LeBron James and Bronny James are shown in a series of photos posted by LeBron James.
Some moments are bigger than basketball.
LeBron James posted an Instagram reel on Thursday night that captured his summer, as it featured multiple photos and videos of him playing golf alongside his son Bronny James, while the song “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” by Roy Ayers Ubiquity played in the background.
Seeing their summer recapped on the golf course was a touching moment. But it was the message that was written in the caption that really felt touching.
LeBron James posts touching series of photos of him spending time alongside Bronny James over the summer. Instagram / @Kingjames
“Can’t tell you how special times like these are for me being a dad! S–t damn near had me in tears out there yesterday afternoon,” LeBron wrote. “Never had these moments growing up so it REALLY means EVERYTHING to me. LOVE BEING A DAD!”
The pictures and videos of the James family spending their summer golfing together were captured by former Lakers photographer — now freelancer — Abigail Keenan Field. James tagged her in the post and wrote: “Thank you for capturing the moment.”
While everyone knows the James family for their continuous love of playing basketball, both LeBron and Bronny have been spotted playing rounds of golf over the summer.
After the Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs in the second round by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the father-son combo was seen out on the golf course in May, with Jay-Z playing in the background.
Bronny’s golf swing caught the attention of everyone that day, as NBA fans were saying he has a better swing than his father, and was even compared to having a similar swing to Rory McIlroy.
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Bronny James sitting on the Lakers bench, beside his father, LeBron James. JASON SZENES/ NY POSTLeBron James in a Lakers uniform during an NBA game. Getty Images
LeBron is about to embark on a new journey as he won’t be wearing a Lakers uniform for the first time in eight years, after he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers over the offseason.
Bronny is entering his third season in the NBA and it will be the first time since he was at USC, that he won’t be playing on a basketball court alongside his Dad.
He said he is done rehabbing. The Dallas Mavericks guard told reporters at the team's media day that he has no physical restrictions in his left knee, which he injured March 3, 2025.
"I'm ready to go out there and kick some butt," Irving said. "I know that naysayers or some of the questions around where I'm going to be are going to be inevitable. But for me, I have the confidence of a champion."
All that time away also gave him a lot of time to think. Irving, 34, said he spent it considering "where I want to be as a player and most importantly where do I want to be as a man.
"How can people look to me to be a better leader, a better communicator, be more emotional, more vulnerable," Irving said.
Kyrie Irving's comeback by the numbers
■ 19: Months he's been sidelined. A typical ACL recovery takes nine to 12 months.
■ 34: His age and he knows that isn't on his side. "Being 34 years old, I'm going on Year 16," he said. "Been through a lot, been through a lot of ups and downs as a person."
■ 9: All-Star selections
■ 1: Championship, won with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016
■ 0: Reasons to doubt his effort, according to Irving. "You never have to worry about me falling short of (putting) my best foot forward out there."
The Mavericks open the preseason with two games against the Houston Rockets in Macao, China on Oct. 9 and 11. The regular season starts Oct. 21 in Houston. The home opener is Oct. 24 against the San Antonio Spurs.
Irving expects it all to come back quickly. He's looking forward to lacing up his shoes, getting on the court with his teammates and, as he put it, showing "everybody what I got again.
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With training camp starting next week, the Lakers’ front office has been quietly busy in recent days. They signed Anton Watson, Chase Ross and Meechie Johnson Jr. to Exhibit 10 deals, although they waived Watson one day later. Ross and Johnson were not far behind as they were waived on Sunday night for Cole Swider and William Kyle III.
What’s the point of signing someone only to waive him the next day? Why are the Lakers signing these guys when they already have 16 players on standard contracts? In essence, they’re using the expanded roster limits for training camp—teams can have up to 21 players until the regular-season cutdown—to build out their G League roster.
Exhibit 10 contracts effectively allow the Lakers to funnel a bit of extra money to players as long as they stay on the newly branded Coachella Valley Lakers for at least 60 days. They’re eligible to receive anywhere between $5,000 and roughly $90,000 from the Lakers if they do so, and that money won’t count toward the Lakers’ team salary, so it won’t impact their luxury-tax bill or their proximity to the first apron. In essence, there’s no downside for the Lakers unless you’re an heir of Mark Walter, Bob Iger or Josh Kushner.
