“I wanted to go to a winning culture,” Kuminga said after he was asked about his priority, despite having opportunities to sign with other teams for money.
Kuminga said that leading into his decision, he spoke to players and members of front offices of the teams that were interested in him, but felt that the Timberwolves had “the type of vibe I was looking for.”
“I asked God to guide me and give me the best decision, and I think this was the best decision for me,” Kuminga said. “… I think this was one of the best winning cultures I could actually have of all the options.”
Los Angeles Lakers catch stray during Jonathan Kuminga introdcutory press conference. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Through his five-year career, Kuminga has primarily served as a sixth man, coming off the bench.
Turner noted that with this opportunity, and if Kuminga elects to enforce his player option next season, he will have more leverage for a higher contract next offseason.
Kuminga’s former teammate, Draymond Green, said his decision to spurn the Lakers could get dicey in the future, as he could find himself going back to his role, coming off the bench, if the Warriors start losing games.
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Former Boston Celtics star, now Philadelphia 76ers player Jaylen Brown decided to get in the squared circle with absolutely no preparation in Nigeria.
Brown took part in a boxing match earlier this week, a little over a month before the start of his first season in his new city. Footage of the boxing match was shown on Brown’s clips page on Instagram.
Brown commented on the post saying he ‘had 0 prep for this,” although he does have some boxing in his blood with his father being former WBU champ Quenton Marselles Brown. The match appeared to call extra attention to Brown’s 7uice Foundation, which, according to social media, “partners with leaders and institutions to bridge opportunity gaps and empower youth through education and innovation.”
In July, Brown was traded by the Celtics to the 76ers for Paul George and a pair of future second-round draft picks. Brown and the Celtics won the NBA title in 2024 after destroying the Mavericks in five games, where Brown was named Finals MVP.
Alex Toohey, the forward from Canberra, Australia, originally drafted by the Golden State Warriors before being waived is coming back for training camp, according to multiple reports.
Alex Toohey of the Golden State Warriors arrives at the arena before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NBAE via Getty Images
Toohey was Golden State’s top selection in the 2025 draft, at No. 52 overall, but has yet to appear in an NBA game and played only two games for G League Santa Cruz because of a knee injury. He was waived in December so that the Warriors could sign Malevy Leons.
Toohey and Leons will be among the crop of players competing for the Warriors’ pair of two-way slots when they open training camp later this month in Hawaii. Also expected to be in the mix are sharpshooter LJ Cryer, rookie guard Lajae Jones and Deivon Smith and Graham Ike, who like Toohey both inked Exhibit 10 deals for training camp.
Alex Toohey of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2025 NBA Summer League on July 15, 2025, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NBAE via Getty Images
The signing brings the Warriors’ roster to 20 players, one shy of the offseason maximum. After a quiet summer, they’ve rounded out their 15-man roster in recent weeks with veterans Georges Niang and Brandon Williams on minimum contracts.
Dalen Terry, the former Bulls first-round pick, will also be in training camp but must earn a spot on the full-time roster; the 6-foot-6 wing is ineligible for a two-way contract.
The Warriors report Sept. 29 for training camp, which runs through Oct. 3 on the campus of BYU-Hawaii, before opening their preseason slate against the Clippers on Oct. 4 in Honolulu.
From bobbleheads celebrating current stars to ones honoring key figures of the past, to Hello Kitty – yes, Hello Kitty – the Lakers are slated to have a well-rounded promotional nights schedule for 2026-27.
The team announced Thursday their full slate of promotional nights and special recognitions for the upcoming season.
The Lakers are having bobblehead giveaways of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves during the 2026-27 season. Getty Images
They’ll celebrate superstar guard Luka Dončić as the NBA’s 2025-26 scoring champion with a bobblehead giveaway during the Nov. 1 home game against the Raptors.
Lakers star guard Austin Reaves will also have his own bobblehead giveaway night during the Dec. 27 home game against the Grizzlies.
