Watch Trae Young, Daniss Jenkins get ejected after pushing incident
Trae Young put on a passing display to open Saturday night’s preseason game against Detroit, with eight assists in the first quarter. Then, in the third quarter he was done for the night after this happened following a Ron Holland dunk.
Trae Young and Daniss Jenkins each received double techs after a scuffle during Wizards Pistons
There isn’t really much there, just a little pushing between Young and Daniss Jenkins. The officials gave a double technical for the pushing coming up the court, then a second one to each player because they kept barking at each other and didn’t walk away. That second tech led to the ejections.
Jenkins left the game with a dozen points.
Young finished the night with two points on 1-of-4 shooting, he had eight assists but also five turnovers in 23 minutes.
It’s just a preseason game, but the Wizards need Young to stay healthy and stay on the court this season. They paid him a massive four-year, $212 million contract to do just that.
How Kimi Antonelli can clinch the F1 Drivers’ Championship in Austin
(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Singapore Grand Prix in the books, the Formula 1 grid will go quiet for a week, until the United States Grand Prix.
And a champion can now be crowned that weekend in Austin.
Kimi Antonelli is on the doorstep of his first F1 Drivers’ Championship, and could mathematically clinch that title at the United States Grand Prix later in Austin.
Here is how.
F1 Drivers’ Championship standings
Here are the current standings, including only the drivers that still have a mathematical chance at winning the F1 Drivers’ Championship this season.
Position
Driver
Team
Points
Wins
1
Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
340
8
2
George Russell
Mercedes
238
3
3
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
229
1
4
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
221
2
5
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
215
1
6
Lando Norris
McLaren
201
2
How Antonelli can clinch at the USGP
This weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix marked the final F1 Sprint race of the season. Six race weekends remain, all in the standard Grand Prix format, meaning that on paper 150 points are up for grabs — 25 points are awarded to the winner of each Grand Prix.
That number will drop to 125 after the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
That means that to clinch the title in Texas, Antonelli needs to leave the Circuit of the Americans with at least a 125-point lead over his rivals in the title chase. He will head to Austin with a 102-point lead over teammate George Russell, and a 111-point lead over Lewis Hamilton, putting Antonelli in position to clinch in Texas.
A win in Austin, coupled with favorable results from Russell and Hamilton, would get the job done. If Antonelli wins the United States Grand Prix he would move to 365 points on the year, 127 points ahead of Russell and 136 points ahead of Hamilton before their results are factored in.
Which means Russell needs to finish eighth or higher in Austin to remain alive in the title race, and Hamilton needs to finish fourth or higher to remain alive, should Antonelli win the United States Grand Prix. We will return to these two drivers in a moment.
A win from Antonelli would eliminate Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, and Max Verstappen. At the moment Antonelli has a 139-point lead over Norris, and with a win in Austin that would extend to 164 points, and a second-place finish from Norris would only cut that margin down to 146, outside of striking range. With Leclerc, Antonelli has a 125-point lead, which would grow to 150 points with a win in Austin, and a P2 from Leclerc would only cut that margin down to 132 points, outside of striking range.
As for Verstappen, who is in prime form at the moment, Antonelli enjoys a 119-point lead over the Red Bull driver. An Antonelli win at the United States Grand Prix would grow that to 144 points, which Verstappen could only cut down to 126 points with a P2, just outside of striking range. Remember, only 125 points are available after the United States Grand Prix.
Now let’s talk about Russell and Hamilton.
Antonelli has a gap of 111 points to Hamilton at the moment, and if Antonelli wins in Austin, that would grow to 136 points. If the Ferrari driver were to finish second, he would cut that gap down to 118 points, which would keep Hamilton alive. Simply put, if Antonelli wins in Austin, as long as Hamilton finishes in the top four, he would remain alive. Should Antonelli win — and grow his lead over Hamilton to 136 points before we calculate the Ferrari driver’s finish — then a P5 from Hamilton would trim that gap by ten points to 126.
With 125 points remaining available.
As for Russell, if he finishes eighth or higher, he would remain alive in the title fight even if Antonelli wins in Austin. If he finishes ninth, he would be exactly 125 points behind Antonelli if the Italian driver were to win the United States Grand Prix, with five race weekends left. He could then — theoretically — win the rest of the races while Antonelli finished outside of the points in all of them, and finish tied with Antonelli on points.
But he would lose to Antonelli on countback, or tiebreakers.
An Antonelli win in Austin would move him to nine wins on the season. And if Russell won out from there, he would finish with … eight wins. Wins are the first tiebreaker, so if the two were to finish level on points, the title would be decided by the number of wins and since Antonelli would have nine and Russell would have eight, the title would be Antonelli’s.
