Nikola Jokic finished with 6 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists in 23 minutes as Serbia routed Iceland 102-73 in an official FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European qualifier on Friday. The Nuggets center played a supporting role in the box score, with Nikola Jovic leading Serbia in scoring at 21 points.
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Jeanie Buss Files Petition to Block Siblings’ Sale of Remaining Lakers Stake to Iger and Kushner
Jeanie Buss has filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking to block her siblings from selling the Buss Family Trust’s remaining 17.8% stake in the Lakers, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. The petition, filed Monday, also asks the court to remove Janie and Joey Buss as co-trustees of the family trust.
Rival Teams Still Watching Kyrie Irving’s Situation in Dallas, Per Report
Rival teams believe the Dallas Mavericks could revisit their stance on trading Kyrie Irving once the regular season begins and the February trade deadline approaches, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein. Stein wrote that Dallas has “consistently swatted away trade interest” in Irving throughout the offseason. Even so, he reported, rival teams “continue to wonder aloud about how firmly Dallas will stick to that stance.”
Victor Wembanyama Powers France Past Slovenia in FIBA World Cup Qualifying
Victor Wembanyama scored 22 points on 6-of-10 shooting, with 9 rebounds and 1 block in 21 minutes, as France beat Slovenia 92-67 in a FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifier. He made all five of his two-point attempts and went 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Bennedict Mathurin Agrees to Two-Year, $16 Million Deal With Pelicans
Bennedict Mathurin has agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans that includes a player option, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The agreement comes several months after Mathurin was traded from the Indiana Pacers to the LA Clippers in February, and it follows his path to free agency once the 2025-26 season wrapped up. He averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists across 54 games last season, splitting time between the Pacers and Clippers.
Jonathan Kuminga Agrees to Two-Year, $13 Million Deal With Timberwolves
Jonathan Kuminga has agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves that includes a player option, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, citing agent Aaron Turner. The Hawks declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option at the start of the offseason, which set up his path to unrestricted free agency. Kuminga split last season between Golden State and Atlanta after the Warriors traded him away, averaging 12.5 points and 4.2 rebounds across the two stops.
NBA Season Start 2026: Key Dates for the 2026-27 Season
The 2026-27 NBA regular season starts Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Training camps open Sept. 22-29, preseason games begin Oct. 3, and the calendar runs through Christmas Day, the Feb. 11 trade deadline, All-Star Weekend and the April play-in tournament before the playoffs. Every confirmed date is below, along with the handful of dates the league has not announced yet.
Miami Heat Roster and Contender Outlook After the Klay Thompson Signing
Thompson signed a two-year, $11.5 million contract with Miami in late August after clearing waivers on a Dallas buyout, with a player option and a 15 percent trade kicker attached to the second season. That signing came about seven weeks after Miami acquired Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from Milwaukee on July 6, sending Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis and multiple draft picks back to the Bucks.
ESPN Projects Spurs to Finish 62-20 Again, Tied for Best Record in the West
ESPN’s latest projections for the 2026-27 season have the San Antonio Spurs finishing 62-20, tied for the best projected record in the league and first in the Western Conference. That mirrors the Spurs’ actual record from last season, when they won 62 games and reached the 2026 NBA Finals before losing to the New York Knicks in five games. ESPN’s forecast has Oklahoma City close behind at a projected 60-22, with the network describing the West as running through either the Thunder or the Spurs.
Warriors Sign Free Agents Brandon Williams and Georges Niang to One-Year Deals
The Golden State Warriors agreed to one-year deals with free agents Brandon Williams and Georges Niang, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Williams, a guard, will sign for $2.6 million, while Niang, a forward, will sign for $3.9 million, with agents for both players confirming the terms to ESPN. The moves close out a stretch of role-player additions for Golden State as the roster takes shape ahead of training camp.