Category: Basketball

Sandro Mamukelashvili has showed off the full complement of his vast offensive arsenal thus far in the preseason. Playing 20 minutes per game, he’s averaging 13.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists (1.8 turnovers). Aside from the box-score production, he’s been incredibly efficient, shooting 10-of-18 (55.6%) on 2-pointers and 10-of-17 (58.8%) beyond the arc.

Throughout the preseason, the Lakers have entrusted Mamukelashvili as an open-floor ball-handler and half-court playmaker, where his intersection of dribbling, passing and shooting strain opposing defenses and enable him to operate off the ball as well.

Mamu reverse dunk pic.twitter.com/sTSexkG1WM

— Raj C. (@RajChipalu) October 14, 2026

Following the Lakers’ loss Tuesday night to the Golden State Warriors, Austin Reaves spoke about the 6-foot-9 Mamukelashvili’s capabilities as a point forward and how much trust he has in Mamukelashvili to fill that role. Shortly after, Mamukelashvili illuminated what praise like that from a player of Reaves’s ilk means to him.

“I think it’s amazing to hear those words from Austin. I look up to him. Even though we’re the same age, he’s a very, very established All-Star-caliber player,” Mamukelashvili said postgame Tuesday. “So that coming from him means a lot to me. It just makes my life easier.”

Love how Mamu just greases the wheels on offense pic.twitter.com/bclZ1dTel3

— Raj C. (@RajChipalu) October 14, 2026

Clearly, Reaves is not the only one who believes in Mamukelashvili to lather up the offense and create quality looks for everyone. Earlier this week, head coach JJ Redick talked with reporters about Mamukelashvili’s game and what his blend of shooting and passing opens up for the Lakers offensively.

“He’s a good passer… Part of it for him is the threat of his shot, so he has the initial action with the ball and then what comes after that when he doesn’t have the ball,” Redick said. “He’s able to sort of get that space and create an advantage because of the threat of his shot. I’m going to have some fun running plays and ATO’s for him. We’ll have a little Mamu package.”

The Lakers project to be among the league’s elite offenses this season and Mamukelashvili’s malleability is a prominent reason why. He can space the floor and attack closeouts when Reaves or Luka Dončić commandeer possessions or he can let them work off the ball while he functions as a playmaker and screener. It should be fun to watch exactly how he’s deployed to elevate this unit offensively.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

Delonte West being back in the spotlight is not ideal for LeBron James.

West, who has been dealing with homelessness and substance abuse issues since retiring from the NBA in 2012, is arguably best known for rumors about an alleged intimate relationship with James’ mother.

West has denied the rumor over the years. But his response when asked about the situation last night is reinvigorating these rumors once again.

“A gentleman never tells,” West said on Wednesday when asked straight-up whether he slept with LeBron’s mom.

This came when West was part of a pre-fight press conference for Adin Ross’ “BRANDRISK 016” event, which is taking place in Miami, Florida on Friday.

Nobody asked any follow up questions because West didn’t appear keen to elaborate. But him not denying the allegations outright has been enough for his four-word response to go viral on social media.

These rumors started back in 2010, when James and West were still teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers. They didn’t come from a reliable source but still gained a lot of traction among the social media community.

And they’ve continued to persist nearly 15 years later.

Delonte West when asked if he slept with LeBron James’ mother

“A gentleman never tells…”

(h/t @viewsceo) pic.twitter.com/Vxyga6eVEd

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 15, 2026

Perhaps West losing his influencer boxing fight against Michael Beasley on Friday will make him, and this rumor, irrelevant once again.

If that’s the case, it’s easy to imagine who LeBron will be rooting for.

The annual NBA GM poll was released on Thursday, and we got a rare result.

A Knick leads one of the 48 questions that were asked to the executives.

It wasn’t too long ago that you’d need a magnifying glass to find a mention of the Knicks in a positive light, but now they’re all over the place, particularly with the captain himself, Jalen Brunson.

When asked who the NBA’s “best leader” is, the executives moved away from the perennial choice, Steph Curry, and crowned Brunson at the top with 53%. The longtime Warrior clocked in at 20%, followed by SGA and a bunch of players who received one vote, including Wemby (somehow).

But that isn’t the only mention in this long survey.

One year after receiving a single vote to win the NBA Finals, the Knicks got… one. All but two executives voted for either the Spurs or the Thunder, boo.

The big difference is that, while just 30% of executives picked the Knicks to finish atop the East (a firm second behind Cleveland), that’s shot up to 60% this year. All but one executive picked them to finish in the top two.

In the positional rankings, one-fifth of them drank the Kool-Aid after the NBA Finals. Brunson was picked as the NBA’s top point guard in 20% of responses, trailing only SGA.

OAKAAK (sigh) Mitchell Robinson finished second in “Most Underrated Player Acquisition”, getting 17% in his new green and white gigs (ew).

After not getting a single vote in the category last year, OG Anunoby got one vote when asked about the league’s best perimeter defender. I’m not sure what Alex Caruso is doing to get 17% here, but hey.

When it comes to defensive versatility, nobody should be shocked that Wemby is No. 1, but OG finished tied for fourth with 10% with Bam Adebayo. He also received a vote for in general versatility.

