times,” Kerr said. “We’ve got to tighten things up.”

The crackdown on playing cleaner, crisper basketball is part of a broader makeover that was desperately needed after finishing fourth from the bottom in giveaways last season. 

It’s also part of what Kerr described as a way to “reimagine” Warriors basketball heading into his 14th season with an aging roster that’s been lapped by teams both younger and better.

That goes as far as their own expectations for this season and however many Curry has left with Golden State after taking a discount to sign a two-year extension.

For the first time in a while, the Warriors didn’t spend media day talking about championships.

The word of the day was “process.”

“Last year I think I told the team in our first meeting, ‘we’re trying to win the championship,’” Kerr said. “What’s our goal? They all said, ‘championship.’ I think I even told them, we want a home court advantage in the playoffs.”

This season, after contemplating walking away, “I am 100% locked in on the process on how we’re teaching every single day,” Kerr continued. “I firmly believe that if we do that from the beginning without even mentioning anything about expectations, then we’re going to have a good season, and that’s how I’m approaching things.”

After watching Giannis Antetokounmpo take his talents to South Beach, losing out on Kawhi Leonard to Toronto and getting snubbed by LeBron James for the 76ers, maybe the Warriors are just being realistic. According to DraftKings, there are 14 teams with better NBA title odds.

They’re certainly not speaking with the swagger that we’ve come to know from the dynasty that dominated the league for the better part of a decade, culminating in 2022 with its fourth title.

Kerr touted Golden State’s “under the radar” signings — Brandon Williams, Georges Niang —  as “guys who can really play and who have helped winning teams.” General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. had his tail between his legs after every other pursuit came up short.

He wasn’t able to give a full-throated endorsement of the roster without couching it first.

“First and foremost,” he said, “we’re humbly optimistic about the prospect for this team.”

Teams that compete for championships don’t tend to be humble.

The Warriors don’t really have any other choice, not when their top two wings — Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody — won’t be ready until at least midway through the season. They got another reminder of the challenge that lays ahead when Dunleavy’s phone rang the night before.

It was Kristaps Porzingis, calling to tell him his “health issues” had sprung up again. Their starting center won’t join them in Hawaii for training camp and is out indefinitely.

Curry, bless his soul, signed up to run it back, anyway. He could have used his leverage and refused to sign an extension unless the Warriors upgraded the roster around him, a la other superstars. Instead, he never even threatened to leave and even took less money than the Warriors offered him — about $10 million this season — to give them more flexibility.

So far, all that’s resulted in is a hit to Curry’s bank account.

“Without knowing the answers to the test, it was my best way to study for it, if that makes sense,” Curry said. “This is home. This is what we’ve built. This is a community that I’ve played in front of my entire career, and being able to finish the story the right way is a big part of I think what I can control.”

Curry was about the only one who didn’t seem to be infected by the dour mood outside the building. He was so flabbergasted when one reporter said “nobody” expected them to make the playoffs, let alone compete for a championship, that all he could muster was, “Damn!”

“That’s how bad it is?” Curry questioned of the outside expectations.

Kerr, on the other hand, seemed to be looking forward to getting to play the underdog for once.

“I don’t mind the fact that everyone is picking us to miss the playoffs. You know, that’s not a bad spot to be in as a team, as a coach,” he said, returning to a familiar theme. “For me what it means is we get to focus on the process.”

Even before the season-ending injuries to Butler and Moody, the Warriors weren’t living up to their championship aspirations. When Butler went down on Jan. 19, they were 25-19, eighth in the Western Conference. 

Absent any significant personnel changes from last season — besides intense defensive assistant Frank Vogel, whose addition Kerr described as a “coup” — the Warriors seem to be content with re-evaluating how they use the players in the building.

“We lost too many close games. We gave too many games away in the margins,” Kerr said. “So the vision for this year is to clean that stuff up and build some momentum and then we get those guys back.”

Green is being asked to reimagine his role, too. He’s going to spend more time on the perimeter, and Kerr wants him to shoot more of the open looks he gets from 3. “Shooting, crashing, you know, spreading the floor for other people, dribble hand-off stuff,” Kerr said.

And turn the ball over less.

Green pushed back on the notion that championship expectations precedes championships.

“I hate to be cliche, but in 2022 nobody walked into that season like, ‘Hey, here’s the beginning of a championship year.’ Our process was great, which then allowed us to grow over the season and become a championship team.”

There’s that word again.

Process. It may be the only thing the Warriors will be able to control this season.

“Put together a great process and then you get to the end,” Green said, “and you let the cards fall where they may.”

SAN FRANCISCO — There were two things Steve Kerr omitted from his usual preseason address to the Golden State Warriors to set the tone for the season ahead.

For one, there will be no more special treatment for Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

“Our team was built in such a way that I literally told everybody, all of you guys have to take care of the ball, they’re allowed to turn it over six times,” Kerr said. “We’ve got to tighten things up.”

