Category: Basketball

If the last week was the regular season, Austin Reaves would’ve been on the court with his Lakers teammates sooner than Thursday.

But the reality is that it’s still the preseason – and will be for another 1 ½ weeks, and two more games. 

Which meant there was no need for the Lakers to rush their star guard back onto the floor after he suffered a minor ankle injury during practice last week.

“There was a chance he might be able to play in either of those games in Northern California,” Coach JJ Redick said of Reaves ahead of the Lakers’ 114-110 win over the Kings at Crypto.com Arena. “We knew it’d be sometime this week.”

Reaves made his long-awaited preseason debut in the Lakers’ preseason home-opening win over the Kings, providing the first glimpse of how the team’s starting backcourt will look with the team built out around him and superstar guard Luka Doncic.

And he hardly missed a beat, dishing out 8 assists and grabbing 5 rebounds in 25 minutes during a night in which he struggled with his shot (8 points on 2-of-7 shooting). 

“Obviously very nice to have Austin out there,” Redick said. “He did a great job [of] play-making and played overall just a nice floor game.”

Reaves was already acquainted and familiar with Doncic after being teammates for 1 ½ years before Reaves re-signed with the Lakers on a four-year, $180 million contract during this past offseason. 

Their friendship on and off the court is well-documented.

But Thursday was the first time Reaves shared the court with many of his new Lakers teammates – from Quentin Grimes and Kevon Looney (both of whom started on Thursday) to Sandro Mamukelashvili and Matisse Thybulle. 

“They were awesome,” Reaves said about his teammates. “Matisse has been great, Mamu was great, Jake’s been really good. Could go down the list. Very excited with what we have.”

The Lakers are hoping to get a better look at their entire team in one of their final two preseason games before their regular-season opener against the Warriors on Oct. 21 in Los Angeles. 

Ziaire Williams, who’s competing for a spot in the starting lineup, has sat out of the last two games, while Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton have yet to make their preseason debuts.

Redick said Kessler, the Lakers’ 7-foot-2 marquee free-agency acquisition this offseason, will play during the preseason. 

He also responded “no” when asked if there was a concern about Sexton not being ready for the regular-season opener.

The Lakers have two more preseason games: Tuesday vs. the Warriors in Las Vegas and Oct. 16 vs. the Nuggets in Los Angeles.

There’s clear direction for the Lakers over the next week outside of having more rotation players healthy and available.

“It’s just continuing to build chemistry and compete on the defensive end,” Reaves said. “I thought we’ve done a really good job, especially the guards, like I said, Matisse, Ziaire have been really good, Jake [LaRavia] as well, Adou [Thiero], [of] putting pressure on the other team’s best players but being able to keep the ball in front as well, not getting blow bys.

And if we do, [the] low man being there. But it’s kind of easier to dial that back instead of telling people not to pressure the ball when we want them to pressure but be smart while doing it. Like I said, it’s mostly just chemistry stuff.”

On Friday, the Knicks announced the tabling of all extension talks until after the season begins, putting aside the pressing issue of possible new deals for star players including Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart.

One of the biggest obstacles in running back the same team that ended the Knicks’ 53-year championship drought over the summer is avoiding the severe penalties that come with exceeding the NBA’s salary cap.

The Knicks, Warriors, Suns, Magic, Timberwolves and Thunder are the teams over the first apron, which alone carries some restrictions. Only the Nuggets are over the second apron.

A team with a payroll above first apron, which in 2026-27 sits at just over $209 million, can only acquire players via sign-and-trade if they move them below the apron. It also must match salaries within 110% of the outgoing salary as compared to the usual 125%, and cannot sign any waived players during the regular season if that salary surpasses the midlevel exception.

The second apron sits at around $221.6 million for this season, and the limitations get more strict, impeding a team’s ability to make trades, sign big-name free agents and select the most desirable players in the first round of the draft.

Per the NBA’s CBA, should a team hit the second apron:

• It will not be permitted to combine the contracts of multiple outgoing players to match the salary of a player they’re trading for.

• It will lose their right to the midlevel exception that allows over-the-cap teams to still sign free agent players.

• Its future first-round draft pick will be frozen and thus cannot be traded, and there will be no cash considerations in their trades. That future frozen first-round selection will also automatically drop to the end of the first round, regardless of season performance, if the second apron is exceeded in two out of four seasons.

To put it simply, surpassing the second apron makes it extremely difficult for a team to build on its success and develop sustainable superteams, which certainly helps the league with parity, but doesn’t make players particularly happy as teams are often forced to make difficult decisions on high-value players.

That is exactly what the Knicks are facing right now.