It’s not just the players getting love. Mike Brown got three votes for “Best Coach”, only trailing savants Mark Daigneault and Erik Spoelstra. I guess when you get a ring, you join an exclusive club.

He also got 10% when asked about the best leader of men, or “Best Motivator of People”. In this one, he finished fourth, behind Spo, Joe Mazzulla, and Steve Kerr.

Coach Brown also received votes in the in-game adjustments and offensive categories, but far too few. Did they not watch that playoff run? Yet, 17% of executives believe the Knicks’ offense will be the most efficient this year, trailing only OKC and Denver. Make that make sense.

Knicks assistants Darren Erman and Chris Jent got shoutouts in the “Best Assistant Coach” category, one that was won by Jeff Van Gundy and Billy Donovan, two ex-head honchos who are much more known quantities.

When asked who would make the best coach one day, the retirement of Chris Paul opened the door for Mike Conley to win this category in a landslide. Brunson came in third, trailing playoff foe T.J. McConnell. Hm.

The Knicks are not a fun watch sometimes, so I can’t be mad that only one executive voted for the reigning champions on that, but that depends on your definition of fun. They’re fun in the sense that no game is ever over until it’s actually over, but that more cause heart palpitations and not blockbuster excitement.

What I am mad at is that only 20 percent voted for MSG as the best home-court advantage. Seriously? Tied for first were OKC (which is fair) and Denver, which I feel is more geography-based than anything.

Finally, when it comes to what player you want taking the shot with the game on the line, it should be obvious, no?

Well, according to executives, it’s still Curry. Brunson did go from receiving just one vote to finishing in second at 17%, but it seems a lot of people are still stuck in 2016.

Here:

Through the first three seasons of Walker Kessler’s NBA career, he averaged 65 games played per year. Last season, however, a torn labrum in his left shoulder spoiled his campaign before November arrived and he only suited up for five games. After the lengthy layoff, he’s back and equipped with a newfound drive to help the Los Angeles Lakers win as many games as possible in 2026-27.

“I think what I missed most was just competing, quite frankly. Competing to win,” Kessler said following Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. “And I think as far as making me a better basketball player, I just think it has made me long to go try to win every game and win every night. So in turn, that probably makes me a little better basketball player.”

This season will also mark the first time in Kessler’s career he’s playing for a team fully committed to immediate winning. That’s not to besmirch the Utah Jazz but merely a recognition of their emphasis on development and willingness to sacrifice short-term gains in pursuit of better lottery odds to land the best prospects possible throughout Kessler’s Salt Lake City tenure. While they were competitive and won 37 games during his rookie season in 2022-23, they traded away some key contributors and went 18-29 following a 19-16 start, which they could’ve propelled into a postseason berth had they so chosen.

The Lakers, meanwhile, are led by two in-your-prime stars with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, who are flanked by a slew of other players, Kessler included, in the prime of their careers. It’ll be interesting to see whether entering win-now circumstances provides Kessler a subtle on-court boost, in addition to how energized he sounds to simply be back on the floor again.

Kessler and the Lakers return to the court Friday night in their preseason finale at home against the Denver Nuggets. Then, they’ll welcome the Warriors to town for their regular-season opener Wednesday night at 7 p.m. That’s when we’ll get our first meaningful glimpse as to how Kessler is faring in his new surroundings.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

The battle for the Knicks’ final roster spot lost a candidate. 

Drew Eubanks, a veteran center, suffered a torn pectoral muscle and will be waived by New York, a source confirmed Thursday morning.  

Eubanks was among three centers on non-guaranteed deals in training camp, joining James Wiseman and Tony Bradley. As The Post reported a couple weeks ago, Wiseman was the early frontrunner to secure the 14th roster spot. His play recently — he scored 18 points with 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s loss to Toronto — seemed to only bolster his case. 

Coach Mike Brown outlined what he wants from the winner of the competition.

“We just hope that there’s a passion and an energy and a focus coming from that spot because, I’m sure at times that person will start, at times they may be the first backup and at times they may be second backup,” Brown said. “So as the minutes are fluctuating, you’re going to have to generate some internal energy at times, to go play in a low-minute game. 

“Sometimes he’ll maybe not play one or two, maybe three games in a row. You look for that, and then you know, you just look for somebody that’s going to play hard at the end of the day – try to do the things that you’re asking on both sides of the floor. And bring a little something different than what the two guys in front of you bring.”

Eubanks, 29, was the most experienced of the candidates with eight NBA seasons under his belt, including last season with the Sacramento Kings.

During Tuesday’s loss in Toronto, he played 15 minutes with eight points and two boards.  

The Knicks can only keep one more player and stay under the second apron. They also have veteran guard Bruce Brown on a nonguaranteed deal in training camp but have prioritized a center. 

To keep Brown, the Knicks would have to unload salary in a trade.

It’s the middle of October. Football is underway. This is the Cowboys’ year again, somehow. The best part of October, though, is that basketball is back.

For us casual football fans, this is when I start getting locked back into sports. And one thing basketball has over football is the drama: the rumors, the roster construction, and, of course, the trades.

