The 6-foot-3 senior out of La Lumiere School (IN) ultimately chose the Tigers over Michigan and TCU. He also received offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Marquette, Syracuse, and more.
Cleveland, a Chicago native, is ranked as the No. 32 overall recruit in the 2027 class and the No. 5 ranked shooting guard, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings, an average of all three major recruiting media companies (Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports).
He becomes the third player this cycle to commit to Dennis Gates, joining four-star point guard Scottie Adkinson (No. 35 NATL) and four-star power forward Cameron Barnes (No. 114 NATL).
More on Devin Cleveland
Playing on the EYBL Circuit this summer, Cleveland averaged 16.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game for Brad Beal Elite.
“I feel like I’m a winner,” Cleveland previously told Rivals in an interview. “That’s what I’ve been trying to prove this EYBL season. You know, the past couple of years, I haven’t really had much success in winning games, so just coming over here with Bradley Beal, their identity is to win. So, I’m just trying to be a leader. I can score the basketball, and I’m a willing passer. I try to get my teammates involved every game.
“I watch a lot of Devin Booker, Jeremiah Fears, my brother Fred Cleveland, who is a pro overseason. Watching how they score the ball, create contact on the offensive end so I can draw fouls and little things like that.”
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 18: A detail view of a basketball is shown prior to the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Atlanta Hawks at American Airlines Center on March 18, 2026 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
The Dallas Mavericks host the Atlanta Hawks for their final preseason match up before the 2026-27 regular season begins. Dallas last played the Pelicans on Wednesday night where they fell despite a late rally. This is the fifth and final preseason game for Atlanta; they’ve won three in a row, most recently beating the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here are the main things you need to know before the game starts:
WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Atlanta Hawks
WHAT: Last tune up before the real games kick in
WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
WHEN: 7:00 pm CST
HOW: KFAA
There’s not an official injury report but based on my snooping around, here’s what I think will happen tonight with player availability. Dereck Lively and Santi Aldama are definately out. Moussa Cisse is questionable still following the ankle tweak on Wednesday. Jett Howard is another iffy guy, he missed Wednesday with an illness. Morez Johnson is someone I expect to see but he has shin splints somehow. Daniel Gafford missed the Wednesday game with a stinger somehow, but I bet he plays tonight. Marcus Sasser, Cooper Flagg, and Kyrie Irving will see the floor tonight.
The Hawks played six of their top seven on Wednesday in OKC. Curious who all plays tonight. Henri Veesaar and Mouhamed Gueye are definitely out tonight.
It will be great to see Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving play. That’s all I’m really tuning in for.
If you’re checking out this post, it’s for one of two reasons:
Injury report news
Discussion and comment thread
If you’re part of the former, please consider signing up for an account. You get way fewer ads, and you can comment! If you’re part of the latter group: GO GET THE APP. I’m serious. The app has some real-time features specifically for game threads like this one and you can comment and get notified really, really easily. It’s part of what’s keeping this whole series of sites going. So go do it for us and in doing so, you’ll see why the experience is simply better.
Consider joining me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube; I will be going live tonight after the game and it’s the show where I need y’all to join and participate!
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 18: A detail view of a basketball is shown prior to the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Atlanta Hawks at American Airlines Center on March 18, 2026 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
The Dallas Mavericks host the Atlanta Hawks for their final preseason match up before the 2026-27 regular season begins. Dallas last played the Pelicans on Wednesday night where they fell despite a late rally. This is the fifth and final preseason game for Atlanta; they’ve won three in a row, most recently beating the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here are the main things you need to know before the game starts:
WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Atlanta Hawks
WHAT: Last tune up before the real games kick in
WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
WHEN: 7:00 pm CST
HOW: KFAA
There’s not an official injury report but based on my snooping around, here’s what I think will happen tonight with player availability. Dereck Lively and Santi Aldama are definately out. Moussa Cisse is questionable still following the ankle tweak on Wednesday. Jett Howard is another iffy guy, he missed Wednesday with an illness. Morez Johnson is someone I expect to see but he has shin splints somehow. Daniel Gafford missed the Wednesday game with a stinger somehow, but I bet he plays tonight. Marcus Sasser, Cooper Flagg, and Kyrie Irving will see the floor tonight.
