Ahh, media day.
Every year across the NBA, players gather for media day, a longstanding tradition in which newcomers don their uniforms for the first time and take their official roster photos for the season. Between all the glitz and glam and TikTok dances requested by the social media team, though, are a few items worth talking about.
Let’s get right into it. Here are five things we learned from media day across the NBA:
1. With a deadline in sight, the Jalen Duren negotiations still feel very far apart
The most notable player to not attend media day across the NBA was Pistons center Jalen Duren, whose contract negotiations have become the biggest remaining storyline of the offseason. Duren has until Thursday to do one of four things:
- Accept the Pistons’ long-term contract offer (last reported to be five years and $200 million)
- Sign the qualifying offer (one year, $9.6 million) and become an unrestricted free agent next summer
- Let the qualifying offer expire and remain a restricted free agent
- Agree to extend the qualifying offer and remain a restricted free agent. It can be extended until March 1.
It doesn’t appear like any long-term contract resolution is coming soon. Maybe both sides are playing hardball and something will work out by Thursday, but the vibes at media day did not reflect that. On Monday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Duren would not be attending media day (as expected without a deal) and that his holdout was no longer about the money. Duren and his team feel "disrespected" by the Pistons over this lengthy process due to the reported contract clause about monthly mandatory weigh-ins for Duren and considering teammate just signed a five-year, $155 million contract with no issues earlier this month.
The Pistons don’t seem too excited about things, either.
“I won’t let anybody’s feelings get in the way of decisions that I make professionally,” Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said Monday in response to those reports. “So reports that are out there are also meaningless to me.”
Langdon also compared Duren to the Zion Williamson contract saga he experienced in New Orleans, and said he has not spoken with Duren all summer—another not-so-great sign for the 22-year-old center to sign a long-term agreement. Again, Duren has until Thursday to decide on the four choices listed above.
“I’m excited to have him in, regardless of what decision he does make,” Langdon said.
2. LeBron thought about joining Knicks before title
It was great day for 76ers fans as LeBron James donned his new threads for the first time.
At the podium, James was all business and spoke about how he hopes to lead the 76ers to the championship. He also said he’s living in the present and hasn’t thought about if this will be his last season.
In an interview with ESPN, James admitted for the first time that he once thought he’d sign with the Knicks in free agency to finish out his career at Madison Square Garden, which has long been one of his favorite arenas. That all changed, though, when the Knicks won the 2026 NBA Finals. James couldn’t fathom joining the defending champs for his NBA swan song.
Based on the discourse that still follows Kevin Durant around from his decision in July 2016, LeBron is probably right.
3. Some insight into NBA group chats
VJ Edgecombe bragged to reporters on Monday that he started the new-look 76ers’ group chat. However, he didn’t have LeBron’s phone number, so he had to have teammate Tyrese Maxey add the King. (It’s no surprise that Maxey already had LeBron’s number—he was named several times as the biggest factor in James choosing Philadelphia over a return to Cleveland, among other landing spots.)
Up in Minnesota, the Timberwolves have a new-look roster featuring one of the NBA’s most intriguing new duos in Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. The vibes are great there, too. Rudy Gobert, who hosted the team in France this summer, said at media day that he has to put the Timberwolves’ group chat on mute sometimes because it’s always going off.
4. A few surprise injuries around the NBA
As if the Clippers didn’t have a enough of a depressing offseason, they announced Monday that Brandon Ingram—the biggest piece acquired in the Kawhi Leonard trade—will miss the start of the 2026–27 campaign due to a partially torn Achilles tendon. Additionally, Bradley Beal has right knee inflammation and will miss the start of training camp.
Elsewhere in the Pacific Division, Warriors forward Kristaps Porzingis is out indefinitely due to a “health issue” and won’t be taking the trip to Hawaii with the rest of the club.
"I'm not marking him down as being out to start the season or anything like that,” general manager Mike Dunleavy said. “He's just not available this week."
5. Steph Curry would like you to believe in the aging Warriors
It makes sense that Curry, a four-time NBA champion, is having a hard time seeing why nobody is picking Golden State to even make the playoffs this season.
“Steve Kerr was saying that he likes that no one expects you guys to make the playoffs,” a reporter started.
“That's how bad it is—to make the playoffs?! It went from championship to playoffs?! Damn!” Curry responded while running off the podium.
The man was too stunned to speak 😅 pic.twitter.com/LG8iRJSPwy
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) September 28, 2026
For more media day shenanigans, catch up on Sports Illustrated’s live blog from earlier on Monday:
2026–27 NBA media day: Live updates throughout the afternoon
2026 NBA media day schedule for all 30 teams
Atlanta Hawks
Time (local), date, location: 10:30 a.m. Monday at PC&E Atlanta
Boston Celtics
Time (local), date, location: 12 p.m. Monday at Auerbach Center
Brooklyn Nets
Time (local), date, location: 10 a.m. Monday at HSS Training Center
- 2027 NBA Championship Predictions: Which Team Will Hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy?
Charlotte Hornets
Time (local), date, location: 10 a.m. Monday at Spectrum Center
Chicago Bulls
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Monday at United Center
Cleveland Cavaliers
Time (local), date, location: 12:30 p.m. Monday at Rocket Arena
Dallas Mavericks
Time (local), date, location: 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25 at American Airlines Center
- NBA Championship Power Rankings: Where Does Your Favorite Team Stack Up?
Denver Nuggets
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Monday at Ball Arena
Detroit Pistons
Time (local), date, location: 10:30 a.m. Monday at Little Caesars Arena
Golden State Warriors
Time (local), date, location: Monday at Chase Center
Houston Rockets
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22 at Hilton Americas-Houston
Indiana Pacers
Time (local), date, location: Monday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Los Angeles Clippers
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Monday at Intuit Dome
Los Angeles Lakers
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Monday at UCLA Health Training Center
Memphis Grizzlies
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Monday at FedExForum
Miami Heat
Time (local), date, location: Monday at Kaseya Center
Milwaukee Bucks
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Monday at Froedert & Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Science Center
Minnesota Timberwolves
Time (local), date, location: 1 p.m. Monday at Target Center
New Orleans Pelicans
Time (local), date, location: 10 a.m. Monday at Smoothie King Center
New York Knicks
Time (local), date, location: Monday at MSG Training Center
Oklahoma City Thunder
Time (local), date, location: 12:30 p.m. Monday at Paycom Center
Orlando Magic
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Monday at AdventHealth Training Center
Philadelphia 76ers
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Monday at Penn Medicine Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex
Phoenix Suns
Time (local), date, location: 10 a.m. Monday at Mortgage Matchup Center
Portland Trail Blazers
Time (local), date, location: 9 a.m. Monday at Moda Center
Sacramento Kings
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Monday at Kings practice facility and Golden 1 Center
San Antonio Spurs
Time (local), date, location: 9 a.m. Monday at Victory Capital Performance Center
Toronto Raptors
Time (local), date, location: 9 a.m. Monday at Hotel X
Utah Jazz
Time (local), date, location: Monday at Zions Bank Basketball Campus
Washington Wizards
Time (local), date, location: 11 a.m. Monday at MedStar Health Performance Center
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