NBA Training Camp Articles - Page 2

Making an NBA debut is always challenging, even after playing during Summer League action. Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Jaylon Tyson is no exception. Although he’s impressed his Cavs teammates with his veteran-like approach, which he shared before Cleveland hosted the Chicago Bulls in preseason action, Tyson still has rookie jitters. “I’m starting to get jitters already,” […]

NBA Draft picks have far different runway lengths when joining the pros. Some teenagers enter into lottery-bound locker rooms while four-year NCAA veterans are expected to be regular-season contributors on playoff squads. Willie Green’s New Orleans Pelicans are expecting a lot from Jordan Hawkins this year. The now 22-year-old was off to a historic start […]

Preseason games are hardly a platform for making a statement. However, it did not take long to notice Zion Williamson was dominating to lead the New Orleans Pelicans in a preseason-opening win. The Orlando Magic took an offseason of anticipation on the chin from Williamson, who had a hand in the first 11 points to […]

With a change in coaching from J.B. Bickerstaff to Kenny Atkinson at the helm, the Cleveland Cavaliers expect a different approach this season. Early in training camp, analytics was the most significant new thing the Cavs were embracing under Atkinson. That approach has become clear with how Cleveland wants Darius Garland to shoot more three-pointers […]

The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off back-to-back playoff appearances as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. After they were knocked out in the first round in 2023, Cleveland made it past the opening round last season. Unfortunately, the Cavs ran into the eventual champions, the Boston Celtics, in the conference semifinals and were […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are ready for pre-season action but some piece of training camp equipment needs attention soon thanks to one rookie big man. Yves Missi has been breaking rims and bothering veterans, in a good way, during Pelicans training camp at Belmont University. The 20-year-old Cameroonian international caused a holdup in practice after […]

NBA preseason action is tipping off around the world during the first week of October. Unfortunately, the New Orleans Pelicans are dealing with crippling injuries already. Head coach Willie Green’s starting lineup decisions got a little easier with Trey Murphy III on the shelf to start the season but the first five up is still […]

A unique approach to accountability is taking shape with Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick. While many fans and media are used to non-answers and strategic subterfuge typically provided about coaching decisions, Redick spoke candidly to reporters about his frustrations in his team’s poor execution in the preseason opener, a 124-107 loss to the […]

Heading into this season, everyone is concerned about LA Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard’s knee. Leonard had an off-season procedure on his knee, and inflammation after the operation kept him out of the Paris Olympics. Leonard has been held out of most of this off-season’s training camps to work on getting his knee stronger and ready […]

With the NBA preseason now underway, the Los Angeles Lakers are set to play the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. Not only that, but they’ll be at full strength. The Lakers’ full starting five will play, via Spectrum SportsNet’s Mike Trudell. “LeBron said the plan for him is to play tomorrow against Phoenix in Palm […]

Now entering his fourth NBA season, Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes is looking to improve on the team’s 12th-place finish in the Eastern Conference last year. The 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year got a taste of the playoffs in his first season but has not returned. RJ Barrett, who came to Toronto via midseason […]

The Memphis Grizzlies releasing Derrick Rose led to a shocking retirement going by everyone’s reactions at Media Day. Players, staff, and executives who grew up as fans learned of the news on social media without warning. The front office and coaches had already flipped to filling those backup point guard shoes, though, mainly with some […]

NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS — As training camp comes to a close for the Philadelphia 76ers, the championship-hopeful squad heads back home with more insight into the new roster. Just about everyone had their time to shine, even if there was plenty of caution exercised for Joel Embiid and some of the older Sixers. Nick Nurse […]

The Orlando Magic announced three crucial roster moves ahead of the 2024 preseason, exercising the third-year team options for guards Anthony Black and Jett Howard, as well as the fourth-year option for forward Paolo Banchero. These decisions secure the future of all three players through the 2025-26 NBA season, reinforcing the Magic’s commitment to developing […]

LeBron James is entering his twenty-second season in the NBA playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and will tie Vince Carter’s record for most NBA seasons in a career. A new season for “King” James also means a new signature sneaker as the lifetime Nike athlete will see his twenty-second signature Nike LeBron model come […]

Boston Celtics backup point guard Payton Pritchard was the star of the team’s preseason opener win against the Denver Nuggets. The 26-year-old, who is the primary backup to Jrue Holiday, finished 6-of-13 shooting, but every make was from three-point range. He finished with 21 points, six assists and four rebounds in 24 minutes. Pritchard scored […]

While the Los Angeles Lakers open their preseason schedule Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, their highest-profile player won’t be suiting up. LeBron James, who is entering his 22nd NBA season, will not take the court against the Timberwolves in the Lakers’ exhibition opener, according to a report on X via ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin. “LeBron […]

For the better part of his NBA career, NBA offenses have been a little awkward for Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro. This played a part in Okoro’s quiet free agency. Although Okoro is the Cavs’ best perimeter defender, his offensive warts gave teams with cap space pause. Okoro admitted at media day that, for a […]

With Media Day in the rearview and training camp underway, the Orlando Magic are gearing up for the 2024-25 season. However, one player, Cole Anthony, is facing a precarious situation as the team continues to evolve its roster and strategy. Cole Anthony, the 24-year-old guard, is potentially in danger of losing his rotation spot heading […]