The Hawks played six of their top seven on Wednesday in OKC. Curious who all plays tonight. Henri Veesaar and Mouhamed Gueye are definitely out tonight.
It will be great to see Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving play. That’s all I’m really tuning in for.
If you’re checking out this post, it’s for one of two reasons:
Injury report news
Discussion and comment thread
If you’re part of the former, please consider signing up for an account. You get way fewer ads, and you can comment! If you’re part of the latter group: GO GET THE APP. I’m serious. The app has some real-time features specifically for game threads like this one and you can comment and get notified really, really easily. It’s part of what’s keeping this whole series of sites going. So go do it for us and in doing so, you’ll see why the experience is simply better.
Consider joining me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube; I will be going live tonight after the game and it’s the show where I need y’all to join and participate!
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 30: Isaiah Joe #11 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots a three point basket during the game against the Washington Wizards on October 30, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MARCH 08: Tre Johnson #12 of the Washington Wizards takes a shot over Jeremiah Fears #0 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of a game at Smoothie King Center on March 08, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play their 4th and final preseason game in New Orleans starting at 8:00 p.m. today at the Smoothie King Center. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 30: Isaiah Joe #11 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots a three point basket during the game against the Washington Wizards on October 30, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MARCH 08: Tre Johnson #12 of the Washington Wizards takes a shot over Jeremiah Fears #0 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of a game at Smoothie King Center on March 08, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play their 4th and final preseason game in New Orleans starting at 8:00 p.m. today at the Smoothie King Center. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 08: Hayden Gray #44 of the Boston Celtics reaches for a loose ball during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on October 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 124-113. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Celtics will start four Exhibit-10 players in their final preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers— Milos Uzan, Hayden Gray, Tucker DeVries, and Gabe McGlothan — along with rookie Chris Cenac Jr.
The 76ers, meanwhile, will be mostly at full strength: LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, and Joel Embiid, all of whom sat when the two teams faced off last Saturday, will lace up, as will Tyrese Maxey.
Celtics at Sixers – October 16, 2026 – Starters
Boston – Milos Uzan, Hayden, Gray, Tucker DeVries, Gabe McGlothan, Chris Cenac Jr.
Philadelphia – Tyrese Maxey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid pic.twitter.com/7FVj2ONSP7
The game will be coached by Sam Cassell, per Joe Mazzulla. Mazzulla had assistant coaches DJ MacLeay and Tony Dobbins split head-coaching responsibilities in the preseason opener, while he watched the game from the locker room.
The full roster was (mostly) available in the previous two preseason games, with the exception of Exhibit-10 player Devin Carter, who missed both home games due to illness, and Ron Harper Jr., who missed one game due to shoulder soreness.
In those two games, the starting lineup consisted of Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Jordan Walsh, and Mitchell Robinson. Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, and Neemias Queta were the first five off the bench, with Luka Garza also playing significant minutes.
In the preseason opener in Cleveland, the Celtics sat Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Ron Harper Jr., and Payton Pritchard.
Friday marks the team’s final preseason game. The Celtics are 3-0 so far in preseason action.
The Celtics’ regular season tips off on Tuesday, October 20th at 3pm ET in Detroit.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 08: Hayden Gray #44 of the Boston Celtics reaches for a loose ball during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on October 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 124-113. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Celtics will start four Exhibit-10 players in their final preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers— Milos Uzan, Hayden Gray, Tucker DeVries, and Gabe McGlothan — along with rookie Chris Cenac Jr.
The 76ers, meanwhile, will be mostly at full strength: LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, and Joel Embiid, all of whom sat when the two teams faced off last Saturday, will lace up, as will Tyrese Maxey.
