Category: NBA

I play in dozens of fantasy basketball leagues every year, and my favorite format is the 9-cat head-to-head (H2H) league. Some experts call it a psycho format because of the weekly volatility, but it's where I've always had the most success. Building a winning 9-category roster is like solving a puzzle: you need players who contribute in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-pointers, field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage and turnovers. Ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, here are my top 9-cat fantasy draft strategies, mid-to-late-round stat-stuffers to target and inefficient scorers to fade, plus why punting categories is usually a mistake.

9-Cat Strategies

Don't Punt

If you've read any articles about 9-cat leagues, you've surely seen writers talk about punting. It's something you should only do if a draft completely falls apart, because punting a category is usually a poor decision. Imagine starting every week needing to win five of the remaining eight categories just to squeak out a 5-4 victory. That strategy can put you in a major hole, and it's a flawed way to build a team.

Target Stat-Stuffers

This one's obvious, but rostering players who contribute across the board is a major asset in a 9-cat league. Some of you might be thinking of a guy like Nikola Jokic, but low-end stat-stuffers can help round out a roster too. The most important factor is finding guards who won't kill you in field-goal percentage and big men who won't hurt your free-throw percentage. We also love guards who rebound and big men who dish out assists or hit 3-pointers. Being above average in any of those areas from a position where you don't expect it can be a major boost.

Limit Your Losses

Every fantasy manager is going to lose some weeks in 9-cat leagues, but limiting the damage is key. You'll undoubtedly face a juggernaut who goes off on you, but keeping that to a 3-6 loss instead of a 1-8 blowout can make the difference over a season. You can do this by streaming or targeting specific categories in a given week. Mastering that skill is one of the most important factors over a long season, because digging out of a 1-8 hole can set you back for a month.

9-Cat Targets

It would be easy to recommend 9-cat studs like Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kawhi Leonard and Jalen Johnson, but let's look at some stat-stuffers you can find deeper in drafts.

Jaren Jackson Jr., Utah Jazz

Jackson played only 48 games last season, which was a surprise given that he averaged 70 games per season over the previous four. That track record of reliability is a big part of JJJ's fantasy profile. The big man has one of the most diverse stat lines in the NBA, averaging 19.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 2.0 blocks and 1.8 3-pointers over the last five seasons. He has almost no holes in a 9-cat format, especially since he also shoots 46 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Dejounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans

Murray missed most of last season with an Achilles injury, but he's been a 9-cat stud throughout his career. The Pelicans' primary playmaker has averaged 19.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.3 blocks and 1.8 3-pointers over the last five years. Some managers might be worried about him coming off an Achilles injury, but his per-minute numbers last season were close to those averages. It's also nice to have a guard who can flirt with 50 percent from the field while stuffing the stat sheet like that.

Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

Green goes late in drafts, but he's been a 9-cat staple throughout his career. The All-Star has never lit up the scoreboard, but he's averaged 9.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 3-pointers since 2014. He's slipped a bit recently, but it's rare to find a player this deep in drafts who's a net positive in almost every category outside of scoring.

9-Cat Fades

These are all good basketball players, but they're simply impossible to trust in a 9-cat league. And trust me, I have no bias against left-handers, even though all three of these guys are southpaws!

Julius Randle, Brooklyn Nets

Randle was actually one of Minnesota's best players last season, but his lack of stat-stuffing and poor efficiency make him a tough sell in 9-cat leagues. He's averaged 18.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.3 blocks and 1.1 3-pointers across his 12-year career, while shooting 47 percent from the field, 77 percent from the free-throw line and 33 percent from 3-point range and committing 2.7 turnovers per game. Those numbers are decent, but he has too many deficiencies to justify a high pick in 9-cat leagues, especially since his efficiency could dip as one of Brooklyn's primary playmakers.

Miles Bridges, Phoenix Suns

Bridges is essentially a poor man's Randle. The issue is his lack of across-the-board production: he averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.4 blocks per game last season. Scoring is the only real positive there, and even that looks worse given that he's shot 45 percent from the field over the last two years. Limited production outside of scoring paired with poor shooting for a forward is a recipe for disaster in a 9-cat league.

RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors

Barrett might be the worst-shooting scorer I've ever seen. That might sound contradictory, but his inefficiency is terrifying. The lefty has averaged 18.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks on 45 percent from the field and 70 percent from the free-throw line throughout his career. It's one thing to provide little outside of scoring, but doing it with minimal defensive stats and poor shooting is inexcusable. A "scorer" who shoots 70 percent from the line is hard to manage, and his role could shrink even more now that Toronto has acquired Kawhi.

Why Warriors might hold competitions in training camp to determine starting five originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors can enter the 2026-27 NBA season with the same starting lineup as they closed last season. 

Should they? Some spots already are set in stone. At least two others might be more in pencil than pen going into training camp at BYU-Hawaii and throughout the preseason. 

Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porziņģis rounded out the Warriors’ first five on the floor in a season that included 43 different starting lineups. Those five gave a bit of everything to beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA play-in tournament to keep their playoff hopes alive. Curry scored 35 points with seven threes, Green’s defense down the stretch was as good as it gets, Porziņģis and Santos both scored 20 points, and Podziemski added 17. 

But two days later in Phoenix, the Warriors fell short of the playoffs for the fourth time in the last seven seasons. 

A tired squad saw Curry struggle to find his shot, scoring an inefficient 17 points. Green had as many turnovers (five) as points and was called for one more foul, including an ejection. Instead of each scoring 20 points, Porziņģis (11) and Santos (nine) combined for that much. Podziemski was the Warriors’ best player and the only to reach the 20-point mark with 23. 

Before looking at last season, we first have to look at how this even became the Warriors’ starting lineup. Santos was part of it because of his emergence after Jimmy Butler’s season-ending torn ACL. Podziemski’s part in the starting lineup was twofold: Curry missed two months to runner’s knee, and Moses Moody ruptured his left patellar tendon with 11 games left in the regular season. 

Will Steve Kerr turn to continuity as he calls the Warriors a team in a transition phase? There’s no point in mentioning Curry and Green as part of this exercise. Curry is still Steph, and Green’s spot remains secure until told otherwise. Porziņģis started the final 10 regular-season games he played, as well as both play-in games, and he provides the most advantages on both sides of the floor among Warriors centers. 

Re-signing De’Anthony Melton again can create competition between him and Podziemski to start next to Curry in the backcourt. Santos also could feel competition from a rookie Yaxel Lendeborg after the Warriors used their top pick in the draft to select a pro-ready forward who is only three months younger than him.

Either way, all four figure to be high on Kerr’s pecking order of minutes. There will be games where one starts and the other closes. Who begins next to Curry always is the bigger question, especially years removed from the Splash Brothers of Curry and Klay Thompson. 

Podziemski played 43 games and 601 minutes alongside Curry last season, and the two produced a 115.4 offensive rating. Melton didn’t make his season debut until Dec. 4, playing 250 minutes with Curry in 25 games, and producing an almost identical 115.2 offensive rating. The difference lies on defense. 

A Curry-Podziemski tandem tallied a 110.3 defensive rating. A Curry-Melton duo was much better with a 106.3 defensive rating. That always has been the argument for Melton to start next to Curry, and it’s his best case to secure a starting spot this upcoming season. 

Curry has called Melton a “prototypical” starting shooting guard. His 6-foot-8.5 wingspan and defensive acumen make it less likely for a team to pick on Curry. Podziemski can’t be questioned for his effort, but he isn’t the same point-of-attack defender as Melton. 

Podziemski does have a higher offensive upside than Melton, which could be used to make an argument for him to start — or for him to lead the second unit. That brings us to Lendeborg’s chances to start from Day 1. 

After starting two games his first two years in the NBA, Santos started 30 games last season as one of the best breakout stories in the league. He averaged 14.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game as a starter with a 49.2 field goal percentage. But he also shot a lowly 33.8 percent from three in those 30 starts with a 110 offensive rating, 118 defensive rating and a 1.45 assist-to-turnover ratio, compared to a 1.86 ratio coming off the bench. 

It wouldn’t be fair to underplay Santos’ ascension last season. The truth also is somewhere in the middle. Santos established himself as someone who has a permanent spot in the rotation, but Lendeborg’s potential is higher, and hopes for the future rest on his shoulders as opposed to the other way around. 

Lendeborg will make mistakes, and the Warriors’ coaching staff will have to live with them. He and Santos are probably better served at the four than the three defensively, and power forward might be his long-term position while Green’s Golden State career winds down. But there’s a glaring hole at the three right now, and the Warriors don’t have time to hold Lendeborg’s hand and slowly bring him into the fold. 

Like Melton and Podziemski, Santos and Lendeborg both will receive ample playing time. And all four could find themselves competing for a spot in the starting lineup to open the season. The way the grind of an 82-game season goes, and with the Warriors’ ages and injuries, they’ll each find their names in the starting five a large number of times.

The Warriors aren’t who they once were, and they aren’t pretending to be. Competition is king, and it’s the fuel this team could need to quiet all the doubt coming from outside their orbit.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Jalen Brunson started his live podcast Thursday with an injury update. 

“I am,” Brunson paused, “fully cleared.” 

The Knicks captain was referring to his left shooting wrist, which required surgery in early July to repair a tendon issue. 

Brunson, who played through the injury in the playoffs — earning NBA Finals MVP in the process — spent much of his summer in a cast but is ready for when it matters. 

New York’s title-defending training camp starts Tuesday in Tarrytown. 

“I was told that I am cleared,” Brunson said when asked if he can play five-on-five. “Just in time for training camp.” 

The news sent the crowd into “MVP” chants at Icahn Stadium in Randall’s Island, where Brunson and Josh Hart hosted their third annual Roommates Show Block Party. 

Much of the discussions on the stage — which included guests Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet and Spike Lee — were happy trips down recent memory lane. 