However, there are some other factors to consider …
What about Qatar and Abu Dhabi?
Nothing in this world happens in a vacuum.
Including Formula 1.
Hostilities in the Middle East between the United States and Iran already forced the cancellation of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and required moving the Bahrain Grand Prix to Malaysia. As things stand right now, the final two races of the season are set for Qatar in late November, and Abu Dhabi the following weekend at the start of December.
F1 has not announced a decision on those races — and news is expected later this month — but the sport’s governing body already cancelled Rally Saudi Arabia, as the World Endurance Championship was slated for a race in Saudi Arabia in mid-November.
Which does not bode well for Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
So, hypothetically for the moment, if we remove those two races from the schedule, then only four race weekends remain this season. And in that scenario, only 100 points are available to those drivers chasing Antonelli.
And since Russell is closest at 102 points behind … in this scenario Antonelli has already clinched the title.
Now, F1 has floated the idea of adding a race in Imola at the end of the season, should circumstances force a cancellation of both Qatar and Abu Dhabi. In that scenario, with five races remaining, a maximum of 125 points are available to the drivers over those events.
And Antonelli would need a lead of 100 points over each of his rivals to clinch the title in Austin, if the season were to finish with Mexico, Brazil, Las Vegas, and Imola.
What do we know for sure?
Antonelli heads to Austin with a chance to clinch his first title, and SB Nation will be on the ground covering it live.
Want to stay updated on all the latest F1 news? Download the brand new SB Nation app and join our F1 Community! There, you can read all the latest from the paddock and talk about Formula 1 all year long with fans from around the world!
The New Orleans Pelicans have signed forward Jalon Moore to an Exhibit 10 contract. Moore replaces Christian Koloko, who was waived in the last couple of days.
Moore missed last season while recovering from a torn Achilles that he suffered in the pre-draft process ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-6 forward played for the Pelicans during Summer League and averaged 6.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals.
Josh Hart ‘Not Too Stressed’ About Knicks Stopping Extension Talks
New York Knicks wing Josh Hart was asked about the team tabling extension talks for eligible players, such as himself. Hart didn’t seem as worried about the situation as teammates Karl-Anthony Towns and Miles McBride seem to be.
“Everything is going to work out. I’m not really too stressed over it,” Hart said. “I’m not putting too much into it. We have expectations, so it’s good we are able to focus on the season.”
Hart has two years left on his contract. This season, the veteran wing is owed $20.9 million. Next season, the Knicks hold a $22.4 million team option for Hart. In order for Hart to extend after October 19, New York would need to decline that team option first. As things play out, Hart was honest that their next deals would occasionally be on the minds of the extension-eligible players.
“There will be days where we don’t think about it,” Hart said. “There will be days where it’s top of the mind. We’re humans.”
Caitlin Clark Undecided On EPIC Extension, Says ‘No Matter What, I’m Gonna Be Here’
Caitlin Clark is now eligible for a contract extension under the WNBA’s new “EPIC” provision, but the Indiana Fever star has not committed to signing it. Clark said she wants to consider how the deal would impact the team’s salary cap and roster.
“We have to think about things with the cap,” said Clark, “and what we’re going to need and who we’re going to need to sign and what value they bring to the team.
“Not saying I’m going to sign it or not sign it. I think it’s just kind of figuring out the way we need to construct our roster. No matter what, I’m gonna be here. I just want to do what’s best for the team and make sure we have the opportunity to be able to win championships. Like, that’s my main goal.”
The EPIC (Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract) provision in the latest collective bargaining agreement lets qualifying players renegotiate the fourth year of their rookie deals and sign three-year extensions.
Clark could earn the projected max of $1.3 million in 2027 and the projected supermax of $1.7 million in 2028. Players qualify for the max with a prior first- or second-team All-WNBA selection, while the supermax requires an MVP award.
The three-time All-Star was the 2024 Rookie of the Year and a first-team All-WNBA pick that season. She ranked third in scoring and second in assists this season.
The Fever lost in the first round of the playoffs as the No. 6 seed for the third straight year, and Kelsey Mitchell, Sophie Cunningham, Tyasha Harris and Myisha Hines-Allen are all unrestricted free agents.
Clark said she plans to help general manager Amber Cox with roster decisions and free-agent recruiting. Clark called it a responsibility as a team leader.
“Those are definitely conversations we have with Amber,” said Clark. “At the end of the day, Amber’s the GM and she makes the final call, but she certainly asks us our opinion, and wants us to have a voice in that.”