The Lakers do have to waive Ross and Johnson prior to the start of the regular season for them to be eligible for that bonus. But since the Lakers already have 16 players on standard contracts, both players would be facing an uphill battle to make the regular-season roster as is. The Lakers might want to keep them around for training camp to see if they merit either a standard roster spot or one of their three two-way slots, because players on Exhibit 10 deals can’t be converted to two-way contracts once the regular season begins.
The Boston Celtics originally selected Watson with the No. 54 overall pick in the 2024 draft. They signed him to a two-way deal that offseason, but he never appeared in a regular-season game for them before they waived him in March 2025. The Knicks claimed him on waivers two days later, and he played a grand total of 22 minutes across nine games for them at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
The Lakers signed Watson to an Exhibit 10 deal last year as well before waiving him prior to the start of the 2025-26 regular season. He averaged 11.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 50.0% overall and 33.2% from deep for the then-South Bay Lakers across 50 appearances last year.
Ross went undrafted out of Marquette this past summer after averaging 14.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game as a senior. He was named to the Big East All-Defensive team this past year.
Johnson also went undrafted this past summer after bouncing between Ohio State and South Carolina in college. He averaged 17.2 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game as a super senior, although he shot only 41.4% overall and 32.6% from deep.
The Lakers have now signed six players to Exhibit 10 contracts, which is the most they’re allowed to have. Watson, Ross and Johnson figure to join Robbie Avila, Williams Kyle III and Robert McCray in the G League within the next few weeks to fill out the Coachella Valley Lakers’ roster. If any of them manage to stay on the roster through Christmas, they’ll likely have a few extra bucks to dole out around the holidays this year.
These signings might all sound like inconsequential moves around the margins, and they very well might be. The odds of any of them becoming impactful players for the Lakers one day aren’t great. But the Lakers are smart to take advantage of Exhibit 10 deals to get as many players as possible into their developmental ecosystem, especially if the cost of doing so is effectively a rounding error for their owners.
Stephen Curry could have waited until December, when he could gather enough intel on this Warriors season to have at least some idea of its direction.
He could have remained patient until the Feb. 11, 2027 NBA trade deadline, giving Golden State CEO Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy four-plus months to buttress the roster or simply consider that deed completed with the anticipated midseason returns of Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody.
Curry, however, decided to put pen to paper on Friday, signing a two-year contract extension worth a reported $116 million, $20 million less than the maximum $136 million he became eligible for last month. He holds a player option for Year 2 (2028-29).
Curry has consistently said he wants to be a Warrior for life, and there is every reason to believe him. This extension, however, indicates the most decorated player in franchise history wants to give himself leverage after he turns 40.
More significantly, though, Curry’s willingness to take less than the max gives the Warriors considerable room to maneuver next summer. They could have at least $60 million in cap space in the summer of 2027.
Curry reportedly will earn $55.7 million in 2027-28, nearly $6 million less than he will be paid ($62.6 million) for the upcoming season. Consider this a roughly 10 percent sacrifice for the sake of building a stronger roster.
The heat now turns up on Lacob and Dunleavy, as it’s up to the front office to do the work.
“I’m pretty sure just knowing the dynamics of our team, where we’re at, and all that,” Curry said on Wednesday. “It’s not really an obvious type of let’s-just-do-this-and-keep-it-moving type situation. This is one of the rare ones in my career that you’re trying to make sure you have just peace of mind with it all. I don’t know if there’s any more new information. It’s just the conviction of I’m doing the right thing for me, for the team, for now, for the future, like all those things.
“And it’s obvious I don’t have that many more bats at the plate. So just want to make sure I’m doing right by me and by the team.”
Curry, 38, acknowledges that the sun is setting on his career. The extension pushes his career to 20 years, and he’s big on the significance of numbers – just as he committed to retire having worn only one jersey.
Curry for many years has done his part to boost the Warriors. This is yet another effort.
So, now we wait.
