CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 08: Hayden Gray #44 of the Boston Celtics reaches for a loose ball during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on October 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 124-113. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Celtics will start four Exhibit-10 players in their final preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers— Milos Uzan, Hayden Gray, Tucker DeVries, and Gabe McGlothan — along with rookie Chris Cenac Jr.
The 76ers, meanwhile, will be mostly at full strength: LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, and Joel Embiid, all of whom sat when the two teams faced off last Saturday, will lace up, as will Tyrese Maxey.
Celtics at Sixers – October 16, 2026 – Starters
Boston – Milos Uzan, Hayden, Gray, Tucker DeVries, Gabe McGlothan, Chris Cenac Jr.
Philadelphia – Tyrese Maxey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid pic.twitter.com/7FVj2ONSP7
The game will be coached by Sam Cassell, per Joe Mazzulla. Mazzulla had assistant coaches DJ MacLeay and Tony Dobbins split head-coaching responsibilities in the preseason opener, while he watched the game from the locker room.
The full roster was (mostly) available in the previous two preseason games, with the exception of Exhibit-10 player Devin Carter, who missed both home games due to illness, and Ron Harper Jr., who missed one game due to shoulder soreness.
In those two games, the starting lineup consisted of Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Jordan Walsh, and Mitchell Robinson. Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, and Neemias Queta were the first five off the bench, with Luka Garza also playing significant minutes.
In the preseason opener in Cleveland, the Celtics sat Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Ron Harper Jr., and Payton Pritchard.
Friday marks the team’s final preseason game. The Celtics are 3-0 so far in preseason action.
The Celtics’ regular season tips off on Tuesday, October 20th at 3pm ET in Detroit.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 08: Hayden Gray #44 of the Boston Celtics reaches for a loose ball during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on October 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 124-113. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Celtics will start four Exhibit-10 players in their final preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers— Milos Uzan, Hayden Gray, Tucker DeVries, and Gabe McGlothan — along with rookie Chris Cenac Jr.
The 76ers, meanwhile, will be mostly at full strength: LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, and Joel Embiid, all of whom sat when the two teams faced off last Saturday, will lace up, as will Tyrese Maxey.
Celtics at Sixers – October 16, 2026 – Starters
Boston – Milos Uzan, Hayden, Gray, Tucker DeVries, Gabe McGlothan, Chris Cenac Jr.
Philadelphia – Tyrese Maxey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid pic.twitter.com/7FVj2ONSP7
The game will be coached by Sam Cassell, per Joe Mazzulla. Mazzulla had assistant coaches DJ MacLeay and Tony Dobbins split head-coaching responsibilities in the preseason opener, while he watched the game from the locker room.
The full roster was (mostly) available in the previous two preseason games, with the exception of Exhibit-10 player Devin Carter, who missed both home games due to illness, and Ron Harper Jr., who missed one game due to shoulder soreness.
In those two games, the starting lineup consisted of Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Jordan Walsh, and Mitchell Robinson. Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, and Neemias Queta were the first five off the bench, with Luka Garza also playing significant minutes.
In the preseason opener in Cleveland, the Celtics sat Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Ron Harper Jr., and Payton Pritchard.
Friday marks the team’s final preseason game. The Celtics are 3-0 so far in preseason action.
The Celtics’ regular season tips off on Tuesday, October 20th at 3pm ET in Detroit.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 03: Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees walks back to the dugout after a pitching change against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning in game one of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 03, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Some would say that 2026 was a tumultuous season for the Yankees’ skipper, and there is a lot to be said about what went right in Aaron Boone’s decision-making and what eventually backfired to catalyze disaster.
There are many occasions when Boone stepped in at the right time to pull a pitcher and allowed the players to control their own destiny from the plate. He is most confident when he’s defending his guys from the dugout and isn’t afraid to get in an umpire’s face after a bad call. This has always been Boone’s style, and he continued his fiery streak this season with five ejections during regular season games. However, as manager, he is mandated to take accountability for some of the questionable decisions that may have put the Yankees in tougher situations.
MLB insiders Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman recently invited Joe Girardi to assess Boone’s decisions, and the former Yankees manager had a lot of positive takeaways despite a disappointing end to this season. Girardi even went on to claim that this was Boone’s best year of managing in his nine years on the job.
To give him credit, Boone had to navigate through several injuries this season and consistently found ways to keep the Yankees fighting for a playoff spot when all seemed lost, especially without Aaron Judge. Along with the Yankees captain, several star players had lengthy stints on the injured list, including Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Ryan Weathers, and Giancarlo Stanton. Expected 2026 contributors Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells, Trent Grisham, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. all missed a few weeks, too. Despite all the setbacks, Boone still found a way to propel the Yankees to their third conseuctive season of at least 93 wins, and he could’ve matched the 94 from both 2024 and 2025 had a rainout not nixed Game 162.
Contrast this to 2023, when Judge also missed a bunch of time and the Yankees struggled to 82 wins, their worst year in over two decades. Although the personnel may have just been better this time around, Boone did help keep the season from falling apart and rendering September irrelevant (let alone October). Credit Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake for helping the bullpen beat preseason expectations as well; others might not have had the confidence in unheralded names like Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn, but they had strong seasons setting up for closer David Bednar.
