Calum Ritchie will miss 4-6 weeks and Matias Maccelli 2-4 weeks after both suffered lower-body injuries Saturday night in Toronto, the Islanders announced Monday, confirming another blow to the top of their lineup.
The news leaves the Islanders without one of their best-performing wingers in Maccelli for at least their next six games, starting with the two-game homestand that begins Tuesday against Anaheim. Ritchie, in a best-case scenario under this timeline, would return when the Islanders are in Winnipeg a month from now.
On top of that, coach Pete DeBoer said that Mat Barzal’s return-to-play program would not be sped up on account of other injuries, adding that there is still no timetable for Barzal to return to practicing with the team.
Islanders center Calum Ritchie (64) and Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson (25) battle for control of the puck. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While no one has used the word “setback” in relation to Barzal, a timeline that was couched in optimism throughout training camp — general manager Mathieu Darche didn’t rule him out for opening night when the injury was first announced — is now shrouded in mystery. After traveling with the team opening night, Barzal did not make the trip to Ottawa and Toronto.
Barzal has been skating on his own since at least Oct. 8, but if you are reading the tea leaves, that is not a good sign.
Less than 10 games into the season — and the injuries make it even more obvious that Victor Eklund will stay with the club beyond the nine-game mark at which he uses a year of his contract — the Islanders are down half of their preseason projected top six.
The news Monday came after the Islanders called up Mitchell Chaffee on an emergency basis, clearing a roster spot by moving Alexander Romanov (torn ACL) to injured reserve.
atias Maccelli #63 of the New York Islanders stickhandles the puck against Michael Amadio #22 of the Ottawa Senators. NHLI via Getty Images
“[He] just worked hard, good detail to his game, really professional,” coach Pete DeBoer told reporters of Chaffee, who was one of the last cuts at training camp. “What I liked best about home as he was disappointed when he went down, as he should have been, because he had a good camp. But the way he handled it, he went down and had a hat trick in their opener. That’s a great lesson on how to handle adversity.”
As of now, the Islanders have just 12 healthy forwards on their roster, so it remains to be seen whether they’ll look to call up an extra now that there’s clarity on Ritchie and Maccelli.
Chaffee and Kyle MacLean — who has been the extra forward all year — practiced on the fourth line Monday. Ondrej Palat moved up to the third line, Emil Heineman moved up to the second line and Kyle Palmieri moved back to the first line, having been dropped to the fourth against the Leafs. Brayden Schenn also shifted from left wing to center on the second line.
Nov 19, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) react after scoring a three point basket against the Utah Jazz during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Once a draft steal for the Lakers, Dalton Knecht’s drastic fall has bottomed out.
On Monday, the Lakers made official a move many had speculated this preseason in waiving Knecht, bringing their roster to 15 players.
The Los Angeles Lakers are waiving 2024 No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/SaeDxdSBUo
Prior to Friday’s preseason finale for LA, head coach JJ Redick spoke about Knecht’s situation and what changed from his rookie year to this season.
“I think the biggest thing is the team changed,” Redick said. “The team changed. The needs changed. The fit changed. I think he got better as a player over the last two years. I think each guy has, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the amount of injuries we had. I just think, coming into this year, we got a lot of wings and he’s in a tough spot right now.”
For a brief moment in his rookie career, Knecht looked not only like a diamond in the rough but also a potential Rookie of the Year. But as fast as he burst onto the scene, he faded into the background.
The lasting memory of his tenure in LA will be the failed trade for Mark Williams. After the team acquired Luka Dončić, they immediately moved to bring in a lob-catching center, sending Knecht in a trade package to the Hornets.
That trade, though, was rescinded days later after the deadline. Although he was already on a downward trajectory before then, that moment seemed to seal his fate.
He was given various opportunities throughout his remaining time with the team, but was never able to make an impression. Much of that was due to his continued defensive shortcomings with little progress made on that end of the floor throughout his time in the league.
Coming into training camp, the Lakers had 16 guaranteed contracts with only 15 players allowed on a roster, meaning there was a competition for the final spot. Knecht’s lack of presence throughout the preseason, whether that be in quotes from head coach JJ Redick or actual playing time, showed where he stood.
The limited time he did get on the court offered little reason for optimism. He didn’t make much of an argument to keep him on the roster, bringing us to this decision.
After months of anticipation, the Lakers finally made the necessary move to become compliant with the league’s roster rules.
The team waived Dalton Knecht on Monday ahead of the league’s 2 p.m. deadline to trim their roster from 16 to 15 players signed to standard contracts.
The Lakers cut ties with Dalton Knecht (4) on Monday. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
The Lakers have been needing to trim their roster since signing Matisse Thybulle to a veteran’s minimum contract in late July.
When asked after the team’s practice on Monday whether a decision had been made, coach JJ Redick responded, “those decisions will be made at 2 [p.m.].”
After nearly three months of deliberation, and less than a couple of hours after Redick spoke with reporters, the Lakers decided to part ways with the third-year wing whose role with the team has diminished over the last couple of years.
Dalton Knecht wasn’t a significant factor during the Lakers’ preseason. NBAE via Getty Images
The franchise selected Knecht with the No. 17 pick in the 2024, with the former Tennessee Volunteer making a big splash early on as a rookie.
He was in the rotation from the start of the 2024-25 season, stepping into the starting lineup in mid-November amid injuries — which produced the best stretch of his brief NBA career: Knecht averaged 18.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in the final nine games of November 2024 (nine starts).
Even when he hit a shooting slump in January and December, the 6-foot-5 wing was still getting consistent playing time as a part of the rotation.
It looked like Knecht was going to come out of the slump after scoring 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the Lakers’ win over the Clippers on Feb. 4, 2025.
But his career hasn’t been the same since.
Dalton Knecht’s role with the Lakers diminished over the last couple of years. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
That was still true during his second season with the Lakers in 2025-26: He played 553 total minutes during the regular season across 54 games after recording 1,494 minutes in 78 regular-season games as a rookie.