The crackdown on playing cleaner, crisper basketball is part of a broader makeover that was desperately needed after finishing fourth from the bottom in giveaways last season. 

It’s also part of what Kerr described as a way to “reimagine” Warriors basketball heading into his 14th season with an aging roster that’s been lapped by teams both younger and better.

That goes as far as their own expectations for this season and however many Curry has left with Golden State after taking a discount to sign a two-year extension.

For the first time in a while, the Warriors didn’t spend media day talking about championships.

The word of the day was “process.”

“Last year I think I told the team in our first meeting, ‘we’re trying to win the championship,’” Kerr said. “What’s our goal? They all said, ‘championship.’ I think I even told them, we want a home court advantage in the playoffs.”

This season, after contemplating walking away, “I am 100% locked in on the process on how we’re teaching every single day,” Kerr continued. “I firmly believe that if we do that from the beginning without even mentioning anything about expectations, then we’re going to have a good season, and that’s how I’m approaching things.”

After watching Giannis Antetokounmpo take his talents to South Beach, losing out on Kawhi Leonard to Toronto and getting snubbed by LeBron James for the 76ers, maybe the Warriors are just being realistic. According to DraftKings, there are 14 teams with better NBA title odds.

They’re certainly not speaking with the swagger that we’ve come to know from the dynasty that dominated the league for the better part of a decade, culminating in 2022 with its fourth title.

Kerr touted Golden State’s “under the radar” signings — Brandon Williams, Georges Niang —  as “guys who can really play and who have helped winning teams.” General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. had his tail between his legs after every other pursuit came up short.

He wasn’t able to give a full-throated endorsement of the roster without couching it first.

“First and foremost,” he said, “we’re humbly optimistic about the prospect for this team.”

Teams that compete for championships don’t tend to be humble.

The Warriors don’t really have any other choice, not when their top two wings — Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody — won’t be ready until at least midway through the season. They got another reminder of the challenge that lays ahead when Dunleavy’s phone rang the night before.

It was Kristaps Porzingis, calling to tell him his “health issues” had sprung up again. Their starting center won’t join them in Hawaii for training camp and is out indefinitely.

Curry, bless his soul, signed up to run it back, anyway. He could have used his leverage and refused to sign an extension unless the Warriors upgraded the roster around him, a la other superstars. Instead, he never even threatened to leave and even took less money than the Warriors offered him — about $10 million this season — to give them more flexibility.

So far, all that’s resulted in is a hit to Curry’s bank account.

“Without knowing the answers to the test, it was my best way to study for it, if that makes sense,” Curry said. “This is home. This is what we’ve built. This is a community that I’ve played in front of my entire career, and being able to finish the story the right way is a big part of I think what I can control.”

Curry was about the only one who didn’t seem to be infected by the dour mood outside the building. He was so flabbergasted when one reporter said “nobody” expected them to make the playoffs, let alone compete for a championship, that all he could muster was, “Damn!”

“That’s how bad it is?” Curry questioned of the outside expectations.

Kerr, on the other hand, seemed to be looking forward to getting to play the underdog for once.

“I don’t mind the fact that everyone is picking us to miss the playoffs. You know, that’s not a bad spot to be in as a team, as a coach,” he said, returning to a familiar theme. “For me what it means is we get to focus on the process.”

Even before the season-ending injuries to Butler and Moody, the Warriors weren’t living up to their championship aspirations. When Butler went down on Jan. 19, they were 25-19, eighth in the Western Conference. 

Absent any significant personnel changes from last season — besides intense defensive assistant Frank Vogel, whose addition Kerr described as a “coup” — the Warriors seem to be content with re-evaluating how they use the players in the building.

“We lost too many close games. We gave too many games away in the margins,” Kerr said. “So the vision for this year is to clean that stuff up and build some momentum and then we get those guys back.”

Green is being asked to reimagine his role, too. He’s going to spend more time on the perimeter, and Kerr wants him to shoot more of the open looks he gets from 3. “Shooting, crashing, you know, spreading the floor for other people, dribble hand-off stuff,” Kerr said.

And turn the ball over less.

Green pushed back on the notion that championship expectations precedes championships.

“I hate to be cliche, but in 2022 nobody walked into that season like, ‘Hey, here’s the beginning of a championship year.’ Our process was great, which then allowed us to grow over the season and become a championship team.”

There’s that word again.

Process. It may be the only thing the Warriors will be able to control this season.

“Put together a great process and then you get to the end,” Green said, “and you let the cards fall where they may.”

It’s going to take a long time for this all to set in.

These guys still haven’t even played a preseason game together yet, but 2026 Media Day was very exciting for the Philadelphia 76ers. It’s not every day one of the two best players of all time dons your jersey for the first time. It was also the first time LeBron James answered questions about joining the Sixers from reporters as opposed to a recorded podcast.

