Drew Eubanks calls first Kings training camp ‘hardest' of seven-year NBA career

Drew Eubanks calls first Kings training camp ‘hardest' of seven-year NBA career originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings might be the most conditioned team during the 2025-26 NBA season.

On Day 5 of Sacramento training camp, power forward Drew Eubanks explained how coach Doug Christie’s squad has been working in ways the veteran never has experienced over his lengthy career in the league.

“It’s been really good,” Eubanks told reporters Saturday. “Honestly, this is probably the hardest training camp I’ve had or ever been a part of. It seems like every single day has been a two-and-a-half-hour [or] three-hour practice where we’re getting up and down competing. 

“And yeah, it’s been great so far. Love it.”

Eubanks, who signed a one-year free-agent contract with the Kings on July 8 after being waived by the Los Angeles Clippers, is a seven-year NBA veteran.

His endorsement of how challenging the Kings’ training camp is appears to be positive. And Eubanks wouldn’t mess around, considering he played four seasons under legendary San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Sacramento hopes Eubanks can help the Kings off the bench, especially as a reserve behind star center Domantas Sabonis. Eubanks is confident that the tiring regimen only will help the new-look Purple and Black when the season starts on Oct. 21.

“We’re just going to be in better shape once the season starts — more connected,” Eubanks said.

Eubanks has career averages of 5.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists. He will be competing with players such as Dario Šarić for reserve minutes in the frontcourt.

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Three Warriors players flying under the radar as 2025 NBA preseason begins

Three Warriors players flying under the radar as 2025 NBA preseason begins originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – In a world where Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all play for one team, it’s comically impressive Jonathan Kuminga became the talk of the Warriors’ offseason. 

The Big Three of Curry, Butler and Green will grab headlines, run highlight packages and be the talk of morning shows. Kuminga will be a focal point of Warriors chatter for a number of reasons, too. As will offseason additions Al Horford and Seth Curry, the health and return of De’Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II staying in Golden State. 

Brandin Podziemski’s Year 3 leap as their next hopeful budding young star certainly will be something to monitor. A handful of other Warriors will be storylines of their own, but as the preseason begins a few already have gone under the radar. 

Here are three Warriors that quickly can remind the outside to not forget about them, even if the spotlight is brighter on others. 

Moses Moody

Rinse and repeat. Moody is entering his fifth season since going No. 14 overall to the Warriors in the 2021 NBA Draft and often has been left in the shadows. At times, that’s because of a constant roster logjam at his position. 

Even so, coach Steve Kerr has fielded questions throughout the last few seasons about why Moody isn’t playing as much and how he can earn more minutes. 

“As it relates to Moses, if we’ve got spacing, he’s one of those guys spaced,” Kerr said earlier this week. “He’s going to get a lot of open looks, and that bodes well for him. He’s an excellent shooter.” 

A point of emphasis offensively for Moody is to be the pick-and-roll guy more, as in the one setting the screen to play out of the pocket and swing the ball or hit open shots. Kerr saw how teams are starting to place guards on shooting big men like Quinten Post, and defending someone like Moody, who isn’t as used to pick-and-roll, with their center. 

The Warriors are looking for more offensive versatility out of someone they believe can contribute at multiple positions, which brings us to our next point. 

Point of attack is the name of the game for the Warriors’ defense, knowing the back is well protected between Butler, Green and Horford. 

“I think Moses will again take on that role, which he did so well after the [Butler trade] of guarding the ball, guarding the other team’s best player, really hounding the ball and that gives him a role that he has really taken to,” Kerr said. 

Moody averaged 10.8 points and 1.2 steals per game after Butler’s arrival. He had 18 games of multiple steals last season, and 14 came after the Butler trade. He slots into the 2, 3 and 4, and seems to have found his best role. 

“Steph plays fast, up and down, and then Jimmy slows it down, uses the whole shot clock. I like them out there together and my role being able to play off both of them gives us some diversity,” Moody said. 

Trayce Jackson-Davis

Jackson-Davis has yet to find consistency in the first two years of his NBA career. He became the Warriors’ starting center the final month of the regular season as a rookie, and began last season in the starting lineup as well. Jackson-Davis started 37 of the 62 games he played last season but fell in the pecking order behind Post, another second-round draft pick who plays the same position as him. 

Conditioning to become a more versatile player was Jackson-Davis’ offseason focus. He has dropped 15 pounds from last season, looking to be a better defender side-to-side who can switch onto wings and guards from the center position. Signing Horford looks to again put him below another center, but the move actually can benefit how Jackson-Davis plays. 