“The biggest thing is the team changed,” coach JJ Redick said last week when asked where things went wrong for Knecht. “The team changed. The needs changed, the fit changed. I think he got better as a player over the last two years. I think each guy has, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the amount of injuries we had. So I just think coming into this year, we added a lot of wings and he’s in a tough spot right now.”
Knecht averaged just 2.8 points (11.8 minutes per game) in four of the Lakers’ five preseason games.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 07: Austin Wells #28 of the New York Yankees stands for the National Anthem prior to Game Three of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, October 7, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Austin Wells reportedly faced some health issues this season that set back his performance offensively. The question is, will the Yankees explore options to replace him?
Wells is eligible for arbitration, under club control through the 2029 season. The most likely scenario has him remaining behind the plate for the Yankees next year. To explain his early struggles in the regular season, a recent report from The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty revealed that Wells suffered multiple blows to the head that affected his focus.
According to Kuty’s reporting, Wells recalled specific instances where he was hit off deflections from Cam Schlittler’s pitches. During the Yankees’ first meeting against the Red Sox this season, Wells got clocked after Wilyer Abreu got a piece of Schlittler’s 98 mph fastball. The Yankees’ catcher shared that he suffered the same fate two weeks later, when William Contreras fouled back another of Schlittler’s 99 mph fastballs. Wells also shared with Kuty that he was suffering from headaches and found it difficult to track pitches during his at-bats, which led to his brief stint on the injured list in early June.
The Yankees’ catcher finished the first half of the season batting .155 with a .258 slugging percentage and six homers in 220 plate appearances. Following the All-Star break, Wells turned it around and seemed to find his groove in the second half of July. He built on his momentum in August and finished the final two months with 11 extra-base hits and a .784 OPS in 140 plate appearances. Despite his inconsistent offensive performance this season, the 27-year-old continued to shine behind the plate and was named a Gold Glove Award finalist.
Wells continued to perform well in the postseason and racked up three hits and scored two runs in the Wild Card Series against Boston. Much like the majority of the Yankees’ offense, excluding Ben Rice, he struggled against the Rays and got only two hits in a combined nine plate appearances, including an ignominious baserunning blunder during the 1-0 loss in the ALDS opener.
It’s also worth noting that Wells probably wouldn’t have felt more pressure to get back behind the plate as quickly as possible if the Yankees’ backup catcher options weren’t so mediocre. J.C. Escarra had the understudy role for the first half of the season and posted a .188 average with a .239 OBP and .510 OPS. Ali Sánchez finished the regular season with similar numbers, and though he was a good framer, he struggled at other parts of catching, including a 42-percent success rate on challenges.
An earlier report from MLB Trade Rumors projected Wells’ salary to be approximately $2.6 million, and the best move for the Yankees would likely be to settle on a figure that will give them enough flexibility to fill more pressing positions, including third base, second base, and center field.
The Lakers have until 2 p.m. to trim their roster from 16 players signed to standard NBA deals to the maximum of 15 today.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James was excused during practice today. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Redick said the Lakers had a couple of players who were “under the weather” before adding that James and Knecht were excused from practice.
Redick added that the Lakers hadn’t made a decision about their roster crunch as of the time of post-practice media availability.
“Those decisions will be made at 2 [p.m.],” Redick added.
Knecht’s name has swirled in Lakers’ roster crunch rumors for the last several weeks.
And, as of an hour ago and after nearly three months of deliberation, the team decided to part ways with the third-year wing whose role has diminished over the last couple of weeks.
The No. 17 pick in the 2024 draft, the former Tennessee Volunteer made a big splash early on as a rookie with the Lakers before his role with the team lessened.
He was in the rotation from the start of the 2024–25 season, stepping into the starting lineup in mid-November amid injuries — which produced the best stretch of his brief NBA career: Knecht averaged 18.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in the final nine games of November 2024 with nine starts.
The Lakers cut ties with Dalton Knecht today, after the No. 17 pick’s involvement with the team lessened over the years. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Even when he hit a shooting slump in January and December, the 6-foot-5 wing was still getting consistent playing time as part of the rotation. It looked like Knecht was going to come out of the slump after scoring 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the Lakers’ win over the Clippers on Feb. 4, 2025.
That was still true during his second season with the Lakers in 2025–26: He played 553 total minutes during the regular season across 54 games after recording 1,494 minutes in 78 regular-season games as a rookie.
“The biggest thing is the team changed,” coach JJ Redick said last week when asked where things went wrong for Knecht. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“The biggest thing is the team changed,” coach JJ Redick said last week when asked where things went wrong for Knecht. “The team changed. The needs changed, the fit changed. I think he got better as a player over the last two years.”
He continued, :I think each guy has, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the amount of injuries we had. So I just think coming into this year, we added a lot of wings and he’s in a tough spot right now.”
Knecht averaged just 2.8 points (11.8 minutes per game) in four of the Lakers’ five preseason games.
James, the oldest son of former Lakers superstar LeBron James, has struggled during the preseason after taking significant strides in his development to close out last season. He’s averaged just 2.2 points on 25% shooting in the Lakers’ five preseason games.
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 18: Tyler Kolek #13 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball while being guarded by Andrew Nembhard #2 of the Indiana Pacers in the fourth quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 18, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In his latest Stein Line newsletter, Marc Stein reported that the Knicks “did not shop reserve guard Tyler Kolek to try to make roster room for Bruce Brown.”
According to Stein, only a trade for a center would have pried Kolek from New York’s bench.
Prior to the recent release of the veteran Brown on October 17, there were reports that the team was shopping both Pacome Dadiet and Kolek. Of the two, we assumed there would be more interest in Kolek, who is the more polished player. The third-year, third-string point guard might be a little old for a development project (he’ll turn 26 in March), but he logged one triple-double last season and was key in a 114–113 win over Indiana, posting 16 points and 11 assists.
Dadiet and Kolek appear set to be in uniform for opening night—as will James Wiseman, who beat out Brown and a few others for the 14th roster spot. To stay below the second apron, the Knicks are carrying only 14 players into the season. Signing Wiseman allowed the them to add another center without sacrificing Kolek.