The excitement around James joining the Sixers and his first day at the team’s practice facility nearly overshadowed the first major domino that brought him here in the first place. While it wasn’t Jaylen Brown’s first time talking to the Philadelphia media, it was also his first time wearing a Sixers uniform. Frankly, it was weird to see a guy who spent the first 10 years of his career terrorizing the Sixers as a member of the Boston Celtics put on the other team’s jersey.

It didn’t feel any more real when VJ Edgecombe crashed his press conference, prompting Brown to jokingly tell him to get his ass out of there like they had been teammates for years. I think I finally understand how people felt when Hulk Hogan joined the nWo.

Every time Brown has been asked about going from one rival to another, he’s repeated the same one-day-at-a-time mantra. The focus of Brown’s quotes since joining the Sixers have rather been about leveling up his game while being a contributor to his community.

“I’m not sure. I’m taking it one day at a time. Obviously, things happen in this league. It’s a business,” Brown said. “I think what I value about this game is the human connection, to be able to bring people together, to be able to uplift their community, inspire people.”

As someone who’s been on the other side of the rivalry for nearly as long, Tyrese Maxey did point out how weird it felt to see Brown in a Sixers uniform.

“I was just messing with JB before we came up here,” Maxey said. “It’s just like seeing him in Philly’s uniform in red, white and blue is kind of awkward, but it’s good.”

As someone who hasn’t just watched the Sixers and Celtics go to battle time and again for the last decade, but has been a part of several of them, Maxey admitted he has to recalibrate his thinking now that Brown is his teammate. Of the Sixers who discussed their reactions to the trade, Maxey was the one who conveyed a similar amount of shock to the rest of the league.

“Every time we stepped in between the lines I didn’t really mess with Jaylen, it was smoke, I wanted to beat him every single time,” Maxey said. “I think my initial reaction was just, it’s just crazy. We’re division rivals, I see him, I feel like 12 times a year. I feel like we play the Celtics at least 7-8 times every season. For him to be on our side, you kind of got to reframe, reprogram your mind just to be cool with him.”

The competitive respect mixed with a genuine dislike of each other’s teams is why the Sixers and Celtics feel like one of the last real rivalries left. It’s what made Joel Embiid’s post-up and subsequent back-and-forth with Brown in Game 7 last season such a special moment.

The fact that one of the most important players to this rivalry’s recent history swapped sides out of nowhere in the middle of his career is jarring. With the joy of signing LeBron James a few weeks later, there’s hardly been time to process that type of whiplash.

But there Brown was sitting in a blue jersey Monday morning rather than a green one. Even crazier is the fact that James wouldn’t have chosen Philadelphia if not for the shocking blockbuster trade. They still have to play a game together and actually accomplish something to be celebrated.

After the last two years the Sixers have been through, it’s unbelievable this is where the journey led them.

The eyes did not deceive. Karl-Anthony Towns did indeed drop weight.

Looking slimmer than ever at Monday’s Media Day, the Knicks center said he shed pounds during the summer to feel fresher and healthier.

“It’s good for my body, my knees,” Towns said. “And it keeps me young.”

Towns said he slims down every summer after adding mass during the season, which is against the grain since players often lose weight once training camp begins. The benefit is injury prevention and quickness, while pitfalls include reduced strength and power for battling in the paint.

Tim Duncan popularized weight loss for frontcourt players in his 30s, extending his career.

Towns didn’t reveal the specific numbers behind his summer weight loss. The 7-footer weighed 248 pounds last season, according to the Knicks website.

“I always lose a lot of the weight,” Towns said. “I put on a lot of weight for the season.”

But it never looked this dramatic.

“My wife thought I look good,” added Towns, who is also navigating stagnated contract-extension negotiations with the Knicks.

It was a landmark year for Towns, who turned 30 in November, won the NBA championship in June and married longtime girlfriend Jordyn Woods in August.

Along the way, Towns was rediscovered as a playmaking hub during the playoffs — a role that helped transform the Knicks from potential first-round busts in Atlanta to NBA champs. His average assists jumped 60 percent in the postseason, and the Knicks were an offensive juggernaut while winning 13 straight.

Coach Mike Brown confirmed that strategy will continue this regular season — with an expectation of an evolving offense.

“We started last season with an offense with him at the elbow but we just did different things when he caught the ball at the elbow and the action wasn’t always designed to go to him at the elbow,” Brown said. “And so we eventually evolved into [going more to KAT at the elbow] and we will go with that and evolve into other things throughout the course of [the] year based on where we are as a team.”

So the offense will change. Towns’ body already did.

“In today’s sports world, you always hear about strength and speed and quickness,” said Brown, who added that he hasn’t checked Towns’ weight or body fat percentage yet but was informed his center dropped weight. “So whatever his body needs to be to optimize those things, that’s what I have faith him and our performance staff will do for us.”

