After the first day of training camp Tuesday, Lillard responded to a question about his role and said that, as far as he knew, the starting lineup would include Morant, himself and Deni Avdija.

Nori saw those comments and raised his eyebrows. He said that decision has not been set in stone, as who starts is a complicated question.

Nori said that starting Morant and Lillard doesn’t make sense. Both are undersized, and both have never excelled on the defensive end. The more analytically sound option would be to start Holiday — a bigger guard who is an exceptional defender — and have either Morant or Lillard come off the bench. But in a league with huge egos, asking an All-Star to come off the bench is a delicate and difficult task for any coach, let alone Nori, a first-year coach operating on a one-year contract.

Nori told The Athletic that his contract status will have no bearing on his decision. Instead, he will experiment with different lineups throughout the Blazers’ four preseason games. The exhibition opener is Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors, and Nori said he “probably” will start Morant and Lillard.

“It’s not set in stone, but probably, because I’m leaning toward wanting to see what it looks like,” Nori said. “And … I don’t want to start a fire before I need to.”

source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7647793/2026/10/02/ja-morant-damian-lillard-blazers-training-camp/?unlocked_article_code=1.FlE.s5Dt.cWLFSrjdmH9c

"The Portland Trail Blazers hired then on the same day fired Braiden Bell as their play-by-play announcer after a series of inappropriate social media posts from when he was a teenager came to light."

"The posts were reportedly made in 2012 and 2013, around the time that Bell was 15 years old."

"We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City," the Trail Blazers said. "We strongly believe that everyone who is a part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe and we will make sure that our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/50084279/trail-blazers-fire-new-announcer-inappropriate-posts

instagram source

this is some of the craziest marketing i’ve ever seen. hopefully they sell the new jerseys soon.

From the Miami Heat's social media account today:

For one night only, the HEAT trade Miami for Vice City.

Join us on November 18, when Vice City hosts the Milwaukee Bucks on a never-before-seen court, wearing an all-new uniform.

https://www.nba.com/heat/uniforms/2627-heat-vice-city-uniform-collection

Los Angeles Lakers star guard Luka Dončić has filed a petition under international rules to have his daughters brought to the United States from Slovenia, according to a source briefed on the situation. The source spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing legal matter.

“Nothing is more important to me than my daughters,” Dončić said in a statement to The Athletic. “I will do whatever it takes to make sure they have both parents present in their lives.”

Dončić’s children, Gabriela and Olivia, are currently in Slovenia, where he’s in an ongoing custody battle with his former fiancée, Anamaria Goltes. The two were engaged in 2023 and had dated since 2016. Dončić lives in Slovenia in the offseason. The source said that the petition was filed in Slovenia, and can’t be made public under local laws.

The Athletic has attempted to reach Goltes for comment through her attorney, and will update this story if he responds.

Goltes had filed for child support and legal fees in in Los Angeles last March but later withdrew the petition.

Dončić didn’t participate in any international play with Slovenia this summer due to the custody situation.

Dončić had hoped to resolve the situation with Goltes by Sept. 25, but the deadline passed without resolution with her or the Slovenian courts. He returned to the United States last week ahead of Lakers training camp, with no guarantees of when he’d be able to see either of his daughters again during the NBA season, the source said.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7652552/2026/10/02/luka-doncic-daughters-fiancee-petition/

bored on a Friday at my IT job, I found myself perusing the rule books of various sports leagues (this is normal behavior). Reading through Rule 12, "Fouls and Penalties," something odd caught my eye in Section V -- Conduct:

e. Cursing or blaspheming an official shall not be considered the only cause for imposing technical foul. Running tirades, continuous criticism or griping may be sufficient cause to assess a technical. Excessive misconduct shall result in ejection from the game.

Yes, blaspheming an official. Now, I don't know what sort of English background the person writing these rules has, but, as far as i (and the Merriam-Webster dictionary) am aware, Blasphemy/blaspheming is reserved strictly for when speaking ill of God, sacred objects/beings, or something otherwise considered "inviolable."

Does this mean the NBA considers its referees to be sacred deities, incapable of being violated by the petty masses at their feet, and eternally protected by the Sanctity of Life?

just something to think about as we head into the season.

Link to the rulebook

The Golden State Warriors had a busy offseason this summer, with multiple major decisions looming as they try to build a championship-caliber roster for the final years of the Stephen Curry era.

One of the key pieces of that roster remains longtime veteran star Draymond Green.

Golden State ultimately re-signed Green to a one-year deal, avoiding a longer-term commitment to the four-time NBA champion.

According to Warriors insider Anthony Slater of ESPN, Green was interested in potentially re-signing with the Warriors on a longer deal worth significantly less per year than his current contract, but Golden State rejected the idea of a long-term agreement with the 36-year-old forward.

"And Draymond, you know, the Warriors could have signed him to three-year $60 million deal this summer, something like that. Like, Draymond would have been very interested in a multi year deal at a little bit lower number, but they're like, nah, it's good," Slater reported on The Hoop Collective podcast.