Coach Mike Brown is reported to be a fan of Wiseman and was an assistant coach on the Warriors when they drafted the 6’11” center in 2020. Stein quoted Brown as saying, “[Karl-Anthony Towns is] not athletic like that and Andre [Drummond] was once that—he still has some of it… [Wiseman’s] vertical threat at the rim, the vertical threat defensively, how good he runs, you welcome that at his size and age and athleticism.”
Coincidentally, Wiseman will also turn 26 in March, four days after Kolek.
After missing all of training camp and the preseason because of an offseason training injury, as well as the first two games of the 2026-27 season, Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin now has six games under his belt.
Larkin scored a goal and added an assist in his season debut during Detroit's 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 6. He has since added another assist, coming in the Red Wings' 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 15.
However, he hasn't quite looked like himself yet, going without a goal in his last five games while also committing a handful of uncharacteristic turnovers.
Is Larkin still feeling the effects of his original injury, or is he simply playing catch-up after missing so much time during training camp and the preseason? According to head coach Todd McLellan, it's the latter.
"I don't know about it if he is; I haven't been told anything from him or the trainers," he responded when asked if Larkin is still dealing with an injury. "But his injury prevented him from doing what everybody does right before camp, a month before you really ramp it up. The skates become more intense; body contact begins.
You play in tighter areas, you stop and start more than when you skate in late July, because you're taking it up."
The NHL regular season is even more of a grind now with 84 games being played. Because of the shortened Training Camp and preseason schedule, all players had quicker acclimations to the new season.
Unfortunately for Larkin, who wasn't able to participate in Camp or any of Detroit's four preseason games, it's been baptism by fire.
"Everybody knew that camp was short this year, so I think the summer skates became a little more important," McLellan said. "He had none of that, so he's playing catch-up. He simply is."
Regardless, the Red Wings are going to hope for Larkin to contribute more regularly on offense as they embark on a four-game road swing that begins on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena.
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During Monday's episode of his 32 Thoughts podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman gave a lengthy update on the situation between the Winnipeg Jets and superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, revealing new details about how the standoff has unfolded.
According to Friedman, the 33-year-old was not simply sitting out of the Jets lineup. He was suspended by the team, even though he had informed the club around the season opener that he was ready to return with the suspension running through this Friday, October 23rd.
"Because he had left them and not shown up without permission, the Jets had some added power under the CBA, where they could give him a suspension of reasonable length," Friedman explained. He said the league and the Players Association settled on a window of roughly two and a half to three weeks for what counts as reasonable.
That leaves the Jets with a new deadline and three options. They can trade Hellebuyck before Friday. They can keep him out of the lineup while paying him, since a team cannot bar a player under contract from playing and also withhold his pay. Or, most intriguingly, they can welcome him back in the Jets lineup.
Friedman does not expect Hellebuyck to play anytime soon as days after the suspension expires on Saturday, October 25th, Winnipeg hosts the Montreal Canadiens in the Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium. Friedman said the organization does not want the Hellebuyck storyline to overshadow the outdoor game.
The following Tuesday, the Jets host the Florida Panthers, a date that will likely carry the storyline into the next week and could mark a Hellebuyck return if Winnipeg's leadership decides it is the right call.
How the Jets proceed is still up for debate as Friedman again said he believes general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will not accept a bad trade for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner. If no deal materializes, the question becomes whether the team and its leadership would welcome Hellebuyck back or have him sit out with pay.
Friedman and former NHLers Kevin Bieksa and Luke Gazdic, his colleagues on the Sportsnet panel, disagreed on the point with Friedman saying he does not believe the players would want Hellebuyck back, while Gazdic argued that the goaltender would be welcomed back given his experience and that it would benefit the team.
The Jets are currently 4-2-2 with a 3.00 goals-against average, a mark that sits in the middle of the pack in the NHL. Combining Hellebuyck with Stuart Skinner, who has been Winnipeg's starter this season, could give the Jets their best goaltending tandem in years.
A return would not be unprecedented as elsewhere in the NHL this season, Dylan Larkin, who requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings, was not granted one and returned to the team with his captaincy removed. Friedman likened Larkin's situation to a "weird limbo," in which a player waits for a trade while playing out the season, and said Hellebuyck could do the same.
When Larkin came back, he played as well as he could and won back some favor in Hockeytown. If Hellebuyck follows that path in Winnipeg, it raises the question of whether Jets fans would soften their stance on the Olympic gold medalist.
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After practice Monday, Knicks coach Mike Brown, as well as guards Jalen Brunsonand Landry Shamet, spoke about what it means to turn the page on their championship berth and enter a new campaign with largely the same group.
Turning the page on a title
The Knicks will kick off their 2026-27 campaign with one last celebration of their historic NBA title: a ring presentation and banner raising ceremony hosted at MSG ahead of their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday night.
As fun as it's been to revel in their success the last few months, much of the team is already trying to move forward.
"Every year, it's a new year to attack something,"Brunsonsaid. "When people say we're defending the title — I mean, that's one way to look at it, but it's something we won. We've put in our past, and now we're just trying to attack another."
Shamet added that although fans across New York City are still riding the high of the championship, once the new season starts, everyone will be more focused what lies ahead.
"I think the fascinating part about sports is that starting tomorrow, no one cares [about the championship],"Shametadded. "After the ceremony's over, it's 0-0. We're a competitive bunch, and by no means is anybody expecting to just coast or anything like that. That's definitely not the tone of our group."
Between the ring presentation, the roar of the home crowd, and the excitement of a new season, having a ceremony immediately before the opener against Philly could be distracting. But Brown said he trusts his players to compartmentalize.
"It's hard, because they're human, and there's a part of you that wants to keep celebrating, but we've got to turn it off," he said. "The challenge is to try to get them enjoy the moment, but not fully. You have to try to supress all that early, before the ceremony, so that you can quickly get not just your body, but your mind and your emotions into the task in front of you."
The hard part, Shamet said, is to not get so wrapped up in what they've already accomplished that they become cocky or complacent.
"I think that's maybe some of the challenge that I've read about and seen in the past that championship teams have," Shamet added. "How do you take the high in the celebration at the beginning of the game, and still go out and perform, play the brand of basketball that you'd want to play?"