The franchise will also honor legends through its new “League of Stars” program, which will include throwback bobbleheads of two-time All-Star and NBA champion Norm Nixon (Dec. 14 vs. Pelicans), NBA champion coach Paul Westhead (Jan. 14 vs. Magic) and four-time NBA champion Kurt Rambis (March 17 vs. Suns).
Keeping up with celebrating their past, the Lakers will have a 2020 Championship ring replica giveaway on Jan. 24, when they’re slated to host Anthony Davis and the Wizards.
The Lakers are hosting their first “Hello Kitty” night during the 2026-27 season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A few other promotional nights include a Lakers x Dodgers baseball-style jersey giveaway on Nov. 18 vs. the Jazz, the franchise’s first Hello Kitty night on March 7 vs. the Nets, in addition to giveaways during Opening Night against the Warriors on Oct. 21 and the 76ers on Christmas Day.
Lakers’ 2026-27 promotional nights
Oct. 8: LGBTQ+ Pride Night with Pride t-shirt
Oct. 21: Opening Night vs. Warriors
Nov. 1: Luka Dončić scoring champion bobblehead
Nov. 17: Veterans Appreciation Night
Nov. 18: Lakers x Dodgers baseball-style jersey giveaway
Dec. 1: League of Stars honors Norm Nixon with bobblehead
Phil Jackson is one of several Lakers legends who’ll be honored with a bobblehead during 2026-27. REUTERS
Dec. 25: Christmas Day vs. 76ers
Dec. 27: Austin Reaves bobblehead night
Jan. 14: League of Stars honors Paul Westhead bobblehead
Jan. 24: Lakers 2020 Championship ring replica giveaway
Feb. 10: Mental Health Awareness Night
March 7: Hello Kitty Night
March 17: League of Stars honors Kurt Rambis with bobblehead
April 9: Phil Jackson statue unveiling and Phil Jackson bobblehead
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: The sneakers worn by Malik Williams #37 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the game against the Miami Heat during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 18, 2025 at the Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Walker Kessler: The big man the Lakers coveted for years and were finally able to make their marquee addition via a sign-and-trade with the Jazz, and inking Kessler to a four-year, $130 contract.
Quentin Grimes: The versatile, two-way guard the Lakers signed to a four-year, $60 million deal, and is expected to be a Day 1 starter after bouncing around the NBA (the Lakers are his fourth team in 2 ½ years) over the last couple of years.
The Lakers signed Sandro Mamukelashvili to a four-year, $52 million contract. Getty Images
Austin Reaves: The Lakers’ homegrown star whose story from undrafted–to-All-Star caliber player over the last five years has been well-documented, earning him a four-year, $180 million deal.
And Sandro Mamukelashvili: The four-year, $52 million signee who’ll be the biggest swing factor for whether the Lakers’ offseason moves were a success.
Mamukelashvili, who’s entering his sixth season in the league aftr being the No. 54 pick out of Seton Hall in the 2021 draft, was relatively unproven through his first few seasons in the league.
The combination of his size (6-foot-9, 240 pounds) and skillset (versatile offensive connector) has made him an intriguing player.
But playing time opportunities didn’t come by easily, with Mamukelashvili averaging fewer than 16 minutes per game in each of his first four seasons in the league with the Bucks and Spurs.
Mamukelashvili’s final 18 games of the 2024-25 season with the Spurs, in which he averaged 10.4 points (49.3% shooting, 37.2% on 3-pointers), 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.4 minutes per game, opened up a sixth man role opportunity for him with the Raptors.
He seized the opportunity, putting together a career year that led to his long-term, lucrative deal with the Lakers: Mamukelashvili’s scoring average (11.2 points), rebounding (4.9 rebounds), assists (1.9), field goal percentage (52.3%) and minutes per game (21.9) with Toronto in 2025-26 were all career-best marks.
Mamukelashvili is expected to bring size, physicality and an ability to stretch the floor, which should pair well with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Getty Images
Mamukelashvili finally showcased the skills and offensive versatility that every team in the NBA covets from a frontcourt role player:
Shooting.
Passing.
Keeping the play moving.