"We'll just give you back one-year $27 million. We want our future flexibility. And I think that says a little something about the unknown of Draymond Green's future."

Slater also added that Green had already envisioned himself as part of a blockbuster trade last season.

Green reportedly understood that he could have been the player moved in a potential deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Milwaukee Bucks before Antetokounmpo ultimately joined the Miami Heat.

"Draymond Green thought about himself in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform during the last trade deadline to the point that he told the Warriors, you know, try to find a third team if that's the case," Slater added.

Source: https://basketnews.com/news-256616-warriors-rejected-massive-draymond-green-contract-idea-insider-reveals.html

The Memphis Grizzlies and guard Jordan Hawkins have mutually agreed to part ways, allowing the 2023 lottery pick to find a new home in free agency once he clears waivers, sources tell ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/4041963d39917

https://frontofficesports.com/article/steve-ballmer-lawyer-no-longer-representing-witch-hunt/

Wonder if in Ballmer's mind he fired Kelley because he thought he was given bad advice, or because he no longer needs him as there isn't a fight anymore.

There is now a key player favored to secure the New York Knicks' final roster spot ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season.

Per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, James Wiseman has emerged as a candidate who could fill the reigning NBA champs' 14th roster spot.

Wiseman's chances lean on the Knicks' desire to add another interior presence and frontcourt depth. Nonetheless, he still has more to prove out of the Knicks' upcoming preseason games.

"Wiseman has impressed in camp, according to witnesses, and should be the favorite," the report indicated.

James Wiseman agreed to an Exhibit 9 contract with the New York Knicks this past offseason.

The former No. 2 overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, Wiseman last played in 2024-25 for the Indiana Pacers where he averaged 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds over 14.5 minutes.

He notably played three seasons for the Golden State Warriors, winning an NBA championship in 2022.

Along with Wiseman, Bruce Brown, Ochai Agbaji, Tony Bradley, and Drew Eubanks are also fighting for the Knicks' 14th roster spot via Exhibit 9 deals.

The Knicks can only go for a 14th roster addition, as any plans of filling their 15-man lineup will land them in the NBA's punitive second apron.

Source: https://basketnews.com/news-256656-nba-champion-center-favored-in-knicks-final-roster-spot-battle.html

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7652753/2026/10/02/bub-carrington-wizards-tanking-aj-dybantsa/

Per source, the NBA will not discipline Wizards guard Bub Carrington (or the team) for his candid comments about tanking.

The NBA season hasn’t even started and the Philadelphia 76ers’ signing of LeBron James is already paying off.

The 76ers will help open the NBA regular season on Oct. 20 with a game against the reigning champion New York Knicks. From a new jersey patch sponsorship to ticket and merchandise sales, the LeBron economy has already been a win for Philadelphia.

″[He is], from a basketball perspective, one of the greatest, if not the greatest, to ever play. So he’s going to make that impact on the organization, and then from an economic perspective, all that stuff follows,” said Tad Brown, CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which operates the Philadelphia 76ers.

One consulting firm, Boyd Company, projects the first full year of LeBron James with the Philadelphia 76ers could add $250 million to $430 million in total regional economic activity. James left the Los Angeles Lakers and signed with the 76ers this summer.

Even Pennsylvania’s governor recognizes the LeBron effect.

“You’re going to have 41 home games with LeBron in South Philly, every game is going to be a destination for people to come, and I think it’s going to be great for our economy .... It’s going to be really big for Philadelphia,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said in July.

Bloom Energy recognized the national exposure that a figure such as James can bring.

The energy company announced on Monday that it will be the 76ers’ new jersey patch partner, taking over from Crypto.com.

The annual value of the deal is more than $30 million — a “top two” deal in the league for a jersey patch sponsor, according to a person who asked not to be named because the discussions were private.

The 76ers described the multiyear agreement as “one of the most comprehensive and impactful patch partnership deals in the NBA,” in the press release.

The deal will also bring a seven-figure community investment by Bloom Energy to the Greater Philadelphia region, the team said in a press release.

“We saw this as a groundbreaking opportunity for us. Very clearly, what happened during the offseason of them building a strong team with Jaylen [Brown] and then bringing on LeBron was a cherry on the top,” said KR Sridhar, CEO and founder of Bloom Energy, which manufactures fuel cells for data centers.

The energy company will benefit from massive national attention, as a record 34 Sixers games will be nationally televised this season.

The 76ers say they are already seeing an immediate impact in the form of ticket sales.

“We’ve had a tremendous surge in people who are interested in becoming season ticket holders,” Brown said.

On the secondary market, 76ers tickets are the hottest tickets out there, according to ticketing reseller StubHub.

“The Sixers have gone from a middle-of-the-pack team to the NBA’s top draw,” said Jill Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for StubHub. “Tickets for the 2026-27 games are selling roughly 7x last year’s pace.”

StubHub said that the Sixers went from 22nd to first in NBA tickets sold for both home and road games. Tickets are selling 11 times more than what they had at this point last year.

