NBA Basketball 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 6, 2026, 6:22 AM ET
Training Camp & Preseason Updates
LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey were among the stars resting espn.com for the 76ers' preseason opener versus the Knicks on Monday. Despite the absences, throngs of fans turned out for a LeBron-led scrimmage espn.com that drew 10-deep lines to watch. A detailed look inside camp reveals private team dinners espn.com and group chats centered on building chemistry around "the vision."
The preseason action was not without injury. 76ers center Ariel Hukporti exited espn.com just five minutes into that game with a right leg injury. Elsewhere, the Hornets announced Coby White will miss the rest of the preseason with a left calf strain espn.com. The Spurs' Tobias Harris also sustained a calf strain espn.com during camp and is sidelined. Clippers wing Max Strus is out for at least four weeks after suffering a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his right foot espn.com.
Contract & Roster Moves
Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns acknowledged that odds of a new extension espn.com before the regular season "don't look good." In Detroit, Jalen Duren expressed relief after securing a return to the Pistons, calling Motown home espn.com despite a prolonged negotiation. The Grizzlies have parted ways with guard Jordan Hawkins, waiving espn.com him three weeks after acquiring him in a trade from New Orleans.
Innovations & Fantasy Outlook
The NBA is testing smart basketballs espn.com and wrist wearables for officials during preseason games to gather new data and improve game-flow analytics. For fantasy managers, Eric Karabell's updated "Do not draft" list espn.com recommends fading Kawhi Leonard, LaMelo Ball and others at their current average draft positions due to injury concerns.