Jalen Brunson on Knicks fans seeing a new banner raised tomorrow night: "They deserve it. This is something that's been brewing for a long time...to share this moment with them is definitely going to be special." https://t.co/IlRiUGpGil
For the first time in his eight-year career, Shamet is spending a third-straight season with the same team.
After splitting his freshman season between the 76ers and the Clippers, he floated from the Nets, to the Suns, to the Wizards, until finally landing in the Knicks organization in 2024. He then dislocated his shoulder, got waived by the Knicks, spent a few months recovering, and worked his way from New York's' G-League affiliate back onto the major league bench.
Shamet ended up a crucial piece of the Knicks bench late in the playoffs, shooting 55.6 percent and 41.7 percent from the field in Games 1 and 2 of the Finals, respectively. In June, he inked a four-year deal with the team worth $24 million, marking Shamet's first long-term commitment with a team.
"It's not lost on me. I feel like I try and do a good job of not taking much for granted," Shamet said of his tenure with the Knicks. "[I've] never spent three consecutive training camps with the same organization, so feels really good ... to be here and have a familiar group and feel comfortable and confident with the people I'm around. I feel like they feel the same way about me, so I don't take that for granted at all."
He's one of several key players the Knicks were able to retain in the offseason — a fact that should give them a boost against many of their Eastern Conference rivals, whose rosters saw major shakeups over the summer: Boston got Paul George and former Knick Mitchell Robinson, Philadelphia added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, Toronto welcomed Kawhi Leonard back after seven years away from the team, and Miami acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo after a lengthy trade battle with Boston.
While those teams spend the early months of the season working out the kinks that come with a roster rebrand, the Knicks are hoping to lean on their well-established system to get ahead early.
"[It's] very valuable," Brunson said of returning so many key players. "For us to come back, it's good to have our chemistry continue to grow, understanding that we've done it, but are we still hungry, are we still satisfied? Do we continue to get better every single day, or are we just content? That's our big question that's going to be answered within the first couple weeks of the season. However we answer it, we're going to attack it and get better every single day after that."
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The King is about to meet the champs.
On Tuesday, Oct. 20, LeBron James will play his first regular season game as a Philadelphia 76er (along with fellow splashy acquisition Jaylen Brown) when his new-look club visits Madison Square Garden to take on Jalen Brunson’s defending champion New York Knicks.
This won’t be just a high-profile opening night game, though.
Prior to tip-off, Mike Brown’s squad is celebrating their 2025-26 Finals victory over the San Antonio Spurs with a pregame ceremony where a) players and coaches will receive championship rings, b) the championship banner will be risen to the rafters and c) a special video looking back at the team’s first title in 53 years will play.
“It’s gonna be a great night,” Brunson smiled.
If you’d like to be there for the momentous occasion, last-minute tickets are still available.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for opening night was $1,063 including fees on StubHub.
While not exactly cheap — this is reportedly the most expensive regular season game in NBA history after all — ticket prices have dropped over the past week. When our team last reported on how much it cost to get in to this contest on Oct. 14, prices started at $1,149 including fees on Vivid Seats.
In the off chance you don’t have a calculator on hand, they’re now $86 less than they were five days ago.
And, prices may continue to drop leading to tip-off. We recommend refreshing this link to see if any surprise deals pop up.
Still too rich for your blood?
That’s OK. Other Knicks home games at MSG have tickets going for as low as $178 including fees on Vivid Seats (that’s actually for the Oct. 25 showdown with the Magic at the Garden).
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Knicks’ 2026-27 MSG home opener against the 76ers below.
How much are tickets for the Knicks opening night game against the 76ers?
A complete breakdown of all the best prices on seats by section at Madison Square Garden for the Oct. 20 Knicks vs. 76ers game are listed here:
Madison Square Garden sections
Ticket prices start at
300 level
$1,063(including fees)
200 level
$1,203(including fees)
100 level
$1,830(including fees)
Lower level
$2,514(including fees)
What do tickets cost for the Knicks’ other 2026-27 home games at MSG?
All Knicks home game dates, opponents, start times and links to the cheapest tickets available are listed below.
October 2026 regular season games at MSG
Knicks October 2026 regular season games
Ticket prices start at
Orlando Magic vs. KnicksSunday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.
$178(including fees)
Detroit Pistons vs. Knicks Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m.
$179(including fees)
November 2026 regular season games at MSG
Knicks November 2026 regular season games
Ticket prices start at
Brooklyn Nets vs. Knicks Monday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
$180(including fees)
Chicago Bulls vs. KnicksWednesday, Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m.
$186(including fees)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Knicks Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
$149(including fees)
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. KnicksWednesday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.
$207(including fees)
Portland Trail Blazers vs. KnicksSaturday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
$218(including fees)
Indiana Pacers vs. KnicksSunday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m.
$186(including fees)
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Knicks NBA Cup Game Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m.
$283(including fees)
Miami Heat vs. KnicksNBA Cup Game Friday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m.
$338(including fees)
Atlanta Hawks vs. KnicksSunday, Nov. 29 at 6 p.m.
$184(including fees)
*Games listed as “NBA Cup Game” are part of the NBA in-season tournament.
December 2026 regular season games at MSG
Knicks December 2026 regular season games
Ticket prices start at
Utah Jazz vs. KnicksWednesday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
$254(including fees)
San Antonio Spurs vs. KnicksFriday, Dec. 25 at 12 p.m.
$478(including fees)
Brooklyn Nets vs. KnicksSunday, Dec. 27 at 6 p.m.
$325(including fees)
January 2027 regular season games at MSG
Knicks January 2027 regular season games
Ticket prices start at
Denver Nuggets vs. KnicksMonday, Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
$204(including fees)
Miami Heat vs. KnicksThursday, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
$254(including fees)
Dallas Mavericks vs. KnicksSaturday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
$294(including fees)
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. KnicksMonday, Jan. 18 at 5 p.m.
$209(including fees)
Toronto Raptors vs. KnicksWednesday, Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m.
$195(including fees)
LA Clippers vs. KnicksSunday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.