After all, the Knicks won the title and the celebration turned NYC into chaos even though the Game 5 clincher was in San Antonio. 

“I’m really happy we didn’t clinch it here,” Brunson admitted. “Because I probably wouldn’t have gotten home that night.” 

It was also the first time Alvarado and Shamet discussed their free-agent re-signings with Knicks. Alvarado took a three-year, $14 million deal this summer, while Shamet inked a four-year, $24 million contract. 

Both had pivotal moments in the playoffs. 

“The Knicks changed my life,” said Alvarado, who was acquired by New York via trade in February from the hard-luck Pelicans. 

A rise in demand and popularity for the Roommates Show podcast — boosted, undoubtedly, by the Knicks championship run — pushed the block party to bigger venue. After two years at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park — including a rain-soaked but enthusiastic crowd last year — Icahn Stadium represented a much bigger, albeit less intimate, space. 

Ticket prices grew, too. Thursday’s standing-room-only get-in ticket was $135 on the event’s website, with VIPs going for $600 a pop. 

The podcast business has turned lucrative for Brunson and Hart. It was also a live-audience rehearsal for Brunson, who is hosting “Saturday Night Live” this weekend. 

He and Hart traded barbs about their hairlines and salaries (Brunson has the advantage over Hart in the latter, not the former). 

And the point guard did it, as he announced in the opening remarks, while medically cleared.

The 2026-27 NBA season is quickly approaching, and Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick still has questions to answer before training camps begin Monday, Sept. 29.

Redick and Rob Pelinka, the team's President of Basketball Operations, spoke reporters to address where things stand from a roster reconstruction standpoint within the organization.

Redick was clear that guards Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves along with center Walker Kessler are all penciled in as starters for the upcoming season, but position battles remain.

As for the rest of the starting lineup? Redick joked, "The other spots will not be two white guys."

More: Did Lakers lose or win free agency? Grading massive roster overhaul.

Pelinka stated that the team has three clear objectives for the roster this offseason.

The first was re-signing Reaves, who agreed to a four-year, $180 million max contract in July. The team also had aspirations of acquiring a “franchise center” to play alongside Dončić. 

Kessler signed a four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers, but in order to secure the big man, the Lakers needed to send multiple draft assets to the Utah Jazz as part of the trade, including unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030.

Los Angeles went with a youth movement after LeBron James, the NBA's oldest active player and arguably still the league's biggest star, departed and signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Kessler is 25 years old, and wing Ziaire Williams is 24. Guard Quentin Grimes is 26, while guard Collin Sexton and forward Sandro Mamukelashvili are both 27.

Quentin Grimes is expected to serve as the small forward in the lineup while Jake LaRavia and Sandro Mamukelashvili will compete for the role as the starting power forward.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: JJ Redick addresses Lakers starting lineup then drops viral quote

Good news, Knicks fans. Jalen Brunson is good to go for the start of the regular season.

The Knicks guard told attendees at a live edition of his and teammate Josh Hart's Roommates Show, that he is healthy and ready for the regular season.

"As you guys know, I had surgery this offseason," Brunson told the crowd. "And I just wanted to tell you guys that I am fully cleared."

Brunson underwent surgery back in July after playing through a good portion of the playoffs with it. At the time, SNY's Ian Begley reported that the rehab/recovery process would take about two months.

Brunson revealed this summer -- not long after undergoing surgery -- that he suffered the injury late in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He scored 19 points in 40 minutes in the Knicks' 109-93 win to take a 2-0 series lead -- a series they wound up sweeping. 

The Knicks' unofficial captain would go through the rest of the postseason with his injured wrist en route to leading New York to its first NBA Championship in 53 years. He averaged 28 points and six assists in the postseason. His 45 points in Game 5 of the NBA Finals helped the Knicks clinch the title and earned him NBA Finals MVP.

A fully healthy Brunson will now look to go back-to-back when the season starts Oct. 5 on the road against the 76ers. 

Jalen Brunson shared at The Roommates Show he’s fully cleared after his offseason wrist surgery pic.twitter.com/j4SxLycexl

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) September 25, 2026

For the second consecutive preseason media availability, Rob Pelinka was limited with what he could say about a pending Lakers’ ownership change.

Last year, it was the $10 billion sale of the Lakers from the Buss family to Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter. 

This summer, it was the historic $12.5 billion sale from Walter to businessman Josh Kushner and ex-Disney executive Bob Iger.

With the sale not official yet, the Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager didn’t say too much about the sale, citing league rules.

But he’s been encouraged by the initial impressions of Kushner and Iger. 

“We have had introductory meetings with Bob and Josh, and those have been excellent,” Pelinka said Thursday during his preseason media availability alongside coach JJ Redick. “With a pending transaction, we’re not at liberty to talk more about that under league rules. But we’ve had preliminary discussions with them that have been really, really positive.” 

Even with the sale pending, and the Buss family drama surrounding their potential sale still looming, Pelinka noted nothing has tangibly changed in terms of the franchise’s day-to-day operations. 