“I think this is actually a really good thing for Trayce, because he will complement the other two guys. He has a totally different skill set,” Kerr said. “… Trayce could play with either Quinten or Al because of his shot blocking and diving, whereas the other two guys are more pick-and-pop. The floor balance makes a lot of sense.” 

The Warriors tried to combat the Houston Rockets with their own two-big lineup here and there in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. Now, they feel like the combination of Horford, Post and Jackson-Davis gives them a much better shot at doing so.

“Obviuously I’m a vertical threat and those guys space the floor with 3-point shooting, but especially defensively I think we can be really, really good as well,” Jackson-Davis said. 

A leaner version of himself has Jackson-Davis ready to be interchangeable in the frontcourt as a center or power forward. 

“That’s just another thing that’s going to be with my conditioning,” he explained. “Being able to guard 4s and being able to move quicker laterally. I think that’s something I’m just going to continue to work on, develop and be ready for when the time comes.”

Gui Santos

Every team needs at least one player, and hopefully more, who is guaranteed to always bring energy. Santos is one of them for the Warriors. 

His role isn’t expected to change much. He’ll come in for a few minutes, grab a number of rebounds, be an energizer and make winning plays. That’s how Santos will stay on the floor, and those traits can be easy to miss.

But they’re what the Warriors love about him.

“Gui is a great vibe,” Jackson-Davis said Saturday. “He plays as hard as he can every time he’s on the court. He’s a very, very high-IQ guy, and that fits really well with this system. And whenever he’s on the court, you can feel his presence – just the energy, how engaged he is and and how tough he is.

“We need all of that.” 

Kerr sees a player who, through development in the G League and proving himself in the NBA, has grown stronger mentally and physically.

“He just looks a little bouncier, a little more athletic,” Kerr said. “He’s still a young guy. He’s put a ton of work in the weight room. He’s growing into his body still. And I thought he looked just more athletic than he has in the past. 

“There’s a confidence level with Gui now that wasn’t there a couple of years ago.” 

Santos went from playing only 23 games two seasons ago while averaging 8.3 minutes per game as a rookie, to then playing 56 games last season and averaging 13.6 minutes per game. Santos will want to see his shooting numbers go up for someone who should get open looks, but he knows his real calling card. 

Though he usually plays in shorter bursts, Santos had 19 games of multiple offensive rebounds last season, in which the Warriors went 14-5. When he had three or more, the Warriors only lost once. Stars shine, and so can Santos in his own role.

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What Warriors rookies did with photos from viral moment with idol Steph Curry

What Warriors rookies did with photos from viral moment with idol Steph Curry originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s normal to be starstruck by someone you’ve admired your entire life. But when that person now is your Warriors teammate, those interactions can be hard to get used to.

Golden State rookies Chance McMillian, 24, and Will Richard, 22, quickly learned that during Warriors Media Day last week, when an adorably relatable interaction with franchise superstar Steph Curry went viral on social media.

Even though McMillian and Richard were too shy to ask Curry for a photo right away, the two-time NBA MVP happily obliged after the pair of rookies, patiently waiting, were put on blast.

So, what do youngsters like McMillian and Richard do with a professional photo taken alongside their NBA idol?

“Sent it straight to my mom,” McMillian told The Athletic’s Nick Friedell, noting her immediately reply was one full of pride. “You know how moms get.”

The interaction with Curry immediately racked up millions of views online as a moment that Dub Nation and most NBA fans certainly understood.

“Literally everyone I know sent it back to me or said something to me about it,” McMillian told Friedell. “It was pretty funny.”

McMillian, an undrafted free agent, signed with the Warriors last Monday but was waived a few hours later. He’s expected to contribute for G League Santa Cruz Warriors this season, per Friedell, and the Media Day photo wil serve as a reminder of how far he has come.

“Last year, when I was at [Texas] Tech, I was trying to figure out ways how to move off the ball and get open and I pulled up some Steph clips,” McMillian told Friedell. “And now here I am, we’re in the same locker room. …

“I still am a big Steph fan. I grew up watching him. The Warriors have been my team since Andris Biedriņš, David Lee, those days. So it’s still like not real, but it’s starting to settle in.”

Richard, the Warriors’ No. 56 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, did something similar to McMillian with his Curry picture.

“I sent it to my parents,” Richard told Friedell. “Their first words was ‘We got to frame this.’ That was literally their first words.”

Also like McMillian, and many other NBA youngsters, Richard grew up idolizing Curry. And after signing a reported four-year, $8.69 million contract with Golden State, the two are set to be teammates for a while — or, however much longer Curry, 37, remains in the league.