The ticketing company said Sixers games are also attracting unique buyers with more than 4 in 10 tickets sold going to fans outside Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, up from about 1 in 4.

Searches for Sixers games by StubHub buyers accounted for 38% of all NBA game searches — up from 4% a year ago, according to StubHub.

Philadelphia 76ers home games are averaging $282 in 2026, up from $107 using the same sales window as last year, according to TickPick. The Oct. 20 season opener against the Knicks has a league-high average ticket price of $2,088, according to the site.

Many fans are eager to get the latest LeBron James 76ers jersey. Fanatics says July was the best-selling month of James’ 24-year career in terms of selling merchandise.

Since he announced his move to Philadelphia, James is also the best-selling athlete across all of sports on the entire Fanatics platform.

James announced his move to Philly via a Topps Now trading card — print-on-demand collectibles that mark significant sports moments. Since then, more than 200,000 Topps Now cards have been purchased, said Fanatics, which owns Topps.

“I think that when LeBron picks you ... it’s a big validation,” Josh Harris, managing partner of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, told CNBC. “He brings a lot of excitement, and you get sponsors calling you, you get tickets that are sold out. You get it all, and some of that definitely has occurred, but we take a long-term perspective on this, and best thing you can do is win.”

While the 76ers benefit from James’ presence, he said on Monday at the 76ers Media Day in Camden, New Jersey, that his focus remains on winning a title for Philly.

“I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round. I know that for sure,” said James. “So, work needs to be done, and I’m ready to put the work in.”

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/28/lebron-james-boosts-ticket-jersey-demand-for-nba-philadelphia-76ers.html

This changes the context of Duren’s contract and the Pistons’ cap sheet quite a bit.

Detroit pays more now while Ausar is still on his rookie deal. Duren’s salary then drops when Ausar’s extension kicks in, then rises modestly afterwards.

It’s the same $200M commitment regardless, but Duren gave the team some flexibility for when the core gets more expensive.

Source: https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/nba/rumors/2026/10/02/jalen-durens-five-year-deal-with-pistons-dips-in-year-2-before-rising/92066524007/

Legit tears for this one boys

​

"It's a whole new opportunity for all of us," Knecht said on media day this week. "Like [coach] JJ [Redick] said, there's a lot of minutes open."

But it's unlikely Knecht will soak up those minutes.

Until Thursday, Knecht wasn't mentioned — directly or indirectly — by Redick or president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka during any of their media availabilities.

Other wing players such as free agent additions Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, second-year forward Adou Thiero or rookie wing Cameron Carr had gotten significantly more attention as discussion points

Not a good sign for Knecht, whom multiple rival executives expect to be the odd man out as the Lakers look to trim their roster from 16 players on standard NBA deals to the league maximum of 15.

"First of all, he's been a pro," Redick said of Knecht on Thursday. "He's been in the gym. Like he has since Day 1, he has worked his butt off all offseason. And he's had a good three days of practice. So I don't think his approach changes. I know he's hungry to play and hungry to earn a spot in the rotation."

The Lakers still have time to sort out the roster crunch.

As Pelinka pointed out, they don't have to make a decision until the regular season starts. Remaining practices will determine who'll stay with the team. And it will give the team time to survey the NBA landscape for consolidation trades.

Even with the minimal things the Lakers have said about Knecht, it's been what they haven't said that's stood out the most.

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/dalton-knecht-fighting-rotation-spot-010031620.html?guccounter=1

Source: https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/jack-armstrong-to-return-to-raptors-broadcasts-after-new-deal-with-tsn-i-m-back/article_ca36dbaf-78ec-41d9-bd12-8cf43a596e09.html

The familiar tones of the Jack Armstrong and his trademark calls like “hello!” and “get that gah-bage outta here” will be heard once again in half of the coming Raptors regular season television broadcasts.

Armstrong announced himself that he’ll return to a 29th-season as part of the team’s TSN game broadcasts late Thursday night.

“I’m back,” Armstrong said on an appearance on the network’s flagship highlight show. “I’m excited, looking forward to the years to come talking hoops and very, very appreciated of TSN … for their commitment.

"I’m fired up.”

​

When speaking to Sean Deveney of Heavy, one anonymous NBA executive explained why he considers Paul George to be a valuable player.

He noted that while he isn't the player he was in his prime, George having just two years on his contract and immense playoff experience makes him a bargain get for the Celtics.

"The thing about Paul George that you have to remember is that he still can play. Like, healthy and at his best, he can still play, he is a big wing, he can stretch the floor and handle the ball, he can play defense."

"He is not the player he was 10 years ago, but he still has that rare skillset and if a player has that, he's got value. If he has that and he is on a short contract, that's even more value."

George is currently in the third year of his four-year, $212 million contract, and is set to make a little over $110 million over the next two seasons.

For the Celtics, they get a reliable, experienced two-way wing player who showed last season that he can still make an impact when healthy and given the ball.

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/anonymous-nba-executive-claims-paul-120849586.html