Starting 5: Preseason in full swing, major preseason debuts on the horizon

Preseason hoops is underway, and the Joker is already in midseason form.

See what else stood out from this weekend’s opening three games, plus potential first looks at LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and LaMelo Ball with their new teams tonight.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Sunday Spotlight: Wagler wins it in Honolulu, Jazz earn complete dub in Colorado

Saturday Rewind: Giannis starts strong in Canada as Heat win preseason opener

Tonight On NBA TV: Sixers host Knicks, retooled Lakers open preseason in Sacramento

On League Pass: Ant & LaMelo could get their first run together, plus more possible debuts

Fantasy Finds: Six potential steals in your fantasy draft, according to RotoWire

BUT FIRST … ⏰

The preseason continues with five games tonight, including potential Sixers debuts for James and Brown as Philly hosts New York (7 ET, NBA TV), followed by the Lakers visiting the Kings (10 ET, NBA TV).

Three more games tip off on League Pass, including a potential first look at Ball with the Wolves as Minnesota visits Milwaukee (8 ET).

W Playoffs: The Valkyries beat the Aces, 71-60, and the Dream topped the Liberty, 92-82, on Sunday to take 1-0 leads in the WNBA Semifinals. Game 2 of each series is set for Wednesday.

1. SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT: WAGLER HITS GAME WINNER, JAZZ ROCK IN BOULDER

The opening weekend of preseason ball ended with a splash in Honolulu, as a young rookie pulled up like a seasoned vet.

Clippers 104, Warriors 101: This year’s No. 5 pick, Keaton Wagler, scored nine of his 15 points in the 4th quarter, capped by a go-ahead stepback jumper with 12.8 ticks left to lift the Clippers past the Warriors at the Stan Sheriff Center. | Recap

• Welcome Party: Rui Hachimura, another offseason addition for the Clips, added 21 points in the 1st half, going 8-of-11 from the field and 4-of-5 from deep
• Rookie Spark: Then Wagler, who led Illinois in scoring last season as a freshman (17.9 ppg), helped fuel a 22-13 closing run as LA rallied from six points down
• Backcourt Buckets: Darius Garland matched Wagler with 15 points, going 3-for-3 from deep while adding a game-high six assists
• Dub Standouts: Charles Bassey (12 pts, 8 reb) led Golden State, while Steph Curry added 10 points, two assists and a pair of 3s

Garrett Ellwood + Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images

It only took Nikola Jokić five minutes on Sunday to deliver perhaps the dime of the preseason.

But it was the Jazz who rolled to a win in Boulder, Colorado.

Jazz 109, Nuggets 97: Lauri Markkanen (17 pts, 3 3s) and Keyonte George (15 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast) combined for 32 points as Utah took an early lead that it never relinquished, securing a win at the University of Colorado’s CU Events Center. | Recap

• Full Groove: Jaren Jackson Jr. (11 pts, 4 reb) and Ace Bailey (10 pts, 5 reb) joined Markkanen and George in double figures, while Blake Hinson added 14 points, including eight in the 4th to slam the door
• Peterson’s Debut: Utah’s No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson notched his first bucket with a smooth pump-and-pop baseline floater. He finished with three points and six boards
• Nuggets Leaders: Julian Strawther led Denver with 14 points, while Jokić (3 pts) dropped a game-high seven assists, including five in the 1st quarter
• Watch It Again: That included his absurd behind-the-back dish and a full-court dime to Christian Braun

2. SATURDAY REWIND: GIANNIS STARTS STRONG, HEAT ROLL IN CANADA

New team. New season. Same Greek Freak.

Heat 129, Raptors 105: In Saturday’s preseason opener, an NBA Canada Game in Québec City, Giannis Antetokounmpo wasted no time making his mark with Miami, posting nine points and a game-high seven dimes in 14 minutes as the Heat outpaced the Raptors. | Recap

• Signature Start: Antetokounmpo’s first preseason points in a Heat uniform came in familiar fashion, powering down the lane for an and-1 finish
• Flawless Night: He later muscled his way to the hoop for another and-1, before finishing a perfect 3-for-3 from the field
• Also Perfect? Tim Hardaway Jr., a fellow offseason addition for Miami, finished with a team-high 14 points on 4-of-4 shooting with three triples
• Complete Win: By night’s end, seven Heat notched double figures, including Bam Adebayo (10 pts, 6 reb), Andrew Wiggins (12 pts, 4 3s) and Nikola Jović (11 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast)
• Raptors Shine: RJ Barrett and Tyreke Key scored 15 apiece, while Scottie Barnes (11 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl) showed off his two-way versatility for Toronto, which was without Kawhi Leonard

2026 Canada Series Continues: The Raptors face the Clippers on Saturday in Vancouver in the second and final NBA Canada Game of the preseason (6:30 ET, League Pass).

3. TONIGHT ON NBA TV: SIXERS HOST KNICKS, LAKERS VISIT KINGS

Jesse D. Garrabrant + Steve Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images

Five basketball players walk into a room.