So naturally, let’s hypothesize about who could be on the move this upcoming season.

Anthony Davis

A local Mavericks favorite.

While Anthony Davis was nothing but a professional during his brief tenure in Dallas, the contract extension situation was almost guaranteed to complicate things eventually. I fully expect Davis to play to start the season, but the Wizards are in an interesting position.

They have a roster built around a strange combination of young players, Davis and Trae Young, while simultaneously trying to develop their new cornerstone, AJ Dybantsa. If Dybantsa is the future of the franchise, Washington needs to be careful about how much long-term money it commits to an aging superstar.

That is where things could get interesting. Two teams that could have interest in Davis are the Celtics and Nets.

Boston bolstered its center rotation this offseason with the addition of Mitchell Robinson, but they still don’t have a true defensive anchor who can hold up against the best teams in the playoffs. Davis would give them exactly that while also getting off the Paul George contract.

The Celtics also have a significant amount of draft capital, which gives them the flexibility to make a substantial move without completely sacrificing their future. They could either let Davis’ contract play out or potentially extend him if the fit works.

Washington receives: PG13 + 2027 Celtics FRP + Two SRPs

Boston receives: Anthony Davis

Brooklyn is an even more interesting possibility.

The Nets don’t control their own pick in 2027, so they have little incentive to intentionally bottom out. Their young cornerstones play guard, meaning Davis could take some of the pressure off them offensively while providing a defensive foundation without interfering with their development.

Like Boston, Brooklyn has plenty of draft capital and veteran contracts that could facilitate a deal. They also have significant cap flexibility moving forward. They could extend Davis if the fit works, or let his contract run out and shift their focus back toward their young core.

Washington receives: MPJ + Terrance Mann + 29’ Knicks FRP + 1 SRP

Brooklyn receives: Anthony Davis

For Washington, either scenario gives them a chance to reshape the roster around Dybantsa.

A starting lineup of Trae Young, Kyshawn George, Porter Jr./Paul George, Dybantsa and Sarr would give the Wizards a much clearer timeline and allow them to build around their new franchise centerpiece.

My prediction: I don’t expect Davis to be traded immediately, but if Washington struggles to find a clear identity early in the season, he could become one of the biggest names available at the trade deadline.

Everyone on the Clippers

Adam Silver showed us that he is willing to bring down the hammer on a team, no matter how influential or powerful its owner is. That puts the Clippers in an incredibly awkward position.

They have no real reason to be bad, but they also don’t have a conventional path to acquiring the kind of talent that would turn them into a legitimate contender. If I were the Clippers’ GM, outside of Keaton Wagler, almost everyone would be available.

The strategy would be pretty simple: turn veterans with value into draft capital and younger players. There are a number of different versions of this. Hachimura, Strus, Beal and Jones Jr. could all potentially bring back some combination of picks, young players or future flexibility.

The goal wouldn’t necessarily be to tank. It would be to avoid NBA purgatory.

Clippers receive: Duncan Robinson + Two SRP’s

Detroit receives: Rui Hachimura

The Clippers are in the dangerous territory where they won’t be good enough to seriously contend while not having the conventional path of the draft to get better. There is little reason to hold onto veteran contracts that could be converted into future assets.

Clippers receive: Jalen Suggs + Tristan da Silva

Orlando receives: Max Strus + Bradley Beal + Rui Hachimura

My prediction: I expect the Clippers to be aggressive in looking for opportunities to turn veteran talent into draft capital. If they get the right offer, almost anyone outside of their true foundational pieces should be available.

One of Suggs, Banchero or Wagner

This time last year, the Magic had just made the blockbuster trade to acquire Desmond Bane, and expectations were high.

We all know how that turned out.

Now Orlando enters another season with a talented roster, but one facing some increasingly difficult financial and basketball questions. With Anthony Black’s upcoming extension and the amount of money already committed to the roster, another disappointing season could force the Magic to reconsider how their core is constructed.

At some point, repeated first-round exits become more than bad luck. They become evidence that something about the roster may not be working. If Orlando gets off to another disappointing start, I could see them examining whether their best path forward is to rearrange the core rather than simply adding more pieces around it.

The obvious question is which of the three young stars becomes expendable: Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner.

The Clippers could potentially swoop in and take a swing on Suggs while Orlando adds depth and flexibility as demonstrated in the trade above. Another possibility could be a Jalen swap with Phoenix.

Orlando receives: Jalen Green

Phoenix receives: Jalen Suggs + Tristan da Silva

Green is on a shorter contract and would give the Magic something they desperately need: another dynamic scoring option. Obviously, trading one of these three would be an enormous decision. These aren’t role players we’re talking about. They’re the players Orlando has spent years building around.

But that’s exactly why this is worth watching. If the Magic believe the current core has reached its ceiling, eventually someone has to make the uncomfortable decision.

My prediction: I don’t expect Orlando to break up the core before the season starts. But if they have another disappointing year, I wouldn’t be shocked if one of these three becomes the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade.

Daniel Gafford

Alas, what is an article on a Mavericks site without one of our own getting traded?

