1) Luka Dončić looks sharp in return — Lakers buzz grows

How he looked: Playing for Slovenia in a friendly vs. Great Britain, Dončić posted 28 pts, 10 ast, 6 reb, 3 stl, 1 blk in 28 minutes in a 93–81 win — his first game action since a knee issue sidelined him during EuroBasket prep. Lakers fans promptly lost their minds (in a good way).
The broader picture: Dončić is now a Laker after February’s blockbuster that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas — an NBA.com/Associated Press write-up called it “seismic.”
Why L.A. is so amped: The Lakers finished 50–32 last year but were bounced by the Timberwolves in 5; the Dončić-LeBron pairing is designed to change that. Opening Night brings Warriors at Lakers on Oct 21.
Depth/lineup notes: Recent reporting projects an opening five of Dončić, Reaves, Hachimura, LeBron, Deandre Ayton, with Marcus Smart a key backcourt add. (Projection, not a team announcement.)

2) Jayson Tatum breaks silence on his Achilles rehab

First public comments: In a short NBA video Wednesday (U.S. time), Tatum called the process “tedious… six days a week,” confirmed he’s out of the boot, and emphasized resilience. This is the first time he’s spoken at length since surgery in May.
Timeline reality check: Local and national outlets note there’s no firm return date; some chatter suggests many months, but the team has not committed to anything. Treat any February whispers as optimistic at best.
Why it matters: The Celtics also finalized a record $6.1B sale to new governor Bill Chisholm, who says the title push continues despite Tatum’s absence.

Curry’s message: At his Bay Area camp last week, Stephen Curry said the Warriors still “need some pieces,” noting the team’s light transactional summer to date.
Veteran big on the radar? Multiple reports keep linking Al Horford to the Warriors as a possible depth/spacing add; still framed as interest/rumor, not done.

Around the league, previews keep circling the Spurs as a “big leap” candidate with Wembanyama headlining and a revamped backcourt. (Theme from recent national previews.)

Opening Night (Oct 21): Rockets at Thunder (KD’s Houston debut in OKC), then Warriors at Lakers under the NBA’s new TV deal.
Media Day/Training Camp: Early-travel teams start Sept 23–24; everyone else Sept 29.
Preseason highlights: International/exhibition slate includes NBA in Abu Dhabi, Australia (NBL), Macao, Puerto Rico and more; ESPN’s live schedule is already populating.
NBA Cup (In-season): Group play tips Oct 31, with the final Dec 16 in Las Vegas.
New media landscape: NBC returns to NBA coverage; Amazon Prime Video joins the package alongside ESPN/ABC and Peacock streaming. Expect different weekly rhythms and some exclusive windows.

Lakers: Dončić looking spry eases any knee concerns and fuels real MVP/contender chatter — but L.A.’s first test (Curry/Warriors) is immediate. Defensive connectivity after last spring’s exit is the swing factor.
Celtics: Ownership stability plus a cautious Tatum timeline points to long-view planning. Expect Boston to prioritize health over haste, even if Tatum hits milestones early.
Warriors: Curry’s public nudge and the Horford chatter underscore frontcourt spacing/size as the glaring need. What (if anything) gets done before camp is the watch-item.
League-wide: With NBC/Prime in the mix and star debuts (e.g., Durant’s Houston storyline; Cooper Flagg’s rookie year in Dallas), the West again drives marquee windows, but the NBA Cup will create early-season urgency across both conferences.