“I grew up loving the Warriors,” Richard told Friedell. “Watching them, watching Steph. Loving him and Klay [Thompson] and Draymond [Green], and just seeing what they did here so being a part of it is a blessing. It’s a dream come true for me.”

Both Richard and McMillian told Friedell they’ll likely hang their photo with Curry in somewhere in their homes. The hilarious moment led to a cherished memento they’ll treasure throughout their lives and respective NBA careers — a reminder of where they started, and what they can achieve.

“[I’m going to] definitely have it somewhere in the house,” McMillian told Friedell. “But I’ll use it as constant motivation because this is the best shooter of all time. And I’m going to use it as motivation to work hard and get where he’s at. Because not everyone in the world has a vet that’s Steph Curry.”

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OG Anunoby goes for 13 points in preseason debut as Knicks beat Sixers

The Knicks continued their preseason schedule at the NBA’s Abu Dhabi Games, beating the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, 112-104.

With Josh Hart sidelined due to back spasms, OG Anunoby reentered the starting lineup and made his 2025 preseason debut.

Here are the takeaways...

-- After missing New York's first preseason game on Thursday, Anunoby got out to a strong start in the first quarter against the Sixers. He missed his first shot of the night, but nailed his next two, including a three-pointer, and then found Mitchell Robinson in transition for an alley-oop jam.

After an early breather, Anunoby came back into the game with about three minutes left in the quarter. He hit his second three of the game to extend New York's lead, finishing the quarter with eight points. The wing stayed hot and made another three-pointer to open the second quarter, going 3-for-5 from deep in the first half with 11 points.

-- Jordan Clarkson, Miles McBride, and Guerschon Yabusele were new head coach Mike Brown's first substitutions of the game, midway through the first quarter. Clarkson took after Anunoby and hit Robinson for another fast break alley-oop to put the Knicks up 27-22 with about two minutes left in the quarter. The pair connected again with the clock winding down, as the guard cut through the defense and found the big man underneath the rim for another easy dunk.

-- The Knicks shot 60 percent as a team (12-for-20) in the first quarter and led the Sixers, 31-23. They held Philly to 36.8 percent shooting (7-for-19), as Tyrese Maxey paced them with eight points.

-- Malcom Brogdon started the second quarter as he and McBride ran the offense for about four minutes before Jalen Brunson subbed back in to the game. Yabusele showed how he can be a big contributor to the team in the second, hitting a three and getting back on defense to block Justin Edwards at the rim.

New York coasted through the rest of the second quarter, outscoring Philadelphia 28-24, and leading 59-47 at halftime. Anunoby led the way with 11 points and Brunson had nine of his own. Maxey had 16 points for the Sixers, playing nearly the entire first half.

-- With the starters ending their days early, Brown opted for a lineup of Brogdon, Clarkson, Yabusele, Pacome Dadiet, and Landry Shamet to open the second half. Tyler Kolek and Ariel Hukporti were the first group of subs, while Kevin McCullar Jr., Mohamed Diawara, and Garrison Matthews entered with about three minutes left in the third quarter.

All fighting for roster spots and potential rotational minutes, the bench unit showed effort defensively toward the end of the third quarter, forcing a shot clock violation that got the starters off their seats. Although the 76ers won the third quarter 28-23 and trailed, 82-75, heading into the fourth quarter.

-- Philadelphia did not give up in the fourth quarter, cutting the Knicks' lead down to five points with under two minutes left. Kolek followed up a miss with a floater to push the lead back to seven with under a minute left. New York held on for the 112-104 win.

Brunson finished with 14 points, Anunoby scored 13, and Mikal Bridges had 10 points. McCullar, Matthews, and Tosan Evbuomwan each scored six points off the bench.

Highlights

Up next

The Knicks return home to The Garden to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves and old friends Julius Randle and Donte Divincenzo on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Sixers' VJ Edgecombe showing off hops against Knicks in Abu Dhabi

We saw it at Baylor. We saw the stats out of the NBA Draft Combine. We saw it at Summer League.

Now, the fans in Abu Dhabi are seeing it as the NBA has taken the preseason to the United Arab Emirates, with the Knicks and 76ers facing off. That means No. 3 overall pick from last June, VJ Edgecombe, is there and putting on a show. Like this dunk.

Or this block.

Edgecombe is showing more to his game in the preseason than just pure athleticism, he has knocked down 3s and is showing off some passing skills as well.

It's going to be an interesting season in Philly and part of that is watching what Edgecombe can do.