Celtics at Sixers – October 16, 2026 – Starters
Boston – Milos Uzan, Hayden, Gray, Tucker DeVries, Gabe McGlothan, Chris Cenac Jr.
Philadelphia – Tyrese Maxey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid pic.twitter.com/7FVj2ONSP7
The game will be coached by Sam Cassell, per Joe Mazzulla. Mazzulla had assistant coaches DJ MacLeay and Tony Dobbins split head-coaching responsibilities in the preseason opener, while he watched the game from the locker room.
The full roster was (mostly) available in the previous two preseason games, with the exception of Exhibit-10 player Devin Carter, who missed both home games due to illness, and Ron Harper Jr., who missed one game due to shoulder soreness.
In those two games, the starting lineup consisted of Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Jordan Walsh, and Mitchell Robinson. Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, and Neemias Queta were the first five off the bench, with Luka Garza also playing significant minutes.
In the preseason opener in Cleveland, the Celtics sat Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Ron Harper Jr., and Payton Pritchard.
Friday marks the team’s final preseason game. The Celtics are 3-0 so far in preseason action.
The Celtics’ regular season tips off on Tuesday, October 20th at 3pm ET in Detroit.
The Lakers have entered a new era in the organization’s storied history.
The departure of LeBron James led to several questions about the offense, but the scoring power of Luka Doncic cannot be underestimated. In fact, when Doncic and Austin Reaves were on the floor together last season (without James), the duo had a top-two offensive net rating.
Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings. NBAE via Getty Images
And thus, the addition of center Walker Kessler is bound to aid the Lakers offense in reaching new heights this season. Former NBA champion and analyst Kendrick Perkins offered an even bolder perspective on the team.
“Luka is so great when he has a dynamic roller that loves to finish at the basket. But also, Luka is a different type of guy in the pick-and-roll,” Perkins said.
“I wanna see the [Lakers] develop that same energy that [Luka] had with Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively. They knew when Luka was in the pick-and-roll to always stay ready.
“I believe the Lakers are going to have the best offensive team in the league.”
Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on October 13, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena. NBAE via Getty ImagesWalker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives teammate during the game against the Golden State Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images
Last season, the Lakers ranked 19th in defensive rating and allowed 114.6 points per game, which ranked 11th in the league. There are still questions surrounding the Lakers defense heading into the 2026-27 campaign, but the offense is expected to have plenty of firepower.
The team is expected to employ more off-the-ball movement this season, with several new pieces on the roster.
Will they gel enough to lead the league offensively? Only time will tell.
The Lakers have entered a new era in the organization’s storied history.
The departure of LeBron James led to several questions about the offense, but the scoring power of Luka Doncic cannot be underestimated. In fact, when Doncic and Austin Reaves were on the floor together last season (without James), the duo had a top-two offensive net rating.
Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings. NBAE via Getty Images
And thus, the addition of center Walker Kessler is bound to aid the Lakers offense in reaching new heights this season. Former NBA champion and analyst Kendrick Perkins offered an even bolder perspective on the team.
“Luka is so great when he has a dynamic roller that loves to finish at the basket. But also, Luka is a different type of guy in the pick-and-roll,” Perkins said.
“I wanna see the [Lakers] develop that same energy that [Luka] had with Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively. They knew when Luka was in the pick-and-roll to always stay ready.
“I believe the Lakers are going to have the best offensive team in the league.”
Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on October 13, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena. NBAE via Getty ImagesWalker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives teammate during the game against the Golden State Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images
Last season, the Lakers ranked 19th in defensive rating and allowed 114.6 points per game, which ranked 11th in the league. There are still questions surrounding the Lakers defense heading into the 2026-27 campaign, but the offense is expected to have plenty of firepower.
The team is expected to employ more off-the-ball movement this season, with several new pieces on the roster.
Will they gel enough to lead the league offensively? Only time will tell.
This feels like a naked money grab — and the Oklahoma City Thunder are pushing back.
