PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 22: Tyrese Maxey #0 and LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers react against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026-27 NBA season is here.
The Boston Celtics blew a big lead Tuesday afternoon to open the year 0-1. The Philadelphia 76ers have knocked off last year’s Eastern Conference champs and runner-ups in three days. Tyrese Haliburton dropped 23 points and 12 assists in his return to action. And the Lakers opened the season by blowing out the Warriors and helping make Yaxel Lendeborg’s rookie debut a memorable one.
Here are some of the best stories of the opening week of the season as well as key news you may have missed.
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 16: Devin Booker #15 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the Utah Jazz on October 16, 2026 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Suns’ 2026-27 season kicked off Wednesday evening with a 124-83 pasting by the Portland Trail Blazers. Booker finished the humiliating night with 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting. It is the beginning of the age-30 season for Suns legend Devin Booker, who reaches that mark on October 30th. Booker will continue his assault on the franchise career leaders this season and likely take the top spot in areas such as career minutes played, field goals, and free throw attempts.
If Booker ends up staying with the Suns throughout his career, he will essentially end up owning that record book.
Records aside, what kind of season can Suns fans expect from the player that undeniably must perform to his fullest capabilities if the Suns want to dream about more than a first-round playoff exit?
Here is a list of other active players during their age-30 seasons. I didn’t include players that had won an MVP (Harden, Westbrook) or that played PF or C. There are wings and guards represented here.
There aren’t a lot of close comparisons to go off. On the list above, Lowry (6), Butler (6), and George (9) have more All-Star appearances than Booker (5). Players like McCollum and White aren’t in that All-Star category but have been solid players throughout their careers. Those players cumulatively averaged 3.8 points, 1.1 assists, and 1.0 rebounds, higher than their career averages in their age-30 season. Every player on that list was above his career scoring average.
Booker’s career averages are 24.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game. If he averages those numbers vs. his career totals, he would be at 28.4 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game. Those numbers would be a career-high scoring average, the 4th-highest assist average, and tied for the highest rebounding average.
That season would also give him the Suns’ season single-scoring record. Tom Chambers currently holds the record at 27.2 ppg, while Booker averaged 27.1 in his best season. My guess is Booker would be happy to get that one in his portfolio. Tom Chambers set the single-season scoring record in…his age-30 season.
There aren’t really any recent examples from the Suns to use for comparison. For the guards, Kevin Johnson was an All-Star (non-MVP) who spent his age-30 season with the Suns. He averaged 20.1 points, 9.3 assists, and 3.6 rebounds that year. Definitely a good season, but not the best for a player who averaged 20/10 three times in his career. Walter Davis was 40 years ago, and he was injured and barely played in his age 30 season. Steve Nash won the MVP in his 30th season, but I didn’t include MVPs in the table above. It would be less likely than a case of lightning striking twice for Booker to pull off the same feat. Charles Barkley won his MVP in Phoenix in his 29th season, but still made the 2nd team All-NBA the next year.
Other great guards that played for the Suns didn’t have their age-30 season in Phoenix. Players like Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Stephon Marbury, Connie Hawkins, Jeff Hornacek, Dan Majerle, etc., weren’t Suns at that age. It’s a common theme that the Suns don’t seem to keep players into their 30s. Booker becomes an exception.
Going back to the table and looking at BPM, three of the seven players (Lowry, Holiday, and McCollum) had the highest box plus/minus of their career. White’s was the second highest.
Booker has reached the age where athleticism begins to wane, and experience has to make up the difference. The age 30 season gains importance because the clock begins to tick cacophonously. After the age of 30, only Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Steve Nash, and Wilt Chamberlain have won MVPs. It has been 21 years since Nash achieved the feat.
That would be a bar set too high, but there isn’t any reason to think Booker can’t make a push for the franchise single-season scoring record, return to All-NBA form, and be the leader for a team that is very dangerous come playoff time.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 22: LeBron James #23 celebrates with Jaylen Brown #7 and Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the first half of their home opener on Thursday night, the Sixers were being serenaded by boos. And they deserved it, as LeBron James later admitted.
After Tyrese Maxey tied the game at 11 early on, the Cleveland Cavaliers rattled off a 24-7 run to finish off the first quarter. The Sixers fell into a 29-point deficit in the second quarter and headed into the locker room down 69-45 at halftime.
At that point, the Sixers had two choices. They could have gone through the motions in the second half and decided it just wasn’t their night, particularly if the Cavs started the third quarter off strong. As Joel Embiid said after the game, past Sixers teams “would have just laid down and tried to move on to the next one.”
Instead, the Sixers opened the third quarter on an 11-0 run and got right back into the game. The end result? The biggest comeback win in LeBron’s career, the Sixers’ biggest comeback win in the past 30 years, and what Embiid first called a “top-five night for me since I’ve been in Philadelphia.” (He later amended that to top-three before admitting that he “just kind of made it up.”)
After the game, reporters naturally asked everyone on the team about the mood in the locker room at halftime. To a man, they responded that they viewed the halftime deficit as an early-season litmus test.
Nick Nurse: “There’s some veteran guys in there, and the voices at halftime were like, ‘It’s still a game. Settle down, and let’s start playing our game.’ They were pissed. They were down and pissed both. Getting over what just happened, realizing, ‘Oh my God, we’ve gotta snap out of it.’ And then getting ready to go to work.”