Jimmy Butler questionable for Warriors-Lakers preseason opener with ankle injury

Jimmy Butler questionable for Warriors-Lakers preseason opener with ankle injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Jimmy Butler is going through his first training camp with the Warriors after being acquired from the Miami Heat at last February’s trade deadline, but his preseason debut with the team might have to wait. 

Butler rolled his ankle Thursday and did not practice Friday or Saturday. Coach Steve Kerr is calling Butler’s status a “question mark” for Sunday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center. 

“That’ll be a training staff decision,” Kerr said. 

The Warriors and director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini will be extremely cautious with the health of players throughout preseason, especially veterans like Butler, Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Al Horford. Curry, Green and Horford are expected to play Sunday.

Center Trayce Jackson-Davis also is considered questionable for the Warriors. Jackson-Davis when speaking Saturday at the podium had his right thumb taped up. 

He says it isn’t anything to worry about. 

“Thumb’s good,” Jackson-Davis said. “Just a little precaution.” 

Guard De’Anthony Melton continues to rehab from left ACL surgery he underwent in December. Melton will miss all of the 2025-26 NBA preseason, as well as the start of the regular season. He has been able to go through individual work as the rest of Warriors practice and scrimmage in training camp. 

The Warriors on Wednesday announced Melton will be re-evaluated in four weeks. 

Rookie Alex Toohey also will not be healthy enough to play Sunday, delaying his NBA preseason debut. Toohey has been dealing with an ankle injury that has hampered him in training camp and prior to that as well. 

With their first of two second-round draft picks, the Warriors selected Toohey No. 52 overall in June. Toohey, a 6-foot-8 forward from Australia, played six summer league games and averaged 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. 

The Lakers on Friday played their first preseason game, losing 103-81 against the Phoenix Suns. LeBron James and Luka Dončić both didn’t play in the loss.

Kerr plans to use a deep rotation Sunday without any one player tiring himself out.

“I don’t think anybody will play much more than 15, 18 minutes,” Kerr said. “Maybe a couple young guys get into the 20s. First game, I love to give everybody time. I want to give every player who’s on the active list some minutes.”

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3 observations after Sixers finish Abu Dhabi Games with another defeat to Knicks

3 observations after Sixers finish Abu Dhabi Games with another defeat to Knicks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers are halfway done their preseason schedule and ready to head home.

The team wrapped up its Abu Dhabi action against the Knicks on Saturday with a second straight loss, falling to a 112-104 defeat. 

Tyrese Maxey scored 16 first-half points and sat out the second.

The Sixers’ third of four preseason games is scheduled for next Friday, Oct. 10 vs. the Magic. Here are observations on their loss Saturday:

Edgecombe jumps out 

The Sixers rolled out the same starting lineup as in their preseason opener: Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona. They remained without Joel Embiid (left knee), Paul George (left knee), Jared McCain (right thumb) and Trendon Watford (right hamstring). 

Edgecombe was the star of the first few minutes Saturday, scoring or assisting on all of the Sixers’ first 10 points.

On the game’s first possession, Edgecombe got fouled on a three-point attempt by Jalen Brunson and made all of his free throws. He recorded the Sixers’ next two points in eye-popping style with a swift drive from the wing followed by a rim-shaking slam. The rookie showed zero concern about OG Anunoby’s presence in the paint. 

Edgecombe assisted a Barlow corner three and an Oubre long two in the early going. He had a confident, attacking approach without being reckless in his decision-making. 

The Baylor product also knocked down a catch-and-shoot triple later in the first quarter. He hasn’t been hesitant to put up jumpers, but that was a relatively weak area of his game in Abu Dhabi. Edgecombe air balled a couple of three-point tries Saturday.

Offense needs to sharpen ahead of opener 

For the Sixers’ regulars, shooting was not a bright spot in either of their first two contests.

For the most part, the Sixers’ offensive issues can be chalked up to collective preseason rustiness as jump shooters (and the absences of Embiid, George, McCain and Watford). Installing new aspects of their offense is another notable factor, although the Sixers seemed to keep things simple in Abu Dhabi, leaning on basic drive-and-kick principles in the half court. 

The Sixers’ Maxey-led offense did begin to look crisper, faster and better overall around the midpoint of the second quarter. They’ll expect continued improvement over the weeks leading into the regular-season opener on Oct. 22 against the Celtics. 

A chance for Chandler to show his game

The Sixers’ second unit had a decent day.

Jabari Walker started the second half in Barlow’s place and Kennedy Chandler took over for Maxey at point guard.