76ers' Joel Embiid denies tardiness report, questions why it happened: 'It feels like I'm an easy target'
Following a preseason loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid described the rejected report about LeBron James laying into the big man for showing up a couple minutes late to Sixers practice as “unfortunate,” according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
The one-time NBA MVP also questioned why it happened, pondering postgame Thursday night, per McMenamin: “It feels like I’m an easy target.”
The drama-stirring tale was recounted by longtime ESPN play-by-play announcer Mike Breen late in a preseason game between the New York Knicks and Sixers on Monday.
“Somebody told me before the game that they were out ready to practice, and Joel Embiid walked out on the court a couple of minutes late, and LeBron let him hear it,” Breen said on the MSG Networks broadcast in the fourth quarter of a 120-97 Philadelphia win.
Breen noted to ESPN that he was hoping to highlight James’ instant leadership in Philly, not Embiid’s alleged tardiness.
Joel Embiid on the recent report about LeBron James getting on him for being late: “I don’t know where that came from. It never happened. … One, it’s not true. And then again it’s like, ‘Why me?’ But I guess I’m Joel Embiid, I’ve been in this situation.”
“It sucks, but what can you do? It’s unfortunate,” Embiid said after a 114-108 loss to the Nets, per McMenamin. “I don’t know where that came from. It never happened. … I think we just got to focus on ourselves. There’s going to be a lot of outside noise to pull us apart from what we’re supposed to be and what we’re supposed to accomplish.
“So, it’s important that we stay together and we keep our [head] down.”
Additionally, because of Embiid’s extensive injury history, his physical preparation, conditioning and body care have been doubted over the years.
He’s had to deal with rumors and stories like the one Breen shared on air.
“Those type of things, I can’t understand,” Embiid said on Thursday night, according to McMenamin. “One, it is not true, but then again, it’s like, ‘Why me?’ … I guess I’m Joel Embiid. I’ve been in that situation. I don’t usually talk when it comes to those [rumors]. So, it feels like I’m an easy target.
“But yeah, as long as we know who we are, [we will be OK], and we just got to stick together.”
Embiid had a rough outing against the Nets. He scored only six points on 1-of-5 shooting and committed eight turnovers.
“He’s been MVP of our league, has a gold medal, All-Stars, signature shoes, bunch of money, beautiful fam. He has everything. He has a city on his back. He’s been ‘The Process’ for, what, 10 years, 12 years, however long he’s been there. But I mean, I think it’s time now that we dig even deeper into the process, and I hope that I can be that final little piece that can help him get over the hump and have him maybe see it a little bit differently than he’s seen it in his career, as far as the day-to-day process, the day-to-day what it takes to get there.”
NBA Pushes Back On Claims Second Apron Hurts Middle-Class Players
The NBA issued a statement Friday disputing claims that the second apron had adverse effects upon the league’s middle-class players. The league said salaries have grown for players at every pay level since the rule took effect.
“Recent reports asserted that the second apron is hurting ‘lower’ and ‘middle’ class players,” said the NBA in a post on X. “That’s untrue. Since the implementation of the second apron, the number of players on team rosters has remained the same and annual salaries have increased by nearly $1.3 billion resulting in pay increases of approximately 30% for all classes of players.”
The statement came a day after comments from veteran guard Bruce Brown. Brown was asked after Thursday’s preseason game between the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards whether players were frustrated by the second apron.
“I’m sure there is,” said Brown. “The new CBA is good for max guys, new free agents and rookie extension guys. The middle guys, it kind of sucks for us. There’s not a lot of people getting that full midlevel.”
Brown played all 82 games for the Denver Nuggets last season but did not land a guaranteed contract this summer. Brown signed a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Knicks and is competing for the defending champions’ final roster spot.
The second apron was introduced as part of the 2023 collective bargaining agreement. Teams above the threshold, set at $209 million this season, lose access to most trades and free-agent signings and can see future draft picks pushed to the end of the first round.
No team enters the 2026-27 season above the second apron. Knicks owner James Dolan said in June that his team could not cross the threshold.
However, more teams have moved into the luxury tax since 2023. That threshold, which carries lighter penalties, sits just over $200 million.
NBA Franchises Worth Combined $199 Billion, Average Team Value Rises 21%
The NBA’s 30 franchises are worth a combined $199 billion, according to Sportico’s 2026 valuations. The average team is now valued at $6.64 billion, a 21 percent increase from last year.
The Golden State Warriors lead the league at $14.5 billion after a 28 percent jump. Only the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, at $15.5 billion, rank higher among global sports franchises.
