Basketball news

• NBA Preseason Power Rankings: How all 30 teams stack up for 2026-27

  21-09-2026 15:38 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  LeBron James and Jaylen Brown are in Philadelphia, Giannis Antetokounmpo is in Miami, and Kawhi Leonard is back in Toronto. But did any of these moves produce a team better than the defending champion Knicks? Or the two best teams in the West: San Antonio and Oklahoma City?With the NBA season one month away, it's time for my preseason power rankings. Let's count down from 30 to 1 based on how I stack up everyone's chances of winning the NBA Finals, and look at what's changed, what's exciting, an
  
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• NBA division rivals make a deal. Who the Hawks, Hornets traded

  22-09-2026 23:52 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NBA training camps are just days from opening up, but that didn’t stop a minor deal from being completed — and one between division rivals.The Charlotte Hornets are shipping forward Dorian Finney-Smith to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for guards Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard, a person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed Tuesday, Sept. 22 to USA TODAY Sports.The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because the trade had not been publicly announced.Finney-Smith, 33,
  
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• Detroit Pistons enlist DAZN as streaming platform partner

  22-09-2026 23:50 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 01: The DAZN logo is seen on a microphone prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 match between England and Congo DR at Atlanta Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images) | Getty Images I know we are all rejoicing that we never have to listen to the awful ambient crowd noise interstitial during commercial breaks that was a key, heinous feature of the FanDuel Sports Network app. That is dead in a ditch. But what is taking its plac
  
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• Atlanta reportedly to trade Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard to Charlotte for Dorian Finney-Smith

  22-09-2026 23:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  A Buddy Hield for Dorian Finney-Smith trade — in a variety of variations — had been simmering on the NBA back burner all summer. It appears it has finally fully cooked.The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to trade Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for Dorian Finney-Smith, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and confirmed by other reports.The Hawks have been trying to get off Hield's salary — $9.7 million this season, a $10.1 million player option for ne
  
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• Rockets' Fred VanVleet ready for training camp; Kevin Durant doesn't want minutes reduced in 20th season

  22-09-2026 23:21 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  HOUSTON —To the untrained eye, Rockets guard Fred VanVleet’s mild-mannered, almost stoic demeanor could have come across as unenthusiastic. But as the veteran guard sat at the podium fielding reporters' questions, arms folded and tucked, his gaze piercing through the room, it was clear the fire within — a flame dampened after a lost season — was flickering again. “I’ve been progressing nicely,” VanVleet said at Rockets media day on Monday. &ldq
  
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• Kawhi Leonard contract breakdown: What $115 million extension means as Raptors try to compete in loaded East

  22-09-2026 22:49 via cbssports.com
  
  Leonard's new deal with the Raptors will come in slightly below the max
  
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• Toronto bets big on Kawhi Leonard's health with reported two-year, $115 million extension

  22-09-2026 22:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Multiple, very obvious reasons made it clear it was time for the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard to part ways, but one kind of flew under the radar: Los Angeles wasn't about to give Leonard, 35, the kind of extension he wanted.The Toronto Raptors will.In a deal that was expected, Leonard and the Raptors have agreed to a two-year, $115 million contract extension for the two-time Finals MVP, a deal first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN. The second year of the extension, 2028-29, is a player option,
  
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• Can Adem Bona finally establish himself as backup center for Philly?

  22-09-2026 22:14 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Boston, MA - April 21: Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona rejects a shot attempt by Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum in the third quarter. The Boston Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden in the first round of the NBA Playoffs on April 21, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images It feels like a make-or-break year for Adem Bona. With all the excitement and anticipation around the 2026-27 Sixers squad on top of the fact that he
  
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• Kawhi Leonard’s future with Raptors comes into focus with whopping $115 million contract

