Starting 5: NBA preseason action begins Saturday

Full speed ahead to Saturday.

The Heat & Raptors tip off the 2026 preseason tomorrow night with an NBA Canada Game in Québec City (7 ET, NBA TV).

And with basketball back, there’s plenty to smile about.

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5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Oct. 2, 2026

Saturday Tip-Off: Heat & Raptors open preseason play in Canada with new stars and title aspirations

Sunday In Boulder: Utah’s new possibilities meet Denver’s championship core

Sunday In Honolulu: A winning rookie joins Steph & Draymond as Dubs face new-look Clips

Final Frames: One last look at Monday’s Media Day through a few standout snapshots

New Leaders: Three experienced NBA head coaches bring fresh visions to their new teams

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BUT FIRST … ⏰

October means Opening Week is near…

American Express Tip-Off is just 18 days away – but who’s counting? Tap here for the full 2026-27 schedule, starting with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader on Oct. 20.

Reports – Duren Agrees To Extension: All-Star Jalen Duren has reportedly agreed to a five-year extension to remain with the Pistons.

Aces Advance: A’ja Wilson scored a game-high 36 points to lead the Aces to a 94-83 win over Caitlin Clark and the Fever in a win-or-go-home Game 3, sending Las Vegas to the WNBA Semifinals.

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1. PRESEASON TIP-OFF: HEAT, RAPTORS OPEN NEW CHAPTERS IN CANADA

One year ago today, the Knicks tipped off the 2025 preseason with a win over the Sixers in Abu Dhabi. Eight months later, New York closed the season by lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Tomorrow night (7 ET, NBA TV), Miami and Toronto open the 2026 preseason in Québec City, hoping the NBA Canada Game marks the first step toward a similar finish.

And as the two teams begin their title pursuits, both are counting on a new superstar who’s reached the mountaintop before:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo: After 13 seasons in Milwaukee, where he led the Bucks to the 2021 title, the two-time Kia MVP begins a new chapter in Miami | Heat Season Preview
• Kawhi Leonard: Seven years after leading Toronto to its lone NBA title in 2019, the two-time Finals MVP returns to help the Raptors win another ring | Raptors Season Preview

On Saturday, both could make their debuts, and each will form a new tandem with an established All-Star.

For Giannis, that means joining Bam Adebayo, a three-time All-Star and six-time Kia All-Defensive Team selection, to form one of the NBA’s most physically imposing frontcourts.

Something else the two interior forces have in common? How they approach each day.

• “He’s very intentional in his workouts,” said Adebayo of Giannis at Media Day. “I like being part of people that have intention because you’re working toward something…
• “His intention to how he approaches the game and how he approaches workouts is on the same wavelength as mine – and you can gel off of just that.”

That chemistry is already taking shape in training camp, fueled by a shared competitive drive.

• “Everybody knows how competitive he is,” said Giannis of Bam. “Both ends. Probably one of the best two-way players in the league. And he shows that every single night … he never takes days off.”

Two-way versatility is a trait Kawhi also shares with his new co-star, Scottie Barnes.

Last year, Barnes averaged 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists, while being the only player in the league to record 100+ blocks and 100+ steals.

• The Result? Toronto ranked 5th in defensive rating en route to 46 wins – its most in four years – before falling to Cleveland in Game 7 of the First Round

Now, Leonard sees a group whose strengths align with his own:

• “The team played amazing last year, leading with Scottie,” said Leonard at Media Day. “Just a competitive young group. Defends first. Runs out in transition. I think I can benefit from that.”

Tomorrow night, he could get his first taste of live action with that young group, while Giannis begins building his partnership with Adebayo.

For both, it would be the first step toward the same goal.

• Kawhi On Monday: “I need pressure … I want to win.”
• Giannis On Monday: “I don’t care about being the best [player]. I care about being a winner.”

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2. SUNDAY IN BOULDER: JAZZ FACE NUGGETS ON NBA TV

Twenty-four hours after the preseason tips off in Canada, the Jazz and Nuggets meet on Sunday at the University of Colorado’s CU Events Center (7 ET, NBA TV), each getting an early look at what it hopes to build this season.

For Denver, the goal is the same. For Utah, the possibilities are new.

The excitement in Salt Lake starts with No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson, who could make his preseason debut.

• Highly Touted: Peterson isn’t new to the spotlight, having arrived at Kansas as a consensus five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American
• Highly Productive: He quickly turned into a superstar, leading the Jayhawks in scoring as a freshman with 20.2 ppg
• Early Impression: That productivity continued in Summer League, as Peterson posted 23 ppg across five outings, with his three-level scoring ability on full display

But it’s more than the 19-year-old’s shotmaking that has his new teammates impressed.

• “I have never seen, in my 13 years, a kid come into the league and be that mature for his age,” said Jusuf Nurkić of Peterson on Wednesday
• “Someone that coachable … the tools he has and how much he wants to learn. For us, it almost comes to the point where it’s like, ‘Stay away from the gym.’”
• “He’s always willing to learn,” said Keyonte George. “I think that’s the main thing, coming in as a high pick and still humble enough to still want to learn.”

George knows something about that growth himself. The fourth-year guard has increased his scoring average each season, reaching a career-best 23.6 ppg last year.

