That said, a 40-year-old LeBron James will miss the Lakers' opener against the Warriors. The four-time league MVP and four-time NBA champ is dealing with sciatica and is reportedly eying a mid-November return. James' early-season absence could set the stage for the beginning of a Dončić MVP campaign.

Austin Reaves averaged a career-best 20.2 points per game last season, and he ramped it up to 22.8 points per game from February 1 through the end of the regular season. In three games played with Luka and without LeBron, he posted totals of 28, 30, and 22.

The Atlanta Hawks officially announced the signing of former Kentucky guard Lamont Butler on Monday afternoon. A few hours later, he was getting buckets in the preseason. Butler made the most of every second he saw against the Miami Heat.

Austin Reaves had been steadily improving since his rookie year, but last season he truly flourished, particularly after the Lakers swapped Anthony Davis for Doncic.

A bold hot take from Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant just gave rivals the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves

Fresh off having his high school number retired, Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. will be the first player from an Alabama high school or college on the court in the NBA’s 2025-26 season. The NBA’s 80th season tips off at 6:30 p.