Spanish club Casademont Basket Zaragoza is saying it holds the rights to Aday Mara — the Oklahoma City rookie drafted No. 12 last June — through 2027 and plans to block Mara from playing in the NBA, at least until there is a financial settlement, reports Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. Zaragoza released this statement to the Spanish newspaper Heraldo de Aragón, via Eurohoops.
"Basket Zaragoza wishes Aday Mara the best of luck in his new sporting endeavors and remains committed to developing players in its youth academy. At the same time, as an organization, the Club has an obligation to protect its rights, ensure compliance with existing contracts, and defend the interests of Basket Zaragoza, taking all necessary legal action."
The Thunder aren't buying it, noting the obvious: This wasn't an issue when Mara played three years of college basketball stateside (two at UCLA, one at Michigan, where he won a national championship). However, when he gets drafted and gets an NBA contract, his old Spanish club has its hand out.
"Aday last played three years of NCAA college basketball and therefore, as advised by the NBA, no clearance from the Spanish team is required for him to play in the NBA," a Thunder spokesperson told NBC Sports.
Mara did come up through his hometown club of Zaragoza in Spain, working through its youth ranks and making his first-team debut back in 2021 when only 16. Two years later, when Mara agreed to play for UCLA, Zaragoza tried to contest his eligibility, saying he was under contract with them. That didn't go as the club had hoped.
This likely will go the same way for the club. Mara and the Thunder are set to open their season next Tuesday night on NBC in what feels like Game 8 of last year's Western Conference Finals. The Thunder/Spurs game tips off at 9:30 Eastern on NBC and Peacock, the final game of an NBC triple-header to open the season, including Boston at Detroit (3 p.m. ET), LeBron James and the 76ers trying to spoil ring night for the champion New York Knicks at 7 p.m. Eastern. All those games are on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: Jrue Holiday #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers is guarded by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Chase Center on October 08, 2025 in San Francisco, 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. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors wrap up their preseason schedule with Friday night’s home matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBA League Pass.
Golden State overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, 101-89. The matchup wasn’t quite the preview of the regular season opener that many had hoped for, as the Warriors opted to rest Draymond Green while the Lakers held out superstar guard Luka Doncic. Stephen Curry, however, played into the second half for the first time this preseason, logging a preseason-high 23 minutes and finishing with 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field, including three three-pointers. Meanwhile, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg continued to be one of the biggest bright spots of Golden State’s preseason, tying Brandin Podziemski for the team lead with 17 points while adding five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Warriors enter Friday night’s preseason finale against the Blazers relatively healthy, though one notable absence continues to loom over the team. On Wednesday, Golden State announced that starting center Kristaps Porzingis will remain sidelined indefinitely as he deals with a health-related issue. Porzingis, who signed a two-year, $40 million extension with the Warriors during the offseason, was expected to play a significant role in the team’s revamped offense, especially with their emphasis on three-point shooting.
With Porzingis unavailable, the Warriors have experimented with several options at center throughout the preseason, including Al Horford, Charles Bassey and a smaller frontcourt featuring Green at the five alongside Lendeborg and Gui Santos — the latter having shown the most promise given their versatility while still maintaining enough positional size. Still, head coach Steve Kerr has acknowledged that the team remains a work in progress and is not yet where it wants to be. Friday’s finale will provide one final opportunity to evaluate these lineup combinations before the games begin to count.
Steve Kerr a week prior to the opener: “We’re not anywhere close to where we want to be, but we’re working on the right things.” pic.twitter.com/6ux63RSDqL
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: Jrue Holiday #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers is guarded by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Chase Center on October 08, 2025 in San Francisco, 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. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors wrap up their preseason schedule with Friday night’s home matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBA League Pass.