$201(including fees)
Phoenix Suns vs. KnicksTuesday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
$178(including fees)
Atlanta Hawks vs. KnicksThursday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.
$184(including fees)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. KnicksSaturday, Jan. 30 at 8:30 p.m.
$363(including fees)
February 2027 regular season games at MSG
Knicks February 2027 regular season games
Ticket prices start at
Toronto Raptors vs. KnicksThursday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m.
$205(including fees)
Charlotte Hornets vs. KnicksTuesday, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
$195(including fees)
Golden State Warriors vs. KnicksSaturday, Feb. 13 at 8:30 p.m.
$343(including fees)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. KnicksThursday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m.
$298(including fees)
Philadelphia 76ers vs. KnicksSaturday, Feb. 27 at 8:30 p.m.
$379(including fees)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. KnicksSunday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m.
$195(including fees)
March 2027 regular season games at MSG
Knicks March 2027 regular season games
Ticket prices start at
Memphis Grizzlies vs. KnicksTuesday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.
$189(including fees)
Boston Celtics vs. KnicksSunday, March 14 at 12 p.m.
$324(including fees)
Sacramento Kings vs. KnicksWednesday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m.
$195(including fees)
Washington Wizards vs. KnicksSaturday, March 20 at 1 p.m.
$281(including fees)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. KnicksTuesday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m.
$191(including fees)
Houston Rockets vs. KnicksWednesday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m.
$204(including fees)
April 2027 regular season games at MSG
Knicks April 2027 regular season games
Ticket prices start at
Charlotte Hornets vs. KnicksThursday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m.
$193(including fees)
Boston Celtics vs. KnicksSunday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.
$292(including fees)
Detroit Pistons vs. KnicksFriday, April 9 at 7 p.m.
$232(including fees)
Indiana Pacers vs. KnicksSunday, April 11 at 6 p.m.
$221(including fees)
Where are the Knicks playing on the road in 2026-27?
Here’s where you can find Brunson, Towns and the team when they’re not at MSG from October 2026 through April 2027.
How can I watch the Knicks on TV in 2026-27?
There are a number of options for fans who prefer to watch games from the comfort of their own home.
MSG Network, ABC, ESPN, NBC, Amazon Prime Video and NBA TV are likely your best bets.
For cord cutters, we recommend looking into Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling or YouTube TV.
Just make sure to check local listings before tuning in.
Huge shows at MSG in 2026-27
Want to catch a show at the Big Apple’s one-of-a-kind entertainment epicenter?
Here are just five of the biggest acts headed to the Garden these next few months.
• Dave Chappelle (Nov. 6-7)
• Dave Matthews Band (Nov. 12-13)
• Stevie Wonder (Nov. 19)
• Doja Cat with Latto (Dec. 1)
• Andrea Bocelli (Dec. 16-17)
Who else is headed to the Garden? Take a look at this list of all the biggest events at MSG these next few months to find the show or game for you.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 14: Jake Bauers #9 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a two run Home Run during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last week, I wrote an article breaking down NLCS MVP Jake Bauers’ 12-pitch walk against Yoshinobu Yamamoto. At the time, I called it “the best at-bat of the NLCS.”
That turned out to be incredibly presumptuous: just two days later, he worked an 11-pitch at-bat against Blake Snell that ended not with a walk, but with a go-ahead two-run home run.
Since the first at-bat earned a breakdown, this one deserves one too.
Blake Snell’s Arsenal
Snell doesn’t have quite the pitch variety Yamamoto does, but the two-time Cy Young Award winner is still incredibly nasty. He throws four pitches: a four-seam fastball, changeup, slider, and curveball. His fastball and changeup break in toward a left-handed hitter, while his slider and curveball break away. His fastball has elite “ride,” staying up as it reaches the plate, while his curveball drops off the table.
His arsenal is pretty standard; he doesn’t throw anything exotic like Yamamoto’s splitter. Still, he remains one of the best pitchers in the game for a few reasons:
1. All of his pitches are swing-and-miss pitches: Most starters have one or two put-away pitches, but all four of Snell’s miss bats. His curveball is probably his best pitch and one of the best breaking balls in the game.
Snell has missed chunks of the last three seasons due to injury, so he hasn’t qualified for year-end leaderboards since 2023, his second Cy Young season. That year, all three of his secondary pitches (slider, changeup, and curveball) had whiff rates around 50%, and his overall whiff rate ranked in the 98th percentile.
2. His fastball-curveball combination is brutal: In Game 3, his four-seamer sat around 97-98 mph with about 18-20 inches of induced vertical break, meaning it rode higher than hitters expected. His curveball came in around 83 mph and dropped roughly four feet. Both come from the same arm slot, so hitters have to guess between a fastball riding up at the letters and a curveball that falls off the table and out of the bottom of the zone. On top of that, the curveball arrives about 15 mph slower, so even a hitter who guesses right on location can be way out in front.
3. He works the edges of the zone: Snell rarely gives in with something over the middle. He lives on the corners and just above and below the zone, which leads to lots of chases and weak contact when hitters do swing.
The tradeoff is that he’s more prone to walks and high pitch counts than your average ace. His approach would rather put a hitter on base than give him something to drive. A few more stats from his 2023 season:
Only 44.7% of his fastballs were in the strike zone, the 14th-lowest rate among starters.
His slider had the lowest zone rate of any qualifying starter, at 25%.
He led MLB with 99 walks.
In short, Snell has some of the best stuff in baseball, and he doesn’t like giving hitters anything to hit. That makes what Bauers did all the more impressive:
Every pitch from Jake Bauers’ masterful 11 pitch at-bat vs. Blake Snell…
Pitchers tend to attack Bauers up and in. He’s a patient hitter, but like many power hitters, he’ll hunt inside fastballs and try to drive them, which means he can sometimes be jammed or beaten by velocity. Because of that, opponents often pair high, inside fastballs with breaking balls and changeups away, trying to keep him off balance and induce weak contact. Snell was no exception.