The Yankees skipper also deserves some praise for refusing to put Judge in a spot where he could put his future career at risk. After being sidelined for the final stretch of the regular season with a moderate grade right calf strain, Judge was eager to get back into the lineup as the Yankees prepared for the postseason. Boone and general manager Brian Cashman ultimately decided to leave him off the roster for the Wild Card Series against Boston, which didn’t end up being an issue as the Yankees scored a combined 18 runs in the two-game dusting.
The Division Series was an entirely different scenario. On the advice of the Yankees’ medical staff, Judge was again absent from the series, in which the first two games were played on the turf at Tropicana Field. Judge, much like the rest of the Yankees’ offense, struggled to put up big numbers in Tampa Bay and went a combined 2-for-10 with a home run, four RBIs, and four strikeouts this season. He appeared disgruntled at Boone’s decision to keep him off the field for the series, but it may have been the best choice to allow him more time to recover from the calf injury and not put his career at risk — after all, severe Achilles injuries have been linked to the soleus muscle, which is where his calf was strained.
On the other hand, one of Boone’s most glaringly disappointing choices was putting Grisham in a leadoff spot in an elimination game when the Yankees were at risk of getting swept by the Rays on their own turf. Grisham, who barely saw any action in September, was the last of the batters left to keep the fight alive down 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth. With the hottest hitter of the postseason on deck in Ben Rice—who had been batting leadoff—Grisham ended up striking out in four pitches from Bryan Baker, allowing Tampa Bay to celebrate advancing to the ALCS from the Bronx clubhouse once again. With Grisham putting the cherry on top of an embarrassing postseason performance, the Yankees also continued their postseason losing streak and remain winless on the road since the 2024 ALCS against the Guardians.
It looks like Boone is here to stay for at least another year, as his contract runs through the end of 2027. Hopefully the Yankees can make enough clever moves during this expectedly elongated offseason to put them in a better spot for next season.
The Lakers have entered a new era in the organization’s storied history.
The departure of LeBron James led to several questions about the offense, but the scoring power of Luka Doncic cannot be underestimated. In fact, when Doncic and Austin Reaves were on the floor together last season (without James), the duo had a top-two offensive net rating.
Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings. NBAE via Getty Images
And thus, the addition of center Walker Kessler is bound to aid the Lakers offense in reaching new heights this season. Former NBA champion and analyst Kendrick Perkins offered an even bolder perspective on the team.
“Luka is so great when he has a dynamic roller that loves to finish at the basket. But also, Luka is a different type of guy in the pick-and-roll,” Perkins said.
“I wanna see the [Lakers] develop that same energy that [Luka] had with Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively. They knew when Luka was in the pick-and-roll to always stay ready.
“I believe the Lakers are going to have the best offensive team in the league.”
Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on October 13, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena. NBAE via Getty ImagesWalker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives teammate during the game against the Golden State Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images
Last season, the Lakers ranked 19th in defensive rating and allowed 114.6 points per game, which ranked 11th in the league. There are still questions surrounding the Lakers defense heading into the 2026-27 campaign, but the offense is expected to have plenty of firepower.
The team is expected to employ more off-the-ball movement this season, with several new pieces on the roster.
Will they gel enough to lead the league offensively? Only time will tell.
The Lakers have entered a new era in the organization’s storied history.
The departure of LeBron James led to several questions about the offense, but the scoring power of Luka Doncic cannot be underestimated. In fact, when Doncic and Austin Reaves were on the floor together last season (without James), the duo had a top-two offensive net rating.
Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings. NBAE via Getty Images
And thus, the addition of center Walker Kessler is bound to aid the Lakers offense in reaching new heights this season. Former NBA champion and analyst Kendrick Perkins offered an even bolder perspective on the team.
“Luka is so great when he has a dynamic roller that loves to finish at the basket. But also, Luka is a different type of guy in the pick-and-roll,” Perkins said.
“I wanna see the [Lakers] develop that same energy that [Luka] had with Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively. They knew when Luka was in the pick-and-roll to always stay ready.
“I believe the Lakers are going to have the best offensive team in the league.”
Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on October 13, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena. NBAE via Getty ImagesWalker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives teammate during the game against the Golden State Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images
Last season, the Lakers ranked 19th in defensive rating and allowed 114.6 points per game, which ranked 11th in the league. There are still questions surrounding the Lakers defense heading into the 2026-27 campaign, but the offense is expected to have plenty of firepower.
The team is expected to employ more off-the-ball movement this season, with several new pieces on the roster.
Will they gel enough to lead the league offensively? Only time will tell.
This feels like a naked money grab — and the Oklahoma City Thunder are pushing back.
Spanish club Casademont Basket Zaragoza is saying it holds the rights to Aday Mara — the Oklahoma City rookie drafted No. 12 last June — through 2027 and plans to block Mara from playing in the NBA, at least until there is a financial settlement, reports Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. Zaragoza released this statement to the Spanish newspaper Heraldo de Aragón, via Eurohoops.
"Basket Zaragoza wishes Aday Mara the best of luck in his new sporting endeavors and remains committed to developing players in its youth academy. At the same time, as an organization, the Club has an obligation to protect its rights, ensure compliance with existing contracts, and defend the interests of Basket Zaragoza, taking all necessary legal action."