“We’re operating with Lakers excellence,” Pelinka said. “We’re continuing to build out a world-class front office. Proud of the people we’ve added, incredibly proud of the energy we’ve had upstairs. We’re super excited about the people upstairs, the coaching staff, the support staff, the roster. Nothing’s changed day-to-day.”

Among the people the Lakers added to their front office were two assistant general managers: Eric Amsler (player personnel) and Rohan Ramadas (cap, analytics and data).

The additions of Amsler and Ramadas were among the 15-plus front office hires the Lakers made over the last few months, Pelinka added. 

“Super appreciative of the support from Jeanie [Buss] and ownership to build out,” Pelinka said. “Really built out our strategy and analytics department, have hired two assistant general managers. Have more to do, and we’re actually continuing to do that. And then in terms of player services, as JJ said, we’ve really rebuilt our player experience and player development arm. With that comes new equipment, new recovery and modalities. We’ve worked with our training department to do that.”

When asked what other additions the Lakers were looking to make, Pelinka mentioned wanting to make more hires to support Amsler’s side of the front office.

Amsler will focus on the “player draft and evaluation processes,” which will include pro scouting, draft scouting and player development. 

He spent 22 years in the Heat organization, most recently serving as the vice president of player personnel before the Lakers hired him.

---

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

“You guys saw we hired Eric Amsler, who was with two decades with the Heat to kind of see over our player personnel, our draft scouting, our G League scouting and NBA scouting – we’re gonna be adding more scouts in those departments,” Pelinka said. “That’s just one example of a sort of a vertical that we’ll continue to build. And there are others, too. But it’s been a really robust last two months. The players are already seeing the differences. And we’ll continue, like I said, to set the gold standard with the people we have upstairs.”

It’s clear there’s a lot more to come when it comes to building out the Lakers’ infrastructure.

What isn’t clear amidst the ownership change is how involved the Dodgers will be in those changes to come. 

Dodgers executives Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi took on special advisory roles with the Lakers last fall following Walter’s purchase of the franchise.

Their influence included being involved in the assistant general manager hiring process.

But with Walter’s ownership tenure coming to an end soon, it isn’t clear what roles Friedman and Zaidi will have with the Lakers future.

“We can’t really talk in this interim period,” Pelinka said. “There’s just a transaction that’s going on. I will say this, I’m super grateful for the opportunity to learn from incredible leaders like Andrew Friedman. And the reps and time and conversations we’ve had have been enriching for me. He does an incredible job. Good luck to the Dodgers in three-peating. So, we’ll see.”

The Los Angeles Lakers are about to embark on a new era of basketball, as they are set to endure a full season without LeBron James as a member of the roster for the first time in eight years.

During Thursday’s media availability, Lakers head coach JJ Reddick might’ve accidentally taken a shot at James when he told reporters that he believes this year’s “group is probably the first time in my three years that I feel like the pieces actually fit together.”

It’s unknown if Reddick was actually taking a shot at James or not, but what is true is this year’s roster was constructed around creating role players to play alongside Luka Doncic, whereas in the past it was constructed to fit around James.

“There is a very clear ask for you to be able to play. And if you don’t do those things, then you’re not gonna play,” Reddick said. “That’s just the reality.”

Reddick went on to say that he’s already spoken with players on the roster about his vision for the team, and the reception has been positive.

In July, the Lakers were informed by James that he would be departing from the team — to which he would later go and sign a veteran minimum, two-year $7.95 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Team President of basketball operations and general manager, Rob Pelinka, started to clean house by getting rid of veterans like Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, Jaxson Hayes, and Luke Kennard.

As he began the reconstruction process, Austin Reaves was handed out a max contract extension. They then went and acquired Walker Kessler through a sign-and-trade-deal with the Utah Jazz.

With a key building block put together, the team went and added Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton to help with offense, while Matisse Thybulle and Ziarie Williams were brought in to help the defense.

“We have high confidence in these guys that they’re going to buy into that, “Reddick said. “It’s going to create naturally healthy competition, and everybody at some point will inevitably get a chance to impact our team and impact winning.”

An 11-time NBA All-Star and one of the league’s greatest scorers and rebounders in its history has died. 

Bob Pettit, the first NBA MVP winner, died at the age of 93, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Thursday.

Pettit spent 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Hawks organization, first in Milwaukee and then in St. Louis. 

He helped lead the Hawks to four NBA Finals appearances and a league title in 1958 when his team toppled the Celtics. Pettit scored what was a playoff record at the time 50 points in Game 6 of that series. 

Pettit took home the first-ever NBA MVP award during the 1955-56 season and then won it again during the 1958-59 season, both of which led the NBA in scoring with average points of 25.7 and 29.2, respectively.

He also won Rookie of the Year in Pettit’s first NBA season, averaging 20.8 points per game. 

“The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame mourns the passing of Bob Pettit, a sleek, skilled big man who revolutionized the forward position during his career,” the Hall of Fame said posted on X. “The 11-time NBA All-Star and 2-time MVP retired as the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and left an enduring legacy. He led the St. Louis Hawks to the 1958 NBA championship over the Boston Celtics. The Basketball Hall of Fame salutes this true giant of the game.”