Wait to see how the Warriors look in the first three months of the season whether there is a quick reaction. Wait to see if Lacob/Dunleavy find a way to bolster the roster at the trade deadline. Wait to see if they use their optionality – the word often used by Dunleavy – to reshape the roster next summer.
It would be a shame, however, if the waiting is in vain.
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 7: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers protest a referee's foul call during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on February 7, 2019. (Staff Photo By Christopher Evans/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The ghost of LeBron James will forever haunt the Cleveland Cavaliers. The King’s latest free-agency saga took center stage this summer.
To no surprise, James was a key talking point during Koby Altman and Kenny Atkinson’s media availability. Specifically, whether the Cavs missed their chance to improve the roster and entice James for one more homecoming.
“I think the misconception is, if we do something, that means [James] comes back,” said Altman. “That’s a misconception.”
The Cavs watched as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown changed teams this summer. It’s impossible to know if Cleveland could have swung for either one of those players, but it’s safe to assume their best package would have been in the mix.
Altman says the idea that James would have returned to Cleveland if the Cavs had traded for one of the big names on the market is incorrect.
“We explore everything, as you know. We’re a really active franchise. We explore different things, different prices, different price points, and to go out and get that caliber of player [like Antetokounmpo or Brown], you’re giving up a lot. Is that the best thing for the team and the best thing for our future? And so not going too far deep into that question in terms of specifics, both [trade possibilities] would have taken a toll on both [our present and future] if we would have gone down that path.”
Sticking to your guns has been a theme of this era of Cavs basketball. Cleveland has kept the same core intact for most of the decade, while shuffling things on the margins to see what sticks. It wasn’t until this previous season that they made a major swing for James Harden, but aside from that, they’ve stuck to the same construction that’s led to success in the regular season.
“We’ll leave that internal in terms of our conversation with [James],” said Altman on his reported meeting with James earlier this summer.
“We have a lot of confidence and faith in the talent that we have in-house. You don’t fluke your way to the Eastern Conference Finals [last season],” said Altman.
“I’m not downplaying the enormity of [James’] decision and the magnitude of the decision. I get all of that, I just think the way we’re built as an organization is we have a great foundation and a great sort of ecosystem within our franchise in terms of talent, coaching staff, our performance staff. We’re built for a sustainable run here, regardless of one outcome.”
As for what ultimately led to James choosing Philly over Cleveland, the answer remains a mystery. Altman declined to reveal any of the details behind his meeting with James this summer.
“We’ll leave that internal, in terms of our conversation with him,” said Altman. “We have tremendous respect for LeBron, what he means to this organization, what he means to this region.”
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: The sneakers worn by Darius Bazley #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game against the Boston Celtics during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 17, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 9: Dereck Lively II #2 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 9, 2025 at American Airlines Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As much excitement and potential as this year’s version of the Dallas Mavericks has, there are also many questions that will determine just how high the team’s ceiling can be in 2026-27. One of the biggest questions involves just how healthy Dereck Lively II is. After having an incredible rookie year that ended up in a trip to the 2024 NBA Finals, the fourth-year big man has been battling foot injuries ever since.
During Mavs Media Day on Friday morning, Lively gave Mavs fans an update on how he’s feeling and how his offseason recovery has gone.
“Everything’s been great,” Lively said. “It’s been a lot of focus, a lot of days in the gym, a lot of hard days working. It’s been ups and downs. Trying to keep my focus on what I can control, not worry about things I can’t keep out of my control, and just having trust in my team, having trust in the people around me, my doctors, and the people who support me.”
During every NBA Media Day, there’s always a lot of buzz about certain guys getting taller or adding more muscle. That was the case in Dallas on Friday when it comes to the height of reigning 19-year-old Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, who is now reportedly 6-10 without shoes on. Lively, who is still just 22 years old, was asked if he’s grown a little bit as well.
“Who knows? I feel taller than everybody. I feel like that’s had to change. I know I’ve definitely put on some size. I’ve definitely put on a good amount of muscle,” Lively said. “I feel like I’ve been trying to lose as much body fat as possible, trying to stay in the right shape, no matter if that’s me on the bike, me riding the treadmill, me swimming. That’s definitely been a big change in my routine. So just doing whatever I can to make sure I keep my body right and keep my mind right.”