Towns has a $61 million player option for next season and is eligible for a new four-year contract worth up to $276 million. The Knicks have offered Towns around $200 million, and while Towns is willing to take a pay cut as teammates have before him, he has made it clear that the two sides remain far apart.

To discuss an extension after October 19, Towns would have to decline his 2027-28 player option. Should Towns pick that up next season, adding in Hart’s player option and even if team options for Tyler Kolek and Pacôme Dadiet are declined, the Knicks are just $21 million under the second apron threshold with eight players locked in, and 14 total are needed.

Knicks owner James Dolan said over the summer that he would not go past the second apron, even in an effort to bring back the championship-winning team in full.

Center Mitchell Robinson left for Boston on a three-year deal, and now several stars are eligible for extensions. This week, Bruce Brown, in Knicks camp on a tryout, expressed displeasure with how the second apron restrains teams from paying the mid-tier players.

“The new CBA is good for max guys, new free agents and rookie extension guys. The middle guys, it kind of sucks for us. There’s not a lot of people getting that full mid-level,” he said.

The NBA released a statement pushing back on similar claims, stating that “annual salaries have increased by nearly $1.3 billion resulting in pay increases of approximately 30% for all classes of players.”

The second apron helps owners by making it appealing to stay under the limit, but players are hurt when they find their teams can no longer pay them what they want or deserve, and might be forced to look elsewhere.

Where is Walker Kessler, you might be asking. 

You know, the Lakers’ franchise center whom they emptied their cupboard to acquire, sending two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to Utah, and signing him to a four-year, $130 million deal. 

Kessler has missed the Lakers’ first three preseason games after jamming his finger against the backboard during training camp, according to Lakers coach JJ Redick.

“It’s not concerning,” Redick said before the Lakers’ 114-110 exhibition win over the Kings on Thursday. “He’ll play in the preseason.”

The Lakers have two exhibition games left. They play the Warriors on Tuesday in Las Vegas. Then they host the Nuggets on Friday at Crypto.com Arena.

Kessler only played in five games last season after suffering a torn labrum that required season-ending surgery. He’s an elite rebounder and rim protector who contested 7.5 shots per game at the rim in 2024-2025, tying him for fifth most in the NBA, according to NBA.com. 

While Kessler is yet to appear in purple and gold, Austin Reaves made his exhibition debut on Thursday. He finished with eight points, five rebounds, eight assists and one steal in 25 minutes. Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 23 points in 25 minutes. 

But we have yet to see the Lakers’ Big 3 take the court together. 

A handful of other players were sidelined for Thursday’s exhibition game, including Ziaire Williams (soreness), Arthur Kaluma (lower leg), Collin Sexton (lower leg), Cameron Carr (contusion) and Dalton Knecht (contusion). 

“Would love to get some news on some people in the next few days and be able to see what we look like at full strength, at least in one of these games, and just build that rhythm with each other,” Redick said. “I’m very confident we’ll have enough practice time over the next 13 days, 12 days, whatever it is, until we start.”

The Lakers host the Warriors in their regular-season opener on October 21.

Sonya Curry married “the most amazing man” this summer, she shared in an Instagram post on Friday.

The author remarried five years after she filed for divorce from NBA great Dell Curry after three decades of marriage. They are parents to Warriors superstar Steph Curry, NBA sharpshooter Seth Curry and daughter Sydel Curry.

Sonya and her new husband, whose identity was not disclosed, were married at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess resort, she shared, adding that it was planned in just nine weeks.

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“A year ago my mom passed unexpectedly, while simultaneously the most amazing man came into my life! & months late, I was blessed with becoming his wife!” Sonya wrote.

“Our union is a testament to the fact that God has seen every tear I’ve cried and answered every prayer that I had regarding the type of man that would be a perfect help mate for me (if God saw that it was in his will for me to remarry)! I hope this encourages you-not just about finding a husband or wife, but with any prayer you have submitted to God- to not lose hope.”

Sonya wore a white gown with gold floral print by Pnina Tornai from Kleinfeld Bridal and Iza diamonds.

Their wedding reception included warm white and neutral tones with white roses and candles — and roller skaters called Zoni Girls, who are part of the Arizona-based pop-up roller rink.

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Last week, Sonya shared an Instagram video, entitled, “Summer 2026 recap,” which included footage from her wedding.

Sonya and Dell married in 1988, the same year Steph was born. The couple welcomed Seth in 1990, and daughter Sydel in 1994.

The pair met while they were student-athletes at Virginia Tech, and connected on a recruiting trip for Sonya, who was an all-conference volleyball player for the Hokies.

The couple divorced in 2021 with each accusing the other of cheating — as messy details spilled out into the press.

Dell played in the NBA from 1986 until 2002, and retired as the Charlotte Hornets’ all-time leader in points (9,839) and 3-point field goals made (929).