Chandler faces clear challenges at under 6 feet tall, but he’s a speedy, aggressive player and had plenty of nice moments Saturday. He created a defensive highlight in the first quarter when he swiped a scrappy backcourt steal against Miles McBride. Chandler found a scoring groove in the second half, too.

Two-way contract player Hunter Sallis and veteran guards Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry did not play Saturday. Chandler, Walker, Andre Drummond, Justin Edwards, Johni Broome, Malcolm Hill and Saint Thomas appeared off of the Sixers’ bench.

3 observations after Sixers finish Abu Dhabi games with another defeat to Knicks

3 observations after Sixers finish Abu Dhabi games with another defeat to Knicks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers are halfway done their preseason schedule and ready to head home.

The team wrapped up its Abu Dhabi action against the Knicks on Saturday with a second straight loss, falling to a 112-104 defeat. 

Tyrese Maxey scored 16 first-half points and sat out the second.

The Sixers’ third of four preseason games is scheduled for next Friday, Oct. 10 vs. the Magic. Here are observations on their loss Saturday:

Edgecombe jumps out 

The Sixers rolled out the same starting lineup as in their preseason opener: Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona. They remained without Joel Embiid (left knee), Paul George (left knee), Jared McCain (right thumb) and Trendon Watford (right hamstring). 

Edgecombe was the star of the first few minutes Saturday, scoring or assisting on all of the Sixers’ first 10 points.

On the game’s first possession, Edgecombe got fouled on a three-point attempt by Jalen Brunson and made all of his free throws. He recorded the Sixers’ next two points in eye-popping style with a swift drive from the wing followed by a rim-shaking slam. The rookie showed zero concern about OG Anunoby’s presence in the paint. 

Edgecombe assisted a Barlow corner three and an Oubre long two in the early going. He had a confident, attacking approach without being reckless in his decision-making. 

The Baylor product also knocked down a catch-and-shoot triple later in the first quarter. He hasn’t been hesitant to put up jumpers, but that was a relatively weak area of his game in Abu Dhabi. Edgecombe air balled a couple of three-point tries Saturday.

Offense needs to sharpen ahead of opener 

For the Sixers’ regulars, shooting was not a bright spot in either of their first two contests.

For the most part, the Sixers’ offensive issues can be chalked up to collective preseason rustiness as jump shooters (and the absences of Embiid, George, McCain and Watford). Installing new aspects of their offense is another notable factor, although the Sixers seemed to keep things simple in Abu Dhabi, leaning on basic drive-and-kick principles in the half court. 

The Sixers’ Maxey-led offense did begin to look crisper, faster and better overall around the midpoint of the second quarter. They’ll expect continued improvement over the weeks leading into the regular-season opener on Oct. 22 against the Celtics. 

A chance for Chandler to show his game

The Sixers’ second unit had a decent day.

Jabari Walker started the second half in Barlow’s place and Kennedy Chandler took over for Maxey at point guard.

Chandler faces clear challenges at under 6 feet tall, but he’s a speedy, aggressive player and had plenty of nice moments Saturday. He created a defensive highlight in the first quarter when he swiped a scrappy backcourt steal against Miles McBride. Chandler found a scoring groove in the second half, too.

Two-way contract player Hunter Sallis and veteran guards Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry did not play Saturday. Chandler, Walker, Andre Drummond, Justin Edwards, Johni Broome, Malcolm Hill and Saint Thomas appeared off of the Sixers’ bench.

How report out of players-only meeting changed vibes of last season's 76ers

By all accounts, the vibes are good heading into this season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Sure, there are questions — Joel Embiid and Paul George remain out with uncertain timelines after offseason surgeries, and Jered McCain is out for a few more weeks with a torn thumb ligament — but the feeling around a team without high external expectations is good.

That's very different than last season.

In a story discussing how the vibes went south so fast in Philly last season, Yaron Weitzman of The Ringer says that there were frustrations with Joel Embiid and his vague injury timetables — players and coaches were unsure whether the star would play night-to-night, and he only played 19 games — but things got much worse after details of a player's only meeting in November went public.

"The organization was built around one guy who doesn't trust anyone and mostly keeps to himself," one former Sixers staffer said. When Embiid appeared in just 19 games last season, that isolation created organizational chaos ...

Tension escalated after a November players-only meeting was leaked to ESPN's Shams Charania, with grievances directed at Embiid becoming public. The breach damaged locker room trust and appeared to affect Embiid most significantly.

"People left that night feeling like they had turned a corner. Everyone promised to keep the details in-house. And then they wake up and all the details are out," a person close to a player said.

"It all created an environment of dysfunction," said an associate of a Sixers player.