Jake Bauers vs. Blake Snell: The Breakdown
Pitch 1: 89.4-mph slider (0-1): Snell’s first pitch, a slider, starts up and in. It comes in looking like a fastball, but instead of riding up like his four-seamer, it drops late. Unlike a typical slider, though, this one has almost no horizontal break, so it doesn’t sweep away from the left-handed Bauers. He initially looks like he wants it but checks his swing, presumably because he recognizes the late drop and knows he can’t drive it. The slider stays in the zone for strike one.
Pitch 2: 83.8-mph changeup (1-1): Snell follows with a changeup, about 14 mph slower than his fastball, that dives 34 inches and runs in toward Bauers. Lefties don’t often throw changeups to left-handed hitters (in particular, Snell’s changeup performs better against righties), so it’s a sign Snell is willing to show Bauers everything. The goal is to stop him from sitting on the fastball, but the pitch bounces in the dirt for ball one.
Pitch 3: 96.3-mph fastball (2-1): Snell throws a fastball low and away, likely hoping Bauers will take it for strike two so he can go for the put-away pitch. He misses, though, and the count goes to 2-1.
Pitch 4: 87.0-mph changeup (2-2): Snell comes back with another changeup, this one starting high and inside before dropping. Bauers is out in front and just barely ticks the top of the ball for a foul tip that ends up in the glove of catcher Will Smith. Strike two.
Pitch 5: 90.6-mph slider (2-2): Snell goes back to the slider for the first time since the opening pitch. Like that first one, it has almost no horizontal break, so out of the hand it looks like a fastball, and Bauers appears to be sitting on one. His front foot comes down well before the pitch arrives, but he does a great job keeping his weight back and waiting on the slider before fouling it off to stay alive.
Pitch 6: 82.3-mph curveball (2-2): Bauers is still a little out in front, since he’s clearly not expecting a curveball, but he manages to chop it foul.
Pitch 7: 97.6-mph fastball (3-2): Snell follows the slow curveball with the hardest fastball he’s thrown Bauers all at-bat, a jump of 15 mph. Bauers wants it and starts to swing, but he recognizes it’s a few inches off the inside corner and checks his swing to run the count full.
Pitch 8: 98.2-mph fastball (3-2): Snell comes back with another fastball, this one even harder than the last one. It starts up in the zone before riding up and out of it. Bauers is already committed and can’t check his swing, but he gets enough of it to foul it back and stay alive.
Pitch 9: 86.3-mph changeup (3-2): Snell changes speeds again, coming back with a changeup that’s about 12 mph slower than the fastball. Once again, Bauers isn’t sitting on the changeup, so he’s out in front, but he manages to keep his weight back and just gets a piece of it.
Pitch 10: 90.9-mph slider (3-2): Snell comes back with a third slider. Bauers is out in front again, so his swing is still awkward, but now that he’s seen it a couple of times, he’s able to do more than just foul it off. He lines it down the right field line, but it goes just foul.
Pitch 11: 97.8-mph fastball (home run): After two straight secondary pitches, Snell goes back to the fastball, presumably trying to blow it by Bauers high and inside. Instead, it runs out over the middle of the plate, and Bauers — who’s been sitting fastball all at-bat — doesn’t miss it: 109.4 mph off the bat, 412 feet to right field. The two-run homer scores Christian Yelich and gives the Brewers a lead they never relinquish.
So, to correct myself: Bauers’ walk against Yamamoto was the best at-bat of the NLCS for exactly one game. I’m done making predictions. At this rate, he might top this one too.
DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 19: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on January 19, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
DETROIT — The Celtics will be at near-full strength when they face the Detroit Pistons for their first game of the year on Tuesday at 3pm ET.
The only exception is Devin Carter, who is listed as out with an illness. Carter, who signed a two-way contract with the Celtics on Sunday after beginning the year on an Exhibit 10 contract, was diagnosed with mononucleosis and could miss several weeks.
Devin Carter has been diagnosed with mononucleosis and could miss a few more weeks. #Celtics did announce he has signed their final two-way deal.
The rest of the roster is good to go. In the two preseason games in which the Celtics were at full strength, they started Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Jayson Tatum, Paul George and Mitchell Robinson, though it remains to be seen if that will be their go-to starting lineup when the regular season begins.
The Celtics went 4-0 in preseason, racking up two wins against the Philadelphia 76ers, a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and a win against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Celtics face the reigning No. 1 seed in the season opener
The Celtics went 1-3 against the Pistons during the regular season last year. The Pistons finished the season with the Eastern Conference’s best record at 60-22; the Celtics’ finished with the second-best record at 56-26. Detroit’s season ended at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
This Pistons team is different than the one that dominated last year’s regular season; they lost two key rotation pieces in Tobias Harris, who left in free agency to join the San Antonion Spurs, and Isaiah Stewart, who was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Their biggest additions are forward John Collins, who they acquired via trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, and Isaiah Joe, who they acquired via trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Pistons, who went 3-1 in the preseason, are expected to start Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins and Jalen Duren when the two teams face off on Tuesday.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 21: Nationals owner Mark Lerner, left talks with Washington Commanders new owner Josh Harris several hours before Harris is to throw out the first pitch before a game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on September 21, 2023. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The biggest complaint many Nationals fans have about the organization right now is the lack of spending and questionable commitment from ownership. Since winning the World Series back in 2019, the organization fell into a malaise. Payroll was slashed, stars were traded and last place finishes piled up. Now, after the team took a step forward under Paul Toboni and Blake Butera, the time to show commitment is now.
If the Nats do not spend serious money this offseason, it is very hard to believe that it will happen ever again. The team enters the offseason with the smallest payroll in the sport by $25 million. Spencer Nusbaum wrote a great story about this and took a look at some offseason possibilities.
The Nationals will enter the winter with the smallest payroll in MLB by about $25 million, per @EthanHullihen. That is a wide margin.
So which players are at their disposal at different spending limits? Free to read: https://t.co/GL2uNhm88W
After an 11 win improvement and so little money on the books, it feels like the perfect time to spend. The Nats could spend around $70 million this offseason and still only have the 20th ranked payroll in the sport. That sort of spending would give the Nats the ability to sign a big fish in the rotation and the bullpen while still having money to play with.