He currently serves as a color commentator and analyst on Hornets broadcasts.

WASHINGTON — Less than 14 hours after a 111-109 win over the New York Knicks to open preseason play, the Wizards returned to CareFirst Arena for an early practice.

Alex Sarr, who missed Thursday’s game but is close to returning, is trending toward returning on Saturday, Brian Keefe said after Friday’s practice. Keefe said they’ll know more about Sarr’s official status tomorrow.

Khris Middleton (ramp up) is also nearing a return.

Keefe’s rotation

The Wizards’ rotation on Thursday uncovered some details. It’s reasonable to assume that, when healthy, Washington’s starting five will look as follows:

PG: Trae Young

SG: AJ Dybantsa

SF: Kyshawn George

PF: Anthony Davis

C: Alex Sarr

Deandre Ayton, Tre Johnson and Bilal Coulibaly are the three locks to come off the bench, if those starters hold true. That leaves five players — Middleton, Bub Carrington, Justin Champagnie, Will Riley and Tre Mann — vying for the last two-to-three spots.

Keefe said nothing has been determined regarding his opening-night rotation.

“It’s still early in camp,” Keefe said. “We’re trying different combinations, seeing what works. Those [rotation] decisions haven’t been made yet.”

Carrington and Champagnie play well in opener

Both Carrington and Champagnie played well into the fourth quarter on Thursday. And they played well.

Carrington dropped Deuce McBride with a crossover into a step-back three — his second of the night. He finished with 11 points on 3-for-6 FG.

“Bub’s got the ability to make shots off the dribble and off the catch. He’s got a unique scoring ability from the three,” Keefe said. “He gave us a little bit of a burst when our offense was getting a little stagnant, which can happen early in preseason games.”

Champagnie did typical Champagnie things, particularly on defense. The 6-foot-6 forward paid homage to Jose Alvarado by stealing an inbounds pass and laying it up to quickly turn one basket into two. He added another steal when he jumped the passing lane before slamming it home in transition.

Champagnie’s best play of the night was when he came from the help side to meet James Wiseman at the rim before drilling a transition triple on the ensuing possession. He finished with 12 points (3-5 FG, 5-6 FT), two blocks and two steals.

“Justin can play with almost any lineup because of the intangible things that he does,” Keefe said. “You see the offensive rebounding. We all know the cutting and then the hustle plays he makes. He had that huge block at the rim on a help, which was great. Then he hits a three on the next possession … That’s what he does. He does winning stuff.”

Like the Brooklyn Nets, whose preseason tipped off on Tuesday, the Long Island Nets’ roster is filling up ahead of training camp later this month; and also like the big club, Long Island’s frontcourt includes something the organization values in its development: positional size

“I do think positional size is a factor we look at,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said at Media Day. “Sometimes size can make up for some other deficiencies.”

That “factor” has quietly become just as big on Long Island’s roster as it is on Brooklyn’s. As the team finalized things over the last couple of weeks, there was an obvious premium placed on size across the board and not just height.

Two-way players Grant Nelson, Chaney Johnson, and Tyler Bilodeau are examples, along with new Exhibit 10 pieces, Dain Dainja and Ben Humrichous, as well as G League signee Nick Pringle. Long Island also recently traded for Jonathan Pierre, a 6’9” 23-year-old forward, although he plays more of a wing role.

Each check in as big for their position and big in general. Pierre, Bilodeau and Humrichous are 6’9” wings while Dainja and Pringle are also 6’9” who also bring physicality, particularly Dainja who checks in at 255 pounds with a 7’7” wingspan. Johnson can and has played small ball center at 6’7”.

While the Nets still feature the youngest roster in the NBA this season along with the most players on rookie deals, Long Island is becoming its own pipeline to Barclays Center as the Nets have proved in the past several years. They regularly shuttle young players along the 22 miles from Barclays to Nassau Coliseum and back, taking advantage of G League rules permitting the three two-ways to be active for up to 50 NBA games and up to two roster players to get minutes with no restrictions. It’s not uncommon for players to get call-ups. Last season, 11 Nets split time between with the two venues.

What’s interesting beyond their size is that all of those names add something unique. Among Long Island’s front court chips this season, Brooklyn fans are most familiar with Johnson and Nelson. They’re also the most likely to see time in Brooklyn, maybe at some point getting converted to a standard deal.

Chaney Johnson

Johnson has already shown encouraging production against NBA competition. In 17 appearances with Brooklyn last year, after signing a two-way contract on December 26, he averaged 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while posting a 63.5% true shooting rate. He also collected 33 offensive rebounds, accounting for roughly 42% of his total boards last season. That’s an interesting, valuable role for a scrappy player. There is always room in an NBA rotation, especially the Nets’, for efficient offensive rebounding.