The biggest question for Lively, though, is: when will he be ready to get on the court again? It’s a good sign that he’s no longer in a walking boot that he seemed to be in forever over the summer, but according to a report from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon earlier this week, Lively still hasn’t been cleared for training camp yet. Lively was asked about his injury timeline on Friday, and here’s what he had to say.
“I’m happy where I am. I’m very grateful to the team for just giving me the ability to just take my time, make sure I’m doing everything right, and making sure I’m taking care of my body,” Lively said. “I’ve been running on the treadmill, been practicing jumps, been slowly getting back on the court, getting my shots up, making sure I’m still confident in my shot, and just being part of the team. Having everybody around the team, no matter if it’s the trainers, the medical staff, the team, the coaches. It’s been great just to have everybody around, having the energy again … It’s been a great time to be back with the team.”
Although Lively’s foot health is concerning, he deserves to be able to take as much time as he needs to make sure he gets 100 percent right again before stepping foot on the court. That’s the least the Mavs can do for him, given the malpractice that took place with the previous front office regime when it came to his injury management.
The Warriors might not have made many moves this offseason, but they made the most important one on Friday evening.
Golden State signed superstar point guard Steph Curry agreed to a contract extension, the team announced.
A true legend of the Bay, here to stay.
The Golden State Warriors have signed four-time NBA champion and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry to a contract extension. pic.twitter.com/hhjygBvN0Q
The new deal is for two years, $116 million and includes a player option for the 2028-29 NBA season, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Friday, citing sources.
BREAKING: Golden State’s Stephen Curry has agreed on a two-year, $116 million contract extension with the franchise, with a player option in 2028-29, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/KSdyNDCsRx
Curry became eligible for an extension of up to two years and $136.7 million on Aug. 29 coming off his current one-year, $62.6 million expiring deal. But he took $20 million less to continue his career in the Bay.
After the Warriors missed the playoffs following an up-and-down 2025-26 season, there was speculation, as there always is, that Curry could look elsewhere and be more competitive as he reaches the tail end of his career.
But the speculation was just that, as the two-time NBA MVP will continue in Year 18 with the only NBA team he’s known.
And, like the rest of the team, he could return with a vengeance.
Curry missed nearly 30 games over two months dealing with runner’s knee. His co-star, Jimmy Butler, also dealt with his own injury, although it was a season-ending ACL injury in January.
There is strong belief within the organization that had Curry and Butler not been injured, the Warriors’ 2025-26 season would have ended much differently.
But the past is the past. Curry and his Dubs now are focused on the present and getting back to the top of the West.
Last season, Curry averaged 26.6 points on 46.8-percent shooting from the field and 39.3 percent from 3-point range, with 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 34 minutes through 43 games.
With NBA training camps opening up next week, news around the league is starting to pick up. While a lot of it is the standard signing of players to Exhibit 10 deals then releasing them — targeting said player for the franchise's G League team — there is some other news of note, here are the highlights.
Grizzlies release D’Angelo Russell
Memphis has a roster crunch, with 19 players on standard contracts heading into camp, but only 15 can make the opening roster. Cuts are coming.
D'Angelo Russell is the first one, the team announced Friday. This was expected around the league, it had been reported back in July that the Grizzlies were working with Russell to find a trade to a new home for him. That didn't work out, so they waived him, and it was done early enough for Russell to find a new home before the season starts. Russell had a $5.9 million contract for this season that the Grizzlies will likely eat (they could waive and stretch it to lessen the per-year hit, but they are under the salary cap as it is and can afford to just pay it now).
Russell played 26 games for the Mavericks last season, averaging 10.2 points and four assists per game. Dallas traded him to Washington as part of the Anthony Davis trade, but Russell worked it out with the Wizards and never reported there. This offseason, the Wizards traded Russell to Memphis, which has now released him.
Latest on Mavs bigs Powell, Lively
We have a couple of updates on the Dallas Mavericks big man front.