Being able to play off of primary and secondary ball handlers as a connector within the offense.
It all may sound simple, but those were the type of skills the Lakers were coveting entering the offseason.
“We gotta be better [at] being able to dribble, pass and shoot,” Coach JJ Redick said in May. “That sounds simple, but that’s just the reality.”
Sandro Mamukelashvili will provide a boost to the Lakers’ transition offense. NBAE via Getty Images
The reality is that Mamukelashvili will help in each of those areas in a more well-rounded way compared to former Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, or even other options who were available in free agency.
And because he’s a credible center option in small-ball lineups, Mamukelashvili opens up opportunities for the Lakers to play bigger forwards who aren’t shooting threats (Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero) but can help cover for him on the less glamorous end of the floor.
Does Mamukelashvili come with defensive concerns? Absolutely. He isn’t a strong perimeter or interior defender.
But he can also change the rhythm of the Lakers’ offense, especially in transition or when Luka Doncic isn’t on the floor.
And with the Lakers committing less than 8% of their cap space to Mamukelashvili over the next three years, his upside is worth taking a gamble on.
Jonathan Kuminga turned down more guaranteed money from the Lakers — nearly twice as much per year — and elsewhere to come to Minnesota on a two-year, $13 million contract that could have him back on the free agent market next summer. Kuminga is betting on himself. Again.
"Just looking back, I think I'll say it's one of the best decisions I made," Kuminga said of coming to Minnesota. "Just looking at the roster, looking at the young group of guys they have, and just seeing what they've done in the past and things that they're trying to accomplish going forward."
Kuminga also said all the right things about fitting into a role with this team, where he often won't have the ball in his hands because that role falls more to Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. Fitting into a role has not been Kuminga's strength (just ask Steve Kerr), but he sees a fit.
"I think my game, my mentality, pretty much everything fit well with the group. It don't matter what it is," Kuminga said. "They could put me wherever: running the floor, screen, defend, play fast, whatever it is. I feel like I could come in, be one of the best defenders."
Kuminga talked about how Edwards called him nearly every single day to recruit him. He also talked about his excitement of playing with LaMelo.
"I was watching him work out yesterday. I was watching him doing certain things, and just the way he passed the ball — it's incredible," Kuminga said. "I mean, I play with so many point guards in my career, but I never played with somebody that could pass as good as LaMelo, so I think I'm looking forward to it."
Kuminga talked a lot about defense — Edwards' focus on that was one of the draws for Kuminga, according to reports — and specifically the freedom he will have knowing Rudy Gobert is behind him.
"I could be myself on defense, I will be more aggressive because I know I have a shot blocker, and he's done it so many times," Kuminga said.
Tim Connelly and the Minnesota decision makers took a big gamble this offseason, moving on from Julius Randle, Naz Reid and a style of play that had been successful — but seemed to run into a wall — to bring in LaMelo, Kuminga, and to radically reshape the style of play. It's going to take coach Chris Finch a little time to find the rotations and systems that work, but by the holidays we should have a better sense of just how good this team will be.
INGLEWOOD, CA - OCTOBER 24: Chris Paul #3 and Bradley Beal #0 of the LA Clippers high five during the game against the Phoenix Suns on October 24, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The last 10 days for the Los Angeles Clippers have been tumultuous, to say the least. Last Wednesday, the NBA dropped the hammer on them for salary cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard, which resulted in the league taking away five future first-round picks and suspending several key personnel, including owner Steve Ballmer and President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank. And if you didn’t think there was enough drama going on in Clipperland, tensions involving arguably the franchise’s greatest player and one of the most influential figures in recent Phoenix Suns history continue to brew.
After returning to the franchise he helped lead to a franchise-best 57-win season and earning numerous All-Star and All-NBA selections for the final season of his career, Chris Paul was sent home by the Clippers in the middle of the night less than two months into the season. The move was an attempt by the team to shake up the locker room amid a poor start to the season, and it ultimately ended his career prematurely.