The Thunder aren't buying it, noting the obvious: This wasn't an issue when Mara played three years of college basketball stateside (two at UCLA, one at Michigan, where he won a national championship). However, when he gets drafted and gets an NBA contract, his old Spanish club has its hand out.
"Aday last played three years of NCAA college basketball and therefore, as advised by the NBA, no clearance from the Spanish team is required for him to play in the NBA," a Thunder spokesperson told NBC Sports.
Mara did come up through his hometown club of Zaragoza in Spain, working through its youth ranks and making his first-team debut back in 2021 when only 16. Two years later, when Mara agreed to play for UCLA, Zaragoza tried to contest his eligibility, saying he was under contract with them. That didn't go as the club had hoped.
This likely will go the same way for the club. Mara and the Thunder are set to open their season next Tuesday night on NBC in what feels like Game 8 of last year's Western Conference Finals. The Thunder/Spurs game tips off at 9:30 Eastern on NBC and Peacock, the final game of an NBC triple-header to open the season, including Boston at Detroit (3 p.m. ET), LeBron James and the 76ers trying to spoil ring night for the champion New York Knicks at 7 p.m. Eastern. All those games are on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: Jrue Holiday #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers is guarded by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Chase Center on October 08, 2025 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors wrap up their preseason schedule with Friday night’s home matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBA League Pass.
Golden State overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, 101-89. The matchup wasn’t quite the preview of the regular season opener that many had hoped for, as the Warriors opted to rest Draymond Green while the Lakers held out superstar guard Luka Doncic. Stephen Curry, however, played into the second half for the first time this preseason, logging a preseason-high 23 minutes and finishing with 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field, including three three-pointers. Meanwhile, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg continued to be one of the biggest bright spots of Golden State’s preseason, tying Brandin Podziemski for the team lead with 17 points while adding five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Warriors enter Friday night’s preseason finale against the Blazers relatively healthy, though one notable absence continues to loom over the team. On Wednesday, Golden State announced that starting center Kristaps Porzingis will remain sidelined indefinitely as he deals with a health-related issue. Porzingis, who signed a two-year, $40 million extension with the Warriors during the offseason, was expected to play a significant role in the team’s revamped offense, especially with their emphasis on three-point shooting.
With Porzingis unavailable, the Warriors have experimented with several options at center throughout the preseason, including Al Horford, Charles Bassey and a smaller frontcourt featuring Green at the five alongside Lendeborg and Gui Santos — the latter having shown the most promise given their versatility while still maintaining enough positional size. Still, head coach Steve Kerr has acknowledged that the team remains a work in progress and is not yet where it wants to be. Friday’s finale will provide one final opportunity to evaluate these lineup combinations before the games begin to count.
Steve Kerr a week prior to the opener: “We’re not anywhere close to where we want to be, but we’re working on the right things.” pic.twitter.com/6ux63RSDqL
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: Jrue Holiday #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers is guarded by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Chase Center on October 08, 2025 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors wrap up their preseason schedule with Friday night’s home matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBA League Pass.
Golden State overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, 101-89. The matchup wasn’t quite the preview of the regular season opener that many had hoped for, as the Warriors opted to rest Draymond Green while the Lakers held out superstar guard Luka Doncic. Stephen Curry, however, played into the second half for the first time this preseason, logging a preseason-high 23 minutes and finishing with 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field, including three three-pointers. Meanwhile, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg continued to be one of the biggest bright spots of Golden State’s preseason, tying Brandin Podziemski for the team lead with 17 points while adding five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Warriors enter Friday night’s preseason finale against the Blazers relatively healthy, though one notable absence continues to loom over the team. On Wednesday, Golden State announced that starting center Kristaps Porzingis will remain sidelined indefinitely as he deals with a health-related issue. Porzingis, who signed a two-year, $40 million extension with the Warriors during the offseason, was expected to play a significant role in the team’s revamped offense, especially with their emphasis on three-point shooting.
With Porzingis unavailable, the Warriors have experimented with several options at center throughout the preseason, including Al Horford, Charles Bassey and a smaller frontcourt featuring Green at the five alongside Lendeborg and Gui Santos — the latter having shown the most promise given their versatility while still maintaining enough positional size. Still, head coach Steve Kerr has acknowledged that the team remains a work in progress and is not yet where it wants to be. Friday’s finale will provide one final opportunity to evaluate these lineup combinations before the games begin to count.
Steve Kerr a week prior to the opener: “We’re not anywhere close to where we want to be, but we’re working on the right things.” pic.twitter.com/6ux63RSDqL
With the Lakers playing their last exhibition against the Nuggets on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, they’ll soon have to make a final decision on how they’re going to comply with the league’s roster rules by early next week.
Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka will soon have to make a decision about the roster. Getty Images
It’s a decision they’ve been having to face since they put the roster together throughout July, entering training camp with 16 players signed to guaranteed contracts — one more than 15 legally allowed during the regular season.
“Going from 16 guys to 15 guys, we have until Opening Night for the competition to sort of play out and see who the best 15 players are,” Rob Pelinka, Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager, said in late September. “Behind that evaluation of who’s emerging in camp, there’s also consolidation trades that can still be looked at, trading two guys out, bringing one in. So there’s a number of ways that that could be addressed, and the back-end point of it will be before we play the Warriors. So, the next month will kinda answer those questions.”