First, and as expected, the Mavericks have signed Dwight Powell to return to the team, something first reported by Marc Stein. Powell, 35, has played the last 12 seasons in Dallas, and while he doesn't have a huge impact on the court — 3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 63 appearances last season — his real value to a young team is as a mentor who shows players how to be professional. This contract is only guaranteed for $500,000 until he makes the opening night roster, Powell will have to stay healthy to get paid.
Dallas may need Powell at the start of the season because center Dereck Lively has not yet been medically cleared, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Lively played in just seven games for Dallas last season before undergoing foot surgery last December. If he can get healthy, he would be an interesting fit next to Cooper Flagg.
Cooper Flagg card sets record
While we're on the topic of Mavericks star, the Cooper Flagg Topps Rookie Debut Patch Card has officially sold through Fanatics Collect's September Premier Auction for $8.04 million. The auction drew 83 bids over the two-week process.
BREAKING: The Cooper Flagg NBA Debut Patch autograph card has officially sold in our auction for $8,040,000.
This sets the record for the most expensive Cooper Flagg card of all time, surpassing the previous record of $366,000.
While LeBron’s Lakers tenure didn’t end in the way fans had imagined, he still brought the franchise a championship.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the first half of a basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center, Sunday, March 31, 2024, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Noah K. Murray-NY Post
But Los Angeles didn’t get to celebrate that championship in the way teams and cities get to every other season. James revealed he’s still upset about this during an episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast that was released on Friday.
“I still think about like not being able to do the parade. That bothers me,” James said when reflecting on the championship he won in 2020. Los Angeles wasn’t able to have a championship parade due to the COVID pandemic.
“Like, [on a scale of] 1 to 10 [on how much it bothers me]: 20… It would have been super duper dope, man,” James added.
LeBron James, owner of Team AlUla, looks on during the E1 Series Luanda GP in Luanda, Angola, Sept. 13, 2026. Getty Images
James spoke glowingly of his time with the Lakers and the franchise during the podcast. At one point, he said, “When I came to the Lakers, [a lot of people said] I was just coming to be in Hollywood and do movies. But I’ve always loved a huge challenge, and to come to a historical franchise that has some of the greatest basketball players that we’ve ever seen in the history of sports. To be a part of that one was like a super duper big thing to me. It was super cool and humbling at the same time.”
He later added, “The expectations around here in Los Angeles when it comes to the Lakers is like, ‘Let’s win championships.’ And I heard that, and I understood that. And for us to be able to win one, that was something I would never forget. [To win] with that group, with that team, for this city.”
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is on the court during the third quarter of a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Regardless of how fans feel about James taking his talents to Philadelphia, he did more than enough to earn a standing ovation from his former franchise and fan base when the 76ers come to Crypto.com Arena on Christmas Day.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 14: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns on the court during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Mortgage Matchup Center on December 14, 2025 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. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I felt it for the first time when I went outside last night to play with the dog. For the first time in months, I could walk outside without getting blasted in the face by the oven-like air that the Phoenix metropolitan area has to offer. Yes, for the first time, it felt like fall. And that means Phoenix Suns basketball is right around the corner.
With Media Day this upcoming Monday and training camp starting Tuesday, we’re about to rev up the engine and start getting answers to the questions we’ve been asking ourselves all summer long about this team.
Which brings me to another Bright Side Roundtable opportunity for our writers to answer a simple question: What is the biggest question you need answered during the first 10 games of the Suns’ season?
Of course, we’re not going to get answers to everything. The season is 82 games long, and thinking that the first 10 games will tell us everything we need to know about this team is somewhat obtuse. Still, those first 10 games will provide insight into what we can expect, whether that’s schematically, how the rotations take shape, or how the new pieces fit into the puzzle.
And for me, that’s what I primarily want to see. How does this puzzle fit together from a rotational standpoint? Rotations will continue to evolve throughout the season. Injuries will present themselves, players will exceed expectations, others will fall short, and adjustments will be made based on opponents and production.
But those first 10 games should begin answering one question I desperately want answered: How does this organization perceive the progress Rasheer Fleming made this offseason?