Daniel Gafford will always have a place in Mavs fandom after being the starting center during a Finals run, but his time in Dallas may have simply run its course.

With Morez Johnson Jr. and Dereck Lively fingers crossed projecting as the frontcourt of the future, and even Moussa Cisse potentially entering that conversation, Gafford is the natural player to move.

The key is that Gafford still has established NBA value. Dallas doesn’t necessarily need to trade him, but if the Mavericks believe Lively and Johnson are the long-term answer at center, Gafford becomes one of their more obvious trade chips.

Things can obviously change as the season progresses, but I think getting a first-round pick outright for Gafford is unlikely at this point. If a FRP was ever on the table for him, he would already have been on another team.

As much as I don’t want to be in the Jakob Poeltl business, a deal involving Toronto is one of the better ways Dallas could potentially turn Gafford into a first-round pick while also addressing another area of need.

Dallas receives: Jakob Poetl + TOR 29’ FRP + two SRPs

Toronto receives: Daniel Gafford

Corey Kispert is another player who makes sense for Dallas. He could be a solid ninth- or tenth-man option who provides shooting and spacing, while Atlanta could bolster its center rotation with Gafford.

Dallas receives: Corey Kispert + two SRP’s

Atlanta receives: Daniel Gafford

The exact return is difficult to predict, but the logic behind moving Gafford is pretty straightforward: if Dallas has two young centers they believe in, why not turn their established veteran into another asset?

My prediction: Gafford is the Maverick I would be most surprised to see finish the season in Dallas if the right offer comes along. I don’t think a trade is inevitable, but the fit between his trade value and Dallas’ long-term roster construction makes him an obvious candidate.

Who Actually Gets Moved?

The NBA trade market rarely operates on a predictable timeline. Sometimes it takes one bad month, one injury, or one disappointing playoff series to completely change the direction of a franchise.

That’s what makes trying to predict trades so much fun.

Of the names on this list, Gafford is the player I feel most confident could be available. The Mavericks have a young frontcourt they clearly want to develop, and Gafford is the one player who already has established value around the league. If Dallas can turn him into draft capital or a young player who fits the timeline of this roster, I think it makes too much sense not to explore it.

The more interesting situations are the ones where a team has to make a much bigger decision. Does Washington really want to keep Anthony Davis and Trae Young while AJ Dybantsa develops? Can Orlando keep its core together if another season ends without meaningful playoff progress? Can the Clippers find a path forward after losing 5 years worth of first round picks?

Those are the situations I’ll be watching most closely.

And if there’s one thing we know about the NBA, it’s that the trade nobody saw coming is usually the one that changes everything.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr issues logical schedule warning to Steph Curry fans originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Steve Kerr on Thursday gave NBA fans something to think about. It pertains to Stephen Curry, and it’s profoundly logical.

Before digging into your wallet in hopes of coming to an arena and seeing the splendor of Curry in action, please consider that your wish might not be granted.

“We have fans who buy tickets expecting to see Steph,” Kerr said Thursday after practice. “Usually Steph, sometimes other players. People expecting to see vets. And then we have a back-to-back, and we don’t play him. I would just come out and tell the fans out there to be mindful (of the schedule) when you’re buying the tickets because we’ve got not just Steph, but we’ve got multiple vets we are going to try to manage because it’s the only way we can do this.”

This is a warning that goes far beyond basketball fans. This is about being prudent with Curry. About acknowledging that the man who has been scampering circles around NBA defenses since 2009 is now 38 years old and coming off a season in which he missed 27 late-season games after being diagnosed with runner’s knee.

First and foremost, this is about saving Steph, a notorious pusher of envelopes, from himself.

And, in the process, hoping that will keep the Warriors in position to compile a much better record than the 37-45 mark posted last season.

Everyone on Golden State’s payroll understands that Curry the team’s barometer. If he’s available and healthy, the Warriors have a chance to beat any team in the league. If he’s neither, they can tumble like a house of toothpicks. They were 9-18 while Curry was coping with a malady he’d never experienced – and can become chronic if mistreated.

Curry’s body is different than it was 10 years ago, or even five years ago, which has forced an adjustment to his legendary conditioning regimen. He had to curtail the amount of offseason running that was at the base of his fitness.

In four preseason games, Curry has played a total of 64 minutes. He made his first second-half appearance Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers and was on the court for a preseason-high 23 minutes. Normally, when the regular season is so close, he’s closer to 30.

“We are purposely ramping up Steph more slowly this year, this training camp, than he’s used to,” Kerr said. “In the past, by this time he was already in such good playing shape and rhythm because of his routine and his work ethic. 

“We purposely are holding him back this year, trying to lessen the load with the knee in mind in particular. So, we’re ramping him up more slowly. He’s right on schedule. This is exactly how we planned it to this point, but every day means he’s doing less.”

Curry’s practice time once again will be reduced in the regular season, just as it has been throughout training camp and the preseason. He participated in only a portion of the team’s practice on Thursday.

“We’re really scaling back his overall workload,” Kerr said, “and trying to find that sweet spot where he can still be in rhythm and be ready to play 32, 34 minutes without all the load that that comes. It’s a different approach.”