The expectation throughout the league is that either Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy will be one of the odd men out.
The Lakers have explored trades involving both players, but the third-year wing and veteran guard remained on the roster entering the team’s final preseason game after the team hadn’t found traction on a preferred deal.
Will Jaden Hardy (7) stay with the Lakers beyond this week? NBAE via Getty Images
If the Lakers can’t find a trade and decide to waive a player, league personnel expect that to be Knecht.
But a decision hasn’t been made yet — leaving time and opportunity for the Lakers to go another route.
While the Lakers, like every other NBA team, don’t have to have their Opening Night roster set until 2 p.m. PT on Monday — with the regular season starting on Tuesday and the Lakers hosting the Warriors for their first regular-season game on Wednesday — the decision could come this week.
Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) is expected to be the odd man out. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Hardy, whom the Lakers acquired from the Wizards in July in the trade that sent Deandre Ayton to Washington, addressed the Lakers’ pending roster decision after Friday morning’s shootaround.
“For me, I just came here [with] a clear head, clear-minded, new situation,” Hardy said. “New opportunity. It’s a blessing to be here.”
Does he feel any anxiety knowing the roster crunch is looming?
“Nah, I mean, it’s in God’s hands,” Hardy said. “I’m blessed to be here.”
With the Lakers playing their last exhibition against the Nuggets on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, they’ll soon have to make a final decision on how they’re going to comply with the league’s roster rules by early next week.
Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka will soon have to make a decision about the roster. Getty Images
It’s a decision they’ve been having to face since they put the roster together throughout July, entering training camp with 16 players signed to guaranteed contracts — one more than 15 legally allowed during the regular season.
“Going from 16 guys to 15 guys, we have until Opening Night for the competition to sort of play out and see who the best 15 players are,” Rob Pelinka, Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager, said in late September. “Behind that evaluation of who’s emerging in camp, there’s also consolidation trades that can still be looked at, trading two guys out, bringing one in. So there’s a number of ways that that could be addressed, and the back-end point of it will be before we play the Warriors. So, the next month will kinda answer those questions.”
The expectation throughout the league is that either Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy will be one of the odd men out.
The Lakers have explored trades involving both players, but the third-year wing and veteran guard remained on the roster entering the team’s final preseason game after the team hadn’t found traction on a preferred deal.
Will Jaden Hardy (7) stay with the Lakers beyond this week? NBAE via Getty Images
If the Lakers can’t find a trade and decide to waive a player, league personnel expect that to be Knecht.
But a decision hasn’t been made yet — leaving time and opportunity for the Lakers to go another route.
While the Lakers, like every other NBA team, don’t have to have their Opening Night roster set until 2 p.m. PT on Monday — with the regular season starting on Tuesday and the Lakers hosting the Warriors for their first regular-season game on Wednesday — the decision could come this week.
Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) is expected to be the odd man out. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Hardy, whom the Lakers acquired from the Wizards in July in the trade that sent Deandre Ayton to Washington, addressed the Lakers’ pending roster decision after Friday morning’s shootaround.
“For me, I just came here [with] a clear head, clear-minded, new situation,” Hardy said. “New opportunity. It’s a blessing to be here.”
Does he feel any anxiety knowing the roster crunch is looming?
“Nah, I mean, it’s in God’s hands,” Hardy said. “I’m blessed to be here.”
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 13: Bruce Brown #1 of the New York Knicks is introduced before the game against the Toronto Raptors during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 13, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
What I’m about to tell you might blow your mind. Hell, it might’ve blown my mind if I told myself this yesterday.
The Knicks are currently facing a roster dilemma. They have 13 players on standard contracts, two below the maximum and one below the minimum.
They have two veterans on Exhibit 10 contracts that they want to roster, Bruce Brown and James Wiseman, but they can only roster one and stay beneath the second apron, something that James Dolan has made clear is a hard cap for the team.
Brown and Wiseman are different players and represent different things. They rose from a ragtag group of veterans fighting for that 14th roster spot, so much so that the Knicks are doing everything they can to keep both. It’s a dilemma we saw last year with Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet before the former retired to make the decision easy.
Wiseman is considered the heavy favorite, to the point where Ian Begley called him a lock. At that point, it would be about trying to find a spot for Brown in a tough environment.
To keep both and stay within Dolan’s mandate, they will need to trade someone. The prevailing candidate has been third-year player Pacôme Dadiet, who is buried on the depth chart and running out of time to prove himself as a player. He’s likely on an expiring contract due to his team option almost certainly being declined by the end of October, but his value is still low enough that he’s a negative asset.
That has caused the team to shop the more productive reserve point guard Tyler Kolek, but such a move would leave the Knicks much more vulnerable in case of an injury to a lead ballhandler. It’s a tricky dilemma.
There are multiple ways that Leon Rose and company can try to sort this out, but there’s one that I recently discovered that would require some extreme savviness and careful day-to-day management.
The Knicks can retain both Wiseman and Brown into Opening Night without a trade. It’s risky, but could be worth it.