Now, more than nine months after his release, as if the Clippers hadn’t done enough damage to their relationship with potentially the most iconic player in franchise history, it seems there’s a new wrinkle, and it involves another former Phoenix Sun.
With Paul retired and no longer on the Clippers, Bradley Beal is switching his number from zero to three, according to NBA numerologist Etienne Catalan and the Clippers’ team website. Paul wore No. 3 for the entirety of his career, and it was the number he was told the organization would retire.
Chris Paul details convos with Kawhi, Ty Lue and Lawrence Frank ahead of his abrupt exit from the Clippers 👀 pic.twitter.com/fG3ojh2YE4
Coincidentally, Beal took Paul’s No. 3 when he was traded for him after the Suns acquired Beal from the Wizards. But even though Paul helped break a decade-plus playoff drought and led the team to its first Finals in nearly 30 years, he played just three seasons in Phoenix, compared with seven for the Clippers, and there have been no reports from Paul or the team about plans to retire his jersey.
Beal taking Paul’s number in Phoenix didn’t ruffle any feathers, but Paul’s history with the Clippers runs much deeper, and people are disappointed with how the franchise is acknowledging it, or lack thereof.
With all the backlash directed at the Clippers, Beal stepped in and appeared to defend his former Clippers teammate with a recent post on Twitter, singing his praises and saying that Paul’s legacy is intact.
He’s a legend!
The HISTORY and BRAND can’t be touched, nor erased!!!
The NBA has a checkered history with alternate uniforms, to put it lightly. While throwbacks and retro-inspired designs often strike the right chord between nostalgia and innovation, many of the recent designs aimed at pushing on-court fashion forward feel like a miss. It feels like an absolute shame that the greatest moment of LeBron James’ career happened in sleeved jerseys back when Adidas had the NBA contract. Nike took over as the league’s official jersey maker two years later, and it’s hard to say it’s been any kind of improvement.
There have been some good Nike City Edition NBA jerseys through the years, but lately it feels like there are more and more misses. It’s hard to maintain optimism for the future of the league’s alternate uniforms after Nike’s latest release leaked this week. Eight teams are getting new looks for the 2026-27 season with Nike’s Specter Edition uniforms, which “reimagine team identity for the league’s oldest franchises through their history, culture and the energy of today’s game.”
It’s a good idea in theory, but the execution is currently getting panned all over the internet. Here’s the leak of the new uniforms for the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, and Sacramento Kings.
🚨BREAKING 🚨@Nike & @NBA are unveiling new Specter Edition unis!!
Nike’s new NBA Specter Edition uniforms, created for the teams who trace their roots back to the earliest chapters of the league.
Nike says these looks are “inspired by the next generation of hoopers,” and there are plenty of young people in the press photos. I’m not going to tell a teenager what’s cool and what isn’t because I’m twice their age. All I know is that from the reaction I’ve seen online so far, justabouteveryonehatesthese.
these look like the kind of thing you'd wear in middle school basketball. hard to think of any worse jerseys ever worn in the league. https://t.co/WPC5CgKU9l
Pick out the good ones, and stick with them for a few years. Radical idea, I know.
It really feels like the public has fully turned against Nike’s NBA uniforms. After years of complaining about Adidas’ sleeved jerseys, these feel just as poorly thought out. Making new NBA uniforms doesn’t have to be so hard. Maybe take a few years off and get back to the drawing board.
We are less than two weeks away from some teams opening NBA training camps (teams leaving the country for NBA overseas preseason games), and 18 days from training camps opening across the league. This tends to be a slow time for NBA news, but things are happening, including new rumors about Jalen Duren's situation.
Jalen Duren’s qualifying offer
The situation remains the same. Jalen Duren wants to get paid like the All-NBA player he is — 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game last season while playing elite defense. He wants at least a $40 million-a-year average salary (five years, $200 million). Pistons management also saw the playoffs, where Duren struggled — 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, with a negative plus/minus — and are offering more like $35 million a season (five years, $175 million). The sides have been stuck here for a while, and the fact that the Pistons are about $36.5 million below the luxury tax line factors in here.