The eyes did not deceive. Karl-Anthony Towns did indeed drop weight.

Looking slimmer than ever at Monday’s Media Day, the Knicks center said he shed pounds during the summer to feel fresher and healthier.

“It’s good for my body, my knees,” Towns said. “And it keeps me young.”

Towns said he slims down every summer after adding mass during the season, which is against the grain since players often lose weight once training camp begins. The benefit is injury prevention and quickness, while pitfalls include reduced strength and power for battling in the paint.

Tim Duncan popularized weight loss for frontcourt players in his 30s, extending his career.

Towns didn’t reveal the specific numbers behind his summer weight loss. The 7-footer weighed 248 pounds last season, according to the Knicks website.

“I always lose a lot of the weight,” Towns said. “I put on a lot of weight for the season.”

But it never looked this dramatic.

“My wife thought I look good,” added Towns, who is also navigating stagnated contract-extension negotiations with the Knicks.

It was a landmark year for Towns, who turned 30 in November, won the NBA championship in June and married longtime girlfriend Jordyn Woods in August.

Along the way, Towns was rediscovered as a playmaking hub during the playoffs — a role that helped transform the Knicks from potential first-round busts in Atlanta to NBA champs. His average assists jumped 60 percent in the postseason, and the Knicks were an offensive juggernaut while winning 13 straight.

Coach Mike Brown confirmed that strategy will continue this regular season — with an expectation of an evolving offense.

“We started last season with an offense with him at the elbow but we just did different things when he caught the ball at the elbow and the action wasn’t always designed to go to him at the elbow,” Brown said. “And so we eventually evolved into [going more to KAT at the elbow] and we will go with that and evolve into other things throughout the course of [the] year based on where we are as a team.”

So the offense will change. Towns’ body already did.

“In today’s sports world, you always hear about strength and speed and quickness,” said Brown, who added that he hasn’t checked Towns’ weight or body fat percentage yet but was informed his center dropped weight. “So whatever his body needs to be to optimize those things, that’s what I have faith him and our performance staff will do for us.”

Nikola Jokić, arguably the best basketball player in the world, committed to sign a contract extension with the Denver Nuggets.

Jokić, the three-time Most Valuable Player, has been eligible to sign a massive, max contract extension each of the last two summers, but he has delayed that, seemingly so that he can maximize his earning potential for an enormous five-year deal worth up to $360 million.

The delay, however, has caused some angst among Nuggets fans, given that Jokić is under team control for just this upcoming season, though he does have a player option for $62.8 million.

At Nuggets media day, he tried to ease the apprehension of any nervous fans.

NUGGETS PREVIEW: Lineup, roster, prediction and biggest question mark

“I’m going to sign next year – if they want me,” Jokić said Monday, Sept. 28.

Jokić posted one of the most prolific seasons in NBA history last year, averaging 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game – the second consecutive season he averaged a triple-double. Only two other players in history have averaged triple-doubles, Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook.

In April, after Denver was eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs, Jokić told reporters that he wanted to be wanted to be “a Nugget forever.” He has repeatedly expressed his loyalty toward the franchise, where he won the 2023 NBA Finals.

Jokić has been with the Nuggets for 11 seasons after Denver drafted him with the 41st overall selection in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft.

One of the more decorated and accomplished players of his generation, Jokić instantly makes the Nuggets more competitive. Denver, however, has been navigating a tight salary cap situation and had a difficult offseason that included trading away Peyton Watson, a key forward who has steadily improved.

There had been speculation that Jokić was perhaps delaying his extension to see the direction the Nuggets would take, but executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer echoed Jokić’s comments at media day.

“We have no concerns,” Tenzer said Monday.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikola Jokic intends to remain with Nuggets long term: 'I’m going to sign next year'

SAN FRANCISCO ― The Golden State Warriors might have won the steal of the 2026 NBA Draft, landing Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 overall pick of the first round.

Lendeborg put the league on notice over the summer, helping lead his summer league team filled with first-year, second-year and two-way players to the 2026 Summer League title, earning MVP along the way.

A confident Lendeborg is going to strut his stuff, and on Monday during the Warriors media day, he told reporters what he believes his ceiling is and how good he thinks he can be this season.

"For me, I would probably just say playing meaningful minutes. You know, when the game is on the line, I want to be the guy on the court trying to make a play on defense or offense, whatever it has to come to," Lendeborg said. "Then just hopefully becoming like First-Team All-Rookie. I feel like I could win Rookie of the Year, but that's not my main focus. I just want to be able to set in stone here on the Warriors."

Warriors rookie Lendeborg finds way with vets

Lendeborg has been making his presence known in the NBA space, as well as with the Warriors. His ever-growing relationship with Draymond Green is nonstop banter and fun between the rookie and vet.

"Hopefully become All-Rookie First Team. I feel like I could win Rookie of the Year but that's not my main focus."

