09/27/26 12:07:00
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09/27 12:05 CDT NBA camps set to open with Media Day in most cities on Monday,
then practices Tuesday
NBA camps set to open with Media Day in most cities on Monday, then practices
Tuesday
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
LeBron James will presumably wear his Philadelphia uniform in public view for
the first time. Giannis Antetokounmpo will talk about his new home in Miami,
Kawhi Leonard will talk about his home again in Toronto and Stephen Curry will
talk about how Golden State will remain home.
Welcome back, NBA.
Media Day --- the spectacle where teams open their doors for interviews and
photo shoots --- for most teams is Monday, a prelude to the start of training
camp practices on Tuesday. Houston and Dallas held their media events last
week, as they were permitted to start early because they have overseas travel
coming during the preseason.
For the other 28 clubs, the journey officially starts Monday.
"I'm going to get back to my real job," reigning NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson
of the champion New York Knicks said as he signed off from his role hosting the
season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" on NBC.
There are six coaches in new roles entering the season, including Dallas' Dusty
May --- who led Michigan to the NCAA title last spring and then found an offer
to jump to the NBA with the Mavs too enticing to turn down.
May's first Dallas camp is already underway. The other five new coaches ---
Jamahl Mosley in New Orleans, Sean Sweeney in Orlando, Taylor Jenkins in
Milwaukee, Tiago Splitter in Chicago and Micah Nori in Portland --- will lead
their first practices in their new spots on Tuesday.
"There have been a few active coaches that I've leaned on for advice, not as
much strategy as just the day-to-day planning, the future, things like that,"
May said, talking about how he's gotten ready to go from leading a college
program to an NBA one. "It's more of just trying to figure out what my routine
is going to be, what our routine is going to be."
May isn't alone on that front. Everybody --- from first-year coaches to
24th-year players --- will be figuring things out.
James, now the first player in NBA history to enter a 24th season, will begin
his expected final chapter with his inaugural camp with the 76ers. He made the
NBA world wait a few weeks before announcing his decision over the summer to
join to Philadelphia on a two-year deal, then explained some of his rationale
for the move last week on a podcast he shares with Steve Nash.
If James wins a title in Philadelphia, the 76ers would be the fourth franchise
to become champions with him on the roster. James won two championships in
Miami, one in Cleveland and one with the Los Angeles Lakers. And if that Philly
title happens, it would give Joel Embiid his first ring --- which is part of
James' motivation.
"I hope I can be that final little piece that can help him get over the hump
and have him maybe just see it a little bit differently than he's seen in his
career as far as the day-to-day process," James said on the "Mind The Game"
podcast last week. "The day-to-day what it takes to get there."
Antetokounmpo got traded to Miami, where he'll join Bam Adebayo and newly
acquired Klay Thompson in an effort to get the Heat back into contention.
Leonard --- hoping to move past a turbulent end to his Los Angeles Clippers
tenure --- has been traded back to Toronto, after leading the Raptors to the
2019 NBA title. And Curry agreed last week to a two-year extension with Golden
State, even though nobody around him or the Warriors ever thought he would
seriously consider playing elsewhere.
"For years to come," the Warriors wrote to Curry in a social media post.
After media day, a few teams hit the road for at least a portion of their
training camps. Preseason games start Saturday --- Miami faces Toronto in
Quebec City, with exhibitions running through Oct. 16. And then opening night
or really opening day this year, is Oct. 20 with Boston at Detroit in a 3 p.m.
EDT tip to start the season, followed by Philadelphia at the Knicks that
evening and Oklahoma City visiting San Antonio in a matchup of last season's
Western Conference finals.
Plenty of teams expect to contend. Surprises are certain. Disappointments are
certain, too. And the road toward whatever the final destination is starts now.
"Part of our mindset is going to be growth every single day and becoming a
championship level team," Lakers coach JJ Redick said. "No one is a
championship level team on September 29th. There's not a team in the league
that is a championship level team. That is an ongoing process throughout the
year."
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