After he posted nine points vs. the 76ers Thursday to go along with four rebounds, two blocks and two steals, Egor Demin, predicted he’ll ultimately get a standard deal…

Jordi Fernandez agreed to a point.

“He worked really hard this summer, he had a very good summer league, and he’s also had a very good camp. You see his intensity and physicality, and it’s something that we need,“ said the head coach after Thursday’s game.

C.J. still has areas to clean up. He has room to grow as a shooter beyond the arc, as he shot just 30% from deep on 30 attempts last season while committing 51 fouls in around 348 total minutes. Johnson will always be an aggressive player, and that is one of his calling cards, but adding more discipline will make the transition Demin predicts more likely.

Grant Nelson

After going undrafted last year, in part because of a balky knee, Nelson wound up with an Exhibit 10 last year, averaging 11.1 points and 6.0 rebounds in 19.3 minutes across 23 G League games. He also shot 54.9% from the field and 80.9% from the free-throw line. Overall, the Alabama product played in a limited role as he dealt with a patella tendinitis that had plagued him throughout his college career. Across 15 starts in the G League, though, he averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds per 36 minutes, adding even more intrigue. That came after a seven-week rehab program with LI’s player performance team.

Nelson’s strong showings in the G League earned him a 10-day contract with Brooklyn. Across four games on the deal, Nelson played 35 minutes, putting up 17 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three blocks. Shortly after the Nets didn’t renew him for a second 10-day contract, as expected, it was revealed that he suffered patellar tendinitis, commonly known as “jumper’s knee,” which ended his season. At Media Day, Nelson said that with the help of the Nets performance team, he’s completely healthy and in Brooklyn’s two preseason games, he’s impressed off the bench.

In Brooklyn’s preseason opener Tuesday night, he scored five points in six minutes, along with a rebound and an assist, while shooting 2-of-4 from the field and 1-of-2 from beyond the arc. Then, Thursday, Jordi Fernandez doubled his minutes and he came away with eight points on 3-o-4 shooting, missing his only three, but getting to the line five times in eight minutes.

Ultimately, the 24-year-old is an interesting piece. The Nets were intrigued enough to give him a summer rehab plan and bring him back on a two-way deal.

Tyler Bilodeau

The new face on a two-way deal with Brooklyn this year is their second-round pick from June, Bilodeau. In the second round, teams often look for players who excel in a select area, and Bilodeau is just that when it comes to 3-point shooting. In his final year at UCLA, the 22-year-old averaged 17.6 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 51.8% and a Big Ten-leading 46.4% from three.

His biggest concern, though, is on the defensive end of the floor which is likely to be his development priority. However, his shooting ability is fascinating, and he has the potential to develop into a serviceable defender at 6’9” and 228 pounds and a wide frame. Developing in the G League instead of sitting on Brooklyn’s bench should be valuable and help him grow

While his missed his two attempts beyond the arc vs. Philly, the UCLA product grabbed five boards in 12 minutes, matching his point output.

Dain Dainja

Some of Brooklyn’s Exhibit 10 signees also have unique aspects to their game. Atop that list is Dainja. At 6’9” and 255 pounds with a crazy 7’7” wingspan, he’s physically imposing. Dainja spent the 2025-26 season with the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. In Sioux Falls, he put up 13.1 points on 62.3% shooting, 5.9 rebounds, and one block across 36 appearances. His scoring efficiency really sticks out, aside from his wingspan, and if he can develop into an offensive hub for Long Island while complementing the scoring with screening and defense, he could certainly make some noise this season.

Nick Pringle

Pringle is another physical option. The 24-year-old stands at 6’10” and 230 pounds after signing with the organization on an Exhibit 10, although unlike Dainja and Humrichous, his deal does not feature a training camp invite.

Across his six-year college career, including stops at Wofford College, Alabama, South Carolina, and Arkansas, he shot 64.9% from the field in 152 games while tallying 654 rebounds and 125 combined steals and blocks. He was also part of Alabama’s 2024 Final Four team, averaging 6.2 rebounds during the NCAA Tournament that year. Pringle also overlapped with Nelson in Tuscaloosa when the Crimson Tide got to the Final Four in 2024.

Ben Humrichous

Humrichous is a very different player, and like Bilodeau, he was a heavy 3-point shooter in college. At Illinois last season, he made 57 of 158 attempts from beyond the arc, for a 36.1% clip. Around 86% of his overall field goal attempts came from deep, which is ridiculously high. The biggest question with Humrichous, who is 6’9” and 224 pounds, is where he can contribute when his shot isn’t falling, or when opposing defenses eliminate him from 3.