Yaxel Lendeborg has high hopes for his first season as a Warrior 😤 pic.twitter.com/RizaqxtCwd

— KNBR (@KNBR) September 28, 2026

"It's been very, like, funny. You know, very goofy in a way. He's definitely like one of those uncles that you have that you see at a barbecue one time and don't see them for a long time, you know. So it's definitely kind of cool to have him around like that," Lendeborg said.

His bond with Green came as a surprise, he said.

"I didn't expect it to be like that, you know, because he looks super mean. He looks like, I don't even know you or I'm not going to talk to you kind of guy," Lendeborg said. "Being able to joke around with him -- I actually just took a picture with him, and it was kind of cool. I'm happy that he's that way, and he's allowing me to be kind of like annoying without him getting bothered for now."

He's been getting acclimated with his teammates; just as important, he's been winning over his veterans such as Green, Jimmy Butler, and Stephen Curry.

"Well, for me it would just be asking them a bunch of questions. At Jimmy's house I asked him every question that popped up, even maybe created some, just to ask some questions. I do that," Lendeborg said, on how he was able to gain respect from his vets.

"Just play basketball the right way. Let them know that I'm willing to do whatever," he added. "I'm getting all the rookie duty stuff like cleaning up the court, grabbing all these cards and stuff for them too. You know, just doing my job, making sure that I don't do nothing dumb."

Lendeborg knows that he won't be the main guy like he was during summer league. Instead, his focus will start on the defensive end, but if there's any challenge ahead, the rookie is willing to accept the call and step up.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors' Yaxel Lendeborg believes he could win Rookie of Year

CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell made one thing clear at media day: he believes wholeheartedly in this group. That was also made clear when he signed a four-year, $273 contract extension that will keep him in Cleveland through the start of the next decade.

For Mitchell, there wasn’t much of a discussion about whether he wanted to lock up his foreseeable future with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I told Koby [Altman, Cavs president of basketball operations], ‘Listen, you ain’t really gotta ask,’” Mitchell said when asked about the extension during media day on Monday. “The first day it’s allowed [I’m signing]. It wasn’t really much of a talk.”

The main concern about Mitchell when the Cavs first traded for him in 2022 was that he would leave in free agency for a bigger market — such as his hometown New York Knicks — when his contract expired. Fast forward four years, and the idea of Mitchell turning down a contract offer from Cleveland seems almost unfathomable.

Mitchell hasn’t just embraced the basketball team, he’s also embraced the community. That was seen once again this past weekend as he made it a point to go to the Walsh Jesuit and Arch Bishop Hoban high school football game with some of his teammates.

“Everybody comes to see us; why not flip the script and go see them?” Mitchell said. “You never know what that one moment on that particular Friday could do for that one child.”

Mitchell went on to tell a story about parents who reached out to him through Instagram to tell them about their son who was going through a difficult time and was on the football team. The son wasn’t able to play in the game, but he was able to see the stars of his local NBA team.

“[We’re] just trying to give kids that little bit of life,” Mitchell said. “Just saying, ‘Hey, we’re humans too. We’re here to see y’all.’ I know you put us on this pedestal, but at the end of the day, we appreciate the fans as much as they appreciate us.”

Mitchell is already one of the most accomplished players in franchise history as he’s set to enter his fifth season in Cleveland. That individual success has carried over to team accomplishments as well, even though they still haven’t reached their ultimate goal in the playoffs. That’s something Mitchell and his teammates hope to change this upcoming season.

“I’ve said I want to be here,” Mitchell said. “ I’ve said that publicly. I love being here. And now it’s about delivering everything else that comes with it.”

CAMDEN, NJ — When LeBron James signed with Philadelphia 76ers, one of his reasons was his belief that he could help make the NBA franchise a championship team with its already established stars and new additions to the roster.

He doubled down on that Monday, Sept. 28 in front of a packed room at 76ers media day.

"I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round," James said. "I know that for sure. Work needs to be done, and I’m ready to get to work."

The four-time NBA champion spent more than 18 minutes at the podium inside the 76ers' training facility on Monday, answering questions before a packed room that included team executives, Mike Gansey, the team's new president of basketball operations, with whom he had a previous relationship dating back to their Northeast Ohio roots and later their time together with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

RETIREMENT LOOMING? NBA star weighs in on retirement and whether 76ers is last stop

The session began with James cracking a joke as he removed his name tag from the table: "You guys know who I am, right?" But as his' introductory news conference continued, one overarching theme remained: Why Philadelphia?

Why return to the Eastern Conference and pick the 76ers, who got swept by the New York Knicks in the second round of the NBA playoffs last season and haven't reached the Eastern Conference Finals since 2001 with Allen Iverson?

Simply put, it was Tyrese Maxey.

James has developed a close relationship with the Sixers' All-Star point guard over the years, as the two share the same agent, Rich Paul, the founder and CEO of Klutch Sports Group, and have frequently worked out together.