Pettit was named the All-Star Game MVP on four occasions, a feat only Kobe Bryant has been able to match. 

He also starred in college for the LSU Tigers and helped the program reach its first NCAA Final Four in 1953. 

Pettit averaged 17 rebounds and an NCAA-leading 31.4 points per game during his senior season at LSU.

The news conference Thursday began with Lakers president of operations Rob Pelinka saying he wanted to “express gratitude” to LeBron James for the eight years he spent playing for Los Angeles before departing to Philadelphia as a free agent over the summer.

It didn’t take long for Pelinka to pivot into Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and how they are now the leaders of the Lakers with James gone.

James informed the Lakers on June 30 that he had plans to play elsewhere, and thus began a new chapter for the Lakers. James, who signed with the 76ers, won an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2020. He led the Lakers to the Western Conference second round of the 2026 playoffs.

Over the course of his 23-year NBA career, James’ longest tenure had been with the Lakers.

And for that, Pelinka was thankful.

“I think before we get into the questions, it’s been a few weeks since I’ve last seen you guys. I thought it would be appropriate at the front to express gratitude for the LeBron era here,” Pelinka said. “Clearly, new team and new players, and that’s what we’re going to talk about today. But we as an organization are still grateful for the run that we had with him here. The Lakers have become — as they should — a perennial playoff team — won a championship, went to the Western Conference finals. It was a great era, and we’re grateful for it. I think it’s important to say that at the onset as we turn into a new chapter.”

Read more:Beloved Lakers public address announcer Lawrence Tanter dies at 76

Pelinka said he collaborated with Lakers coach JJ Redick to build a team around Doncic, using a three-pronged approach.

They wanted to re-sign Reaves, which the Lakers did at four years and $180 million, the largest contract ever for an undrafted player in NBA history.

They wanted to acquire a top-notch center, which the Lakers did by getting Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz in a sign-and-trade deal. The Lakers sent two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to the Jazz for Kessler and then signed him to a four-year, $130-million contract.

They wanted to add quality depth, which the Lakers did by getting Quentin Grimes, Jaden Hardy, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney.

Pelinka said this was the “thesis” on how they wanted to build the Lakers for the 2026-27 season.

“And there were three fundamental pillars of what we wanted to accomplish in the offseason: We wanted to retain Austin Reaves. That was a really big thing for us,” Pelinka said. “We wanted to find a way to acquire a franchise center and then we wanted to develop a roster of JJ Redick dribble-pass-shoot players that were younger and add depth to our roster. That was sort of our three-prong thesis basketball-wise for the offseason, and we felt like we accomplished all those things.

“Re-signing Austin, putting together a trade to acquire Walker Kessler, and then building out our team with young players that could dribble-pass-shoot, and have brought the average age of our roster to around 26 or 27, which lines up so perfectly with building a team around Luka Doncic. That’s what we’re here to talk about today, is our offseason and the excitement heading into this year.”

Pelinka, who held the news conference with Redick by his side, was asked about the new Lakers ownership group of Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner, who purchased the franchise for a record $12.5 billion from Dodgers owner and Guggenheim Partners’ Mark Walter, who owned the Lakers for about a year. The deal hasn’t been finalized but is expected to be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors.

“We have had introductory meetings with Bob and Josh, and those have been excellent,” Pelinka said. “With a pending transaction, we’re not at liberty to talk more about that under league rules. But we’ve had preliminary discussions with them that have been really, really positive. In terms of day-to-day, nothing’s changed. We’re operating with Lakers excellence.”

The biggest change is James not being with the Lakers.

After the Lakers were eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder in May, James expressed interest in re-signing with the team.

Pelinka even said the Lakers wanted James to retire with the franchise.

But that didn’t happen.

“Again, we’re grateful for the LeBron era,” Pelinka said. “I think the communications with him this offseason were held diplomatically, professionally and honestly. I’m so thankful for the partnership that we had that continued up until this summer when a decision was made for him to play for another team. It was done amicably, professionally, gracefully. We looked at the whole thing with gratitude, because it’s been an incredible era for us here.”

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

When it comes to the Lakers, only one thing matters. 

Are they championship contenders?

That’s what happens when you’re a 17-time championship organization. That’s what happens when guys named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant have worn your jersey. It’s title or bust. It’s Larry O’Brien or 911. 

So, when Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka learned that LeBron James was leaving after eight seasons in free agency, he had three goals. 

He wanted to re-sign Austin Reaves. He wanted a franchise center. And he wanted to fill out the roster with young guys who could dribble, pass and shoot.

And? 

“We felt like we accomplished all those things,” Rob Pelinka said Thursday in his first availability since last season ended. 

That begs one question. 

So, does he believe they’re real championship contenders?

Then came some humming and hawing. A bit of honesty, A tacit acknowledgement that as of now, the Lakers are still nipping at the heels of the West’s juggernauts, ie, the Spurs and Thunder. 