VJ Edgecombe: “We know that we’re gonna face a lot of adversity this year. That was one of them. It’s all about how we respond. That was the main thing when we went in the locker room. How are we gonna respond to being down 30 points, 29 points? How are we gonna respond?”
Tyrese Maxey: “My only message that I had, I said, ‘Well, it’s time to see what we’re made of.’ We gonna be some frontrunners and give in and only be happy when stuff is good? Or when stuff is bad, are we gonna fight and be resilient? We did that.”
Jaylen Brown: “I think I said it’s a great opportunity for us to respond to adversity. There’s gonna be ups and downs all year long. How we respond is gonna be 80 percent of the battle. It’s a good sign that we came out, being down 30, we could have been pointing fingers. We got after it, so I like that.”
LeBron James: “It was basically just saying, ‘Let’s see what we’re made of at this point of the season.’ I don’t think we’ve got a locker room full of lay-down guys, there’s a lot of game to be played. We answered the call.”
They did indeed.
After turning the ball over 14 times in the first half—which led to a 22-3 Cleveland advantage in points off turnovers—the Sixers had only two giveaways in the second half. They completely flipped the script on the Cavs by scoring 19 points off turnovers in the second half compared to zero for Cleveland.
That ball security also allowed the Sixers to get their half-court defense set more often. With Maxey ramping up the ball pressure and hounding James Harden, the Cavaliers’ free-flowing offense from the first half was nowhere to be found in the third quarter. The Sixers trimmed 16 points off their 24-point deficit in that quarter alone, getting the Xfinity Mobile Arena crowd back into the game after their dismal first half.
From there, the Sixers started hunting mismatches.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Embiid went on a personal 7-0 run to put the Sixers ahead for good. Brown then took over with a 6-0 run of his own, as it looked like he took it as a personal slight that the Cavaliers dared to have Sam Merrill try to defend him. (Perhaps he took cues from Luka Dončić’s response to Yaxel Lendeborg on Wednesday?)
As Steve Jones of Yahoo Sports noted after the game, the Sixers figured to show that type of problem-solving in the playoffs, when it’s easier to create opponent-specific game plans. Their ability to figure it out on the fly only two games into the regular season is eye-opening.
For the second straight game, one major adjustment was sticking Embiid on a non-shooting wing on defense and having LeBron and Brown able to guard up. Once Dean Wade is back in the fold, he’ll likely get a crack at those types of assignments as well. That defensive versatility is a tool that few other teams can match.
The Sixers still have plenty to figure out, as they all readily admit. They’re still developing chemistry with one another, still figuring out where everyone should be on offense and still learning how to pick and choose their respective spots. But their refusal to lay down and quit against Cleveland spoke volumes about this team.
“It’s great to know that deep down, we’re not gonna have that quit mentality,” LeBron said after the game. “You never want to feel like that. You never want to look around and be like, ‘OK, guys gave up.’ It’s great to know that we’ve got that. But you don’t want to put yourself in too many of those situations.”
Dating back to media day, they all preached about needing to develop championship habits from day one. As the New York Knicks proved during the 2026 NBA Finals, the ability to stay resilient amidst that type of adversity is the very definition of a championship habit. After all, the Knicks would have headed back to San Antonio tied 2-2 had they not overcome a 29-point deficit in Game 4.
The Sixers once again had a dismal night from long range (7-of-28), but the three-point shot is the great equalizer in the modern NBA. We’ve seen time and again throughout the league that almost no lead is safe. Teams have to run hard through the tape or they risk coughing up leads that once seemed insurmountable.
After Game 4 of the Finals last year, Brunson explained the secret behind the Knicks’ never-quit mentality.
“We just keep fighting,” he told reporters. “And now we’re going to continue giving it everything we got. Regardless, even if we don’t win Game 4, I feel like the habits that got us back into the game could have carried over into Game 5.”
On Thursday, the Sixers showed that exact type of resilience against the Cavaliers. Although they’d be far better off not falling into a nearly 30-point hole in the first half, their ability to battle back from that and emerge victorious bodes well for this group moving forward.
Jent, Brunson and O’Connor will get their real rings “shortly,” said a league source, who added that the distribution of 275 championship rings was always the plan. All the Knicks assistant coaches will eventually receive championship rings, league sources said.
The NBA Championship Trophy along with the Knicks Championship rings on the court before the ring ceremony. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“The company is gifting more than 275 championship rings and jewelry to players, coaches, employees and other members of the Knicks family, worth more than $3.7 million, in recognition of their contributions and celebrating this achievement,” an MSG spokesman told The Post.
The Garden also acknowledged an error involving a mass email sent to MSG corporate staffers several weeks before the ceremony. The email asked the staffers to click on a link to be fitted for a championship ring, sources confirmed. However, the link led to a mandatory cybersecurity class – a tactic the Garden deployed as response to a hacking incident.
Jalen Brunson #11 receives his ring from Knicks alumni Walt “Clyde” Frazier in a pregame ceremony. Carlos Toro for NY Post
An MSG spokesman called the use of rings an error.