LeBron on how his relationship with Tyrese Maxey served as a big factor in his decision to sign with the #Sixers: pic.twitter.com/Gv2E4vCtre

— John Leuzzi (@ByJohnLeuzzi) September 28, 2026

"I have a really, really good, great relationship with Tyrese," James said. " We talked a lot, and I kind of picked his brain a lot, not only about where he sees his career going, how he sees the franchise here, and how much he believes in the franchise. And if I was to come here, how does he see me fitting in? Do we think it'd be a plus, or do we think it'd be a negative?

"Because I understand my personality and what comes with me. Sometimes it can be a negative."

But in the end, when James weighed his options, which he said consisted of a group of five teams, Maxey was a main deciding factor in making the City of Brotherly Love the next stop in his Hall of Fame career. 

"I was just asking all the questions I could ask him, and it wasn’t just one conversation," James said. "… When I broke a lot of the teams down, (when) I broke a lot of the franchises down that I could possibly play for, he was one of the main deciding factors."

Maxey said once the 76ers traded Paul George to the Boston Celtics for Jaylen Brown and then once James wasn't expected to re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, he believed Philadelphia had a legitimate chance to land the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

"He called me one day, we chopped it up and I think he may be coming," Maxey said. "But him being here is really cool, really cool. I think it's going to be really good for our team, good for the organization, good for the city, for our team. He's someone who's done it before, who's won before. ... He's going to just uplift the whole entire team, entire organization."

James looking to bring veteran presence to 76ers

In addition to teaming up with Maxey, James will join a star-studded starting lineup featuring 2023 MVP Joel Embiid, Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, and VJ Edgecombe., a member of the 2025-26 All-Rookie team.

Maxey is entering his seventh season in Philadelphia, while Edgecombe begins his second NBA campaign after finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting last season. Embiid and Brown bring plenty of experience as established veterans, with the Sixers' All-Star center still searching for his first NBA title despite an accomplished career.

JOEL EMBIID HEALTH UPDATE: 76ers center 'feeling pretty good' entering season

The 76ers bench includes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 2026 first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. and Dean Wade among others.

James hopes his championship pedigree, leadership and postseason experience can help unite Philadelphia's blend of young talent and veteran stars as the franchise looks to finally break through and make a deep playoff run.

"I have a lot of experience in this game, obviously, so I hope that I could bring that experience, bring that knowledge, bring the blueprint to guys that are trying to accomplish some things that they haven't done in their career," James said. "I've seen everything that this league has to offer on the floor and off the floor. I hope that every single day with my approach to the game, approach to the work that it can translate to every single guy and even guys that's being able to win at the highest level.

"Looking forward to that challenge."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James on 76ers' title goals: 'I didn’t leave my family to lose in second round'

Media day has arrived once again, and while historically for the Detroit Pistons it has been about getting a sense of players’ offseason work, getting in the best shape of your life, and building on whatever you learned last season, this year it had a bit of extra drama — the Jalen Duren contract standoff.

Duren, the All-Star and All-NBA restricted free agent of the Pistons, was not in attendance at media day, and that left others to do the talking about Duren. There isn’t much people can say — Pistons president Trajan Langdon categorically refused to comment on anything even tangentially related to contract negotiations.

However, if I am free to award myself the latitude of informed speculation and intuition, I think there was plenty to learn about the Jalen Duren saga from today’s media day. Here are my top 5 takeaways.

1. Jalen Duren WILL be a Detroit Piston this season

Look, everything could be positioning and a negotiating tactic. But Trajan Langdon provided little daylight in his expressed expectations regarding Duren this season. “He will be a Detroit Piston,” Langdon said. You can’t get more unequivocal than that.

Moreso, Langdon seemed to go into today’s media session with a game plan to make one thing clear — whenever this drama plays itself out to its inevitable conclusion, mission one was to make clear that it will all be water under the bridge when Duren does arrive back with the team, whether that be on a new long-term deal or on a one-year qualifying offer.

“He’s going to be a huge part of the team, regardless of which decision he does make. He will be a Detroit Piston, and we’ll do everything we can to support him and get the best version of him, which is what we’ve done the past two years, and that will not change. Those are things that we can control. His decision is not a point that we can control,” Langdon said.

2. Jalen Duren’s reps might be off of the Christmas card list this year

Langdon was exacting and elegant with his word choice, but I think it’s pretty clear that as much as it’s all water under the bridge once Duren is finally back with the team, there is no love lost between Duren’s reps and Langdon. When Langdon was asked about the media reports that indicate that Duren feels disrespected by the franchise over how these talks have played out, Langdon felt particularly measured. Sometimes its the sense of what you’re not saying that says a lot, you know what I mean. That didn’t mean Trajan delivered useless pablum.