  22-09-2026 22:05 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Kawhi Leonard’s future in Toronto has been revealed. The Raptors and Leonard agreed on a two-year, $115 million contract extension with a player option for the 2028-29 season. The Clippers traded Kawhi Leonard back to the Raptors. Getty ImagesJust in: Toronto Raptors All-NBA star Kawhi Leonard has agreed on a two-year, $115 million contract extension with the franchise, plus a player option for the 2028-29 season, his agent Harrison Gaines of SLASH Sports tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/naqrW8
  
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• Hawks reportedly trading Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard to Hornets for Dorian Finney-Smith

  22-09-2026 21:55 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The Atlanta Hawks are trading Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard and cash to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for forward Dorian Finney-Smith, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports. The Hawks make the move to fortify their frontcourt a day after they announced that backup rookie center Henri Veesaar suffered a torn ACL.Finney-Smith, 32, is a veteran 3-and-D forward who could earn a rotation spot in Atlanta. For his career, he’s averaged 8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks while shooti
  
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• Kawhi Leonard suggests he will retire a Raptor: inks extension with Toronto

  22-09-2026 21:54 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 16: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors huddles up with his team before the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 16, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Image
  
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• After months in limbo, Kawhi Leonard gets $115 million contract extension from Raptors

  22-09-2026 21:54 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Kawhi Leonard spent most of his summer waiting on the NBA to let him go back to Toronto. Now he's seemingly not going anywhere else.Leonard agreed to a two-year, $115 million contract extension with the Raptors that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season a person with knowledge confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because the deal was not yet publicly announced. The extension comes eight days after Toronto finally closed its trade for the 35-year-old, a deal the
  
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• Boston Celtics Daily Links 9/22/26

  22-09-2026 21:45 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: The sneakers worn by Jordan Miller #11 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the game against the Denver Nuggets during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 17, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett
  
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• Kawhi Leonard, Raptors reportedly agree to two-year, $115 million extension after completion of Clippers trade

  22-09-2026 21:40 via cbssports.com
  
  Leonard's new deal with the Raptors will come in slightly below the max
  
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• New Lakers guard looking for second chance at NBA stardom

  22-09-2026 21:29 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  For players like Collin Sexton, a top-10 pick in the 2018 draft, it can get easy to get lost in the shuffle of the NBA.As part of the Lakers’ roster reconstruction, he’s hoping to break through in ways he hasn’t before.Sexton, who was a 2017 McDonald’s All-American and one-and-done collegiate player at Alabama, became the first building block of the Cavaliers’ post-LeBron James rebuild after Cleveland selected Sexton with the No. 8 pick in the 2018 draft. Colli
  
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• Doc Rivers to join NBC’s coverage team as analyst

  22-09-2026 21:19 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 15: Inductee Doc Rivers speaks to the audience during the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Symphony Hall on August 15, 2026 in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images Just because he’s no longer coaching the Bucks and has been inducted to the Hall of Fame, that doesn’t mean we won’t be hearing from him anytime soon. NBC announced that they are adding former Sixers head coach Doc Rivers as a
  
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• Kawhi Leonard to reportedly sign 2-year, $115 million extension with Raptors

  22-09-2026 21:14 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Kawhi Leonard is staying put. The Toronto Raptors decided to keep the 35-year-old around for multiple seasons, reportedly signing him to a two-year, $115 million extension Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.The move comes as Leonard was set to enter the final year of the three-year, $149 million extension he signed with the Clippers in 2024. Under his previous deal, Leonard was set to make $50.3 million during the 2026-27 NBA season.Just in: Toronto Raptors All-NBA star Kawhi Leon
  
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• LeBron James goes viral for brutal brick-fest during open run

  22-09-2026 20:20 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Lakers fans might not feel so bad about losing LeBron James in free agency after seeing his most recent basketball footage.A video of LeBron playing pickup basketball alongside several other NBA standouts was posted on YouTube on Monday night. A clip of LeBron bricking several shots from that YouTube video has since gone viral on social media. The clip shows LeBron hitting the side of the backboard with a baseline fadeaway shot, missing several 3-pointers and missing numerous other jump shots.Le
  