Duren's nuclear option: He could play this season for the $9.6 million qualifying offer, then become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He is leaning more towards that, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack missive.
One source briefed on the process says Duren is increasingly prepared to play out the coming season on his $9.6 million qualifying offer — with the intent to become an unrestricted free agent next summer — if no deal with Detroit materializes by the end of September.
Take that with a grain of salt. Remember, that is the threat Duren and his agent want out there as leverage (the only real leverage they have as a restricted free agent). Taking the qualifying offer would be a massive risk for Duren, leaving generational wealth on the table (even at the Pistons' offer), he could get injured or have a down season that hurts his market. From 30,000 feet, there is an obvious compromise here — $37.5 million a year average, five years, $187.5 million — but that's easy to say from a distance. This has been a rough negotiation that will leave scars no matter the outcome.
Other NBA news:
• Bradley Beal is switching from No. 0 to 3, which is only a big deal with the Clippers because that was Chris Paul's number, and they are likely to retire his number in the coming years. I doubt this bothers Paul himself, and Beal paid tribute to Paul. The number will be retired at some point.
He’s a legend!
The HISTORY and BRAND can’t be touched, nor erased!!!
• Ben Simmons' one-year contract with the Kings is non-guaranteed — the team can cut him in training camp with no penalty. Consider that insurance because of Simmons' injury history, but the Kings envision him on the roster as both a backup point guard with Darius Acuff and as a secondary shot creator who can play with him. If Simmons makes the opening-night roster, he has a $1 million guarantee.
• Always be mindful of the spin from agents — passed along by news breakers — when it comes to contracts. Case in point, the announcement that Lonnie Walker IV returned from a year playing in the EuroLeague to sign a one-year, $3.3 million minimum contract with the Denver Nuggets. Turns out, what he signed is a non-guaranteed training camp deal, as reported by Sportac’s Keith Smith. If Walker makes the roster his deal becomes that minimum contract, but the fact he got a training camp deal suggests that is a bit of a long shot.
• The NBA and Nike announced new warmup, practice and travel gear that all 30 teams will use during the 2026-27 season. These will officially drop in two launches, Sept. 15 and Oct. 12.
Today, the @NBA and @Nike unveiled the NBA Standard Issue Collection, a new leaguewide look for all 30 teams.
The collection is designed to connect what players wear on and around the court with how fans express their passion for the game.
SPRINGFIELD,MA - AUGUST 15: Steve Nash and Mike D'Antoni look on during the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on August 15, 2026 at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Among the most infamous teams in modern NBA history is the 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers. A star-studded group headlined by Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, all of whom finished top nine in MVP voting the season prior, went just 45-37 and earned the West’s No. 7 seed before being swept in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs.
Once head coach Mike Brown was fired after a 1-4 start, followed by a brief 4-1 stint from interim head coach Bernie Bickerstaff, the Lakers hired Mike D’Antoni, who previously coached Nash for four seasons with the Phoenix Suns as they worked in tandem to innovate some of the most efficient offenses in NBA history.
Last month, D’Antoni was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Ahead of his induction, he spoke with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin about numerous topics, including his tumultuous Lakers tenure and why he initially opted to join the organization.
“One of the reasons why I took the Laker job — the biggest reason, other than I wanted to coach — was that Steve was going to be there,” D’Antoni told McMenamin. “So I’m thinking that if Steve and I can get this and put this together, we could be really good. And I remember asking them before I signed, ‘I know Steve’s hurt, when’s he coming back?’
“And they go, ‘Well, he’ll be back by Friday. And if we can get you to sign and you get in here, he’ll be almost ready to go right when you get here.’ That kind of pushed me over the hill.”
Only two games into the regular season, Nash fractured his left fibula and missed the next 24 contests. He suited up for 50 games total, his fewest since 1998-99 and third-fewest of his entire career, and posted the fifth-lowest assist rate (32.8%) of his career. The four seasons featuring lower assist rate were the first four of his career, all of which came before he made his eight All-Star appearances.
