We’re roughly three weeks away from the 2026–27 NBA season tipping off on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Training camps are opening this week, and Monday marked the unofficial start with Media Day.
The annual tradition allows the local media to catch up with the top players in their respective markets and discuss what took place last season or during the summer and what one can look forward to this season.
As is often the case, there were some quotes, reactions, and comments from star players that raised some eyebrows.
LeBron James made several attention-worthy quotes during his first media day with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round. I know that,” the 76ers forward said, sharing his championship-or-bust mentality for his star-studded team.
The Los Angeles Lakers failed to advance past the second round in each of the last three seasons with James on the team, while Joel Embiid has never gotten past the second round in his NBA career.
As far as leaving his family, this is a first for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. From Cleveland to Miami, back to Cleveland, then Los Angeles, James always had his family with him. That will not be the case with the 76ers: his eldest son, Bronny, remains with the Lakers; his younger son, Bryce, plays for the Arizona Wildcats; and James’ wife and daughter are still living in Los Angeles.
James noted that he will live in Philadelphia and New York City, saying that he’ll have “multiple residences.”
Pistons president of basketball operations, Trajan Langdon, dropped his own news, saying of Jalen Duren, “I have not spoken to the young man all summer.”
It’s never a good thing when your team’s general manager openly admits he hasn’t talked to the team’s second-best player amid a contract standoff. Duren skipped Media Day and has balked all summer at the Pistons’ contract extension offer, as it appears the two sides aren’t even communicating.
Langdon, who was also formerly the GM of the New Orleans Pelicans, also took a shot at what’s presumed to be Zion Williamson when he said: “I was in New Orleans for five years with a certain player that wasn’t easy to deal with. … We can control what we can control, and that’s how we operate.”
Outside of Williamson, Brandon Ingram is the only other Pelican who remained with the team for Langdon’s entire five-year stint. Williamson and Ingram, like Langdon, also played at Duke—although “The Brotherhood” appears to have some cracks in it.
“I need pressure, or I need a winning situation,” Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard told reporters.
Leonard is implying he wasn’t getting either with the Clippers, even though Los Angeles is his hometown. Leonard’s divorce from the Clippers was well publicized and involved a scandal that penalized Steve Ballmer and the Clippers in a huge way.
After burning bridges in San Antonio, and after a similarly messy exit from Los Angeles, Leonard is back with the one former employer still glad to have him.
“The last couple of years, I couldn’t play defense as good as I wanted to,” Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards said.
Edwards is seen as one of the best two-way wings in the NBA, but he said his offensive workload has been so heavy it prevented him from putting as much effort into the defensive end. Now, having LaMelo Ball on the team will take some pressure off Edwards, who added, “I can go to the corner for three, four plays in a row, and then guard the best player.”
“That’s how bad? To make the playoffs? It went from championship to … [walks off],” Warriors guard Steph Curry said.
The NBA’s 3-point king was being asked about his coach, Steve Kerr, saying that he likes that no one expects Golden State to make the playoffs as there’s freedom in flying under the radar. Curry couldn’t believe hearing that no one expects his team to make the playoffs, so much so that he didn’t finish his thought and simply walked away from the podium in disbelief.
“I don’t know how to say this, but fire be with fire,” said Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo on pairing with Bam Adebayo.
Perhaps Antetokounmpo, whose native language is Greek, was searching for the phrase “iron sharpens iron” as he was talking about how he and Adebayo practicing against one another will make each of them better. But seeing as he plays for a team called the Heat, “fire be with fire” is appropriate.
“It’s been my life to get up and fight the fight regardless and be willing to do things that people might not expect me to be willing to do,” Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard said. The nine-time All-Star will have seen 18 months pass between NBA games when he suits up for Portland’s opening night in three weeks.
Lillard returned to the Blazers before last season but missed the entire year while recovering from a torn Achilles. His comment comes amid Portland having a crowded backcourt with himself, Jrue Holiday, Ja Morant, and Scoot Henderson. However, Lillard’s comment indicates his role may not be what it was in the past.
He’s not worried about how things will work out, as it’s never a bad thing to have so many good players on a roster. “
I think the balance will work itself out,” he added.