“The company had previously sent out an email to its corporate team as a simulation of a phishing attack designed to strengthen our security against hackers,” an MSG spokesman told The Post. “MSG was recently hacked and extorted using an employee login and password obtained through a similar phishing attack. Using the rings as a lure to gain employees attention was an unfortunate mistake.”
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) smiles after receiving his championship ring before an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
All current Knicks players received championship rings before Tuesday’s home opener against the Sixers, as did former Knick center Ariel Hukporti, who was at the arena with his new Philadelphia teammates. Team executives Leon Rose and William Wesley also got their rings Tuesday.
All things considered, the Sixers’ injury report was not a lengthy one Friday night ahead of the team’s first back-to-back this season.
LeBron James was listed as questionable for Saturday’s game vs. the Bucks with an official designation of “low back/sciatica management.” The Sixers plan to be cognizant of the 41-year-old James’ load during the regular season with the playoffs in mind.
Dean Wade was also questionable with a left ankle sprain. Wade worked out on the Xfinity Mobile Arena floor Thursday prior to the 2-0 Sixers’ comeback win over the Cavaliers, but he ultimately did not make his regular-season Sixers debut. The 29-year-old forward injured his ankle a week ago in the team’s preseason finale.
Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction), Tacko Fall (left quadriceps strain) and Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tendor tear) remained out.
As of Friday night, Joel Embiid was absent from the Sixers’ injury report. Speaking late Thursday evening, Embiid’s expectation was that he’d sit against either the Bucks or the Pistons on Sunday. He logged 34 minutes vs. Cleveland and posted 24 points on 8-for-16 shooting and seven rebounds.
“I’m not playing both games,” Embiid said. “I’m playing one of them. I don’t know. They’re going to tell me. But I feel good. Whatever they tell me, I’ll do it.
“I might not agree with it, I might fight it, but I might not win. I kind of give them the freedom to do whatever they want.”
Arguably the biggest departure from the Warriors during this past NBA offseason was big man Quinten Post.
The 26-year-old from the Netherlands signed a three-year, $30 million offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies in July as a restricted free agent, and Golden State opted not to match.
On Friday, Post is set to make a very quick return to Chase Center to face his old team for the first time. He spoke with Michael Wallace of Grind City earlier in the day to discuss the emotions of coming back to the Bay.
“Yeah, I mean, I was always very grateful to the Warriors organization,” Post explained. “You know, they drafted me, they gave me a chance out of the G League. I didn’t start up [in the NBA]; I started in their G League system. And so it’ll always be a place that’s special to me. The city of San Francisco is great and great organization, but now we’re here.
“I’m really happy to be here, and tonight I just want to kill them, to be honest.”
"I'm always very grateful to the Warriors organization… but tonight I just want to kill them to be honest."
Quinten Post talks taking on his former team with @MyMikeCheck
Now, does that mean Post actually harbors some serious animosity toward the Warriors for letting him go, or is he just excited to compete with his new squad? Who knows.
Post spent two seasons with Golden State after being selected at No. 52 overall in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft and proved he could be a more-than-capable rotation option after spending some time with the G League Santa Cruz Warriors.
The 7-footer averaged 7.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 36.5 percent from 3-point range in 16.9 minutes across 109 games (49 starts). In his first appearance with the Grizzlies on Wednesday, Post had seven points and a rebound on 3-of-4 shooting (1 of 2 from deep) in 19 minutes during Memphis’ win over the Utah Jazz.
Post likely will come off the bench again Friday behind starter Zach Edey, but it will be interesting to see how the former Warrior performs in this “revenge game” of sorts.
Dalton Knecht, waived by the Lakers just before the start of the season, will sign a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, his agents told Shams Charania of ESPN.
New York was mentioned among the teams interested in the 25-year-old former No. 17 pick, along with Minnesota and others. The Knicks will waive Kevin McCullar Jr. to make room for Knecht, reports Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
Expect Knecht to play a lot for the Westchester Knicks of the G-League, but he can play up to 50 games for the big club on a two-way deal.
Knecht, 25, was a sensation with the Lakers and their fans for the first couple of months of 2024, thriving as a shooter on the LeBron James and Anthony Davis Lakers. In his first 19 games, Knecht averaged 12.2 points per game, shooting 43.9% from 3-point range, and he already had started seven games. But the vibes changed after the Lakers traded for Luka Doncic midseason, because what the Lakers needed from their wings changed.
Knecht is not a good defender and struggled with his shot, and with that kept falling deeper and deeper out of JJ Redick's rotation. Last season, in 54 games, he averaged 4.2 points a night and he shot 34.2% from beyond the arc. Facing a roster crunch to get down to 15 players before the start of the season, the Lakers waived Knecht on Monday. The Lakers chose to keep Bronny James and Jaden Hardy. One of the roster-building challenges the Lakers have had in recent years is that they had the No. 17 pick in back-to-back years, 2023 and 2024, and selected Jalen Hood-Schifino and then Knecht, both of whom are not with the team (and neither is even on a standard NBA contract).
Knecht deserved a chance somewhere, and he got one in New York.
INGLEWOOD, CA - OCTOBER 21: Kobe Sanders #4 of the LA Clippers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 21, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While we are 10 days away from the start of the 2026-27 college basketball season, the new NBA season also tipped off this week.