“As [Lakers coach] JJ [Redick] pointed out, there’s no off-season where you can check every single box you’re hoping to check,” Pelinka said. “But we felt like the major ones we did, and the work continues. But we feel like we’re on the path of being a really competitive championship-level team.”

Being on the path is far from the front door. 

But that’s when things got interesting. Redick had a different take. He spoke into microphone, unprompted. 

“I’m confident we’re going to develop as a team into a championship-level team this year,” Redick said.

In that moment, it seemed a bit far-fetched. It was the type of thing a coach has to say. You know, lip service, if you will. 

But then again, we’ve seen Pelinka’s almost radical belief in the Lakers before, laughed it off and then realized we chuckled too soon. 

Remember when the Lakers lost their two leading scorers in Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves to injuries against the Thunder on April 2? They were kapuut. Done. Obituaries were being penned in purple and gold ink. 

But Redick said the Lakers wouldn’t drop the rope. He pulled players aside to try to convince them to believe. Heck, he had to convince his own coaching staff. 

Then the Lakers pulled off the improbable. 

Missing their two stars, the 41-year-old LeBron James put the Lakers on his arthritic shoulders and led them past the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. Nearly everyone who got playing time made monster contributions, including Luke Kennard ephemerally transforming into a star and Marcus Smart channeling his prime. 

So, maybe Redick’s words aren’t so outlandish after all. 

The Lakers lack perimeter defense. They made a huge gamble on Kessler, who needs to jump from being an elite rebounder and rim protector into a defensive beast for them to have a shot. They need time for their revamped roster to gel. 

And in the West, there’s no margin for error. 

Not when the 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama has spent all summer lamenting blowing double-digit leads in his first Finals appearance last June. Not when reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has stewed for months about being sent home in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. 

Pelinka teed up Redick. He completely revamped the roster around Dončić. He rolled the dice and took risks and put himself on the line for this to work. 

The guys have bought in. 

Dončić hosted a mini-camp in Slovenia to build chemistry. Kessler claimed he’d run through a wall for the Lakers after they essentially mortgaged their future for him by giving up all their assets. Reaves apparently is already showing leadership qualities. 

The building blocks are there. 

But it seems improbable that the Lakers could really compete this season. 

Right?

There’s something about Redick’s confidence that gives you pause. There was something about him speaking in that moment when he didn’t need to that resonated. 

He knows the deck is stacked against him. The Lakers are likely a few tweaks away from being great. 

But then again, did anyone think the Knicks were going to win their first championship in 53 years last season? Did anyone have that on their bingo card?

Projections can be wrong. 

And Redick believes this roster has what it takes to go all the way, even if it doesn’t look that way. 

“The games are not played on paper,” Redick said.

Bob Pettit, the first man to receive the NBA's MVP (most valuable player) award, has died aged 93.

Pettit won the award twice, in its first year in 1955-56 and again in 1958-59, when he topped the scoring charts in both seasons.

The Basketball Hall of Fame confirmed Pettit's death, describing him as "a true giant of the game" and "a sleek, skilled big man who revolutionised the forward position during his career."

He was also named an NBA All-Star in all 11 of his seasons and was the first player to reach 20,000 points.

"He raised the bar for excellence as the league's first MVP, first 20,000-point scorer and first four-time All-Star Game MVP," said the NBA.

Having starred for Louisiana State University (LSU), Pettit was signed by Milwaukee Hawks in the draft in 1954.

The team then moved to St Louis, and Pettit stayed with them for the rest of his career which included winning the NBA title in 1958 with victory over the Boston Celtics.

He reached two more finals with the Hawks in 1960 and 1961, and retired in 1965 with a career average of 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds per game.

Pettit was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971 and had his number 50 jersey retired at LSU in 1954. He was the first of their athletes to ever receive the honor.

LSU paid tribute to Pettit on their website, saying: "Pettit defined what the modern power forward should be in the NBA and set standards that have been hard to duplicate in professional basketball."

No cause of death was given.

The Spurs got to the Finals last season mostly on the strength of their core players. It’s typically how things go for contenders, since they are not expected to field a deep rotation as the playoff rounds go on. The strange thing is that the reigning Sixth Man of the Year was one of the guys who just couldn’t contribute as much as he was counted on to when on the floor.

Keldon Johnson played under 20 minutes in both the Conference Finals and the NBA Finals, and the Spurs were better with him off the floor against Oklahoma City while doing better with him playing in a much smaller role than he had in the regular season in the Finals. Something just wasn’t right for the longest-tenured Spur, and the timing of the struggles couldn’t have been worse.

Johnson is eligible for an extension but has not received one yet. It feels unlikely one is in the cards, but that was probably the case no matter what, as the Spurs deal with potentially getting past the tax line next season and need all the flexibility they can muster. Still, having a breakout year in a new role made Johnson seem like a core piece instead of a likely future casualty to the cap. The postseason issues, along with other developments, might have changed that equation.