The New York Knicks moved past the Los Angeles Lakers for second place at $12.8 billion. The Lakers, valued at $12.5 billion in their pending sale to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, fell to third. The Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls round out the top five.
The average team value has climbed 183 percent since 2020, when it stood at $2.35 billion.
League revenue reached an estimated $13.7 billion last season, up 12 percent, as the NBA’s 11-year, $76 billion national media deal took effect. Each team received roughly $180 million from shared league revenue.
Golden State generated $895 million in revenue net of revenue sharing, 26 percent more than the Knicks. The Warriors’ new jersey patch deal with Iren is worth more than $50 million per year, the richest sponsorship in North American team sports history.
The top half of the league rose 26 percent on average, while the bottom four teams gained just five percent.
The average NBA team is valued at 14.6 times revenue, the highest multiple among major North American leagues. Expansion could push values higher, with the league expected to decide on Las Vegas and Seattle by the end of the year.
2026 NBA Team Valuations
1. Golden State Warriors: $14.5 billion (+28%) 2. New York Knicks: $12.8 billion (+30%) 3. Los Angeles Lakers: $12.5 billion (+25%) 4. Los Angeles Clippers: $8.21 billion (+22%) 5. Chicago Bulls: $8.13 billion (+33%) 6. Miami Heat: $8.05 billion (+33%) 7. Boston Celtics: $8 billion (+26%) 8. Brooklyn Nets: $7.45 billion (+20%) 9. Philadelphia 76ers: $7.15 billion (+27%) 10. Houston Rockets: $6.92 billion (+25%) 11. Toronto Raptors: $6.47 billion (+24%) 12. Dallas Mavericks: $6.35 billion (+21%) 13. Phoenix Suns: $6.32 billion (+24%) 14. Atlanta Hawks: $6.08 billion (+21%) 15. Cleveland Cavaliers: $6 billion (+23%) 16. Sacramento Kings: $5.71 billion (+14%) 17. Washington Wizards: $5.56 billion (+16%) 18. Denver Nuggets: $5.51 billion (+15%) 19. San Antonio Spurs: $5.3 billion (+18%) 20. Indiana Pacers: $5.26 billion (+11%) 21. Milwaukee Bucks: $5.14 billion (+13%) 22. Oklahoma City Thunder: $5 billion (+15%) 23. Utah Jazz: $4.92 billion (+15%) 24. Orlando Magic: $4.9 billion (+16%) 25. Charlotte Hornets: $4.85 billion (+17%) 26. Detroit Pistons: $4.83 billion (+16%) 27. Minnesota Timberwolves: $4.5 billion (+6%) 28. Portland Trail Blazers: $4.4 billion (+4%) 29. New Orleans Pelicans: $4.25 billion (+6%) 30. Memphis Grizzlies: $4.2 billion (+5%)
We have a fun episode of The Dunker Spot coming your way!
First, Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones preview the Pacific division (Lakers, Suns, Clippers, Warriors, Kings).
On the WNBA side, the guys recap the Dream’s Game 2 win over the Liberty, as well as the Valkyries’ win over the Aces, then talk through potential adjustments we may see in each Game 3.
If you ever have NBA or WNBA questions, email us at dunkerspot@yahoo.com
01:40 — Los Angeles Lakers
16:05 — Phoenix Suns
27:26 — Los Angeles Clippers
36:07 — Golden State Warriors
46:03 — Sacramento Kings
51:34 — Dream-Liberty
01:11:26 — Valkyries-Aces
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 08: Austin Reaves #15 and Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter in a preseason game at Crypto.com Arena on October 08, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
LeBron James to reportedly make 76ers preseason debut with rest of starting 5 Thursday vs. Nets
The biggest signing of the NBA offseason is ready for his debut. LeBron James will reportedly make his first preseason appearance with the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, according to ESPN.
James, 41, is expected to play against the Brooklyn Nets and will be joined by the rest of the 76ers’ projected starting lineup.
That’s right, James will take the court alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe. Those five are unlikely to see significant time during the game, and might only play in the first half.
While it’s just the preseason, Thursday will mark James’ first game with the 76ers since joining the team in July. James spent the previous eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, but announced in June that he would sign with a different franchise over the summer. He didn’t wait that long before making his decision, announcing he was signing with the 76ers.
That news sent shockwaves through the NBA, and caused the 76ers’ title odds to jump.
James and crew are unlikely to show out in a big way Thursday and are likely just looking to get in some conditioning in their first preseason appearance. The real magic should happen when the NBA opens its regular season.
The league planned for that, pitting the 76ers against the defending-champion New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden on opening night. It’s safe to say James — and the rest of the 76ers — will be amped up for that.