Maybe a player talked to Charania. Maybe a player detailed the meeting to his agent, who spoke to Charania. However it happened, nobody seems to be disputing the details of the report, but rather that it got out. It led to even more distrust with Embiid and his camp.

Philadelphia is looking to put that behind them, get the vibes right and their stars on the court with a young and promising backcourt — Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, McCain and Quentin Grimes — and make a playoff push in a down Eastern Conference. It's training camp, but so far the vibes are still good.

We'll see how those vibes hold up when the inevitable struggles that come to every team hit the Sixers this season. Hopefully it goes better than last season.

Knicks Notes: Miles McBride's future as bench option, Mitchell Robinson's potential as starter

SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley dissects the latest Knicks news ahead of their 2025-26 season opener and answers a reader's question on the team...


 

Deuces Wild

Miles McBride looks like he’s ready for the regular season. He scored a team-high 12 points on seven shots in 21 minutes during the Knicks' preseason win over the Sixers in Abu Dhabi. He was active on both ends of the floor, finishing with three steals and five rebounds (two offensive).

McBride hit two of his four three-point attempts and looked comfortable and confident with the ball in his hands. Obviously, you shouldn’t make too much of what you see in preseason. But his play is worth watching because of the roster decisions ahead for the Knicks.
If the Knicks want to keep both Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon on the roster, they would have to trade a player. The trade is necessary because they need to create enough room under the second apron to keep both players.

Trades involving McBride, Pacome Dadiet or Tyler Kolek are the most direct paths to shedding that salary (though if the Knicks traded Kolek, kept both veterans and made no other trades, they would not be able to sign another veteran during the season).

I’d still expect the Knicks to let things play out during camp/preseason before they make a move to keep both Brogdon and Shamet. But if I’m placing a bet at the start of the preseason, I’m still betting that both Brodgon and Shamet – if healthy- are on the regular season roster. This Knicks team has a great opportunity to be playing into June. That’s why I think they’ll ultimately go with veteran depth, in Brogdon and Shamet.

So, who would they trade to make room for the vets? Moving McBride would get the job done, but I’d be surprised if New York chose to move him amid the roster crunch. The Knicks really value McBride and key stakeholders believe that they need the fifth-year guard on the roster in order to reach their goals.

Opposing teams are actually hoping that the Knicks make McBride available. The 25-year-old is in the second year of a three-year, $13 million extension. He’s valued highly by multiple teams around the league. His production, age and contract situation are all attractive. The Knicks also value him highly and have not been entertaining offers to trade at this point, per people familiar with the matter.

Starting Mitch

Knicks head coach Mike Brown started Robinson at center in the preseason opener and he looked good. He disrupted things on defense and finished with five offensive rebounds in 18 minutes. He had 16 rebounds overall (though it should be noted that the Sixers shot below 34 percent from the field in the first half).

Still, it had to be encouraging for the Knicks to see Robinson on the floor and productive in the preseason. He missed most of the regular season last year while recovering from offseason surgery. When healthy, Robinson has a clear impact on the game. If the Knicks start Robinson alongside Karl-Anthony Towns in the regular season, it will be a significant change from last season.

Last year, the Knicks stuck with a starting five of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Towns for most of the season. They inserted Robinson into the starting lineup midway through their Eastern Conference Finals series against the Pacers.

Robinson is also in the final year of his current contract. If healthy, he will get significant offers in free agency next summer. The Knicks can sign him to an extension during the season. The last time he was extension eligible, Robinson entered free agency and was ultimately re-signed by the Knicks.

I don’t think the lack of an extension indicates that the Knicks don’t value Robinson. The club sent at least one member of their coaching staff to work with Robinson on-site in the offseason.

Do u have concerns Brown may be trying to a put a square peg in a round hole. They may not be athletic enough to succeed w/that tempo. Don Nelson tried something similar in 97 & it ended quickly & badly. Remember? Got to have the right personnel for that style? - @JeffGlotzer

This is an interesting point and it’s something that an opposing front office brought up recently. They wondered if the Knicks had the personnel to play fast. Obviously, Brown wants to push the pace. It will be interesting to see if this team is actually equipped to play fast or if Brown needs to adjust his expectations on pace of play.

Why Steve Kerr's excited about Al Horford-Jonathan Kuminga Warriors combination

Why Steve Kerr's excited about Al Horford-Jonathan Kuminga Warriors combination originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The addition of center Al Horford figures to pay dividends for the Warriors in several ways during the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season.

As coach Steve Kerr sees it, one of those ways could be helping a 22-year-old budding star break out.