Here’s how:
The Knicks have two open roster spots, so just from simple roster management, they are allowed to sign both. Further, they are not hard-capped at the second apron, which allows them to exceed it.
The problem, as we all know, is that signing both would push the team over the second apron. While a change of heart is always possible, it would be idiotic and a very bad look if they exceeded it for Brown and not homegrown fan favorite Mitchell Robinson.
But what if I told you that the Knicks can temporarily exceed the second apron with extremely little penalty?
The punishments that come with the second apron are two-sided. They not only impact your trade flexibility but also harm your future. As a first-apron team, the Knicks are already restricted from doing certain things, but here are the things they cannot do as a second-apron team that they can currently do:
Using any portion of the taxpayer mid-level exception
Aggregating two or more player salaries in a trade.
Sending out cash as part of a trade.
Acquiring a player as part of a sign-and-trade (think why Denver got nobody back for Peyton Watson)
Acquiring a player via trade using a traded player exception if that TPE was generated by sending out a player via sign-and-trade.
A first-round pick seven years in advance is “frozen” and cannot be used in a transaction. This cannot be undone unless three of the following four seasons are spent beneath the second apron.
Looking at these restrictions, most of them apply to the offseason. The only ones that impact the Knicks in-season are aggregating salary in a trade, sending out cash as part of a trade, and, most crucially, the freezing of their 2033 first-round pick.
To me, the implications on future draft picks are the biggest reason you don’t want to be in the second apron. If the Knicks exceed it, they won’t be able to use the 2033 pick in a trade for at least four years, something that hurts flexibility as you manage salaries and egos. Not to mention that said pick gets thrown back to No. 30 if you’re in the second apron three times in five years.
Where am I going with this? Well, if you read the fine print of the league’s apron policy, you notice one thing in particular.
The first-round pick restriction is only if the team finishes a season in the second apron.
So, as an example, if a team were to exceed the second apron going into the 2026-27 season, but ducked it via trades at the deadline, they would be exempt from that policy.
So for a team that’s perilously close to said apron facing a dilemma… is that worth pursuing?
Let’s do the math.
If the Knicks were not to make a single roster move between now and Opening Night, they would go into the 2026-27 season as a second apron team, exactly $1.625 million over the barrier. That would mean they cannot do any of the trade-related stuff up there, but that’s about it.
It’s from here that Leon has to work his magic.
The simplest way to do this is to bet that you will eventually find a taker for Dadiet or reasonable value for Kolek, allowing you to trade them and shed their salaries off the books. If this happens in one week, two weeks, or three weeks, everything is all good.
NBA rules about salary retention state that, no matter when a player is dealt midseason, their full salary is wiped off the books. That means it can happen as late as the trade deadline, and it would be as if they had never played for the Knicks.
The problem you run into is that the Knicks lose leverage as time goes on. They don’t have much leverage already, with the league knowing their financials, but imagine a situation in February where they’re trying to find someone to take them out of desperation.
To go down this route, the Knicks would have to have confidence that a player could build up midseason trade value, an injury causes a need to open up elsewhere, or current negotiations evolve over weeks and months to make the transaction.
The other route would be to keep Brown and Wiseman on non-guaranteed contracts and watch the clock.
The two currently each have a cap hit of about $2.45 million, which combined is $4.9 million. That means that the Knicks, with no trade made, would need them to make $3.275 million or less combined to stay below the apron. The exact number that each player is able to make this season on the roster concurrently is $1,636,884.
As an example, let’s say Wiseman stays all year. That means he makes $2,449,421, which means that for the Knicks to stay under the second apron (assuming no trades), the max that Brown can make is $812,537. Via the NBA’s prorated salary system, he passes that mark on Black Friday (November 27), so he would need to be cut prior to Thanksgiving to get through waivers.
By doing this, the Knicks would use every last penny they have available to them to maximize their roster and give themselves an extra month to figure out what’s going on. The downside here is that you might get stuck in the same spot of figuring out who to keep, plus you would not be able to sign a 15th player in February, which they can do if they cut Wiseman or Brown this week.
If all of this cap jargon confused you, here’s a TLDR of the two ways the Knicks can go into the season with Wiseman and Brown and no trades:
If the Knicks find a taker for Kolek or Dadiet or any way to cut $1.6 million off their books by the trade deadline, they will finish the season beneath the second apron
If the Knicks release either Brown or Wiseman by November 27 (more like November 25 due to waiver rules), they will save enough money from the non-guaranteed deals to stay just beneath the second apron
I find these unlikely, just because it’s a very MyGM way of operating and not one you’d see in a league where you need to balance personal relationships with roster building.
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 13: Bruce Brown #1 of the New York Knicks is introduced before the game against the Toronto Raptors during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 13, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
What I’m about to tell you might blow your mind. Hell, it might’ve blown my mind if I told myself this yesterday.
The Knicks are currently facing a roster dilemma. They have 13 players on standard contracts, two below the maximum and one below the minimum.
They have two veterans on Exhibit 10 contracts that they want to roster, Bruce Brown and James Wiseman, but they can only roster one and stay beneath the second apron, something that James Dolan has made clear is a hard cap for the team.