Sure, he was a second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he’s somebody the Suns moved up to acquire. They spent assets to get him because they believed in what he could become. And in his limited opportunities last season, Fleming flashed the potential to provide size, athleticism, defense, and three-point shooting off the bench. For a team that has desperately needed a quality power forward since Amar’e Stoudemire played for the organization, Fleming could begin filling that role this season. That’s why I want to see how and when he’s utilized throughout the first 10 games.
In Year 1, he was a rookie learning to adjust to the speed of the NBA while developing his basketball IQ. Year 2 should be about building upon that foundation and demonstrating whether he’s made the developmental leaps we all hope he has. How much does the coaching staff trust him? Where does he fit into the rotation? And how much opportunity will he receive to showcase that growth? We should know quite a bit more after those first 10 games.
So what does the rest of our Bright Side Roundtable panel have to say about it? Let’s get into their answers.
Kevin Humphreys: Will we get to see the Suns’ core four players play together to begin the season?
Last season, we only got to see the Big 3 play 10 regular-season games together, and now Miles Bridges is getting thrown into the mix. If we can just get all four of those guys healthy through 10 games, that will be a huge win. If that happens, then what kind of hierarchy, if any at all, is developing between Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges?
Bruce Veliz: The biggest question I need answered in the first ten games is how Jordan Ott’s play style will evolve into year two?
Last season, they were a scrappy and physical team that never gave up on the defensive end, and on offense, it was mainly three-point centered, focused on the drive and kick. Without Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, the team has lost part of that identity, so how will he adjust and benefit that to fit this team? Will there be any changes, or will they stick with what worked last season?
Holden Sherman: At least two wins against one of the Thunder, Nuggets, Spurs, or Rockets. Phoenix went 4-12 against these teams last year, including going 0-7 against Houston and Denver. These teams were four of the five top seeds in the West and are ones the Suns will have to compete with if they are serious about being top-six in the Conference. The team needs to finish games against these teams stronger; it’s not just about playing them close. All of these teams Phoenix suffered close losses to, and Denver should be worse this year, considering they traded Peyton Watson, a main contributor from a season ago, and only received draft compensation in return. The Suns need to play their best against the best.
SoSaysJ: How much are the Suns going to take the kid gloves off Khaman Maluach? During the first five months of last season, Maluach averaged 5.5 MPG. That ticked up to 13.9 MPG over the last two months of the season. During NBA Summer League, he (not surprisingly) played 27.4 MPG – and thrived, averaging 19.5 PPG, 12.8 RPG, and 2.0 BPG, while shooting 40.0% from three and 53.2% overall.
Considering his production during Summer League, the fact that he has one year in the NBA under his belt, and the injury to Mark Williams, extended minutes certainly seem warranted during the regular season, but to what degree? Will he start? Will he play 20+ minutes? 25+ minutes? Regardless of whether Khaman or Oso is the starting center when the regular season begins, I will be particularly interested in Maluach’s playing time during those first 10 games and the game situations in which he is on the floor.
For the Suns to enjoy any near-term success beyond what we saw last season, Maluach will have to develop and play a significant role on both sides of the ball. I think the first 10 games of the season should give us an idea as to how ready the coaching staff thinks he is to step into that role.
Brandon Duenas: The first 10 games are all about experimentation and seeing what you have as a group. That being said, I am looking forward to seeing how each individual player, especially those in the starting lineup, adjusts their game to this group. The potential glaring issue with this team is the lack of playmaking/floor spacing in the starting unit. I will be paying very close attention to the shot distribution and the roles that Green, Brooks, and Bridges naturally take.
I excluded Booker because I believe he can fit in any environment, so I’m more curious as to how those other three play off each other (and Book) and if there’s more “team ball” than “me ball.” Will Brooks and Bridges sacrifice shot attempts and make quick reads? Does Jalen Green take on more of a downhill playmaking threat this year? There are plenty of solutions to mix and match the right units on the Suns’ bench, so it will be an interesting dynamic to follow. Green and Brooks didn’t share the court a ton last year, and Bridges is the newcomer. This is why they pay Jordan Ott the big bucks.