In past iterations of Mountain West in the NBA, we have detailed several different alums representing current Mountain West programs. However, as we continue to be reminded, the cupboard is fairly empty this year with conference realignment, with only a handful of representatives.
So, who will be those faces in the NBA from current MW programs? Let’s examine!
Nevada:
Caleb Martin, Dallas Mavericks:
Skinny: Entering his age-31 season, Martin appears to be entering the tail-end of his NBA career. He appeared in just 58 games (12 starts) with the Dallas Mavericks last year, averaging 3.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 45.0 percent shooting and 35.1 percent from 3-point range. The Mavericks don’t have aspirations of competing, but Martin, who has battled several lower-body injuries over the last three seasons, is a far cry from where he was during the Miami Heat’s miraculous NBA Finals run in 2022-23.
Kobe Sanders, Los Angeles Clippers:
Skinny: Sanders, who was the Clippers’ No. 50 overall draft pick in 2025, carved out a role in the Clippers’ rotation upon signing a two-way contract as a rookie. Sanders eventually parlayed that two-way contract — which paid him roughly $636K into a two-year minimum salary, essentially doubling his average annual value. Though the Clippers re-upped Sanders once again this summer to a four-year, $11.2 million contract.
After how he played for an up-and-down Clippers squad, he deserved it. Sanders, 24, averaged 7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 46.6 percent shooting from the floor and 40.8 percent from 3-point range on 2.9 triple tries. He also has way more juice defensively than he showed at Nevada, in part because his role on-ball is minimized compared to what it was in college.
UNLV:
Derrick Jones Jr., Clippers:
Skinny: Jones has long been one of the more respected wing defenders across the NBA. Last year, the 6-foot-6 forward averaged 0.9 steals and one block, in addition tying a career high in points (10.1) on 49.9 percent shooting and a career-best 35.9 percent from 3-point range. Jones, in his age-29 season, is already off to a good start to begin 2026-27, scoring eight points with six rebounds and five assists in the Clippers’ blowout win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
Elijah Harkless, Detroit Pistons:
Skinny: After spending his first two years with the Utah Jazz, Harkless, 26, signed a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons this offseason. In 36 career games (9 starts), Harkless has averaged 5.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals on 33.2/24.8/74.3 shooting splits. He has torn up the nylon in the G-League, however, scoring 18.5 points across 26 minutes on 46.1 percent shooting and 38.6 percent from deep.
Wyoming:
Larry Nance Jr., Indiana Pacers:
Skinny: Nance has bounced around the NBA, now playing for his sixth organization in 12 seasons. Last year with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Nnance averaged just 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounds on 41.9 percent shooting. Nance, 33, has carved out a very strong career, but his days of making a legitimate impact in an NBA realm are pretty much over, unfortunately. He is a very good vet to have in the locker room, though.
DALLAS, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 04: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks embrace after the game at American Airlines Center on November 04, 2024 in Dallas, 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. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After an equal parts defeating yet somewhat inspiring 128-110 loss to the Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks (0-1) remain on the road as they are set to square off against the Indiana Pacers (1-0). The Mavs found themselves down by as many as 37 points against Houston on Wednesday, before somewhat reeling Houston back in throughout the second half.
Indiana, for their part, snagged a road win to start the year in New Orleans against the Pelicans. Tyrese Haliburton made his return from the torn achilles he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals and picked up right where he left off. This Pacers team, now with Ivica Zubac in the fold at center, figures to be right back where they were two seasons ago. It will be a tall task for Dallas to get this one home.
Total: Over/Under is set at 239.5 points (-110/-110)
Game plays
Indiana -7.5 (-110)
Ivica Zubac over 27.5 points + rebounds (-110)
Obi Toppin under 12.5 points (-118)
Zaccharie Risacher over 8.5 points (-132)
This is an awful spot for the Mavericks to walk into. This is the Pacers home opener, and it will be a very charged up atmosphere with Tyrese Haliburton playing his first home game since Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals. I just don’t know how Dallas finds a way here, especially given Rick Carlisle’s voodoo magic he holds over the Mavs. Ivica Zubac has a wonderful matchup here against Daniel Gafford, who simply doesn’t rebound the ball at all. I also would like to fade Obi Toppin, who scored 20 off the bench against the Pelicans on great shooting. Finally, maybe in that second half of the Houston game, Risacher found something. I’ll go over the point total here.
The Pelicans weren’t able to start the season off with a victory, but Yves Missi was productive as the team’s starting center. He played 30 minutes to Derik Queen’s 18 and finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks. Missi likely won’t replicate this level of production consistently, especially when it comes to the assists, but he should be considered a must-roster player at this point. Missi isn’t a flawless fit next to Zion Williamson, but he does fit better than Queen does.
Missi should continue to start moving forward, and they have a back-to-back coming up against the Jazz and Nuggets on Friday and Saturday. Nikola Jokić obviously isn’t an ideal matchup, but the other game is a matchup with Jaxson Hayes (who is another player you should consider streaming this weekend.
The Celtics, Cavaliers, Nuggets, Thunder, Suns and Trail Blazers only play one game this weekend, so avoid streaming in players from those teams, unless you’re in a high score or lock-in league and want to take a chance. Aside from Missi, here are nine other players to consider streaming this weekend.