According to Cleaning the Glass, Los Angeles’ offense was just 0.2 points better per 100 possessions with Nash on the floor that year — a far cry from his enormous imprint during the previous eight seasons in Phoenix. Back injuries spoiled the majority of his next campaign as he played 15 games and the Lakers went 27-55. D’Antoni resigned at the end of the season.
“Well, Steve never really came back,” D’Antoni said. “And even when he did come back, he was about half himself. And so it was doomed from the start.”
HOUSTON, TX - MAY 1: Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we take a look at Bronny James.
Whether or not he was worth the gamble or not, Bronny James’ original spot on the Lakers was inarguably a result of his father being on the team. That he is on the team heading into the 2025-26 season, though, is a result of no one but himself.
Multiple seasons of hard work behind the scenes led to Bronny producing in meaningful minutes late in the regular season and in the first round series against the Rockets. Even if nothing else happens in his NBA career, the sequence of him and LeBron cooking the Rockets together will endure.
Even if those playoff minutes also showed how far Bronny has to go, it also instilled enough belief in the Lakers to fend off any potential suitors this summer. As much as he has shown signs of progress, though, the time has come for him to be more than a project and to make good on the team’s investment in him.
What is his best-case scenario?
The years of work, and perhaps being a bit liberated from his father going to the other coast, set Bronny down the path of an impactful role player off the bench. The archetype of player he could become — an athletic point-of-attack defender who can be a connector offensively — fits nicely alongside either Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves.
However, all we’ve seen are flashes of that type of player, and rarely, if ever, all at once. The best-case scenario of this season sees him take those flashes and turn them into sustainable stretches of play. No longer does it happen once every few games, but happens across multiple games.
One of Bronny’s biggest challenges, though, will be breaking through the rotation. Between Austin, Luka, Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes, the backcourt already has a lot of minutes accounted for. He’s going to have an uphill battle to get in the rotation, but defense is the easiest way to project how he sets himself apart.
What is his worst-case scenario?
While Bronny has clearly shown improvement through two seasons, the starting point was far away from an NBA player.
It also means that even if he has improved, he still has a way to go. Improving from flashes to consistent production is a tall ask.
Bronny is going to start the preseason on the fringe of the rotation. To break into it, he’s going to have to beat out established NBA players. It’s quite the leap, one that isn’t inconceivable to say he might not make.
Flashes or production won’t cut it for a team that is deeper this season than last. If injuries pop up, he won’t be one of the first names off the bench. And if he can’t produce for consistent stretches, he’s not going to stick in the rotation.
As much as the team or coaching staff might be fans of him, playing time will be hard to come by and hard to maintain this season.
What is his most likely role on the team?
A deeper Lakers team this season will breed competition, which typically breeds improvement. Bronny will be part of that competition, but he’s going to have to work his way into playing time. That means he’ll have to improve even more, and in the biggest way yet.
For now, he’s going to be on the outside looking in, but the opportunities will come. He’ll have to take advantage of them to prove he deserves to remain in the NBA.
Nov 6, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of the jersey of Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) against the Phoenix Suns at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Los Angeles Clippers are nobody’s favourite team these days, even Clippers fans. Amidst the fallout from the Aspiration Scandal’s conclusion, the Clips have been stripped of their picks, their leadership, and are potentially about to relinquish their best player to the Raptors.
All in all, it’s been a pretty bad couple of days for LA’s other team.
It seems that the Clippers are just doubling down on bad decisions connected to the Raptors, as they have just stripped away an honour from arguably their greatest player of all time, Chris Paul. Today, it became known that his jersey number, 3, will be worn by Bradley Beal in upcoming campaign, only one season after he retired from playing basketball after being traded to the Toronto Raptors. Bleacher Report confirmed this on social media, noting that the franchise had committed to retiring Paul’s jersey after the end of his time with the team.