As the Phoenix Suns wrapped up their final day of training camp, forward Kevin Durant echoed a sentiment around the Verizon 5G Performance Center. Shades of high turnovers reminisced from the previous season. Durant spoke with reporters about turnovers needing to be addressed. “I think turnovers are the emphasis,” Durant said. “I think that with […]

After Damion Lee dealt with a meniscus injury that sidelined him for the entirety of last season, the Phoenix Suns guard revealed his status entering the new season. “I had like two dunks today and guys were like, ‘Oh man, might need to stop practice. D-Lee just dunked. What’s happening?” Lee said to Duane Rankin […]

Matt Ishbia’s Phoenix Suns are going all-in on a championship core built around Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. Those three max-level players leave little money to be spread around the rest of the roster before huge punitive luxury tax hits start to eat into the operating budget. The front office knows the Suns […]

The Golden State Warriors open preseason on Saturday in Hawaii against the Los Angeles Clippers, but they will be without Andrew Wiggins whose status has been ruled out as per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The official status of Andrew Wiggins is that he is feeling under the weather. Slater reports that Wiggins has done […]

The NBA season is almost here, and this is a big one for the Chicago Bulls. There are some Bulls fans that are hoping the teams tanks in hopes of getting the #1 pick in next year’s NBA Draft, which would likely land them Cooper Flagg, but that probably isn’t going to happen. This is […]

NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS — Jared McCain is making a name for himself through the first three days of the Philadelphia 76ers’ training camp. McCain, the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is trying to prove he’s ready to play for the Sixers now. It’s tough to tell how far along he is in […]

Los Angeles Lakers’ incoming rookie Bronny James has been the talk of the town since joining his father, LeBron James, in becoming the NBA’s first father-son duo to step foot on the court together. Naturally, the two teammates had to link up for a picture during their Lakers Media Day duties, to which was saw […]

As Denver Nuggets point guard Russell Westbrook described his role with his new team, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone realized the dynamic his point guard can add for his team. “Russell is a game-changer for us,” Malone said via Tony Jones of The Athletic. “He’s a force. You can hear him coming. I just love […]

The Memphis Grizzlies gamble on Zach Edey will get the boom-or-bust treatment all season. Either Edey will be on a Rookie of the Year pathway like Ja Morant predicts or will be declared a bust by the national media’s more reactive talking heads. That is unfortunate from a knowledgeable, entertaining yet informative basketball conversation perspective […]

The Golden State Warriors dealt with an awkward opening to NBA training camps this week. The franchise had to face the reality that they would not look the same next season. Klay Thompson has joined the reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks. Thankfully, there seemed to be a replacement waiting in the wings in Brandin […]

The locker-room dynamic between LeBron James and Bronny, the first father and son duo in NBA history, will be one of the major subplots of the Los Angeles Lakers’ season. It seems like Bronny’s presence on the team is already reinvigorating his father amid all the talk of vibes being immaculate at the start of […]

Giannis Antetokounmpo married longtime girlfriend Mariah Riddlesprigger last September, and he answered questions about the wedding and life with his wife during the Milwaukee Bucks Media Day to open training camp. As typical of Giannis, the superstar got a little spicy when answering a question about his favorite part of the wedding. After all, his […]

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will have some tough rotation decisions to sort through during training camp. Only Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are the nailed-on starters, with, perhaps, Brandin Podziemski also being favored to start alongside Curry in the backcourt. Training camp could very well decide which players Kerr decides to start […]

The New York Knicks threw caution to the wind and went all-in, trading away Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo (as well as a heavily protected first-round pick) in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns is a four-time All-Star who has gradually lost his luster over the past few seasons due to the emergence of Anthony Edwards, […]

LOS ANGELES – With the Los Angeles Lakers hiring JJ Redick as their head coach, there is at least one player on the roster who finds it a little weird and that’s Jaxson Hayes. Jaxson Hayes was a rookie with the New Orleans Pelicans while JJ Redick was still on the roster and playing. For […]

The New York Knicks just pulled off the biggest move ahead of training camp with the trade for Karl-Anthony Towns. On the surface, the trade appears to have vaulted the Knicks in contender status in the Eastern Conference. But to be a contender, teams need quality role players around their stars. In a possible move […]

With the Lakers preparing for the start of the 2024-25 season, one player who is expected to play a bigger role on both offense and defense is Austin Reaves. The former undrafted Oklahoma product has developed into a steady starting guard in the NBA. This past season, Reaves was often tasked with guarding the opposing […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are in Nashville knocking off some rust during training camp but it did not take long for an out-for-vengeance Zion Williamson to get asked about his shot selection. Williamson’s dunk-contest confidence in carrying the Pelicans cannot be denied. Other options have been off the table though, to much chagrin amongst the […]

LOS ANGELES – As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, one of the biggest headlines is the rookie season debut of Bronny James. The cameras will be out documenting his every move as they were during Lakers media day. But what is Bronny’s mindset coming into the season? […]

LAS VEGAS — Quentin Grimes is already making an impact on his new team. Grimes, who was acquired by the Dallas Mavericks during the offseason, has received praise from his teammates and head coach Jason Kidd. He understands that he can play a big role for the team, something he realized while watching the Mavs […]