Mark Bowser: I agree with Brandon’s specific dynamics above and how that results in the flow of the overall offense. My main question is in the intangibles category. Last year, the Suns were gritty more often than not. They dove for loose balls, scrapped on defense, and crashed the offensive glass. With new parts added and several high-effort players signing new contracts, will the effort dip? Or will it go up a notch? The extended players (Brooks, Goodwin, Gillespie) all have this in their DNA. The new acquisition, Miles Bridges, is the wildcard. Reviews of his effort fluctuate, generally positive when his team is doing well. Can he enhance the Suns’ reputation in this regard, or will his addition disrupt the chemistry?
Tom Mildenberger: In the 2024-25 season, the Suns started 8-2 before Budenholtzering their way to a 36-win season, so I’m not getting caught up in wins and losses. The Suns will bring the same coach back for a (gasp) second year in a row, so despite swapping Allen and Royce for Bridges, I think we mostly know how the team will look, stylistically and culturally.
What I’m going to be watching for in the first ten games is which Devin Booker we get. Are we going to get the make-the-right-play, Devin Booker? Or are we going to get the flame-throwing Booker who sets arena points records? There are reasons to think that the former version of the Book might be better suited for the Suns’ current roster than the latter, but if I’m being honest, I don’t want to see Devin Booker pile up hockey assists or get to the free-throw line thirty times a game this season. I want to see the Booker that the defense knows is going to shoot, but still can’t do anything to stop. Can he still be that Booker? I’m not sure, but I think we’ll know in the first ten games.
There’s no shortage of things to watch when the Suns finally take the floor, which is exactly what makes those first 10 games so valuable. We won’t have the answers yet, but we should have enough evidence to start forming better questions. How much has the roster evolved? Who has earned trust? Which combinations work? And perhaps most importantly, what does this team look like when the experimentation begins to give way to an identity? After spending the summer imagining the possibilities, we’ll finally get to see which ones survive contact with actual basketball.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 7: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, Joel Embiid #21 and Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game on December 7, 2025 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LeBron James will officially speak for the first time as a Sixer on Monday at media day. But on Friday, he sat down with Steve Nash for the season premiere of his Mind the Game podcast to discuss what caused him to sign with the Sixers this summer.
It would be an understatement to say that LeBron gushed about Tyrese Maxey. It’s clear that Maxey was influential in his decision to come to Philadelphia, no matter how much Maxey might try to downplay it.
“I just love everything about Tyrese Maxey, man,” LeBron said. “Every day, you get the same person. And that is very rare in sports and obviously super rare in life. And I’ve always talked about how great of a person that he is. Obviously, we know what he brings to the basketball court.
“When I became a free agent and we decided to let the Lakers know that I wouldn’t be returning, he was one of the first people that was on my line, calling me, ‘Yo, what we doing? What’s up, OG? What’s up, Old Head? Come on down here, we could use you down here.” And our relationship, a lot of times, I don’t answer the phone for a lot of phone calls. ‘Cause I don’t even want to be swayed in one way. I already know what you’re calling about. But he’s such a great person that I can’t not talk to him.”
However, Maxey wasn’t the only thing that lured him. LeBron also made it clear how much he respects Jaylen Brown.
“I love the way he approaches the game, too,” he said. “Both sides of the floor, what he brings to the game. His insight on the game. I’ve watched him. Kind of misunderstood. And that is absolutely OK. I think we are all individuals for a reason. Everyone’s always trying to put everybody in the same box. And I love what he stands for and what he brings to the table in that fashion.”
LeBron later added that he and Brown worked out “three or four times this offseason” and have “been in communication.” Since they and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are the only members of this year’s Sixers who have already won an NBA title, they appear to be taking it upon themselves to demonstrate what championship habits look like from day one.
“We’re two of the guys on the team that’s been through the foxhole and been through the wringer of what it takes from the moment we step on the court for training camp to the moment we raise that Larry O’Brien Trophy,” LeBron said. “We know what it takes. Just trying to make sure we’re on the same page and have everybody else on the same page.”
Joel Embiid, who teamed up with LeBron on Team USA in the 2024 Olympics—and was a main reason why they got past Nikola Jokić and Serbia in the semifinals—was also a major draw.