Jonathan Pierre

Lastly and perhaps the most interesting front court adds, there’s Jonathan Pierre. The organization liked his potential enough to trade for his rights earlier this month. He is another player who fits the mold of “positional size,” at 6’9” and 210 pounds. Pierre took a very interesting journey to the G League. He began high school as a 5’10” guard before hitting a growth spurt up to 6’7” and entering college as a forward at Nova Southeastern, where he helped the program go undefeated and win a Division II National Championship.

After an excellent first season in DII, he transferred to Memphis before breaking out at Belmont during the 2024-25 season. At Belmont, he averaged 13.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. Belmont also listed him at his current height, 6’9”, after he was dubbed 6’7” earlier in his college career, suggesting Pierre grew further in college.

He ultimately went undrafted, although Jam Hines of No Ceilings NBA viewed him as a “definite” top-60 prospect for the 2025 draft class. Hines noted that Pierre ranked in the 87th percentile in scoring efficiency as a pick-and-roll ball handler while making 37.8% of his catch-and-shoot threes on 156 attempts. He was also 46.2% on three-point attempts as a screener, though on a 13-attempt sample.

Pierre’s first year in the G League was nothing extraordinary, as he averaged 5.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 14.9 minutes across 34 total games. Still, his upside is certainly enticing. The Belmont product is also still just 23, making him Long Island’s second-youngest player behind only Bilodeau, who is a second-round rookie.

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All of front court adds have something to prove, and different goals to reach this season. It will take a while to figure things out. That process starts the end of the month when the team gathers for training camp, then Opening Night on November 6 in Greensboro, N.C., vs. the Swarm, the Hornets affiliate.

Kristaps Porziņģis' absence has Warriors scrambling for alternate lineup plans originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Day 12 of the Kristaps Porziņģis Watch passed Friday without a sighting from the Warriors. There is an update of sorts, as director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini made contract with the team’s projected starting center.

“Rick spoke with him (Thursday),” coach Steve Kerr said after a light practice.

Meanwhile, the Porziņģis conundrum continues to leave a considerable gap in the roster. During the best of times with Golden State last season, there were days when KP could fill the void and days when Kerr and his staff were forced to turn to an alternate plan.

Plan B was a concession then, and it’s only slightly better now that Plans C, D, E and F have been added to the roster.

When I asked Kerr if he knew how his big-man rotation would look, the coach acknowledged that with the regular-season opener 12 days away, it remains a work in progress.

“We haven’t figured it out,” he said.

There are five options. Plan B is veteran Al Horford, who won’t be available for back-to-back sets and hasn’t been for four years. Plan C is veteran Draymond Green, whose nights at center continue to exist despite a desire to minimize them. Plan D is Charles Bassey, who played five games after being added late last season. Plan E is rookie Graham Ike, holding a two-way contract. Plan F is promising rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who already looks like a utility man out of necessity.

“Both Graham and Charles were really impressive the other night, getting good reps in camp, and we’re going to need both of them during the year,” Kerr said. “And then if Kristaps isn’t here, the question would be: Do we start big with Al or Charles? Or do we start Draymond at the 5 and Yaxel at the four, maybe Gui (Santos at small forward) to give us some size and playmaking.”

At issue is Kerr’s commitment to bring the offense in line with the current NBA. He wants to play 5-out, meaning five perimeter-shooting threats that can be spaced around the 3-point arc. Porziņģis is one of the best 3-point shooters among centers in the league. He’s ideal, and his presence was a factor in Kerr’s decision to alter the offense.

Without KP, it’s an automatic downgrade. Horford’s 3-ball is solid, but at age 40 his minutes will be limited. Green’s 3-ball is solid from the corners, but opponents still sag on defense. Bassey is 3-of-13 from deep in 126 NBA games. Ike shot 34.8 percent in college but averaged less than one attempt from deep per game.

Lendeborg shot 36.4 percent on 286 attempts in his final three college seasons – but made significant improvements each year, from 33.3 percent to 35.7 to 37.2.

Despite being penciled in at forward, Yaxel’s size (6-foot-10, 241 pounds) and feel for the game might move him up from Plan F all the way to Plan B. Or at power forward to provide physical support for Green.

“With the fact that we have Yaxel now, you’d get a 6-10 guy next to (Green),” Kerr said. “If we go that route, it makes it a little more palatable. And if we pair them with Gui (6-foot-8), now all of a sudden, you got three good-sized guys at their positions, and it doesn’t feel as small as in the past couple years.

“But it’s not ideal.”

Any of those combinations would make it “definitely” harder to play a 5-out offense, Kerr conceded, adding that it would be too difficult to juggle offensive schemes based on personnel.