The Clippers have listed Bradley Beal No. 3 jerseys for sale, using Chris Paul’s former number 😳
CP3 said the franchise told him they would retire his number when he was sent home last season
Now, I think this is an awful move for a number of reasons. Opinions of Paul varied throughout the league and the fanbase, but the man’s basketball and leadership abilities were something never in question throughout his storied career. His time with the LA Clippers is something I attribute to first getting me interested in the sport of basketball. Those Lob City teams are among my favourite non-Raptors squads of all time, and what Paul did for Los Angeles in the mid-2010s is something that should be praised by the franchise, rather than buried.
With the Clippers facing down the barrel of a potentially long period of uncompetitiveness, retiring Paul’s jersey would be an easy win for the upcoming year in which wins might be few and far betwee, giving the fans something to rally around. But instead, the Clippers seem hell-bent on continuing to burn bridges rather than build them up, in a period of time where they seem to need support the most.
Of course, while disappointing, this is not shocking behaviour. While the Raptors have for years had some difficulties with the Clippers surrounding bids for Kawhi Leonard from all parties involved, this most recent move to push away Chris Paul just shows how much disdain the Clippers have for Raptors greats. I saw Paul as someone with great potential to mentor our young guards, and to this day, I see it as a missed opportunity that the he and this franchise couldn’t come to an agreement putting him in a basketball role for the team. Paul is coming off a shockingly rocky last season in the league, where he was unceremoniously dropped from involvement with the team, a move that he recently called “one of the most disrespectful things that I’ve endured.”
This came in the wake of a level of dysfunction that was punctuated by a comment from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, who noted that Chris Paul attempted to step into a leadership role by offering to host players at his home, and exercise together. Most publicly, Paul was reported to have thrown a Halloween party that only three teammates — known to include Ivica Zubac and Bradley Beal — attended.
Wow.
So, Chris: I can’t have promised you a ring on the Raptors, but I will assure you’d Toronto would have treated you a hell of a lot better than this, and at the bare minimum, have come out to your party. I might have even bought myself a Chris Paul number 3 jersey in the red and black. I guess that can’t happen anymore, though.
Jaylen Brown when playing with the Boston Celtics. | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
NBA superstar Jaylen Brown took an interesting side quest this NBA off season. The newly signed Philadelphia 76er popped over to Nigeria to throw hands in a boxing match.
Check out some of the ‘action’ from that fight below.
In the comments on Instagram Brown remarked that he “did 0 prep for this”.
In truth this fight was put together in partnership with one of Brown’s charity initiatives, so this appears to be more of a spar than anything else. He’s lucky his partner didn’t go off script, though. Brown, after all, is due to make $58 million this season (and another $126 million in the following two seasons).
It’s easy to see why Brown might have a passion for the sweet science, though. His father is Quenton Marselles Brown, a former WBU heavyweight champion. Quenton Brown, by the way, was charged with attempted murder last year after a stabbing incident that occurred over a parking dispute.
Back to boxing, though…
Jaylen Brown isn’t the first basketball player to try his hand at combat sports. Who can forget the man that launched Jake Paul’s career?
Multiple time NBA slam dunk champ Nate Robinson was Paul’s first ever boxing opponent. The viral KO Robinson suffered can be cited as a big reason why Paul was able to creep into, disrupt and then fully embed himself fully into combat sports.
Anyone from the basketball world you want to see throw down? I’m shocking Dennis Rodman never popped up on one of those influencer cards yet. There’s money to be made with him versus Jose Canseco!
Let’s state the obvious: Derrick White had a miserable shooting season last year. In fact, pick the meanest adjective you can think of, replace our word miserable, and it probably fairly describes White’s season-long shooting woes.
But lost in those shooting struggles — with White connecting on a grisly 32.7 percent of 8.3 3-pointers per game, and shooting a meager 39.4 percent from the floor overall — was that White still was an advanced metrics darling, finishing among the league’s elite in net rating despite his misfires. His defense remained top tier and he routinely impacted winning during his court time.
The shots just would not fall.
For Day 3 of our Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel: What version of Derrick White will the Celtics get this season?