“One of the most important, to be honest, is the big fella,” LeBron said. “He’s done everything in our league. The only thing he has not done is win a championship. I want to try to help him get that first one.
“He’s been the MVP of our league, has a gold medal, All-Stars, signature shoes, bunch of money, beautiful family, he has everything. He has the city on his back. He’s been the Process, 10 years, 12 years, however long he’s been there. But I think it’s time now that we dig even deeper into the process, and I hope that I can be that final little piece that can get him over the hump, and maybe just see it a little bit differently than he’s seen it in his career as far as the day-to-day process, the day-to-day what it takes to get there.”
LeBron also expressed his admiration for VJ Edgecombe, whom he called “a flat-out player.”
“The intel that I’ve got from everyone is that this kid is beyond his year,” he said. “They say he was actually one of the leaders of the team as a 20-year-old rookie. And not in a disrespectful manner, it’s not like he was speaking just to be speaking or thinking he’s better than this guy. No. They say he speaks with an intelligent, confidence, natural. Works extremely hard.”
While the Sixers might not have Simone Fontecchio, the prospect of their star-studded starting five was enough to convince LeBron to take a veteran-minimum contract in Philadelphia. When training camp officially kicks off Tuesday, it’ll be on him, Brown, KCP and head coach Nick Nurse to set the tone for what they hope to be a championship season.
When news broke this summer that Jalen Brunson had played through a wrist/tendon injury while leading the Knicks to their first title in 53 years, and that he was undergoing surgery to repair it, it was accompanied by a report that his recovery was expected to take only a couple of months. He would be ready to go by training camp.
"As you guys know, I had surgery this offseason," Brunson said. "Just want to tell you guys I am fully cleared."
That set off a loud round of cheers.
Brunson had an All-Star and All-NBA season averaging 26 points and 6.8 assists per game. He stepped that up during the Knicks playoff run, averaging 28.4 points per game on his way to being NBA Finals MVP. Brunson is the foundation this Knicks title team — and contender to repeat — is built upon.
Brunson also is hosting the season opener of Saturday Night Live this week (Sept. 26), with musical guest KATSEYE. You can watch the show on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT, plus "SNL" streams live on Peacock.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Head Coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 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. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Los Angeles Lakers were presented the opportunity to acquire Luka Dončić — a perennial First Team All-NBA player entering his prime — 19 months ago for a staggeringly low cost, they had to seize the moment.
In doing so, though, they left themselves thin at center, with Anthony Davis as the focal point of the Dallas Mavericks’ return package, and provided Dončić a roster built in Davis and LeBron James’ image.
Last summer, they made a few notable moves by signing Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia to be rotation mainstays but the roster still felt in flux as the Lakers navigated old and new identities after such a dramatic trade. This summer, though, once James made clear he’d be heading elsewhere as a free agent, Los Angeles mashed the accelerator and sprinted into the Dončić Era. The Lakers added seven players via free agency and re-signed Austin Reaves to a four-year, $184 million deal.
Now, the Dončić-Reaves Era has unambiguously arrived and head coach JJ Redick believes this is the most cohesive roster-building he’s had since being hired two summers ago.
“I think we’ve always tried to give our players clearly defined roles. I think with this group, probably the first time in my three years here that I feel like the pieces actually fit together. So those roles probably get even more crystallized,” Redick told reporters Thursday. “I’ll give you the wing thing, like, there’s a very clear ask for you to be able to play. And if you don’t do those things, then you’re not gonna play. That’s just the reality. We’ve already had some of those conversations this week with our players.
“We have high, high confidence in these guys that they’re going to buy into that. So, it’s going to naturally create a lot of healthy competition. Everybody at some point, inevitably, will get a chance to impact our team and impact winning.”
The Lakers won plenty of games the past two seasons because Dončić, James and Reaves is a damn good trio and Redick has proven himself a pretty shrewd head coach thus far. But the roster certainly didn’t always mesh and there felt like plenty of stretches in which everyone was just trying to get on the same page while also attempting to win basketball games.
A bunch of new faces playing together will still require an assimilation period. If Redick’s assessment is correct, though, a sensible identity has been established and that should be an advantage moving forward over the past two seasons.