The upshot is that the offense designed around having a stretch 5 will remain in place despite the uncertainty of Porziņģis, who for spacing reasons might be the second-most important component behind Stephen Curry.

What the Warriors have, on paper, is an aging but high-quality squad.

What they’ll have beginning Oct. 21 won’t include Jimmy Butler III or Moses Moody, both expected to miss much, if not most, of the season as both recover from surgical knee repairs.

And it’s at least conceivable that it won’t include Porziņģis, whose “health issue” has not been clarified but has sidelined him for almost two weeks. Until he reemerges to join his teammates, the Warriors have no choice but to immerse themselves in alternate plans.

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Joel Embiid has one simple question: Why me?

The star 76ers center has found himself in the middle of a maelstrom before the new NBA season even kicks off, with Knicks’ play-by-play announced Mike Breen reporting — and then walking back — that Embiid was chastised by LeBron James for being late to practice.

“Those type of things, I can’t understand,” Embiid told reporters after his preseason debut against the Nets on Thursday. “One, it is not true, but then again, it’s like, ‘Why me?’ … I guess I’m Joel Embiid. I’ve been in that situation. I don’t usually talk when it comes to those [rumors]. So, it feels like I’m an easy target.”

Breen, on the broadcast of the Knicks-76ers preseason game on Monday, recounted a story he was told of the 2023 NBA MVP showing up a “couple of minutes late” to practice and that James “let him hear it.”

James called the tale “lies,” and Breen apologized.

“I thought it would be an interesting anecdote to show LeBron’s leadership already on display in Philly,” the veteran broadcaster told ESPN. “For me, the fact that the teammate was Joel was meaningless. In hindsight, I should have realized the fact that it was Joel is what made it a story. I’ve always been a huge fan of Joel and feel awful that it put the focus on him the way that it did.”

It should be a telling season for Embiid, an endless target of media and fan scrutiny for his play and health issues. He now has offseason additions James and Jaylen Brown with him on the Philly roster alongside emerging star Tyrese Maxey with heightened championship expectations.

The 32-year-old might have some big names to help shoulder the load, but may never fully escape the criticism.

“It sucks, but what can you do? It’s unfortunate,” he said of Breen’s ill-fated anecdote. “I don’t know where that came from. It never happened. … I think we just got to focus on ourselves. There’s going to be a lot of outside noise to pull us apart from what we’re supposed to be and what we’re supposed to accomplish. So, it’s important that we stay together and we keep our [head] down.”

There is no doubt that Donovan Mitchell is amongst the handful of the NBA’s best players. He can score in waves, at all three levels, and put the team on his back when it matters most. His superstardom is what drives the Cleveland Cavaliers’ relentless organizational pursuit of a championship. They have pushed all of their chips in, a few times over now, to put themselves in the best possible position to win right now.

We know Mitchell, assuming he remains healthy, will be a dominant force in the regular season. His four years in the Wine and Gold have been superb, with four trips to the All-Star Game and three All-NBA nominations.

But as great as he is, there is one more evolution for Mitchell — to be the best player on a championship team.

It may not have felt like it last season, but the Cavs were four wins away from the NBA Finals. They blew Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals in historic fashion, a blame that Mitchell puts on himself. A better version of Mitchell doesn’t allow Cleveland to wither on the vine the way they did. The long and short of Mitchell this upcoming season is how he plays in the postseason, on the biggest stage, against the greatest stars — and he will have the opportunity to showcase it.

Mitchell will get a full season next to James Harden, who takes the pressure off in a way that Darius Garland never really did. Harden’s impact on Jarrett Allen has already been discussed, but his ability to take pressure off of Mitchell as a scorer and facilitator should be better than it was last year. That relationship goes both ways, as Mitchell’s ability as a passer is paramount to making the Cavs’ offense as lethal as possible. There are plenty of shooters around him, and therefore assists abound.

No matter what, Mitchell will get his stats. He averaged 27.9 points per game last season on 48.3% shooting, while hitting 36.4% of his threes. His efficiency as a member of the Cavaliers has always been solid, and that should continue even in his age-30 season.

The elephant in the room is the playoff performances, and that goes for the Cavs as a whole. Mitchell’s numbers take a hit when the lights are the brightest, particularly his shooting efficiency and turnover rate. There is a passivity to his game that escapes onto the court, something that has perplexed the fan base.

Going back to that collapse in Game 1 of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, Mitchell only attempted six shots in the fourth quarter and overtime — making just one of them. That made shot came with over eight minutes left in the final frame.