Golden State overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, 101-89. The matchup wasn’t quite the preview of the regular season opener that many had hoped for, as the Warriors opted to rest Draymond Green while the Lakers held out superstar guard Luka Doncic. Stephen Curry, however, played into the second half for the first time this preseason, logging a preseason-high 23 minutes and finishing with 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field, including three three-pointers. Meanwhile, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg continued to be one of the biggest bright spots of Golden State’s preseason, tying Brandin Podziemski for the team lead with 17 points while adding five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Warriors enter Friday night’s preseason finale against the Blazers relatively healthy, though one notable absence continues to loom over the team. On Wednesday, Golden State announced that starting center Kristaps Porzingis will remain sidelined indefinitely as he deals with a health-related issue. Porzingis, who signed a two-year, $40 million extension with the Warriors during the offseason, was expected to play a significant role in the team’s revamped offense, especially with their emphasis on three-point shooting.
With Porzingis unavailable, the Warriors have experimented with several options at center throughout the preseason, including Al Horford, Charles Bassey and a smaller frontcourt featuring Green at the five alongside Lendeborg and Gui Santos — the latter having shown the most promise given their versatility while still maintaining enough positional size. Still, head coach Steve Kerr has acknowledged that the team remains a work in progress and is not yet where it wants to be. Friday’s finale will provide one final opportunity to evaluate these lineup combinations before the games begin to count.
Steve Kerr a week prior to the opener: “We’re not anywhere close to where we want to be, but we’re working on the right things.” pic.twitter.com/6ux63RSDqL
With the Lakers playing their last exhibition against the Nuggets on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, they’ll soon have to make a final decision on how they’re going to comply with the league’s roster rules by early next week.
Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka will soon have to make a decision about the roster. Getty Images
It’s a decision they’ve been having to face since they put the roster together throughout July, entering training camp with 16 players signed to guaranteed contracts — one more than 15 legally allowed during the regular season.
“Going from 16 guys to 15 guys, we have until Opening Night for the competition to sort of play out and see who the best 15 players are,” Rob Pelinka, Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager, said in late September. “Behind that evaluation of who’s emerging in camp, there’s also consolidation trades that can still be looked at, trading two guys out, bringing one in. So there’s a number of ways that that could be addressed, and the back-end point of it will be before we play the Warriors. So, the next month will kinda answer those questions.”
The expectation throughout the league is that either Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy will be one of the odd men out.
The Lakers have explored trades involving both players, but the third-year wing and veteran guard remained on the roster entering the team’s final preseason game after the team hadn’t found traction on a preferred deal.
Will Jaden Hardy (7) stay with the Lakers beyond this week? NBAE via Getty Images
If the Lakers can’t find a trade and decide to waive a player, league personnel expect that to be Knecht.
But a decision hasn’t been made yet — leaving time and opportunity for the Lakers to go another route.
While the Lakers, like every other NBA team, don’t have to have their Opening Night roster set until 2 p.m. PT on Monday — with the regular season starting on Tuesday and the Lakers hosting the Warriors for their first regular-season game on Wednesday — the decision could come this week.
Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) is expected to be the odd man out. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Hardy, whom the Lakers acquired from the Wizards in July in the trade that sent Deandre Ayton to Washington, addressed the Lakers’ pending roster decision after Friday morning’s shootaround.
“For me, I just came here [with] a clear head, clear-minded, new situation,” Hardy said. “New opportunity. It’s a blessing to be here.”
Does he feel any anxiety knowing the roster crunch is looming?
“Nah, I mean, it’s in God’s hands,” Hardy said. “I’m blessed to be here.”
With the Lakers playing their last exhibition against the Nuggets on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, they’ll soon have to make a final decision on how they’re going to comply with the league’s roster rules by early next week.
Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka will soon have to make a decision about the roster. Getty Images
It’s a decision they’ve been having to face since they put the roster together throughout July, entering training camp with 16 players signed to guaranteed contracts — one more than 15 legally allowed during the regular season.