Brown and Wiseman are different players and represent different things. They rose from a ragtag group of veterans fighting for that 14th roster spot, so much so that the Knicks are doing everything they can to keep both. It’s a dilemma we saw last year with Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet before the former retired to make the decision easy.
Wiseman is considered the heavy favorite, to the point where Ian Begley called him a lock. At that point, it would be about trying to find a spot for Brown in a tough environment.
To keep both and stay within Dolan’s mandate, they will need to trade someone. The prevailing candidate has been third-year player Pacôme Dadiet, who is buried on the depth chart and running out of time to prove himself as a player. He’s likely on an expiring contract due to his team option almost certainly being declined by the end of October, but his value is still low enough that he’s a negative asset.
That has caused the team to shop the more productive reserve point guard Tyler Kolek, but such a move would leave the Knicks much more vulnerable in case of an injury to a lead ballhandler. It’s a tricky dilemma.
There are multiple ways that Leon Rose and company can try to sort this out, but there’s one that I recently discovered that would require some extreme savviness and careful day-to-day management.
The Knicks can retain both Wiseman and Brown into Opening Night without a trade. It’s risky, but could be worth it.
Here’s how:
The Knicks have two open roster spots, so just from simple roster management, they are allowed to sign both. Further, they are not hard-capped at the second apron, which allows them to exceed it.
The problem, as we all know, is that signing both would push the team over the second apron. While a change of heart is always possible, it would be idiotic and a very bad look if they exceeded it for Brown and not homegrown fan favorite Mitchell Robinson.
But what if I told you that the Knicks can temporarily exceed the second apron with extremely little penalty?
The punishments that come with the second apron are two-sided. They not only impact your trade flexibility but also harm your future. As a first-apron team, the Knicks are already restricted from doing certain things, but here are the things they cannot do as a second-apron team that they can currently do:
Using any portion of the taxpayer mid-level exception
Aggregating two or more player salaries in a trade.
Sending out cash as part of a trade.
Acquiring a player as part of a sign-and-trade (think why Denver got nobody back for Peyton Watson)
Acquiring a player via trade using a traded player exception if that TPE was generated by sending out a player via sign-and-trade.
A first-round pick seven years in advance is “frozen” and cannot be used in a transaction. This cannot be undone unless three of the following four seasons are spent beneath the second apron.
Looking at these restrictions, most of them apply to the offseason. The only ones that impact the Knicks in-season are aggregating salary in a trade, sending out cash as part of a trade, and, most crucially, the freezing of their 2033 first-round pick.
To me, the implications on future draft picks are the biggest reason you don’t want to be in the second apron. If the Knicks exceed it, they won’t be able to use the 2033 pick in a trade for at least four years, something that hurts flexibility as you manage salaries and egos. Not to mention that said pick gets thrown back to No. 30 if you’re in the second apron three times in five years.
Where am I going with this? Well, if you read the fine print of the league’s apron policy, you notice one thing in particular.
The first-round pick restriction is only if the team finishes a season in the second apron.
So, as an example, if a team were to exceed the second apron going into the 2026-27 season, but ducked it via trades at the deadline, they would be exempt from that policy.
So for a team that’s perilously close to said apron facing a dilemma… is that worth pursuing?
Let’s do the math.
If the Knicks were not to make a single roster move between now and Opening Night, they would go into the 2026-27 season as a second apron team, exactly $1.625 million over the barrier. That would mean they cannot do any of the trade-related stuff up there, but that’s about it.
It’s from here that Leon has to work his magic.
The simplest way to do this is to bet that you will eventually find a taker for Dadiet or reasonable value for Kolek, allowing you to trade them and shed their salaries off the books. If this happens in one week, two weeks, or three weeks, everything is all good.
NBA rules about salary retention state that, no matter when a player is dealt midseason, their full salary is wiped off the books. That means it can happen as late as the trade deadline, and it would be as if they had never played for the Knicks.
The problem you run into is that the Knicks lose leverage as time goes on. They don’t have much leverage already, with the league knowing their financials, but imagine a situation in February where they’re trying to find someone to take them out of desperation.
To go down this route, the Knicks would have to have confidence that a player could build up midseason trade value, an injury causes a need to open up elsewhere, or current negotiations evolve over weeks and months to make the transaction.
The other route would be to keep Brown and Wiseman on non-guaranteed contracts and watch the clock.
The two currently each have a cap hit of about $2.45 million, which combined is $4.9 million. That means that the Knicks, with no trade made, would need them to make $3.275 million or less combined to stay below the apron. The exact number that each player is able to make this season on the roster concurrently is $1,636,884.
As an example, let’s say Wiseman stays all year. That means he makes $2,449,421, which means that for the Knicks to stay under the second apron (assuming no trades), the max that Brown can make is $812,537. Via the NBA’s prorated salary system, he passes that mark on Black Friday (November 27), so he would need to be cut prior to Thanksgiving to get through waivers.
By doing this, the Knicks would use every last penny they have available to them to maximize their roster and give themselves an extra month to figure out what’s going on. The downside here is that you might get stuck in the same spot of figuring out who to keep, plus you would not be able to sign a 15th player in February, which they can do if they cut Wiseman or Brown this week.