With Coby White (calf) sidelined, Schröder got the start for Charlotte in the season opener. He had 19 points, four rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes in the win over the Nets. They shot 48 three-pointers on Wednesday. Last season, Golden State led the league with 44.1 three-point attempts per game. Charlotte is going to get up the triples, and having a point guard like Schroder that can push the pace will help tremendously until White returns. Schröder is a short-term option, though there isn’t much clarity as to when White will make his season debut.
Grayson Allen, G/F, Charlotte Hornets
Allen didn’t start in place of Kon Knueppel (hamstring), with Sion James taking the spot. However, Allen was fantastic off the bench, finishing with 21 points, three rebounds, four assists and five triples. As previously mentioned, the Hornets are going to shoot a ton of threes this season, which means plenty of shots for Allen, at least until Knueppel debuts. Much like Schröder, Allen should be worth streaming until Knueppel is healthy. They take on the Hawks and Heat this weekend.
Kris Dunn, G, LA Clippers
The Clippers turned to Dunn for playmaking in the season opener, which is a good thing for his value. He finished with seven points, five rebounds, seven assists, three steals, two blocks and two triples in the season opener against the Kings. The scoring won’t ever be there, but the defensive stats should be pretty reliable. If he is able to dish out the dimes consistently, he’ll be a valuable piece in fantasy basketball this season. For now, we’ll consider him a short-term streaming option, with matchups against the Lakers and Jazz this weekend.
Duncan Robinson, G/F, Detroit Pistons
Robinson went off in the season opener against Boston, scoring 21 points and knocking down five three-pointers. No, he’s not going to do that every night, and he isn’t going to contribute much else consistently. However, he’s starting and is important to Detroit’s offense. They play the Heat and 76ers this weekend, and Miami allowed Minnesota to hit 21 triples in their opener. Philly has defended the three better so far this year, but Robinson is still going to get his shots up. He can typically be relied on to stream in triples on the weekend, but his season-long appeal isn’t there.
Santos should be a starter for the foreseeable future in Golden State. In the season opener, he logged 25 minutes and finished with 12 points, five rebounds and a steal. This was a weird game, with Yaxel Lendeborg being the only Warrior to exceed 25 minutes, and he only played 29. The rotation should be normalized this weekend against the Grizzlies and Suns, which should allow Santos to be more productive, as he was for long stretches of last season. The opportunity is ripe this weekend, though he may have to prove it a little before I consider him as more than a streamer.
Bilal Coulibaly, G/F, Washington Wizards
AJ Dybantsa missed the season opener with an ankle injury and has already been ruled out for their game on Friday. At this point, it’s unclear when he’ll make his debut. Coulibaly started in place of Dybantsa and finished with 11 points, four steals and two blocks in a win over the Bucks on Wednesday. Washington takes on the Raptors and Bulls this weekend, which means at least one more start for Coulibaly, though likely two more.
Jaxson Hayes, C, Utah Jazz
With Jusuf Nurkić (toe) set to be sidelined until at least November, Hayes should get some more starts at center for Utah. He logged 26 minutes in the season opener and contributed six points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and six blocks. With matchups against the Pelicans and Lakers this weekend, Hayes is an intriguing streamer, mostly for his shot-blocking ability. He should be worth rostering until Nurkić returns, but he doesn’t hold much fantasy appeal beyond that.
Jalen Smith, C, Chicago Bulls
Not much went right for Chicago in their blowout loss to Toronto on Wednesday, but Smith was productive in his 19 minutes as a starter, contributing 15 points, eight rebounds and one block. Caleb Wilson was the only starter that played more than 25 minutes, which makes sense for a rookie in his first game. Smith split the minutes at center with rookie Tobe Awaka (14 minutes) Zach Collins (nine minutes), though Awaka played the final 14 minutes of the blowout. Leonard Miller also spent time at center in lineups that featured Wilson and Matas Buzelis. The point of all that is that Smith should play more minutes against the Bucks and Wizards this weekend and should be a safe player to roster until Nic Claxton (hamstring) is healthy enough to suit up.
Brook Lopez, C, LA Clippers
In their first game since the Kawhi Leonard fiasco was resolved, the Clippers were able to get a big win over the Kings. Down low, Isaiah Jackson got the start at center, but he only played 15 minutes to Lopez’s 27, and Lopez was far more productive. Early foul trouble for Jackson was a factor in the minutes being so lopsided in favor of Lopez, but Lopez contributed 17 points, 11 rebounds, one steal, one block and one three-pointer during his time on the floor. Jackson was solid too, with 13 points and five boards, and he could hold some intrigue, so don’t drop him. However, Lopez should be the better choice right now. The Clippers take on the Lakers and Thunder this weekend, so the matchups aren’t ideal, but he should still be worth streaming.
BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 21: Dennis Schroder #17 of the Charlotte Hornets plays defense open Egor Demin #8 of the Brooklyn Nets eon October 21, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets lead the league in future draft picks with 32, and their cache of future firsts — 13 — is second only to the Oklahoma City Thunder who have two more. But of OKC’s 15 firsts over the next seven years, only one is their own. So you can argue, if you wish, that the Nets have the better quality.