• One is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer
• Another is the 2022-23 Kia NBA MVP
• Two more finished among last season’s top-five scorers
• The fifth is coming off a Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team selection

The punchline? They all play for the Philadelphia 76ers. | 76ers Season Preview

Tonight (7 ET, NBA TV), those five players – James, Joel Embiid, Brown, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe – could all be in action as Philly opens its preseason against the defending champion Knicks.

On Oct. 20, the two teams will meet in New York to open the regular season on NBC/Peacock.

Via Philadelphia 76ers Instagram

One Question For Philly: With so much firepower, how will all the pieces fit together? On Saturday, fans got an early look as the Sixers held their Blue & White scrimmage before a sold-out crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

• Instant Elevation: The chemistry looked strong early, as Maxey found James for an alley-oop that brought the crowd to its feet
• Joining The Party: Then it was Edgecombe’s turn, as the sophomore threw down a big-time hammer, followed by a lefty jam from Embiid
• Inside & Out: Brown added to the string of driving buckets before showing off his range, while Maxey and James also buried triples

That versatility, and a willingness to make room for others, is something James emphasized at Media Day. On Saturday, Embiid echoed a similar message.

• “I can do everything on the basketball court,” Embiid said of his role after the scrimmage. “So nothing changes. It’s just about making sure everybody succeeds … that’s how we’re going to win.”

That team-first approach is a major reason why the Knicks won last year’s NBA title. Now, the group returns with its championship core intact and a new challenge: doing it again. | Knicks Season Preview

• “As a group, we figured out that we needed each other to win,” said Jalen Brunson at Media Day. “As long as you keep putting the work in every single day … at some point, it all falls in your favor.”

Tonight, Philly gets a chance to build that chemistry against a Knicks team that already knows where it can lead.

Via Los Angeles Lakers + Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

In the nightcap (10 ET, NBA TV), Luka Dončić and the retooled Lakers visit Sacramento, opening a new chapter in Los Angeles.

With James now in Philly, Dončić and Austin Reaves lead the way for the purple and gold, with a new supporting cast that has head coach JJ Redick excited. | Lakers Season Preview

• Big Additions: Walker Kessler brings rim protection and finishing to the frontcourt, while Sandro Mamukelashvili gives L.A. a stretch big following the departures of Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes
• “I think Walker is a perfect fit for Luka and AR,” said Redick last week. “I like everything we did this summer to build around [Luka], to build around AR and provide a ton of depth.”
• More In The Mix: Los Angeles also brought in Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes and Jaden Hardy, adding perimeter scoring options after parting with Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart

For Sacramento, the preseason offers a fresh start after an injury-riddled 2025-26, with this year’s No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr., a dynamic guard out of Arkansas, adding another reason for optimism. | Kings Season Preview

4. ON LEAGUE PASS: NEW PAIRINGS & FIRST LOOKS

David Sherman + Geoff Stellfox/NBAE via Getty Images

What happens when two of the NBA’s most creative guards share a backcourt?

Tonight on League Pass (8 ET), Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball could offer a first glimpse as Minnesota visits Milwaukee.

• The Cornerstone: Edwards enters Year 7 coming off his fourth straight All-Star nod and a career-high 28.8 ppg, having helped guide Minnesota to its fifth straight Playoff appearance
• The Addition: But after a West Semifinals exit last spring, Minnesota traded for Ball, adding another career 20+ ppg scorer in hopes of pushing further | Wolves Team Preview
• The Combination: Both 25, Edwards and Ball have combined for 976 made 3s over the past two seasons, the most of any two current teammates
• The Same Page: “We’re already cool. Super close, like brothers,” said Edwards of Ball in an interview with Wolves announcer Michael Grady. “We get on the court, ain’t no egos involved. We just want to win.”

Tonight also marks the start of a new era in Milwaukee as the Bucks begin their first season without Giannis Antetokounmpo since 2012-13.

New head coach Taylor Jenkins leads the reset, with Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. arriving in the Giannis trade and Lottery picks Brayden Burries (No. 10 overall) and Nate Ament (No. 13) adding young talent to build around. | Bucks Season Preview

Joe Murphy + Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images

The first looks continue on League Pass. This year’s No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer could see his first preseason action as the Grizzlies visit the Hawks (7 ET), whose offseason additions include No. 6 pick Kingston Flemings and defensive standout Lu Dort.

Meanwhile, Detroit hosts a Phoenix squad bolstered by the acquisition of Miles Bridges (7 ET, League Pass).

5. FANTASY FINDS: SIX POTENTIAL STEALS TO KNOW

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

The 2026-27 regular season is 15 days away, which means fantasy basketball draft season is in full swing.

To help you prep, we’ll spotlight articles from our Fantasy Basketball Hub throughout the preseason, starting with six undervalued players to target, according to RotoWire’s Mike Barner.

Barner’s first potential steal? Josh Hart. As he writes:

“Across 52 starts, [Hart] averaged 12.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.6 3-pointers, while shooting 51.5% from the field …

“Outside of [Andre] Drummond replacing [Mitchell] Robinson, the Knicks return mostly the same team that won the championship last year. Hart should start and play a lot, making him a potential value at his current ADP of 96.”

Note: All ADP data is from Yahoo, and value is based on nine-category leagues.

See All Six Players: Get the full list and Barner’s entire breakdown here.

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