If all of this cap jargon confused you, here’s a TLDR of the two ways the Knicks can go into the season with Wiseman and Brown and no trades:
If the Knicks find a taker for Kolek or Dadiet or any way to cut $1.6 million off their books by the trade deadline, they will finish the season beneath the second apron
If the Knicks release either Brown or Wiseman by November 27 (more like November 25 due to waiver rules), they will save enough money from the non-guaranteed deals to stay just beneath the second apron
I find these unlikely, just because it’s a very MyGM way of operating and not one you’d see in a league where you need to balance personal relationships with roster building.
SAN FRANCISCO – Finally, the Warriors’ six-game preseason slate ended Saturday night at Chase Center in a 128-118 win against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Something clicked for the Warriors after trailing 10-2 to start the game. Warriors coach Steve Kerr called a timeout, and his message was received with his team starting to wake up. The Warriors outscored the Blazers 33-16 the rest of the quarter and never turned back.
The last time the Blazers held a lead was with a little more than five minutes remaining in the first quarter, and the Warriors’ biggest lead of the game was 25 points.
Steph Curry and Draymond Green had their two-man game on point throughout the win. While Curry was only 3 of 11 from 3-point range, he did finish with 20 points, four rebounds and five assists. Green provided a bit of everything with a line of seven points, eight rebounds and 11 assists.
Kerr will be happiest about the Warriors’ lower turnover numbers. After 104 turnovers through five preseason games, the Warriors gave it away 14 times Friday night, including only nine in the first half.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ win, giving them a 4-2 preseason record:
Final Dress Rehearsal
As the regular season creeps closer, the Warriors had one more chance to fine-tune their play in a game setting. The regulars were slated to play anywhere between 25 and 30, giving them a big increase in how much they previously have been playing. The most minutes Curry had played this preseason was 22, four fewer than the 26 he played Friday night.
But Curry continued to have trouble finding his groove early on. He was 1 of 5 in the first before immediately making a three to start the second quarter, but he finished a lowly 3 of 11 overall before halftime. Curry then opened the second half with a three before then finding Green for a triple of his own.
A seven-point first half turned into a 20-point night for Curry, even when he wasn’t his best from behind the 3-point line.
Green, who played 24 minutes, was given rest the previous game and opened full of energy against the Blazers. The 36-year-old was all over the floor and was a plus-18 when his night came to an end. Any questions of Green being ready for the regular season should be put to rest.
The first substitutions Kerr went with were Gui Santos, Gary Payton II and Georges Niang coming in at the eight-minute mark of the first quarter to play alongside Curry and Green, replacing Podziemski, Lendeborg and Charles Bassey.
Depth will be continuously tested for the Warriors. Kerr went with an 11-man rotation in the first half, which was all the players the Warriors had available on the 15-man roster. Players on two-way contracts didn’t enter until midway through the fourth quarter.
Bassey vs. Santos
Just four days ago, Kerr said he’s “leaning towards” a starting lineup of Curry, Podziemski, Lendeborg, Santos and Green. Not so fast. Instead of Santos in the starting lineup, Bassey opened against the Blazers.
Kerr said pregame that he wanted another look at a true center next to Green, and he was noncommittal in who would start next week’s season opener in Los Angeles against the Lakers. Well, Green came out of the gates like the preseason finale was a playoff game, and Bassey’s presence had an impact on the Warriors’ defense, too.
When Bassey was on the court, Green could focus on guarding Blazers star Deni Avdija, as opposed to clanking shoulders alongside the 7-foot-2, 280-pound Donovan Clingan. Plus, Green always loves a lob threat to throw passes up for.
Bassey only played eight minutes and didn’t leave the bench in the second half. In his eight minutes, Bassey was a minus-7 with six points and four rebounds. Santos played 20 minutes, the most of any Warriors bench player, and was a plus-6 with seven points on 3-of-7 shooting.
What every team doesn’t want to see, especially to close out the preseason, is a player going down to injury. Santos gave everyone an injury scare in the first quarter when he fought for a rebound and then began limping. He eventually limped off the floor, grabbed his left knee and went back to the locker room, but he came back at the end of the first quarter and was on the floor in the second.
Despite Bassey being in the starting lineup and Santos getting his left knee looked at, the latter played 47 seconds more than the former going into halftime. Santos then started the second half with Bassey on the bench. Once again, Kerr’s lineups can be very matchup-based this upcoming season.
3-Point Party
Implementing a 5-out offense isn’t all about the 3-point line. It’s about spacing and organization. Let’s be real, though, it sure helps when the Warriors are splashing shots from long distance.
Multiple Warriors let it fly and celebrated cashing in from three.
At first, it was the bench providing a 3-point punch. Niang and Al Horford each made a pair in the first quarter, and Horford went into the half having made four threes. A 12-point advantage on threes helped give the Warriors a nine-point halftime lead. That advantage grew to 21 points through three quarters, with the Warriors ahead by 14 points.
Led by five threes from the 40-year-old Horford, the Warriors’ final numbers from three were 18 makes on 44 tries, good for a 40.9-percent clip. They made four more than the Blazers, giving them 12 more points from deep. Eight different Warriors made a three, and five enjoyed seeing more than one go down.