Together, the young backcourt adds to a foundation featuring All-Star frontcourt partners Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen, with Jackson entering his first full season in Utah. | Jazz Season Preview

On Sunday, that frontcourt duo could face Nikola Jokić, whose all-around brilliance last season wasn’t enough to fuel the Playoff run Denver envisioned.

• Individual Excellence: The three-time Kia MVP posted an NBA-best 34 triple-doubles last season, while also averaging one (27.7 pts, 12.9 reb, 10.7 ast), leading the NBA in rebounds and assists per game
• Shortened Run: But Denver’s First-Round loss to Minnesota marked its earliest Playoff exit since 2022

Now, the Nuggets aim to return to the heights of their 2023 championship, led by the core that helped take them there: Jokić, Jamal Murray and a healthy Aaron Gordon. | Nuggets Season Preview

It will be their seventh season together as a trio, and despite the offseason departures of Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown, the goal remains the same.

• “We still have a capability and [the] opportunity to compete on a high level, and to win a championship,” said Jokić at Media Day. “For me, it’s legacy. You want to be legendary.”

Adding to that pursuit? DeMar DeRozan, a six-time All-Star who will help replenish the scoring Denver lost this offseason.

And with Jokić leading the way, DeRozan believes the sky is the limit.

“When you have the best player in the world,” DeRozan said Monday, “anything’s possible.”

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3. SUNDAY IN HONOLULU: WARRIORS MEET NEW-LOOK CLIPPERS 

Denver isn’t the only West team leaning on a championship foundation.

The Warriors meet the Clippers Sunday in Honolulu (7 ET, League Pass), with Steph Curry and Draymond Green entering their 15th season together

In that span, they’ve helped deliver four NBA titles to Golden State. But the Warriors have missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons.

Now entering Year 18, Curry – who agreed to a two-year extension last week – is eager to give the Bay more to celebrate. | Warriors Season Preview

• “This is home. This is what we’ve built,” said Curry at Media Day. “There’s a pride of representing the Bay, representing this franchise. When I stepped foot here in ’09, and what we’ve all been able to accomplish … I wanna do right by that.”

With Jimmy Butler III still recovering from knee surgery and Kristaps Porziņģis out indefinitely with a health issue, Golden State will lean on its superstar while looking for an immediate lift from the No. 11 pick in this year’s Draft, Yaxel Lendeborg.

And the rookie, fresh off a national championship at Michigan and NBA Summer League MVP honors, needed just one day of training camp to make an impression on Curry.

• “He’s obviously a winner,” said Curry after practice Wednesday. “He’s got great feel. He, obviously, has great size. He was shooting it really well. You can tell he wants to make the right play.”

Across the floor, No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler could make his preseason debut for a Clippers team entering a new chapter following the departures of James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. | Clippers Season Preview

Taking Wagler under his wing? Darius Garland, the No. 5 pick in 2019 and LA’s leading returning scorer.

• “I’m super excited about him,” said Garland of Wagler on Monday. “He’s super eager to learn … he teaches me a lot, and I teach him a lot. So it’s super cool to have that interaction with someone who’s been in the same position.”

The new backcourt pairing could take on added responsibility as Brandon Ingram works back from a heel injury. But they won’t be alone, with newcomers Rui Hachimura, Max Strus and Gradey Dick deepening the rotation.

For Garland, the mix of new talent gives LA plenty to work with:

• “There’s a lot of good pieces over here,” said Garland at Media Day. “I think we can surprise a lot of people.”

What’s Ahead: Five games tip off Monday, with potential debuts for LeBron James and Jaylen Brown in Philly, and LaMelo Ball with Minnesota:

• Knicks at 76ers (7 ET, NBA TV)
• Grizzlies at Hawks (7 ET, League Pass)
• Suns at Pistons (7 ET, League Pass)
• Wolves at Bucks (8 ET, League Pass)
• Lakers at Kings (10 ET, NBA TV)

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4. FINAL FRAMES: CLOSING SNAPSHOTS FROM MEDIA DAY

From new threads to timeless portraits, Media Day always delivers some of the best snapshots.

So before we officially turn the page to the preseason, we pulled together a few more frames from Monday – with plenty more photos, videos and stories waiting in our Media Day hub.

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5. NEW LEADERS: THREE COACHES READY FOR NEW JOURNEYS

Six teams enter the 2026-27 season with new head coaches.

On Tuesday, we spotlighted the three first-time NBA head coaches. Today, we turn to three bringing experience to new teams.

• Taylor Jenkins begins a new era in Milwaukee after six seasons in Memphis
• Jamahl Mosley brings lessons from five years of developing Orlando’s young core to a fresh stint in New Orleans
• Tiago Splitter takes over in Chicago after guiding Portland to the Playoffs as an interim coach last season

As part of the 2026-27 Amex Season Preview, NBA.com’s Brian Martin examines their previous stops and what they hope to establish in their new roles.

At Media Day, each coach offered a glimpse of his vision.

• Jenkins: “Culture is more than a word – it’s behaviors and actions … this is all the idea of building the next great era of Bucks basketball.”
• Mosley: “We have dynamic offensive weapons, but our ceiling will strictly be dictated by our grit, communication and connectivity on the defensive end.”
• Splitter: “We have a lot of young guys on our team, and we are excited about them. But also, we gotta be patient … we cannot forget how those guys are developing: how is our identity, our culture, our standards?”

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