There should be plenty of confidence that Mitchell will have a great regular season, an All-Star caliber effort that reminds people why he is one of the league’s best. But his judgment will be made in the playoffs, for better or worse. That is what comes with being a great player, and it is up to Mitchell to change the narrative of not only himself, but this franchise as a whole.

No pressure, right?

The Golden State Warriors would love to have a healthy Kristaps Porziņģis on the court this season. Especially after the team signed him to a two-year, $40 million extension this offseason.

Unfortunately, that hope isn’t off to a good start. The 31-year-old veteran missed preseason training camp with what was only called a “health issue” and still isn’t with the team, despite the Warriors’ regular season opener being 12 days away.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr delivered an ominous update on Porziņģis’ status when speaking to the media on Thursday.

“He’s not here uh today,” Kerr said of Porziņģis. He later added, “I’ll reach out to to KP today and and check in with him, but nothing new to report.”

Porziņģis was diagnosed as POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) in 2025. This current absence hasn’t been confirmed as a byproduct of POTS, but that seems to be the prevailing belief.

Kerr was also asked whether he has been in communication with Porziņģis this offseason and whether he knows how he’s doing and said, “Yeah, we’ve texted. Seems to be doing okay, but we haven’t gotten into into depth.”

“Obviously, we’d rather have KP here and [be] part of [the Warriors’ preseason]. But he’s got to take care of his health, and again, we’ll support that and keep moving forward with the team,” Kerr added.

Kerr made waves when calling Porziņģis’ medical issue “a little mysterious” last season. That same mystery persisted when he was a member of the Boston Celtics.

Golden State was hoping that mystery would subside. Alas, that does not appear to be the case.

CLEVELAND — Celtics assistant coach DJ MacLeay typically stands on the sidelines and barks out commands. MacLeay, who began as a player-enhancement coach with the Celtics in 2021, leads the team’s defense and is often one of the loudest voices during games.

But on Thursday night, for the first time in his career, he served as the Celtics’ head coach — at least for the second half.

Joe Mazzulla revealed at shootaround that he wouldn’t be coaching the Celtics’ preseason opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Instead, assistant coach Tony Dobbins would coach the first half (and handle pregame media responsibilities), and MacLeay would coach the second half (and handle postgame media responsibilities).

“It was definitely different,” MacLeay said. “I got to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics for a half. Can’t feel anything but gratitude for that.”

Mazzulla decided both coaches would get the opportunity after they went through head-coaching interviews this past summer, Dobbins with the Dallas Mavericks and MacLeay with the Portland Trail Blazers. Neither got the job — Dobbins was a finalist — but Mazzulla wanted to acknowledge their progress by giving them additional preseason responsibilities.

“To me that’s a huge testament to them and the work that they do,” Mazzulla said. “And so, you’re just always looking for opportunities to give them more experience. And sometimes, the only experience is being out there on the sideline.”

The Celtics head coach wanted to give his assistants time to mentally prepare, so he gave them a heads-up.

“In classic Joe fashion, he told us this way back in the summer, so I’ve had some time to think about this,” MacLeay said.

For MacLeay, serving as a head coach for a half gave him the opportunity to hone in on the key messages the team has been emphasizing throughout training camp.

“The biggest thing is working on the stuff that we’ve been trying to build — connection with the group, connection to how we want to play, understanding different turning points, different moments within the game, and I thought for the most part the guys really were intentional about that,” MacLeay said.

In addition to running the Celtics’ defense, MacLeay serves as Luka Garza’s player development coach. Garza excelled in Thursday’s game, finishing with 22 points and 10 rebounds, both game-highs.

Afterward, he shared that getting to play for MacLeay formally made the outing even more meaningful.

“It was special, man,” Garza said. “He’s a guy that I just love working with, man. Every day, coming into the gym and working with him, whether it’s film or just the PD or whatever it is, he just brings such a great energy to the game, and I feel like we just have like mindsets in a lot of ways.

MacLeay knows he eventually wants to serve as a head coach, and he’s grateful that both the offseason interview process and the preseason game gave him a chance to prepare for the ultimate goal.

“All these experiences just open your eyes to all the different things that a head coach deals with, right?” MacLeay said. “There were things about that [interview] process that I could have done better, but I wouldn’t have known, having not gone through it before. And so, just like tonight, there were plenty of things that I screwed up, and I could have been better for the guys. And so, ultimately, just trying to be in a space where you take these experiences, you learn from them, you try to get better from them, you try to be better for the people around you, and serve the players as best you can. And you just try to take that mindset, the gratitude for this opportunity, for that opportunity with the interview, and just keep moving forward.”

As for Thursday’s game?

MacLeay smiled when asked what he felt he could have done better, and pointed to his after-timeout play calling.

“I drew way too many long ATOs,” MacLeay said. “I could have been better about that. My first time on the board in a long time — so just could have been better with that.”