This will be a season in which Curry plays few, if any, back-to-back sets. There could be instances in which he misses consecutive games. He’ll hate it, but he’s better about listening to his body than he was 10 years ago.

And Curry won’t be alone.

Golden State’s roster is deeply reliant on a group of players over 35, with Al Horford the oldest at 40 and Draymond Green the youngest at 36. Jimmy Butler III is 37 and won’t be a factor when the season begins on Oct. 21. Kristaps Porziņģis is only 31, but various health issues have made his anatomy considerably older.

Caution is the word for this season, as it should be. It won’t be popular, but it is absolutely necessary.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed their prized offseason addition, Walker Kessler, to the floor in Tuesday night’s contest against the Golden State Warriors as the 25-year-old center made his preseason debut. During 16 first-half minutes, he recorded 11 points (4-of-6 shooting), nine rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal before sitting out the second half.

With Kessler on the floor in the first half, the Lakers scored 46 points in 16 minutes. Across the 32 minutes he rested overall, they mustered just 43 points. His pick-and-roll connection with Austin Reaves was quite effective between his vigorous dives to the rim and Reaves’ playmaking abilities. Of Reaves’s seven assists Tuesday night, four stemmed from ball-screens with Kessler, whether it be directly feeding Kessler inside or Kessler commanding extra attention to open up looks on the perimeter.

“I mean, he created probably four or five really good looks for us from three just rolling hard,” Reaves told reporters postgame. “Nobody’s going to give him credit for it, but him putting pressure on the rim and roll opportunities is going to make the X-man [on defense] sink, and we’re going to get wide open threes. We had quite a bit of them tonight.”

Kessler made clear postgame he’s still establishing his footing and timing after not playing since Halloween last year. But he already senses the stress he and Reaves can impose upon defenses out of ball-screen actions, which should also presumably extend to his partnership with Luka Dončić, who received a night off Tuesday.

“With Austin, he’s so good at making the right decision out of the pick and roll. Even if I’m not getting the ball, my roll, that corner guy cracks down and Austin’s so good at throwing that corner pass,” Kessler said. “It’s a lot of fun to play with. I think as I play more, my rhythm will kind of come back as well as kind of game sense. I mean, that first layup I made, I almost fell out of bounds. I had no footing whatsoever. But yeah, it was good to be out there.”

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

The Minnesota Timberwolves head to the Windy City to close out their preseason schedule against the Chicago Bulls. After a series of games that showed the awe-inspiring flashes of the starting five’s offense and the tenuous causeway the bench will need to walk to maintain leads, we’re ready for the games to actually matter. Before we can get started with the real stuff, once more we head into the breach.

Game Info

• Who:Minnesota Timberwolves (3-2) vs. Chicago Bulls (2-2)
• When: Friday, October 16 at 7:00 PM CT
• Where: United Center – Chicago, IL
• National TV: DAZN-MIN | CHSN | CHSN App

---

Youth vs. Even Younger Youth

The Chicago Bulls are a team on the rise. After years of playing towards the play-in, they dismantled much of their team for second-round picks and young players, including four seconds from Minnesota along with Leonard Miller and Rob Dillingham to acquire Ayo Dosunmu. After that mid-season overhaul, they moved up in the lottery odds and selected UNC forward Caleb Wilson.

Head Coach Chris Finch has extended his starters’ minutes more and more as the preseason has worn on, and I expect the same, especially with four full rest days before the opening tip in Miami.

Between both Chicago and Minnesota’s combined starters and benches, this will be a battle of young talent. The Wolves core, most of whom are around 25 years old, have played minutes deep into the playoffs and are gearing up for a long season. They’ll play with their newfound “giddiness” – as Chris Finch called it – with a shade more maturity.

The Bulls, who boast the second-youngest team in the league, will play with a “Giddeyness” of their own. Bulls guard Josh Giddey will be helming the offense and looking to feed the ball to slashing forwards Matas Buzelis and aforementioned top pick Caleb Wilson. If the defense collapses too hard, he will kick out to newly acquired three-point threats, Norman Powell and Buddy Hield.

Giddey, like LaMelo, is a point guard bigger than some NBA forwards at 6’7”. He has a strong handle and averaged a shade over nine assists per game to a decent 3.5 turnovers. His great deficiency is his outside shot, which allows teams to frequently go under screens and dare him to let it fly.

The Bulls figure to be at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Even in the weirdness of preseason, this is a game the Wolves should win.

Minnesota’s starting five showed in the Detroit Pistons game that they can score in bunches out of the gate. What’s more, whether in the lead or chasing, these young Wolves are looking for highlight plays that spark energy throughout a team. The primary concerns for Minnesota were shown in their recent bout as the Pistons’ big and physical team continued to disrupt the flow on defense and pushed their way to the hoop through the Wolves’ skinnier players.

Containing Big Forwards

In Buzelis and Wilson, the Bulls have two dynamic forwards who love to put their heads down and drive. Buzelis was in the 92nd percentile last season in rim frequency and saw his average points nearly double as the Bulls put the ball in his hands more.