“I won’t let anybody’s feelings get in the way of decisions that I make professionally. That has nothing to do [with it]. So reports that are out there are also meaningless to me.”

It felt clear to me that Langdon understands that this is a bit of asymmetric warfare where Duren’s people are able to easily plant narratives into the media and that he isn’t going to get into the business of playing the same game. Whether that amounts to understandable hardball or not negotiating in good faith, I can’t quite tell. But it feels like if there is any bad blood, it is not on Duren and is instead on Duren’s reps.

3. Trajan Langdon hasn’t spoken to Jalen Duren all summer

This is the most straightforward — Langdon literally said, “I have not spoken to the young man all summer” in regards to Duren. I wanted to list this as its own line item because I am speculating it might get picked up and aggregated on social media. But please understand that a GM not being in direct contact with a player during negotiations is completely normal and expected. When you get to the point of negotiating big contracts, it can involve big feelings. We’ve certainly seen that play out. So it’s best to have a bright dividing line between the hard work of putting dollar numbers to worth and personal relationships. Contract talks are for agents not for players.

4. Even if the fans are in their feelings, the players have no beef with JD

It’s just business. That was a clear message anytime a player was asked about Jalen Duren. Most notably, that was the message delivered by Cade Cunningham. Much was made in the media of the fact that Cunningham organized a team retreat, and Duren opted not to attend while he was still negotiating his contract. Cunningham couldn’t have seemed to care less. Cunningham equated it to the high-level negotiations he himself had with the Pistons last offseason, and that Duren was just doing what was best for him.

“I mean, that’s my brother. You know, on the court, off the court, we went to war together, obviously. But you know, we’ve had dinners together. I’ve met his family. He’s met my family. The negotiation is between front office and his representation, and so they’re gonna figure that out,” Cunningham said. “So the best thing I can do is be there for them to support them, encourage them, not let them get too down whenever it’s such a crazy time for them.”

5. In Paul Reed we trust

While Duren was the main topic of the day in the minds of the media, nearly everyone spontaneously had great things to say about Paul Reed, who will serve as Duren’s backup or maybe even the team’s starting center should Duren continue his holdout deep into the season.

JB Bickerstaff called him the hardest-working player he’s ever been around. That is not faint praise when you consider how many players Bickerstaff has been around during his long coaching career. Cunningham praised Paul. Javonte Green praised Paul. Isaiah Joe reminisced about how they both entered the league in Philadelphia together and that he was the first player he heard from after the trade from OKC.

As for Paul himself, he was his typical self — hates losing, obsessed with working hard, and not making anything more complicated than it needs to be. Just do what you do to help the team be successful. We will see just how much will get put onto Paul’s plate once the season finally arrives.

SAN FRANCISCO ― Jimmy Butler III is in a rehabilitative state following a torn ACL injury in January that sidelined him for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. He still isn't back.

General manager Mike Dunleavy told reporters during Monday's media day that Butler is doing light court work but won't be available for opening night.

Still, Butler's presence shines a light in the Golden State Warriors locker room. Butler is always good for an annual meme, especially on media day. He stared and smirked at teammate Draymond Green as he was finishing his interview session with media members.

They shared a warm embrace as Green left the podium and Butler took his place. Butler rocked a new haircut and dangling diamond earrings that shone from ear to ear as he shared how great he felt.

Jimmy Butler injury update

"Rehabbing every day. I'm to a point now where I get to start running a little bit," Butler said. "I can dunk a basketball, in case anybody wants to know. Very excited about that. But it's still a process, but at least I get to play basketball a little bit now, and I know that all the work that I have been putting in, it's starting to get to basketball."

A vulnerable Butler shared how tough the process has been for him, not being able to play the game he loves.

"I think it's difficult to me because I do love to play basketball, and I know that I will return still being able to play at a high level, but I want to hoop now. I wanted to hoop two months ago, three months ago," Butler said. "I want to go out there and compete with my guys, with Dray, be Robin again to Steph's Batman. I know I will be able to do that at an incredibly high level, but I just miss the game. I miss not being around my guys. So any time I get to be around them and laugh, joke, compete in ways that I can't compete, it's all a plus for me."

Jimmy Butler on missing the game

Being around the guys is infectious. Butler knows that his personality can bring up their spirits. He relishes that aspect of being a favored teammate.

"Probably just being very vocal and just being around the guys. Honestly, I think it's more about the smiling, even when it's not going the way that we would want it to go, it's still okay to have fun and to smile," Butler said. "I'm coming back from an ACL. I'm smiling, I'm happy. I get to be around these guys, some of the greatest players of all time, phenomenal organization. It's never all bad. I'm not going to sit here and say it's all good either."

"I think my main job is going to be like, hey, guys, I can't go out there and play with you individuals, but that doesn't mean that this is a bad day," he added. "You know, I still get to be around y'all. I still get to call myself an NBA player. So as bad as things might seem, I promise you, it's definitely not that bad."