“Going from 16 guys to 15 guys, we have until Opening Night for the competition to sort of play out and see who the best 15 players are,” Rob Pelinka, Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager, said in late September. “Behind that evaluation of who’s emerging in camp, there’s also consolidation trades that can still be looked at, trading two guys out, bringing one in. So there’s a number of ways that that could be addressed, and the back-end point of it will be before we play the Warriors. So, the next month will kinda answer those questions.”
The expectation throughout the league is that either Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy will be one of the odd men out.
The Lakers have explored trades involving both players, but the third-year wing and veteran guard remained on the roster entering the team’s final preseason game after the team hadn’t found traction on a preferred deal.
Will Jaden Hardy (7) stay with the Lakers beyond this week? NBAE via Getty Images
If the Lakers can’t find a trade and decide to waive a player, league personnel expect that to be Knecht.
But a decision hasn’t been made yet — leaving time and opportunity for the Lakers to go another route.
While the Lakers, like every other NBA team, don’t have to have their Opening Night roster set until 2 p.m. PT on Monday — with the regular season starting on Tuesday and the Lakers hosting the Warriors for their first regular-season game on Wednesday — the decision could come this week.
Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) is expected to be the odd man out. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Hardy, whom the Lakers acquired from the Wizards in July in the trade that sent Deandre Ayton to Washington, addressed the Lakers’ pending roster decision after Friday morning’s shootaround.
“For me, I just came here [with] a clear head, clear-minded, new situation,” Hardy said. “New opportunity. It’s a blessing to be here.”
Does he feel any anxiety knowing the roster crunch is looming?
“Nah, I mean, it’s in God’s hands,” Hardy said. “I’m blessed to be here.”
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 13: Bruce Brown #1 of the New York Knicks is introduced before the game against the Toronto Raptors during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 13, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
What I’m about to tell you might blow your mind. Hell, it might’ve blown my mind if I told myself this yesterday.
The Knicks are currently facing a roster dilemma. They have 13 players on standard contracts, two below the maximum and one below the minimum.
They have two veterans on Exhibit 10 contracts that they want to roster, Bruce Brown and James Wiseman, but they can only roster one and stay beneath the second apron, something that James Dolan has made clear is a hard cap for the team.
Brown and Wiseman are different players and represent different things. They rose from a ragtag group of veterans fighting for that 14th roster spot, so much so that the Knicks are doing everything they can to keep both. It’s a dilemma we saw last year with Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet before the former retired to make the decision easy.
Wiseman is considered the heavy favorite, to the point where Ian Begley called him a lock. At that point, it would be about trying to find a spot for Brown in a tough environment.
To keep both and stay within Dolan’s mandate, they will need to trade someone. The prevailing candidate has been third-year player Pacôme Dadiet, who is buried on the depth chart and running out of time to prove himself as a player. He’s likely on an expiring contract due to his team option almost certainly being declined by the end of October, but his value is still low enough that he’s a negative asset.
That has caused the team to shop the more productive reserve point guard Tyler Kolek, but such a move would leave the Knicks much more vulnerable in case of an injury to a lead ballhandler. It’s a tricky dilemma.
There are multiple ways that Leon Rose and company can try to sort this out, but there’s one that I recently discovered that would require some extreme savviness and careful day-to-day management.
The Knicks can retain both Wiseman and Brown into Opening Night without a trade. It’s risky, but could be worth it.
Here’s how:
The Knicks have two open roster spots, so just from simple roster management, they are allowed to sign both. Further, they are not hard-capped at the second apron, which allows them to exceed it.
The problem, as we all know, is that signing both would push the team over the second apron. While a change of heart is always possible, it would be idiotic and a very bad look if they exceeded it for Brown and not homegrown fan favorite Mitchell Robinson.
But what if I told you that the Knicks can temporarily exceed the second apron with extremely little penalty?
The punishments that come with the second apron are two-sided. They not only impact your trade flexibility but also harm your future. As a first-apron team, the Knicks are already restricted from doing certain things, but here are the things they cannot do as a second-apron team that they can currently do:
Using any portion of the taxpayer mid-level exception
Aggregating two or more player salaries in a trade.