The first thing to clarify is that Johnson didn’t do anything differently on offense in the playoffs. His shot chart is almost identical to the one he had in the regular season; his rebounding was good; he shot about the same from beyond the arc. His main problem came when he attacked the rim. He was atrocious from the restricted area, shooting a paltry 46 percent, a gigantic gap from the very solid 65 percent he shot in the regular season. The simple explanation is that he faced better rim protectors, and what worked against lesser competition didn’t work against top teams.

The tape is kinder to Johnson. Watching his forays to the rim, it’s clear that he couldn’t find the right touch, but he still used his body to try to create separation and some good looks, by his standards. A few of those shots just rimmed out. The problem for Johnson is that if he’s not having success attacking the rim, there’s nothing special about his game. He’s a good but not exceptional rebounder. He tries on defense but will never be a major plus on that end. The three-pointer averages out to being solid, but it’s anything but consistent, with some looks hitting nothing but net and others the side of the backboard. When the battering ram aspect of his game is missing, he loses his best trait.

Luckily for the Spurs (and probably bad for Johnson), Dylan Harper took over as the rim pressure provider off the rim. The rookie took 233 shots in the postseason, and 115 of them came in the restricted area, where he converted at a 66 percent clip. It was a breakout performance for Harper, who looked ready for a bigger role next season. Positionally, he doesn’t overlap with Johnson, but his driving ability, along with the other guards’, could move Keldon to even more of an off-ball role, as Harper likely becomes the new sixth man.

It could all work out for the best for Johnson and the Spurs. He shot 40 percent on threes in his third year in the league on good volume, so he could take advantage of the looks the guards create for him and get close to that number again. He’s also much better at attacking when he catches on the move than from a standstill, so he could turn kick-out passes into drives to maintain his threes-and-shots-at-the-rim-only diet. His role might get smaller, but he could become more efficient. Johnson has proved to be adaptable in the past, after all.

The question is, if his role does shrink, how good would he need to be both in the regular season and the playoffs to become a priority next offseason? Especially considering San Antonio has Julian Champagnie, Tobias Harris, and Carter Bryant in the books to compete with him for minutes now, and those three will be in the books next season, while Johnson’s contract expires after this one. His leadership gives him an edge over the others, at least in the locker room, but the money already committed to players could force Keldon to either take a smaller deal or leave the franchise that drafted him.

The 2026/27 season hasn’t even started yet, so it might seem premature to think about the free agency that comes after it, but with the current cap rules, it’s hard not to look ahead. Still, more important than figuring out how Johnson fits on the books in the future is determining what role he plays while he’s still under contract. The abundance of wings, the emergence of Harper as a potentially elite bench piece that would move Johnson down on the pecking order, and how well Johnson once again adjusts could impact his place in the rotation and, eventually, in the team’s plans going forward.

Looking at next year, Johnson could either be a key piece off the bench who thrives next to guards who push the pace and draw the attention of the defense or a bit player if Harris’ more well-rounded offensive game and Bryant’s defense and athleticism endear them more to the coaching staff. Either scenario seems just as likely. And even if Johnson plays well in the regular season, he’ll need to prove he can also get it done in the playoffs, or retaining him on anything but a very team-friendly deal would be hard to justify.

The contending Spurs have not faced many tough decisions yet. What happens with Johnson, a fan favorite and the team’s emotional leader, both this season and after it, could make the ugly aspects of trying to build a championship team finally become clear.

There was a point this summer when keeping track of the Celtics roster started to require an unreasonable amount of concentration.

Jaylen Brown is in Philadelphia. Paul George and Mitchell Robinson are in Boston. Mike Conley is somehow beginning Year 20 in a Celtics uniform. Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell joined through the draft, while Brad Stevens spent part of July locking up several young players already in the system.

Boston will also enter camp with one standard roster spot and one two-way spot unclaimed. For the five guys coming in on Exhibit 10 deals, there are actual chairs left when the offseason music stops.

So, before Media Day next week, let’s sort through who’s here and what any of them are actually competing for.

The sure things

• Jayson Tatum
• Derrick White
• Paul George
• Payton Pritchard
• Sam Hauser
• Neemias Queta
• Mitchell Robinson

Joe Mazzulla can probably write these seven names in pen.

On nights when they’re healthy, Tatum, White and George are locks to start. Queta should have the inside track at center after earning a new deal this summer. Robinson gives Boston a second real center and, more importantly, an offensive rebounder who can turn a missed shot into another possession by himself.

The fifth starter is less obvious.

Pritchard started plenty last season, but his scoring and sparkplugability (am I the first to use this word?) also make him valuable as a sixth man. Hauser has started alongside Boston’s core plenty of times before, and several younger wings will have a chance to make their case, too.

To me, it feels like Hauser probably has the most fragile grip on “sure thing” status here. The shooting will keep him around, but if González or Walsh gives Boston enough offense alongside better defensive versatility, or Scheierman starts bringing comparable shooting with more creation, his minutes could get squeezed pretty quickly.