SAN FRANCISCO – Finally, the Warriors’ six-game preseason slate ended Saturday night at Chase Center in a 128-118 win against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Something clicked for the Warriors after trailing 10-2 to start the game. Warriors coach Steve Kerr called a timeout, and his message was received with his team starting to wake up. The Warriors outscored the Blazers 33-16 the rest of the quarter and never turned back.
The last time the Blazers held a lead was with a little more than five minutes remaining in the first quarter, and the Warriors’ biggest lead of the game was 25 points.
Steph Curry and Draymond Green had their two-man game on point throughout the win. While Curry was only 3 of 11 from 3-point range, he did finish with 20 points, four rebounds and five assists. Green provided a bit of everything with a line of seven points, eight rebounds and 11 assists.
Kerr will be happiest about the Warriors’ lower turnover numbers. After 104 turnovers through five preseason games, the Warriors gave it away 14 times Friday night, including only nine in the first half.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ win, giving them a 4-2 preseason record:
Final Dress Rehearsal
As the regular season creeps closer, the Warriors had one more chance to fine-tune their play in a game setting. The regulars were slated to play anywhere between 25 and 30, giving them a big increase in how much they previously have been playing. The most minutes Curry had played this preseason was 22, four fewer than the 26 he played Friday night.
But Curry continued to have trouble finding his groove early on. He was 1 of 5 in the first before immediately making a three to start the second quarter, but he finished a lowly 3 of 11 overall before halftime. Curry then opened the second half with a three before then finding Green for a triple of his own.
A seven-point first half turned into a 20-point night for Curry, even when he wasn’t his best from behind the 3-point line.
Green, who played 24 minutes, was given rest the previous game and opened full of energy against the Blazers. The 36-year-old was all over the floor and was a plus-18 when his night came to an end. Any questions of Green being ready for the regular season should be put to rest.
The first substitutions Kerr went with were Gui Santos, Gary Payton II and Georges Niang coming in at the eight-minute mark of the first quarter to play alongside Curry and Green, replacing Podziemski, Lendeborg and Charles Bassey.
Depth will be continuously tested for the Warriors. Kerr went with an 11-man rotation in the first half, which was all the players the Warriors had available on the 15-man roster. Players on two-way contracts didn’t enter until midway through the fourth quarter.
Bassey vs. Santos
Just four days ago, Kerr said he’s “leaning towards” a starting lineup of Curry, Podziemski, Lendeborg, Santos and Green. Not so fast. Instead of Santos in the starting lineup, Bassey opened against the Blazers.
Kerr said pregame that he wanted another look at a true center next to Green, and he was noncommittal in who would start next week’s season opener in Los Angeles against the Lakers. Well, Green came out of the gates like the preseason finale was a playoff game, and Bassey’s presence had an impact on the Warriors’ defense, too.
When Bassey was on the court, Green could focus on guarding Blazers star Deni Avdija, as opposed to clanking shoulders alongside the 7-foot-2, 280-pound Donovan Clingan. Plus, Green always loves a lob threat to throw passes up for.
Bassey only played eight minutes and didn’t leave the bench in the second half. In his eight minutes, Bassey was a minus-7 with six points and four rebounds. Santos played 20 minutes, the most of any Warriors bench player, and was a plus-6 with seven points on 3-of-7 shooting.
What every team doesn’t want to see, especially to close out the preseason, is a player going down to injury. Santos gave everyone an injury scare in the first quarter when he fought for a rebound and then began limping. He eventually limped off the floor, grabbed his left knee and went back to the locker room, but he came back at the end of the first quarter and was on the floor in the second.
Despite Bassey being in the starting lineup and Santos getting his left knee looked at, the latter played 47 seconds more than the former going into halftime. Santos then started the second half with Bassey on the bench. Once again, Kerr’s lineups can be very matchup-based this upcoming season.
3-Point Party
Implementing a 5-out offense isn’t all about the 3-point line. It’s about spacing and organization. Let’s be real, though, it sure helps when the Warriors are splashing shots from long distance.
Multiple Warriors let it fly and celebrated cashing in from three.
At first, it was the bench providing a 3-point punch. Niang and Al Horford each made a pair in the first quarter, and Horford went into the half having made four threes. A 12-point advantage on threes helped give the Warriors a nine-point halftime lead. That advantage grew to 21 points through three quarters, with the Warriors ahead by 14 points.
Led by five threes from the 40-year-old Horford, the Warriors’ final numbers from three were 18 makes on 44 tries, good for a 40.9-percent clip. They made four more than the Blazers, giving them 12 more points from deep. Eight different Warriors made a three, and five enjoyed seeing more than one go down.
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 15: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons drives against Ja'Kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on March 15, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons play the Toronto Raptors in Detroit’s preseason finale. It’s a great way to end the pretend time of basketball because the Raptors are among the team’s getting the kind of hype as an upper echelon Eastern Conference team beyond the Pistons. Detroit has an opportunity to show an upstart Kawhi Leonard team. Detroit is still No. 1. Cade Cunningham has a chance to silence the irrational exuberance among the Scottie Barnes supporters. And we can see what Jalen Duren does for an encore.
Game Vitals
When: 7 p.m. ET Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan Watch: TV: TV20 Detroit | Streaming: DAZN Odds: Pistons -9.5
Projected Lineups
DetroitPistons
Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Jalen Duren
Toronto Raptors
Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl