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• Steven Adams predicts level of play across sports will 'plummet' when 'Grand Theft Auto 6' is released

  22-09-2026 20:19 via cbssports.com
  
  Once 'GTA 6' finally drops in November, Adams thinks players and coaches will lose focus for a few weeks
  
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• Ariel Hukporti could be a key figure for the Sixers

  22-09-2026 20:12 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 03: Ariel Hukporti #55 of the New York Knicks dunks the ball against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on February 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images Following another playoff exit in the spring 0f 2026, th
  
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• Former No. 1 pick accuses LeBron James of having ‘toxic’ impact on Lakers stars

  22-09-2026 19:52 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts on the court during the second half at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Brooklyn, NY. (Corey Sipkin for the...Former Los Angeles Lakers center Kwame Brown did not mince words around LeBron James’ Lakers impact.When speaking with “The Basketball Show” on Monday, Brown said, “I thought LeBron was a regular individual, and then I realized he’s a part of a group. LeBron is a machine. It’s a marketing mach
  
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• Trae Young says Atlanta front office turnover led to his push for trade

  22-09-2026 19:37 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  It felt like time. Trae Young was in his eighth season in Atlanta and things felt stagnant. This was a team — and Young was a player — in need of a change, and while it wasn't always smooth, the team worked with Young and he was traded to the Washington Wizards.At least, that was how it looked from the outside.It's not entirely how Young saw things. Young sat down with his friend and Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. on his YouTube channel and said that, for him, things really
  
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• Why the Warriors should be making lofty promises to Jalen Duren

  22-09-2026 19:22 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  DETROIT, MI - MARCH 20: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on March 20, 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
  
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• Henri Veesaar tears ACL, will miss entire NBA season

  22-09-2026 19:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) celebrates after a three point basket during the second half of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division game against the Michigan State Spartans at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co The Atlanta Hawks announced on Monday that former Tar Heel Henri Veesaar tore his right ACL during a workout on Sept. 15 and will miss the entire NBA season.The 22-year-old Estonian was an al
  
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• Warriors second-round pick Lajae Jones signs with Italian team

  22-09-2026 18:38 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 19: Lajae Jones #25 of the Golden State Warriors plays defense during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2026 NBA Summer League Championship on July 19, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Mike
  
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• The unique brilliance of Jalen Brunson

  22-09-2026 18:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 18: Jalen Brunson is seen outside City Hall at the New York Knicks ticker-tape parade on June 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by XNY/Star Max/GC Images) In the immediate aftermath of winning a championship, there’s utter jubilation. Once that initial high wears off after the ceremony and you start truly grasping what you just witnessed, the human mind naturally goes in a completely different direction.You begin to think of those who were proven wrong. Athletes always
  
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• Five players facing critical comeback seasons: Tyrese Haliburton, Kyrie Irving, more

  22-09-2026 17:56 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Injuries are an unfortunate part of sports and change the course of every NBA season. However, last season seemed more severe than most — a rash of top players missed considerable time, if not the entire season. It changed the complexion of teams and playoff races (not to mention the tanking).All those injuries a year ago open the door for some prime comeback stories this season. Here are five players returning from injury who can — and should — change the course of their team,
  
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• MMBets: The Cleveland Cavaliers are all in

  22-09-2026 17:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 25: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second quarter an in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images It takes a big man to admit when they are wr
  
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• Will the Lakers’ bet on Walker Kessler pay off?

  22-09-2026 17:24 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 3: Walker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after throwing the ceremonial pitch prior to the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 3, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Melina Pizano/Getty Images) | Getty Images Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every p
  
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• Why the Jalen Duren contract stalemate is encouraging for Detroit

  22-09-2026 16:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) reacts during the second half against the Orlando Magic during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images If this offseason for the Detroit Pistons was a plane ride, you’d call it an eventful one.There has been turbulence, with the front office missing out on players they thought could fit the team’
  
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