“Maybe Al and JK [Jonathan Kuminga],” Kerr answered Friday when reporters asked which Horford combination excites him most. “You know, I think that’s a two-man combo that could make some sense.”

Kerr and the Warriors have long searched for a way to get more consistent production from Kuminga, who has flashed immense potential but also experienced bouts of ineffectiveness throughout his career.

Per Kerr, Horford could be the key to finally stabilizing Kuminga and turning his lineups into winning combos.

“With JK, we want to give him space when he’s got the ball,” Kerr said. “Al can do that. So, if JK’s at the four, Al’s at the five and we put shooters around those guys, that could be an interesting combination.”

Horford enters his 19th NBA season as the Warriors’ biggest offseason addition. A veteran center who can space the floor and play quality defense, the 39-year-old could give Golden State a dimension they’ve lacked in recent years under Kerr.

“The defensive wherewithal that Al has, just the accumulation of so much knowledge and experience in his career, is definitely going to help him and help us,” Kerr said. “Another big, athletic rim protector can only help.”

Plus, Kerr added, Kuminga won’t be the only direct beneficiary of Horford’s presence.

“Al, with anybody, is going to be good,” the Warriors’ head coach said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Draymond [Green], Jimmy [Butler]…he could even play with Trayce [Jackson-Davis] or QP [Quinten Post]. So, the beauty of Al is the versatility he gives us from a lineup standpoint.”

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Luka Doncic will not play this weekend in Lakers' preseason games

El Segunda, CA, Monday, September 29, 2025 - Luka Doncic poses for photos at Lakers media day at UCLA Health Training Center. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Luka Doncic, shown during a photo shoot at media day, will not play in preseason games against the Suns and Warriors this weekend. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Lakers star Luka Doncic will not play in the team’s two preseason games this weekend, the team announced after its shoot-around Friday.

Doncic will sit out against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert and against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night in San Francisco.

The Lakers said it was a collaborative decision made with L.A.’s performance team because of his time playing for the Slovenian national team in the EuroBasket tournament this summer.

The Lakers said the plan is to be smart with Doncic in the long term as he ramps up for the regular season that opens Oct. 21 against the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.

LeBron James, Marcus Smart (achilles tendinopathy), Maxi Kleber (quad) and rookie Aduo Thiero (knee) also won’t play against the Suns.

Doncic played in his last game with Slovenia about a month ago, a game in which he scored 39 points but his squad was eliminated by Germany in the EuroBasket quarterfinals.

Read more:Jake LaRavia, at only 23, fits right into Lakers' future plans

After practice Thursday, Doncic talked about easing his way into training camp while getting ready for the regular season after playing at peak level for Slovenia.

“Yeah, obviously probably take it a little bit slower than the usual,” Doncic said. “ I had a busy summer. I think month, month-and-a-half I was with national team. So, it was kind of a lot. But that got me ready for the preseason and obviously regular season. So, for me, I think it really helps.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Jonathan Kuminga details growing on-court chemistry with Jimmy Butler

Jonathan Kuminga details growing on-court chemistry with Jimmy Butler originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Now that he’s officially back in the fold, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is ready to build off his promising end to the 2024-25 NBA season.

Specifically, the 22-year-old hopes to refine the chemistry he cultivated with veteran star Jimmy Butler. Speaking to reporters during his media session on Thursday, Kuminga acknowledged the crucial experience he gained playing with Butler in Golden State’s Western Conference semifinal loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last season.

“I think it’s very important that we’re here now, early, trying to figure each other out,” Kuminga said. “And I feel like we actually did [figure each other out] going through that series.”

When Stephen Curry suffered an injury in Game 1 that ultimately ended his season, the Warriors called on Kuminga to help plug the gaping hole left in their offense. The Timberwolves prevailed in five games, but Kuminga led Golden State in series scoring and shot over 54 percent from the field, while Butler led the team in assists.

That duo figures to play a huge role in the Warriors’ upcoming 2025-26 season, and Kuminga wants to do his part in helping his connection with Butler flourish even more.

“It’s very easy and simple to play with Jimmy,” Kuminga said. “And we actually get to sit down more now. I get to go ask him certain questions. How does he like to play? What does he like? I feel like us having a lot of time together, me being healthy, him being healthy, him being here from day one training camp-wise…it’s going to help us figuring out certain things about each other going forward.”

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How Dennis Schröder could strengthen Keegan Murray's defensive development

How Dennis Schröder could strengthen Keegan Murray's defensive development  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings are counting on Dennis Schröder’s on-ball defense to lighten Keegan Murray’s workload. With the veteran guard joining the starting unit, Murray said he expects to spend less time guarding opposing point guards — a shift that could free him up for other matchups.