That said, the Nets need to make good picks … and after Wednesday’s loss to the Charlotte Hornets, their most recent efforts have to be called into question. In 2025, said to be a generational draft, Brooklyn had five firsts, at Nos. 8, 19, 22, 26 and 27, a record. But a look at the boxscore Wednesday might lead to concern.
Of the five, only the No. 8 (Egor Demin) and No. 19 (Nolan Traore) played and even by their own estimates, they played poorly. The two combined for only seven points on 2-of-14 shooting. Demin and Traore, both playing the points, had only two assists (both Demin) and three turnovers in a combined total of 42 minutes. Forty divided by five is not exactly what fans and the organization had to be thinking would be the optimum for the first game of the Flatbush 5’s second year.
What may have been a more telling piece of data was that of the record five firsts in 2025, they were the only two who actually stepped on the court. The No. 22 (Drake Powell,) No. 26 (Ben Saraf) and No. 27 (Danny Wolf) didn’t touch the court. It was among the several demoralizing aspects of the Opening Night loss. If you’re building through the draft, you better succeed.
“I’m confident that, especially these two kids, we’re going to have no problem with their playmaking, their scoring and their willingness to get better every day,” Fernández said.
Dëmin said after the game he was aware of his subpar play.
“I’m not very happy with how I ended up playing the game,’’ Dëmin said. “I started with two [made] buckets but then kind of just got slower from a standpoint of my intensity, and I’ve definitely got to bring the energy, higher energy.’
“Opportunities are there, everything is given to me, and I just got to be able to execute on the level that I want to be at,” he said.
Traore too.
I think I didn’t play my best. That wasn’t the best game I did, for sure,“ said Demin’s fellow 20-year-old. I think I have to bring more pace to the game. That’s my strength so I got to use it more. But, it’ll be all right.”
Yes, it’s only one game and yes, four of the five (other than Wolf) were among the 20 youngest players in the NBA last season with Traore and Saraf among the 10 youngers and yes, getting a rotational player at the end of the Draft is unlikely. Still, the very core idea of the Nets rebuild — building through the draft — has to be questioned if this continues. Fernandez professes he is not worried.
“I think their intentions were great and can clean up a lot of different things, turnovers, setup, calling plays, all those things,’’ Fernández said. “But we’ll watch film with them, and we’ll make them better… One day you don’t make them, another day they go in, and you’ve just got to stay ready for the next game.”
And of course, the Nets’ highest pick in the last 16 years — Mikel Brown Jr. at No. 6 in 2026 — looked promising, indeed very good — in his limited minutes (19:48) following his left ankle injury. (The No. 28 pick in 2026, Joshua Jefferson, was cleared for action after some back soreness in training camp but was not activated.)
The organization’s confidence in their 2025 picks doesn’t appear to be faltering, but Sean Marks & co. have to decide by November 2 whether to extend all five beyond this season. Of course, we could see change Saturday in Cleveland vs. the Cavaliers.
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 21: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors drives to the basket against Leonard Miller #11 of the Chicago Bulls in the first half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on October 21, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“Here we go,” said Darko Rajaković, igniting peals of laughter, after being asked about an inefficient night from Kawhi Leonard. Usually, such a thing isn’t necessarily a laughing matter for the Raptors. But when Toronto’s starters combine for 92 points to beat the Chicago Bulls by 43 points, there’s room for humour in Scotiabank Arena.
Wednesday night’s performance against the Bulls was one of the most lopsided contests in franchise history, and certainly, will be remembered as one of the most notable opening nights for Toronto sports. The Raptors did more than silence any doubt that they were a team capable of serious contention, rather, showed early flashes of what the new identity of the Toronto Raptors might be.
Fast. Defensive. Forcing turnovers. And shooting threes. Lots of threes. Take Immanuel Quickley, who attempted nine of his own, making four of them, looking like the shooter that he’s been paid so handsomely to be. Up from an average of nearly seven last year, it seems like volume could be the name of the game for getting the Raps to the promised land. Still, the Raptors were below average for the league, based on last year’s figures of threes attempted, so pumping those numbers is going to continue to be a priority.
As heartening as watching the Raptors make mincemeat out of the Chicago Bulls was, this game serves as an example of both an extreme outlier, and some established ideas about how the Raptors might look for the rest of the season.
TORONTO, ON- OCTOBER 21 – Jakob Poeltl #19 of the Toronto Raptors blocks a shot by Buddy Hield #7 of the Chicago Bulls as the Toronto Raptors play the Chicago Bulls in their season opener at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. October 21, 2026. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
While the Raptors won the night, the Chicago Bulls put in a lot of work to lose in such a spectacular fashion. After all, shooting 32% from the field and 11% from three isn’t something that happens without a lot of effort being put in from the other side.
Both teams shot under 50% from the field that night, something the Raptors will hopefully not be replicating too often down the line. Shooting efficiency varied across the board. While Quickley was lights out from three, Ja’Kobe Walter, for example, played 23 minutes, as much as many of the starters, but was one for five from three.
The Raptors are now at a point with their depth that they’re able to stagger their starters and leave none of them hanging out to dry with an impotent second unit. Subbing out Scottie Barnes for Collin Murray-Boyles isn’t exactly giving the other team a huge leg up on the defensive end, and benching RJ Barrett to get a three-point shooting specialist like Jamison Battle in doesn’t kill momentum offensively.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 05: Members of the Toronto Raptors bench react to to three point shot scored in the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on April 05, 2026 in Boston, 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. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This brings back memories of the Raptors’ reserves in the late 2010s, the original Bench Mob, that lives so dearly in the hearts of Raptors fans. Jamison Battle, Allen Graves, Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter, and Collin Murray-Boyles are a fearsome fivesome that combine defence, playmaking, and shooting in the exact manner that both compliments that Raptors’ starters. The Mob serves to target the issues that can sway a game most heavily in tight moments, and will undoubtedly be a key piece in the Raptors’ victories down the line.
But unfortunately, it’s not all just a matter of good cheer in Toronto. Jakob Poeltl is a $19 million dollar man who is about to be a $27 million dollar man, and he scored three points in 22 minutes. Not great. Collin Murray-Boyles is a sophomore coming off the bench, and he out-rebounded Poeltl, eight boards to six. It’s fair to note that the other starters were heavily ball-dominant throughout the game, but in a contest where the Bulls were playing a backup centre, Toronto’s starter at the pivot should blossom, not wilt.
Today’s matchup against the Washington Wizards will see the Raptors play a reinvigorated Anthony Davis, in which our Noah Curitti projected a Raptors win. He wrote that “Anthony Davis presents the biggest matchup concern after his performance in the season opener,” and that “his interior scoring and rim protection could challenge Toronto on both ends of the floor.”
Davis had 34 points, 12 boards, and four stocks against the Milwaukee Bucks, who fielded Myles Turner against him. Poeltl is roughly in the same tier of centre as Turner, and when factoring in the type of game that the Brow had against him, major concerns arise. While the Raptors have excellent defensive personnel in Barnes and Boyles, they’re not true rim protecting centres, and expecting them to bang in the paint with the likes of Davis, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic verges on the unreasonable.
The next few games will tell viewers a lot about what they can expect from Jakob Poeltl, who, by all accounts, was cleared for regular play. A month ago, Bobby Webster said that Poeltl was in “good spirits, good shape,” but if there aren’t significant improvements from Poeltl — especially in matchups like tonight — “good shape” from him might not be good enough anymore.
TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 21: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors drives to the basket against Leonard Miller #11 of the Chicago Bulls in the first half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on October 21, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Raptors twin stars in Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes both looked fantastic – and, looked a bit like one another. During Wednesday’s game Scottie took some of these turnaround midrange jumpers that showed he had certainly picked up a trick or two from working with Leonard all summer. Barnes taking that motion, and echoing the greats like Jordan and Nowitzki, will hopefully be a herald of even more offensive prowess from the young player.
Leonard looked healthy last game, playing 24 minutes, but shot an ugly five of 17 attempts from the field. A lot of shots from him that looked like they would go in just didn’t materialize. This is something that fans shouldn’t be concerned about, however.
“I just need more reps, to learn plays,” said Leonard. “This is where you get better. You get better on the floor, and trying things, and shooting the ball when you open. You can’t wait ‘til practice and, you know, just shoot 100 shots. You need game reps, so, you know, that’s what I was looking for.”
William Lou on the Hello and Welcome Show pointed to Leonard’s delayed trade impacting his meshing with the team, and argued that even this incomplete version of the Klaw was someone who could deliver, bringing four steals and 11-11 free throws made. “This is probably gonna be the worst Kawhi we’ll ever see for the season,” said Lou. “How blessed are we, man?”
Indeed, Raptors fans were blessed with an impressive first win for the season, a look at a hyper-competent bench, and the first meaningful sample of what second-stint Kawhi Leonard can do on the Raptors. However, all that can’t mean that a severe deficiency at centre should be ignored. Tonight’s game will be a major diagnostic about how concerning that issue really will be for the Raptors, going forward. It’ll be matchups like the one against Davis that will dictate trade priorities and potentially even new starting lineups for the team.
But; the Raptors look good, and they look ready for the season ahead. A new normal for Toronto fans is set to begin this season, and those who stuck around throughout the down years are already having their patience rewarded.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 21: Waka Flocka Flame performs during the game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Washington Wizards on October 21, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards are 1-0. We are looking forward to seeing the team go 2-0 tonight against the Toronto Raptors. But in the meantime, this home opener’s atmosphere was solid. While there wasn’t a sold out crowd, it was close and Anthony Davis was pleased.
But there’s more to opening night than game intros and the basketball. What about the halftime show?
Rapper Waka Flocka performed at halftime for the crowd. You can watch some of the highlights below.
In past years, the Wizards had their Concert Series which has often been a positive experience for fans though these concerts are typically held after the game. Hopefully we’ll have more of those (and halftime concerts) as the Wizards’ 2026-27 season continues.
The vibes inside Madison Square Garden were immaculate on ring night, with the first banner in 53 years going up to the rafters, the sudden appearance of an NBA Cup 2025 championship banner, Jalen Brunson getting his deserved love, OG Anunoby getting the second-loudest ovation (historic tip-ins will do that), and the crowd barking at coach Mike Brown (who has an odd love for the song "Who Let the Dogs Out"). Even a loss to the 76ers didn't spoil the mood much.