Wilson apparently reminds people of Kevin Garnett, but thems fighting words in these parts. I do see shades of the Big Ticket’s energy in Wilson’s twiggy 6’10” body, so I won’t begrudge the national media their deja vu. The rookie is developing a three-point shot but butters his bread at the rim.

With defensive legend Rudy Gobert minding the paint, he should be able to shut off most of these attempts by less experienced players. The Bulls’ presumed starting center Nic Claxton, who they acquired as the third team in the Julius Randle trade, has missed all of preseason with an injured hamstring.

To try and give their wings room to fly, Chicago will look to Jalen Smith, who shot 37% from three on over four attempts a game last season. This might juice the offense a bit, but at 6’8”, Smith at center allows the Wolves to contend in the rebound battle.

Bring the Illinoize

This will be Ayo Dosunmu’s first time playing against Chicago since he was traded. He was drafted by the Bulls in 2021 with the 38th pick.

As a kid who grew up in Chicago in the twilight of the Jordan era, he watched the rise and fall of the Thibe-Bulls headed by Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Taj Gibson, and Jimmy Butler.

On the cusp of reclaiming their relevance behind the play of DeMar DeRozan, former Wolf Zach LaVine, and Lonzo Ball, he was selected to play for his hometown team and even given starter’s minutes several times in his first two seasons. From there, the Bulls unfortunately fell apart due to injury and bad management.

Despite his bench assignment, Ayo continued to improve. He honed his three-point shot (save for a weird 2025 season), improved his rebounding, and continued to bring energy to a team badly in need of it. When he was traded to Minnesota, he went right to work finding where he could fit in and help his new team. Now, with the bag secured and more familiarity with his team, he is primed for a breakout.

There will be plenty of emotions playing against his old team in their home arena in front of his community. The Bulls are looking for direction after tearing down their team. For Ayo Dosunmu, his eyes are raised higher than the Willis Tower.

LeBron James is already all over the NBA’s record books. Heading into the 2026-27 season, he’s first in league history in regular-season points (43,440 and counting), games played (1,622), minutes played (61,030), made field goals (15,961), field-goal attempts (31,502), win shares (276.8) and value over replacement player (159.4).

LeBron is widely considered no worse than the second-best player in NBA history, depending on how old you are/how you feel about Michael Jordan. While LeBron has the leg up on Jordan in most counting stats, Jordan has the edge in championship rings (six to four) and Finals record (6-0 vs. 4-6).

To some, that’s where the story starts and ends. There’s nothing LeBron can do to jump over Jordan given his deficit in the ringzzzzz department and his sub-.500 Finals record. (Whether it makes sense to punish LeBron for helping guide more teams to the Finals is another matter entirely.)

LeBron signed with the Sixers this offseason because he thought they gave him his best chance at winning a fifth championship. Even if he does win a title with the Sixers, it still might not be enough to vault him over Jordan as the NBA’s consensus GOAT. But it would put him in even more unique historical company.

How a Sixers ring would impact LeBron’s legacy

LeBron is already one of only four players in NBA history to win a championship with three different teams. John Salley, Robert Horry and Sixers legend Danny Green are the other three, and none of them were the focal point of their respective teams like LeBron was.

But if LeBron wins a championship with the Sixers, he’ll become the first player in league history ever to win with four different teams.

Again, that might not be enough for him to supplant MJ in all-time rankings. But that feat would be the perfect encapsulation of LeBron’s career.

After spending the first seven years of his career with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron ushered in the so-called Player Empowerment Era with “The Decision” in 2010. Rather than stick it out with the Cavaliers for his entire career, a la Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers or Tim Duncan on the San Antonio Spurs, he took his fate into his own hands and sought greener pastures that might put him closer to a championship. Four years later, he had two rings and two Finals MVPs to show for it.

In 2014, LeBron exercised his early termination option to opt out of the final two years of his contract with the Miami Heat and head back home to the Cavaliers. In his absence, they landed the No. 1 pick in 2011 (Kyrie Irving), 2013 (Anthony Bennett) and 2014 (Andrew Wiggins), the latter of whom they’d eventually trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love. Two years later, LeBron and the Cavs overcame a historic 3-1 series deficit to topple the 73-win Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals.

And two years later, LeBron once again left Cleveland to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. That also resulted in a ring—one with a Disney bubble-sized asterisk, depending on who you ask—in 2019-20.

Perhaps more than any modern star, LeBron understands the typical life cycle of NBA team-building. Once you get a star, you begin cashing in whatever chips you have (draft picks, young prospects, etc.) to maximize your win-now window. But at a certain point, you’re out of chips to play.

At that point, the star has two choices: tough it out through some rebuilding years and hope his team strikes gold with some under-the-radar moves, or head elsewhere. As Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo have proved in recent years, unyielding loyalty to a team often devolves into frustration. LeBron never allowed himself to get to that point throughout any of his career stops.

Other stars have taken LeBron’s lead over the past 15 years and have exerted more control over their own careers. Players who spend their entire careers with one team are a nearly extinct species, although Stephen Curry may wind up being a rare exception. It’s now far more common for stars to force their way off teams via trade—see: Kevin Durant and James Harden—since free agency for superstars is largely dead as well.