“I think with Dennis, obviously it helps,” Murray said. “I won’t guard as many point guards as I did. Obviously, they’ll be versatile in where I guard, obviously, the best player on the court. But, obviously, Dennis is able to do that too. So, it’ll be interesting to see once we get into the season.”

Schröder, entering his 12th NBA season, has built a reputation as a relentless defender. The 32-year-old German guard averages 0.8 steals and 2.9 rebounds per game across his career.

That skill set could be crucial for a Sacramento team that finished last season with a 115.68 defensive rating, a number that often undercut the Kings’ high-powered offense.

With Schröder applying pressure on the perimeter, the Kings hope Murray can focus on defending bigger wings and conserving energy for his expanding offensive role.

“Obviously, with Dennis, it helps me a lot in the starting unit to pick up four court, disrupt the ball handling and things like that,” Murray added. “We’ve seen improvement. At this point, it’s just going out against someone else and going out against the opponent, not obviously making that happen in the game. So, you can’t really just do it in practice and not do it in the game.”

Murray averaged 12.4 points and 6/7 rebounds last season while shooting .343 percent from three.

The Kings will find out soon enough if Schröder’s defensive edge can help Murray — and the team — strike a better balance.

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NBA season 2025-26 preview: What now for Pacers, Celtics?

It was hard to watch. First Boston's Jayson Tatum, then, on the NBA's biggest stage, Tyrese Haliburton of Indiana.

The last two Eastern Conference champions head into this season without their All-NBA stars and anchors of their team's offense. Tatum tore his Achilles in the second round against the Knicks, and Haliburton famously tore his Achilles early in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Both are expected to miss this season (although Tatum is leaving the door open to a late-season return).

In the wake of those absences, the preseason focus has been about the East being "wide open," with discussions about who can step into the void. But what about Indiana and Boston this season? Can this be more than a gap year for them? Let's break it down.

Boston Celtics

Changes were coming to the Celtics' roster before Tatum took a wrong step against the Knicks. The dreaded second apron and repeater tax were already coming for them, but the injury opened the door for management to be aggressive in trimming salary: Jrue Holiday is in Portland, Kristaps Porzingis is in Atlanta, Al Horford is in Golden State, and Luke Kornet is in San Antonio. The result is the Celtics' payroll is below $200 million (but still about $4 million over the first luxury tax apron).

Boston still has plenty of talent: Finals MVP and All-Star Jaylen Brown will become the head of the snake on offense, and they still have Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. White, in particular, is going to have a much larger role and be asked to do more than at any point since he was Mr. Everything for the Colorado Buffaloes. He is going to get a lot of the pick-and-roll opportunities that Tatum has usually absorbed.

The hard questions are in the frontcourt, where the starters are likely to be Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta (who had a great EuroBasket), with Chris Boucher behind them.

Joe Mazzulla is going to have these Celtics playing faster and still launching a historic amount of 3-pointers, and that is going to get them wins. This is not a bad team — Vegas projects a team around .500 — but not a contender. Certainly a step back from where Boston was, as should be expected.

The spin out of Boston will be that this is a year for players to grow and evolve in new roles, and then, when Tatum returns — whether late this season or next — they will be better for the experience. That's a nice talking point, but the guys getting experience are role players, not stars. New owner Bill Chisholm said he would do what it takes, spend what it takes for this team to win. That test starts next summer when Boston needs to restock the roster to contend.

For now, Boston looks like a play-in team in the East.

Indiana Pacers

Not only is Haliburton out for the season, but ownership decided to try to get Myles Turner to take a discount on his next deal, and now he is in Milwaukee. That's two of the top three players — including the critical engine that made the Pacers' up-tempo style work in Haliburton — out for the season.

Anyone who watched the Pacers in their limited time without Haliburton last season grasps what's coming: Good players, well coached, but not great defensively and without the offensive spark needed to win consistently in the NBA.

Pascal Siakam becomes the focal point of the offense, and he should put up numbers. He is surrounded by guys who were good role players a season ago but will be asked to do a lot more now: Andrew Nembhard at the point, Bennedict Mathurin, Aaron Nesmith, T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard, Obi Toppin, Jay Huff and more.

Some guys will step up, and if you told me Nembhard wins Most Improved Player, I wouldn't be shocked (he looked good as the backup point guard last season). However, it's a lot to ask across the board. This looks more like a team struggling to make the back end of the play-in — even in this East — more than a nightly threat.

A year from now, when Haliburton returns, the show returns and things get interesting. For now, it's a season about growth for role players.