We have written about some of the possibilities including Kevin Gausman, Michael King and Tyler Mahle. The Nats could realistically sign two of those guys and still be a bottom 10 payroll. This is about as financially flexible as a team can be. The only question is whether the Lerner family wants to spend any money at all. Or is having the lowest payroll in the league the whole point?
Since the 2020-21 offseason, the Nats have been one of the least active teams in free agency, at least when it comes to handing out real money. They have not spent more than $15 million since that offseason. The Nats have not given out a free agent contract worth over $10 million per year since 2022.
Even the Rays, a notoriously small market club, gave Nick Martinez 1-year $13 million. Martinez rewarded the Rays for that investment with a 3.10 ERA in 180 innings. At the very least, the Nats need to be making deals like that. If the Nats shopped in that aisle of free agency instead of settling for Miles Mikolas and Cionel Perez, this season could have been a lot different.
Of course, spending money for the sake of it is not wise. The teams remaining are all smaller market clubs, but they pick their spots to spend as well. Milwaukee has locked up Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio and Cooper Pratt among others. The Rays have extended Yandy Diaz and made the Martinez move. Meanwhile, the Guardians extended Jose Ramirez and Tanner Bibee.
Another factor that could loom large here is the lockout. In any world where a salary floor is implemented, the Nats will be well below it. That will force them to spend money, and agents will exploit that. Why not get ahead of it and spend like you should anyways. This is not a small market club!
This post is a good guide to where teams sit financially and what they would need to spend to get to a floor. As you see, the Nats would need to spend some serious money. If a floor is implemented, the Nats will sign players to reach it and take on contracts other teams do not want.
Whether the Nats spend will be the ultimate question this offseason, along with the lockout. Sure, you can have success with a smaller market, but the Nats are just limiting themselves by being so cheap. You are closing the door to talented players.
I also think the sales pitch to free agents will be easier this offseason. After the new regime’s first season, the arrow is pointing up for the first time in a while. This team is not 5 years away anymore. Nats fans have been waiting for a good team for a long time. Now that is finally within shouting distance. It is time to strike and aggressively push to make this team better. The money is there, now spend it and spend it wisely.
With direct access to Lakers memorabilia, the franchise’s global fan base and eBay’s live-commerce infrastructure, Goldin is drawing on decades of auction expertise to bring sports history to mainstream fans and established collectors alike.
Magic Johnson signed his name three times across a purple Los Angeles Lakers jersey before Ken Goldin brought it to auction.
The five-time NBA champion was among the Lakers legends participating in an invitation-only gathering at a private residence in West Hollywood on October 13. Public figures, private collectors, athletes, and industry figures, including Rob Veres of Burbank Sports Cards and members of the Trove Media team, gathered for an evening of live signings, historical memorabilia and auctions streamed through eBay Live.
Johnson’s signed jersey was auctioned, with proceeds benefiting the Magic Johnson Foundation. Lakers legends Kurt Rambis and Derek Fisher also participated in the evening, while Goldin presented an assortment of collectibles spanning generations of Lakers history.
Elsewhere in the residence, a Wilt Chamberlain jersey photo-matched to Game 3 of the 1972 NBA Finals stood alongside a Magic Johnson jersey worn during his 1989–90 MVP season. Kobe Bryant’s twice-signed Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2K4 sneakers, worn during his 42-point playoff performance against the San Antonio Spurs in 2004, were also on display. Five championship rings belonging to longtime Lakers public-address announcer Lawrence Tanter represented the franchise’s championship runs from 2000 to 2002 and 2009 to 2010.
The evening marked the first major activation of Goldin’s multiyear partnership with the Lakers, announced in July, which named the eBay-owned company the franchise’s official auction house sponsor. Beginning October 28, Goldin will introduce weekly Wednesday auctions on eBay Live, bringing together historical memorabilia and equipment used during the current NBA season.
For Ken Goldin, the choice of partner was deliberate.
“Look, for me, I wanted to start at the top,” Goldin told Sam Goodman, Mantel contributor and founder of SOMOS Index, pointing to the Lakers’ championship history, international recognition and generations of culturally significant players.
The agreement represents more than an opportunity to sell memorabilia associated with one of basketball’s most recognizable franchises. It connects Goldin directly with the organization producing and preserving those objects, while opening access to the global audience that gives them cultural and commercial significance.
The Goldin Advantage
Auction houses have traditionally relied on private collectors, dealers and consignors to bring valuable memorabilia to market. A historically significant jersey might remain in a personal collection for decades before its owner decides to sell.
Goldin’s Lakers partnership introduces a different approach, establishing a direct relationship with the franchise rather than depending exclusively on owners bringing memorabilia to auction.
“How does working with professional sports organizations change your approach to sourcing inventory?” Goodman asked.
“For us, it gives us a guaranteed supply without competition,” Goldin responded.
The agreement gives Goldin access to selected memorabilia from the Lakers’ historical archives alongside contemporary game-used equipment, including jerseys, basketballs and nets. Rather than competing for those objects once they enter private collections, the auction house can source them through the organization itself.
That relationship is particularly important in a market where an object’s value depends not only on who used it, but also on the ability to establish its history.
“To us, provenance and authenticity is the number one thing,” Goldin explained. “Is it real? Is it authentic? We are getting it from the source.”
Acquiring memorabilia directly from the franchise provides a clearer chain of custody, connecting an item’s documented use to its eventual sale. For collectors, that provenance can be as important as the athlete or performance associated with it.
Direct sourcing also changes how quickly memorabilia can reach the market.
Goldin described how equipment associated with a significant performance could potentially reach auction as soon as the following day, rather than spending years circulating through private collections. The same relationship could allow collectors to pursue objects before their significance has even been established.
He outlined plans for a service allowing fans to arrange the purchase of game-worn memorabilia before an upcoming matchup. A collector, for example, could request an Austin Reaves jersey without knowing whether the player will deliver an ordinary performance or a career-defining night.
The distinction is significant. Historically, collectors have often pursued memorabilia after an athlete or moment has become important. Goldin’s approach could allow them to acquire objects tied to moments whose place in sports history has yet to be determined.