Durant might have been directly responsible for the creation of the “supermax” contract, but James’ decision to leave Cleveland in 2010 was a wake-up call to owners who expected player loyalty to outweigh their desire to compete for championships. LeBron exerted win-now pressure on every team that he ever played for, and deservedly so.

Beyond his laundry list of NBA records, that’s going to be a major part of his legacy. Becoming the first player in league history to win a title with four different teams would therefore be a fitting culmination for that aspect of his career resume.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

The Knicks are waiving Drew Eubanks after the center suffered a torn pectoral muscle that will sideline him for an extended period of time. 

Eubanks last played in the Knicks' preseason loss to the Raptors on Tuesday. He scored eight points on 3-of-5 shooting with two rebounds and two assists in his 15 minutes on the court. Eubanks played in three of the Knicks' four preseason games, and combined to score 13 points and come down with three rebounds. 

SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley reports that even before Eubanks' injury, James Wiseman put himself in a good position to make the final roster as the Knicks look to add center depth following the departures of Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti this offseason. 

Wiseman was in the starting five against the Raptors on Tuesday. He posted 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting with 10 rebounds (four offensive) in his 24 minutes. 

The Knicks also waived Tony Bradley and Ochai Agbaji. 

Knicks have enough room under the second apron to keep one camp vet. Bruce Brown has also put himself in a good position to get a roster spot, but the Knicks would need to trade a rostered player to make that happen.

The Knicks will need to lock in their roster ahead of the regular season opener against the 76ers on Oct. 20. 

Welcome back to Mavs Moneyball Mailbag, where we answer all of your questions relating to the Dallas Mavericks. Take a look in our Feed where you can post your questions. We will also pick up questions from our social media and even face-to-face as the case may be. As always, thanks for participating! Please spread the word; we’re always happy to talk all things Mavericks!

“Which new addition to the team is most likely to exceed expectations and earn a lot of minutes?”

CDubss asks a good one, as Dallas will surely benefit from one of the newbies showing out. I have an irrational belief that Tarik Biberovic is going to exceed expectations in a big way for Dallas this season. Cynically, one could argue that expectations for him are low in the first place, but our very own Mette Robertson reminds us that Biberovic has been a pro overseas for years, in a piece written earlier this month. Even before reading what she had to say, I thought Biberovic could be a sleeper hit for Dallas. He is a full-grown man with an NBA body, has played for high-level teams overseas, and can shoot lights out. Dallas was below league average from downtown last season, so if Biberovic can come in and light it up, he’s going to have a spot in short order. His defensive prowess is also apparently nothing to scoff at, so that will only help his cause for floor time. He gets my vote for the newbie most likely to blow expectations away. I don’t think many will see him coming, but he will surprise people in how he adapts to the NBA game with shooting that translates.

“Can we expect Kyrie Irving’s play in the one Macau game to continue in the regular season?”

Time for my second irrational belief of the column. Almost from the time he was injured I felt like Irving was the type that would have a recovery on the more favorable end of the spectrum. Nothing has changed my mind on that front throughout his recovery process and I remain onboard with the thought he is going to return to form – especially after what we saw during his single game in Macau. Irving just simply strikes me as the type of guy who is so focused on his craft and so dedicated to the behind-the-scenes work, that he was well-suited to make a strong comeback. His lengthy duration away from the court probably caused some consternation amongst the fanbase, but I thought even that was a good thing. He wasn’t going to forget how to play basketball and would have training camp and preseason to shake off some rust, but I’d like to think the time away allowed him even more space to get stronger and more fully recover. So, color me crazy, but I think Irving is back and the ACL injury is behind him. At age 34, it’s fair to expect some other dings and dents, “load management” games and the like, but I’d like to think he gets better as the season progresses and ultimately returns to the player we remember. 

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

When the Celtics first signed Mitchell Robinson back in July, it was met with a lot of excitement. He played an integral role with the New York Knicks as a rim protector for 8 seasons and even helped them win a championship in 2026. 

The part of the signing I was most excited about was the possibility of watching him run the pick and roll with Jayson Tatum. With Tatum’s ability to get down hill alongside Robinson’s big body in the paint, it felt like a match made in heaven just waiting to be realized. In the Celtics 114-93 Preseason Win over the Charlotte Hornets, we saw the dream I manifested and it was glorious. Robinson finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks on 5-5 shooting from the field.

Lobs to Rob

Robinson was dominating in the paint early, scoring the first 6 points of the game for Boston. Much like we used to see with former Celtics center Robert Williams, the new age “Lob to Rob” was a factor and the chemistry between Robinson and Tatum was on full display.

On their first possession together, Tatum drove to the lane with relative ease and found Robinson who slipped back door to throw down a monstrous slam. On the next possession we saw Robinson set a pick for Tatum so he could receive a pass from Paul George at the top of the key. Then a spinning Tatum found Robinson underneath the basket again for an easy layup. We saw the pair link up again in the third quarter when Tatum recieved the ball in the midrange area where the Hornets assumed he was taking a shot. Little did they know, he had a seven foot behemoth rolling to the basket to throw down another thunderous slam.