The players, for one, could see their assistant coaches’ dreams ultimately coming to fruition.

“It was cool to see him get that opportunity, and he was obviously awesome in that role,” Garza said of MacLeay. “And that’s definitely in his future.”

Although the Los Angeles Lakers’ marquee free agency signing, Walker Kessler, is yet to play through three preseason games after jamming his finger on the backboard during training camp, neither Kessler nor his head coach, JJ Redick, sound alarmed about Kessler’s availability.

“We got a check-in tomorrow,” Redick said prior to Thursday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. “But it’s not concerning. He’ll play in the preseason.”

Kessler conducted an on-air interview with the broadcast during Thursday’s contest and seems quite optimistic about how he’s progressing.

“Finger’s good. Finger’s good,” Kessler said. “Just kind of going through all the protocols right now, talking to coaches and training staff right now…Feeling good.

Despite Redick and Kessler’s shared optimism about the injury, Kessler couldn’t offer a definitive timeline for his return.

“I’m not sure yet. I’m not sure yet,” he said. “We’re still talking and I don’t want to say anything that gets me in trouble. So, we’re still talking.”

The Lakers have two preseason games remaining ahead of their regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21. They play the Warriors in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena Tuesday before wrapping up their preseason slate by hosting the Denver Nuggets Oct. 16.

After a jam-packed first week of preseason action, with three games in four days, the layoff before their next game should provide Kessler plenty of time to suit up in at least one of Los Angeles’ final two preseason outings, as Redick seems confident he will do.

With Kessler sidelined, the Lakers have started veteran Kevon Looney at center in two games while Sandro Mamukelashvili got the nod Tuesday against the Warriors, presumably signaling both are in line for a prominent role this season.

Through the preseason games, Mamukelashvili’s filled up the box score, averaging 14 points, 3.7 assists (2.0 turnovers), 2.0 rebounds and 1.o blocks in 19.3 minutes per night. He’s shooting 57.1 percent from both the floor (16-of-28) and beyond the arc (8-of-14).

He starred during Los Angeles’ 114-110 victory over the Kings Friday with 19 points (7-of-10 shooting), four assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block. Once Kessler is back healthy, which seems like it’ll be sooner rather than later, I’m curious how much Mamukelashvili is deployed as a 4 vs. a small-ball 5.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

The New York Knicks aren't giving Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart the contract extensions they want any time soon.

The reigning NBA champions announced on Friday, Oct. 9, that they are pausing negotiations with all extension-eligible players until a later date in order to minimize distractions as the Knicks begin their title defense. The decision leaves Towns and Hart without long-term clarity after both publicly expressed a desire to remain with New York.

"As an organization, our entire focus is on preparing for the upcoming season and delivering another year for our fans to be proud of," a Knicks spokesperson said, according to multiplereports. "As a result, we will not be negotiating contract extensions until later in the season and will remain solely focused on preparing for the start of the season."

The Houston Rockets opened their preseason with a 135-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday morning at The Venetian Arena in Macao, China. The matchup gave both teams an early opportunity to evaluate their rosters, build chemistry, and prepare for the upcoming NBA season.

Houston established control early, taking a 27-19 lead after the first quarter. The Rockets continued to apply pressure in the second quarter, using their scoring ability and defensive intensity to create separation. By halftime, Houston had built a commanding 65-45 advantage, putting Dallas in a difficult position heading into the second half.

Tari Eason led the Rockets with 20 points, providing an important scoring contribution throughout the game. Alperen Sengun looked like the best player on the court at times, racking a up a triple double of 16 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists.

Fred VanVleet also made an impact, finishing with 17 points and 7 assists, as Houston showed its offense with a legit playmaker at the helm. He also hit 5 triples. Jabari Smith Jr. added 19 points, helping the Rockets spread the scoring across the lineup.

Kevin Durant, one of Houston’s major offensive weapons, finished with eight points in limited playing time. His presence added experience and star power to a Rockets team looking to develop its chemistry before the regular season begins. Durant’s limited scoring performance is not a concen to me as this is pre season. Additonally Houston being able to function offensilvey without relying heavily on Durant is a welcome development. Honestly my only real gripe with the offense was watching Tari and Amen try to initiate offense, Amen’s continued lack of handle.

Although preseason results do not determine regular-season success, the game provided valuable insight into both teams. Houston showed its offensive potential and depth, while Dallas gained experience for its younger players.

The Rockets and Mavericks will meet again in Macao on Sunday for their second preseason matchup. Both teams will look to build on Friday’s performance as they continue preparing for the 2026-27 NBA season. Be sure to check back here at The Dream Shake for more Rockets post game recaps.