But owner James Dolan is trying to. Dolan still hasn't sprung for the rings for the Knicks assistant coaches, who received empty ring boxes during the ceremony and didn't open them, a story broken by Joe Varden at The Athletic. It's also unclear whether head coach Mike Brown got his ring.
Seven league sources, all speaking on condition of anonymity so they could talk freely about a sensitive matter, said the Knicks assistant coaches did not get rings on banner night. Two of those sources told The Athletic that the assistants learned earlier Tuesday that they would not be getting their rings that evening, which came as no surprise because they had not yet been fitted for one and that boxes without their rings were a late addition to the ceremony.
Those coaches are at various levels of pissed off — and they have every right to be. It's also worth noting that assistant coaches don't always get their rings on ring night — the Thunder assistants didn't last year. However, for most teams, they get their rings that night, but at least they'll get them. Someday.
Tradition with championship teams is that a number of the teams' staff also get rings — faces you know, like the broadcast team, but also the people who do the hard work on the business side of the operation as well. Usually, deeper in the team staff, those rings don't have all 80+ diamonds and all the baubles, but they get real, meaningful rings.
Not in New York. With the Knicks, those people not only didn't get rings — they got a phishing scam about the rings.
Those Madison Square Garden employees got their hopes up at the end of September when the Knicks sent an email to a long list of employees, which gave recipients a first glimpse at their would-be championship rings. Atop the email, a copy of which The Athletic has obtained, was a graphic of two differently styled rings...
But the email was a fake-out, a phishing test Madison Square Garden sent to see if those employees would click, multiple team sources said.
Clicking the link in the phishing scam meant those employees got to go to a cybersecurity class. Congratulations!
Viewers of the ring night ceremony on NBC and Peacock may also have noticed that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who usually addresses the crowd and shakes players' hands as they get their rings, did neither. That's just the latest installment of the long-running feud between Dolan and Silver.
Ring night in New York was still special, but only Dolan could find a way to take a little shine off the event to save a few bucks.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 6: Dalton Knecht #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks on March 6, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks’ failed attempt at an extension being public, Miles McBride struggling as he enters a contract year, and Josh Hart and Tyler Kolek also not being extended, fans have speculated on potential roster moves.
And the fans got one today—just not the one most people were necessarily expecting.
Former Lakers forward Dalton Knecht has agreed to sign with the New York Knicks on a two-way NBA contract, his agents at Excel Sports Management tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/1gePugMy3Z
On Friday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that New York had signed former Tennessee Volunteer and Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht to a two-way NBA contract. To make space for the third-year wing, the Knicks are waiving Kevin McCullar Jr.
The Knicks weren’t the only team interested either. On Thursday night, rumors indicated that both the Timberwolves and Raptors were also looking at Knecht.
The former 17th overall pick averaged 9.8PPG and 2.8RPG while shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.6% from three during his rookie season. For spurts, it looked like he could develop into a solid rotation piece for a Lakers team that was still trying to contend with LeBron James at the helm and became a fan favorite after a 37-point explosion in the NBA Cup.
Midway through the season, though, Knecht was involved in a trade that would have sent him to the Hornets in exchange for center Mark Williams. After Williams failed his physical and the trade was rescinded, Knecht was forced to return to the Lakers.
Knecht, contrary to belief, finished out the season on a solid note, averaging 8.5PPG while shooting 40.8% from three. Things did take a turn for the worse last season, though. After appearing in 78 games and averaging 19.2MPG in his first season, he averaged just 10.2MPG in just 54 games during the 2025-26 campaign. As many young players do, he struggled with the decreased minutes and inconsistent playing time, leading to a cycle of worse play and even fewer minutes.
The third-year man can still impact the Knicks. He’s just 25 years old and is an above-average shooter with size. In his final year in college, he averaged 21.7PPG on 45.8% shooting from the field and 39.7% shooting from three. It’s not every day you can find that kind of shooting at his height on the waiver wire. But there are plenty of reasons why he saw his minutes dwindle and why he eventually was waived.
Despite being 6’6”, Knecht isn’t much of a defender. He can get lost defensively, and even if he manages to be in the right spots at the right times, he just does not possess the athleticism to be much of a factor on that end. Offensively, he’s shown flashes of being able to utilize his shot to get to other spots on the floor. When a part of the rotation, he was making nice reads off the ball and routinely had nice timely cuts to get easy looks at the rim. But at the end of the day, he’s still best utilized as a spot-up shooter and only a spot-up shooter. He can’t create for himself due to a lack of a reliable handle and certainly doesn’t create for others.
There are also examples of Knecht not knowing the team’s plays and schemes, which would surely frustrate Mike Brown, who is a very detail- and execution-oriented coach.
Knecht is just 25 years old and has room to grow. If the Knicks, their coaches, and their culture get him right, the shooting and size likely give him more upside than McCullar. But don’t expect him to be a significant contributor. New York likely signed him as a project piece and a deep depth piece. It would take a whole lot for Knecht to not only enter the rotation but to stay there. And in such a circumstance, the Knicks would likely have a lot more than Knecht’s play to worry about.
That being said, it’s still an intriguing low-risk move for a player who may just have needed a change of scenery. It is unfortunate, though, to see McCullar gone given the memorable moments he’s had with this club, regardless of how infrequent they may have been.