He's not listening to any naysayers. He knows he's 37. He doesn't care, nor listen to what critics say about him recovering from injury and returning to the player he once was.

"I am confident that whenever I come back, I'll be more than ready, I'll be more than healthy, and I'll be more of a better player, all-around player than I was whenever I went down," Butler said.

He doesn't have a target but simply said, "when it's time, it's time".

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jimmy Butler injury update: Warriors star opens up, 'I just miss the game'

After being massively underpaid for the first five seasons of his NBA career, Austin Reaves signed a four-year, $184 million deal this summer to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers for the foreseeable future. His 2025-26 salary ($41.2 million) rightfully ranks him among the league’s 40 highest-paid players as the 28-year-old presumably enters his prime and should vie for All-Star appearances out West over the next few seasons.

During Monday’s media day, Reaves described those contract negotiations as “weird” because he didn’t want to be anywhere else and told reporters he mostly took a hands-off approach by letting his agents handle things.

“It’s weird, to be honest with you. I’m glad that’s behind us and we got that over with. It’s difficult because I’ve been here for five years, this is going on my sixth year,” Reaves said. “This is home to me. I want to be here. Both parties wanted that to happen. It was just how can we figure out what’s best for our team, figure out what’s best for me at the same time. We had a good time doing it.

“I didn’t talk much. My agents took care of all that. Stay out of the way and then when we get a number we like, we take. Like I said, my heart was always here. I didn’t want to go anywhere else. I’m just happy to be back.”

Between Monday’s comments and ones he made during the summer, it’s evident the entire process weighed on Reaves. Shortly after he signed his new deal this summer, he called it “a sigh of relief” and a “breath of fresh air” to remain in Los Angeles.

Throughout multiple free agency negotiations, Reaves has always made it clear that he’s wanted to remain in Los Angeles and with the Lakers. The franchise has repeatedly rewarded that loyalty with big paydays.

Reaves clearly loves being a Laker and is ecstatic to be around for the long haul as the only franchise he’s ever known embarks on a new era with him and Luka Dončić leading the way.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

Devin Booker kicked off his 12th season for the Phoenix Suns with a new number, but just as cool and as confident as ever.

As Booker approaches his 30th birthday in October, he has accomplished a lot in his career, but there is still a lot left in the tank.

“I love the game more than ever,” said Booker during his media day press conference. “Honestly, my body feels better than it’s ever felt going into a training camp. So, I think, you know, as you get older you know, you learn new ways to train, new ways to take care of your body… I’ve been a sponge to, you know, a lot of guys that have had success and played a lot of years in their career.”

Last year, Booker played in just 64 games and averaged 33.5 minutes per contest, both his lowest marks since his rookie season. No matter what version of him we get this season, the Suns need him healthy and confident to be the best team they can be this year. His level of play and status have fallen in the NBA player hierarchy, but the Suns cannot function without him in the lineup.

Because the Suns brought back almost the entire roster from last season, Booker expects more success and growth from the team this season.

“I’m excited about it. In the past, you know, I’ve been more successful; the team has been more successful when you know, we know what to expect going into the year,” said Booker.

“We’re coming in all with the same mindset to win. So time will tell, but you know, it’s definitely gonna be nice seeing some familiar faces back, with the same coach. We’re all on the same page. This summer was a big summer for us to keep all the same guys in the same building.”

For Booker, Jordan Ott is only the second head coach he has played consecutive seasons for in his career, with the other being Monty Williams. That alone, plus bringing back most of the roster, puts the Suns and Booker in a better position to begin the season strong.

“We got together a few times, you know, as a full team,” Booker said. “You know, I know Dillon [Brooks] had about half the guys in Toronto too. We all met in Vegas. We all were in Flagstaff, and you know, this past month we’ve been running a lot of open gyms, probably three times a week in the facility… There isn’t an off season anymore. You know, we’ve been building; we’ve been getting that chemistry together.”

For Booker, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, building chemistry together is vital to the Suns’ success this season, with the trio only playing in 10 regular season games last season. Throw Miles Bridges and Khaman Maluach into the mix, and there is still a lot of untapped continuity for this team to figure out.

As for Maluach and Booker’s chemistry, the two have been working together this offseason to figure it out.

“You know, we would end up being in the gym at the same time late night, and then one time he just texted me and was like, you know, can we get some work in together?” said Booker. “So, you know, I think that guard and big relationship is super important, and you know, he’s way ahead of the curve.”

With all the Suns’ offseason work and hours together, they need to start fast and start healthy.

“To start the season, we’re gonna be definitely ahead of where we were to start the season last year,” said Booker.

“We have to remain healthy, and you know, we’re gonna get that chance to, you know, like I said, start this season off more on the same page than we were last year.”

Booker and the Suns have the chance to hit the ground running this year because of their depth and continuity, and the Suns franchise player has been leading the way all offseason.