Out of the five baskets Mitchell Robinson had in the game, four of them came by the alley-oop. Having an established center like Robinson who can be a big body in the paint to grab offensive boards and roll to the rim like he does, gives the Celtics offense another dimension that they didn’t have in previous years. Not only do you have to defend Boston from beyond the arc, they have a big man down low that can hurt you at the rim as well. It has been a joy to watch so far.

On the NBC Sports Boston postgame, Abby Chin ask Robinson about his two-man game with Tatum, he seemed exciting, saying, “I’ve never seen those from him before when we were playing against him. To be his teammate and he can throw them, I think we’re going to build a great connection.”

Double Big Lineup

Another new feature we saw in the Celtics offense was the addition of a double big lineup with both Robinson and Neemias Queta on the court together. Boston experimented with this kind of lineup last season slightly with Nikola Vucevic but it didn’t work out well. This was different however, with Queta at the power forward we saw him handle the ball more and drive to the basket. The double screen actions with both bigs on the court caused tons of confusion for the Hornets defense and even resulted in the highlight of the night with a big slam by Queta in the fourth quarter.

NEEMIAS QUETA THROWS IT DOWN! Look at Hugo Gonzalez's reaction on the bench 😂 pic.twitter.com/CrZCfqZJep

— Danielle H. (@DanielleHobeika) October 15, 2026

When asked about the double big lineups post game, Joe Mazzulla said, “Just kind of wanted to get you know get some game reps in it, so we could have it on the dome to see, you know, what we want to work on if it’s something that we have to do before the regular season starts.”

He also praised Mitchell Robinson a lot when asked about the Celtics chemistry. “I mean Mitch is one of the smartest players.” Mazzulla said glowingly, “…I think we can throw him in the mix and he can just pick it up. He’s been around great coaches, great players, so he knows the game. He’s been playing for nine years, and he’s smart.”

Joe Mazzulla on the Celtics Chemistry and he talked highly on Mitchell Robinson saying:

“Mitch is one of the smartest players been around. His ability to process information is ability to understand.” pic.twitter.com/mQgBG4hLhc

— Ian Inangelo (@iinangelo) October 15, 2026

It was cool to see Joe go out of his way to praise Robinson like that. Ever since Media Day it has felt like these two have had a special connection. Mazzulla loves what Mitch can provide on the court and Robinson loves being coached by Joe. If this keeps up, we might seeing the start of “Big Country” becoming a star in Boston, and I for one can’t wait to see it play out.

About a month ago, I wrote about whether the Philadelphia 76ers could climb atop the Philly sport hierarchy. With the Sixers’ regular season starting next week, that possibility is looking increasingly realistic.

The Phillies exited the playoffs with a whimper yet again, the Eagles’ season is circling the drain, and the Flyers may never win a game. Sports fans in the city are beginning to view the Sixers as a lifeline to pull them out of this morass of disappointment. Counting on the Sixers for happiness? Now that’s a dangerous game.

But vibes have been sky-high through training camp and the preseason. Team chemistry seems off the charts and everyone is saying the right things about sacrifice and achieving greater goals together. The only bummer thus far has been Ariel Hukporti’s season-ending Achilles tear. So I don’t relish the idea of bringing this up, but I feel like it bears mentioning: the Sixers could get off to a slow start.

Let’s start with the schedule. In their first 10 games, the Sixers play the Knicks, Cavaliers and Pistons twice each, with two back-to-backs. Those were three of the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference last season. It’s not the easiest way to kick off a new campaign.

We should also remember that this starting group has played exactly one half of basketball together thus far, the first 24 minutes against Brooklyn in which Philadelphia entered halftime ahead by just two points. The offense looked dynamite, a choose-your-own adventure of despair for the opposition. However, the defense might take some time to gel, as all the new pieces hone their on-court communication and Joel Embiid (hopefully) gradually knocks the rust off in live game action. With the glaring acknowledgment that “It’s Just Preseason,” and the reality of many regulars being rested liberally in these games, we should still note that the Sixers are 1-2, and got smoked by Boston and lost a close one to Brooklyn.

So yes, the Sixers won’t be playing Rayan Rupert and Duke Miles on opening night at the Garden, but is it realistic to expect everything to come together in an instant for the main group against the defending champs on their banner ceremony? Or could there be a bit of a learning curve and some bumps along the road as these guys feel each other out? When Embiid is sitting out a back-to-back and Adem Bona gets in early foul trouble and the Sixers are forced to play 30-plus minutes with small lineups of Dean Wade or Jabari Walker at the five, the hoopla of this past offseason might feel a long way away.

If there is a slow start, though, my advice would be not to panic. To paraphrase LeBron James, he didn’t leave his family to lose in the second round, but he also didn’t leave his family to make sure the Sixers go 8-2 in their first 10 games. This season will be a marathon, not a sprint. What’s of paramount importance is keeping everyone healthy and experimenting with lineup combinations and building chemistry so that this group is peaking in the spring, not early November. So I know with everything else happening in Philly sports right now, a lot of hopes are being piled on the Sixers at the moment. No matter what happens, stay the course, and don’t let those hopes be dashed in just a couple weeks’ time.