Sending out cash as part of a trade.
Acquiring a player as part of a sign-and-trade (think why Denver got nobody back for Peyton Watson)
Acquiring a player via trade using a traded player exception if that TPE was generated by sending out a player via sign-and-trade.
A first-round pick seven years in advance is “frozen” and cannot be used in a transaction. This cannot be undone unless three of the following four seasons are spent beneath the second apron.
Looking at these restrictions, most of them apply to the offseason. The only ones that impact the Knicks in-season are aggregating salary in a trade, sending out cash as part of a trade, and, most crucially, the freezing of their 2033 first-round pick.
To me, the implications on future draft picks are the biggest reason you don’t want to be in the second apron. If the Knicks exceed it, they won’t be able to use the 2033 pick in a trade for at least four years, something that hurts flexibility as you manage salaries and egos. Not to mention that said pick gets thrown back to No. 30 if you’re in the second apron three times in five years.
Where am I going with this? Well, if you read the fine print of the league’s apron policy, you notice one thing in particular.
The first-round pick restriction is only if the team finishes a season in the second apron.
So, as an example, if a team were to exceed the second apron going into the 2026-27 season, but ducked it via trades at the deadline, they would be exempt from that policy.
So for a team that’s perilously close to said apron facing a dilemma… is that worth pursuing?
Let’s do the math.
If the Knicks were not to make a single roster move between now and Opening Night, they would go into the 2026-27 season as a second apron team, exactly $1.625 million over the barrier. That would mean they cannot do any of the trade-related stuff up there, but that’s about it.
It’s from here that Leon has to work his magic.
The simplest way to do this is to bet that you will eventually find a taker for Dadiet or reasonable value for Kolek, allowing you to trade them and shed their salaries off the books. If this happens in one week, two weeks, or three weeks, everything is all good.
NBA rules about salary retention state that, no matter when a player is dealt midseason, their full salary is wiped off the books. That means it can happen as late as the trade deadline, and it would be as if they had never played for the Knicks.
The problem you run into is that the Knicks lose leverage as time goes on. They don’t have much leverage already, with the league knowing their financials, but imagine a situation in February where they’re trying to find someone to take them out of desperation.
To go down this route, the Knicks would have to have confidence that a player could build up midseason trade value, an injury causes a need to open up elsewhere, or current negotiations evolve over weeks and months to make the transaction.
The other route would be to keep Brown and Wiseman on non-guaranteed contracts and watch the clock.
The two currently each have a cap hit of about $2.45 million, which combined is $4.9 million. That means that the Knicks, with no trade made, would need them to make $3.275 million or less combined to stay below the apron. The exact number that each player is able to make this season on the roster concurrently is $1,636,884.
As an example, let’s say Wiseman stays all year. That means he makes $2,449,421, which means that for the Knicks to stay under the second apron (assuming no trades), the max that Brown can make is $812,537. Via the NBA’s prorated salary system, he passes that mark on Black Friday (November 27), so he would need to be cut prior to Thanksgiving to get through waivers.
By doing this, the Knicks would use every last penny they have available to them to maximize their roster and give themselves an extra month to figure out what’s going on. The downside here is that you might get stuck in the same spot of figuring out who to keep, plus you would not be able to sign a 15th player in February, which they can do if they cut Wiseman or Brown this week.
If all of this cap jargon confused you, here’s a TLDR of the two ways the Knicks can go into the season with Wiseman and Brown and no trades:
If the Knicks find a taker for Kolek or Dadiet or any way to cut $1.6 million off their books by the trade deadline, they will finish the season beneath the second apron
If the Knicks release either Brown or Wiseman by November 27 (more like November 25 due to waiver rules), they will save enough money from the non-guaranteed deals to stay just beneath the second apron
I find these unlikely, just because it’s a very MyGM way of operating and not one you’d see in a league where you need to balance personal relationships with roster building.