We suspect you’ll hear a lot of prognosticators talking about a potential “bounce-back year” for White. The reality is that it’s simply his shot that needs to rebound. White put up All-Star-caliber production in basically every other facet of the game. But, thrust into an elevated offensive role while Jayson Tatum rehabbed, it was hard to ignore the shooting splits.
White still finished third on the team in net rating with Boston outscoring opponents by 11.3 points per 100 possessions during his floor time. Among all NBA players that averaged at least 30 minutes per game last season, White ranked fourth in net rating, one spot ahead of Denver MVP candidate Nikola Jokic. The only three players ahead of him were the actual MVP in Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (plus-16.3), Detroit’s Cade Cunningham (plus-11.4), and San Antonio’s Devin Vassell (plus-11.4).
White, despite his shooting woes, ranked in the 95th percentile at his position while generating 29.6 points per game off scoring and assists. He averaged a career-best 1.3 blocks per game, earned a spot on the All-Defense first team, and was sixth in voting for Defensive Player of the Year.
Go find your favorite advanced metric acronym (there’s a lot out there nowadays) and it probably loved White’s season. DARKO had him as a +1.5 DPM (full daily plus minus), the same mark Jaylen Brown posted while finishing sixth in MVP voting. Dunks & Threes’ Estimated Plus-Minus had him at +4.4, which was the 14th best mark in the NBA (one spot behind Cunningham).
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Derrick White’s defense remained elite last season despite the shooting struggles.
The good news for White is that a healthier Jayson Tatum ought to take a bunch of stress off White’s offensive creation and maybe jolt his shot quality this year. The bad news is that, with the departure of Brown, there will be lingering pressure to be a secondary scoring option. Maybe Paul George and Payton Pritchard can help alleviate some of that stress.
White turned 32 in July. He’ll cross 20,000 total NBA minutes played this season. He has to prove that the shooting funk wasn’t tied to age. If those shooting splits bounce back early in the season, there’s a good chance he could earn the All-Star nod that has somehow evaded him in recent years.
The Celtics need the confident White who punishes teams when they stray from him at the 3-point line. They need the White who ranked in the 97th percentile among guards while shooting 59.4 percent on all 2-point shots in 2024-25, and not the guy who dipped to the 36th percentile while shooting 48.7 percent on 2s last season.
If White finds his floater, the entire perception of his season completely changes.
Our guess is that his numbers perk back up and that a lot of the consternation dissipates. His bond with Tatum is well established. If Tatum can take much of the playmaking duties off White’s plate, it might free him up to thrive in more familiar ways.
The shot might bounce back, but White’s ability to impact winning has never wavered. That can’t change regardless of how he shoots the ball this season.
Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations
We might not get the 2024 D-White but he’ll be better than last season. He was pegged as the No. 2 with Tatum out, and I think that’s asking too much. He needs to think the game like he normally does, and I think his shooting will be what we’re accustomed to with the lower level of pressure on his shoulders.
A 37-plus percent shooter from 3-point range and an All-Defensive team selection. The Celtics won’t be a real contender if he shoots as poorly as he did last season.
That’s hard to say. The Celtics would like to get a more comfortable Derrick White this year, because the team probably asked too much from him last year in Tatum’s absence. I simply believe they have a roster that needs him just as badly this year. Paul George is the wild card here. If the newcomer can be effective and available, White can easily slide into a role that suits him better. But those are some big ifs.
Josh Canu: Editor
I am unfortunately not as optimistic about Derrick White’s offense returning to its previous form. White is once again thrust into needing to be option No. 2 or 3 in the offense and we saw how that played out last season. Tatum should provide more open looks for shooters than Brown did, but I think White’s best days are behind him. He will still provide elite defense and solid playmaking, but I would feel better if he was more of a complementary piece than a focal point.
We should expect White to bounce back offensively after shooting a career-worst 39.4 percent from the floor and 32.7 percent from 3-point range. Tatum’s return and George’s presence will allow White to settle back into his catch-and-shoot role. Last season, White felt the need to carry the offense alongside Brown while Tatum was sidelined. In 2026-27, he should return to form as a dependable shooter while earning yet another All-Defensive nod.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images