George is the sure thing with the biggest asterisk. He won’t be expected to replicate Brown’s game despite being the return in the trade for him (plus picks), and at 36, Boston probably doesn’t want him trying. What the Celtics need is a healthy secondary creator who can shoot, defend and take some pressure off Tatum.

The center rotation should be deeper, too. Queta brings continuity, rebounding and steadily improving offensive skill. Robinson adds elite offensive rebounding, rim protection and a level of interior physicality Boston hasn’t consistently had in years.

The first seven names are easy. Figuring out who gets minutes eight through ten? Not so easy.

The young guys ready to fly

• Hugo González
• Baylor Scheierman
• Jordan Walsh
• Ron Harper Jr.
• Chris Cenac Jr.

There probably aren’t five rotation spots available here. There might only be two come playoff time. Which makes this less about whether Boston’s young players are ready and more about which of them makes it hardest for Mazzulla to keep him on the bench.

González has an obvious path to minutes. His defense, size, physicality and motor already made him useful as a rookie. The question is whether his offense improves enough to keep him on the floor for longer stretches.

Scheierman probably enters camp with the clearest offensive case. His shooting is already an NBA skill, and he showed more last season as a rebounder and quick decision-maker.

Walsh remains one of the more intriguing players on the roster. The tools have always made sense: long, athletic, switchable and capable of guarding several positions. Boston’s decision to extend him suggests the organization still believes there’s another level there.

Harper also turned his opportunity into a multi-year deal after working his way up from Maine.

Then there’s Cenac, who probably has the widest range of possible outcomes this season. He’s 19, 6-foot-11 and loaded with developmental upside. He may spend plenty of time in Maine, but if he develops faster than expected, Mazzulla suddenly has a long, mobile big who can do things Queta, Robinson and Garza simply aren’t built to do.

Boston doesn’t need all five of these guys to break through. If even two become dependable rotation players, the roster starts to look significantly deeper.

The break-glass-in-case-of-emergency crew

• Mike Conley
• Luka Garza

Conley probably isn’t here to play 20 minutes a night.

At 38, a lot of Conley’s value may come from everything that happens before he ever checks into a game. Boston lost a lot of veteran presence over the last two offseasons, and Conley gives Mazzulla someone he can trust to organize an offense when injuries, rest nights or foul trouble create a need.

Garza fills a similar role up front.

Queta and Robinson should absorb most of the center minutes, but Garza gives Boston a proven third option who can screen, move the ball and stretch the floor in ways the other two don’t.

If Conley and Garza spend most nights watching from the sideline, Boston will probably consider that good news.

The development group

• Amari Williams, two-way
• Dillon Mitchell, two-way

If you’re wondering how much Williams and Mitchell will play in Boston this year, you may be asking the wrong question. Their more important minutes are probably going to come about two hours north in Portland, Maine.

Williams returns on a two-way deal after spending his rookie year bouncing between Boston and the G League.

Mitchell arrives as the No. 40 pick, bringing explosive athleticism and defensive potential at 6-foot-8. His immediate challenge is developing enough offensively to turn those tools into a long-term NBA role.

A quiet year in Boston wouldn’t necessarily be a bad year for either of them. This season will likely involve substantial time in Maine with occasional NBA opportunities mixed in.

Boston knows this path can work. Queta originally arrived on a two-way, and Harper played his way from Maine into a multi-year NBA contract. Williams and Mitchell get the next crack at it.

The guys fighting to stay

• Devin Carter
• Milos Uzan
• Tucker DeVries
• Hayden Gray
• Gabe McGlothan

Boston has two open seats and five guys trying not to be the ones standing when camp ends.

Carter is the biggest name. The former No. 13 pick and Big East Player of the Year hasn’t yet found his footing in the NBA, but Boston gives him a fresh opportunity to compete for either opening. A former lottery pick fighting an undrafted rookie for the same two-way contract is exactly the kind of weird little subplot we love during preseason basketball.

Uzan and DeVries both arrived on Exhibit 10 deals after going undrafted, while Gray and McGlothan round out the camp group.

McGlothan is particularly notable because Maine already acquired his G League rights, making the potential path easy to see: compete for a spot in Boston, then continue developing in Maine if one doesn’t materialize.

For the sure things, preseason basketball is mostly an elaborate way to get sweaty. For this group, it can determine where they live come November.

What’s actually left to figure out?

Most of Boston’s roster questions aren’t really roster questions anymore. They’re pecking-order questions.

Nobody is walking into camp wondering whether Tatum, White or George has a job. The uncertainty lives farther down the depth chart.

Paul George is extension-eligible, while Payton Pritchard becomes eligible on Oct. 1. Boston also still has the $27.7 million trade exception created in the Anfernee Simons deal. Keith Smith has the Celtics sitting $1.7 million below the luxury tax and $10.3 million below the first-apron hard cap.

Brad Stevens has spent two summers getting Boston out of second-apron hell and back into something resembling financial flexibility. The books finally look calmer. Joe’s problem now is figuring out which version of this roster actually works.

We know who the Celtics are bringing to camp. Now we get to find out which of them Joe actually trusts.