For an auction house built around bringing desirable collectibles to market, the Lakers relationship provides a closer connection to the athletes, games and organizations responsible for creating them.
The Power of the Purple and Gold
The Lakers offer Goldin something beyond a collection of historic jerseys and game-used equipment.
Few professional sports franchises have a cultural identity as recognizable as the Lakers. From Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant to LeBron James and Luka Dončić, the team’s history extends across generations of basketball, entertainment and popular culture.
That recognition also gives Goldin access to an audience far larger than the established sports memorabilia market.
“Part of our deal is that this is going to be promoted to the millions of fans that are in the Lakers database and maybe not in my auction database,” Goldin explained.
For an auction house accustomed to reaching customers through collectors, dealers and existing marketplace participants, the franchise relationship creates another path to potential buyers.
A lifelong Lakers fan may have attended games, purchased jerseys and followed the team’s biggest moments without ever participating in a memorabilia auction. Through the partnership, that same fan could encounter an opportunity to own an object directly connected to a favorite player or memorable performance.
Goldin has previously used entertainment to introduce collecting to audiences outside the traditional hobby.
Netflix’s King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch, which premiered in 2023, brought viewers inside the auction house, following the personalities, historic objects and competitive transactions that define its business.
The Lakers partnership approaches audience development from another direction.
Where Netflix introduced collecting through entertainment, the franchise relationship allows Goldin to reach potential customers through their existing attachment to a team and its players. Rather than asking viewers to become interested in collectibles generally, Goldin can introduce memorabilia connected to athletes and moments they already care about.
The inventory itself is intended to serve a broader range of buyers.
“We’re going to have something for everybody and we’re going to have something from every player,” Goldin said.
Alongside premium game-worn jerseys and historically significant artifacts, Goldin plans to offer more accessible collectibles and unusual objects connected to players throughout the roster. Potential offerings include media-day jerseys, game-used basketballs, locker-room nameplates and equipment associated with the franchise.
For established collectors, that creates another source of rare and historically significant memorabilia. For Lakers fans unfamiliar with auctions, it introduces collecting through a relationship they already have with the team.
Exposure to the Lakers’ global audience does not guarantee that those fans will become collectors. But it gives Goldin a direct channel to potential customers beyond the people who already participate in its auctions, expanding the audience for the memorabilia the partnership brings to market.
Beyond the Auction Block
Ken Goldin’s experience with live selling dates back decades. Long before the rise of livestream shopping, he sold sports memorabilia to television audiences through QVC and the Home Shopping Network.
In 2024, eBay acquired Goldin, connecting its established auction business with a global marketplace and digital commerce infrastructure.
The Lakers partnership brings those capabilities together with something traditional auction houses cannot always count on: a continuing source of memorabilia tied to a franchise whose history is still being written.
Beginning October 28, Goldin will introduce weekly Wednesday Lakers auctions through Goldin on eBay Live, offering historical collectibles alongside contemporary game-used equipment throughout the NBA season.
“We’re doing so much more than an auction; we’re creating a real show each week that is entertaining, fast-paced, and interactive,” Goldin said in the company’s October announcement.
For an auction business historically organized around consignments and scheduled sales, recurring programming introduces a different rhythm.
Rather than waiting for individual collections to become available, Goldin can organize regular auctions around memorabilia sourced through the franchise. The NBA season provides a natural calendar, with each game creating the possibility of another significant performance, while the Lakers’ archives offer decades of material beyond the current roster.
The October 13 activation offered an early example of how those elements could work together.
Magic Johnson’s live jersey signing placed one of basketball’s most recognizable figures directly into the presentation of an object associated with his career. Ken Goldin brought the jersey to auction, while eBay Live extended participation beyond the collectors and guests gathered in West Hollywood.
The athlete, the memorabilia and the transaction became part of the same event.
Goldin’s traditional auction platform will continue offering Lakers memorabilia alongside its eBay Live programming, allowing the partnership to serve established collectors while developing a recurring format for new audiences.
For Ken Goldin, whose career has spanned televised selling, high-end auctions and digital marketplaces, live commerce represents another way to connect collectors with the objects and stories that have long defined his business.
The difference now is that Goldin has a direct relationship with the franchise supplying those stories.
A League of Opportunities
The Lakers are not the only professional sports organization Goldin is pursuing.
The company has also announced a partnership with the Detroit Pistons, reflecting a broader effort to establish direct relationships with teams rather than relying solely on traditional consignment channels.
During his conversation with Mantel, Goldin discussed the possibility of expanding the model across major professional sports leagues. But he made clear that the company is not interested in accumulating partnerships simply for the sake of increasing their number.
Instead, Goldin described a selective approach focused on franchises with established histories, strong fan communities, recognizable identities and championship potential.
The Lakers provide a particularly compelling starting point. Their decades of championships, internationally recognized players and extensive historical archives offer valuable inventory, while the team’s global audience creates opportunities to reach collectors and fans well beyond the existing auction market.
Whether other franchise relationships can deliver similar results remains an open question.
For Goldin, the success of the Lakers partnership will depend on more than the number of objects brought to auction.
“I think success is going to not only be determined by sales,” he explained. “Success is going to be determined by selling prices. Are we getting good prices?”
The company is also looking at whether the partnership attracts new bidders, increases Goldin’s visibility and generates interest from other professional sports organizations.
“How much do we raise our profile? Did we gain X number of tens of thousands new bidders?”
Those measures offer a clearer picture of the company’s ambitions. Strong auction results would demonstrate demand for the memorabilia itself. New bidders would suggest that access to the Lakers’ fan base is translating into customers. Additional franchise relationships could indicate that the model has applications beyond one of basketball’s most recognizable teams.
None of those outcomes is guaranteed. But the partnership gives Goldin an opportunity to test how direct access to professional sports organizations can change both the supply of memorabilia and the audience participating in its sale.
Goldin has spent decades building a business around bringing pieces of sports history to auction. Its partnership with the Lakers creates an opportunity to connect that business more directly with history as it unfolds.
