Monday was media day for many groups within the NBA, which historically marks the unofficial begin of a brand new season. Groups start coaching camp this week, with the preseason schedule proper across the nook. 

For probably the most half, media day is a reasonably perfunctory train. However there have been a number of issues mentioned of notice. Under is a roundup of crucial particulars to emerge from Monday’s press conferences.  

Kawhi takes the rostrum

A shock of the day was that the Clippers really let Kawhi Leonard discuss in the midst of all these salary-cap circumvention allegations by means of the now-bankrupt firm Aspiration, which allegedly paid Leonard $28 million (with a further $20 million in inventory) for a no-show job. 

Clippers proprietor Steve Ballmer is on the recent seat with these items. The league’s richest proprietor is warding off assaults, and, on Monday, Leonard joined his proprietor and downplayed to the entire thing by saying, amongst different issues, that he would not “take care of the conspiracies or the clickbait analysts or journalism that is occurring” and that he would not “assume it is correct” that he did not carry out any companies for the cash he says he was by no means even completely paid. 

Calling this all a conspiracy concept solely to really verify most of the particulars about his contract with Aspiration was actually noteworthy, as is looking it inaccurate that this was a no-show job however failing to offer even one examples of labor he did to justify the cash he was paid. The NBA’s investigation into the Leonard saga is ongoing.

“The NBA’s gonna do their job,” Leonard mentioned of the league’s ongoing investigation into all thinks Clippers, Leonard and Aspiration. “None of us did no wrongdoing. … We invite the investigations.” 

LeBron cryptic on future

One of many greatest questions coming into this season is whether or not it is going to be LeBron’s final … both with the Lakers or as an NBA participant. One of many components which may maintain LeBron within the league longer is the truth that is son, Bryce, is probably set to turn into draft eligible this coming summer season.After engineering the chance to play alongside his oldest son, Bronny, whom the Lakers chosen within the 2024 Draft, would possibly LeBron grasp round for one more season to presumably play along with his youngest son? 

“I am not ready on Bryce,” James mentioned, through longtime Lakers reporter Mark Medina. “I do not know his timeline.”

What does this imply? Would LeBron wait if Bryce certainly enters the draft subsequent summer season, however not if he waits longer than that? Would this suggest that LeBron is not enjoying past 2026-27? 

“Nonetheless the journey lays out this yr, I am tremendous invested,” LeBron mentioned. “I do not know when the top is. However I do know it is rather a lot sooner reasonably than later.”

To me, it appears unlikely that he could be planning on retiring after this season with out saying it. This dude desires a proper farewell tour. Possibly he’ll announce it earlier than the season begins. He nonetheless has nearly a month. 

Till then, everybody goes to be studying something and every little thing into each phrase that comes out of his mouth with regard to retirement, and LeBron appears to be having fun with protecting everybody guessing. 

Giannis retains commerce rumors alive

Giannis did not attend the Bucks’ media day as he is again in Greece coping with COVID. He did converse to reporters through zoom, nevertheless, and expressed confidence in himself and the group Milwaukee has put collectively, which he mentioned is filled with “canine” and “very, very harmful.”

In the meantime, rumors proceed to swirl about Giannis’s future with the Bucks, who proved their desperation to maintain him this summer season by waiving and stretching Damian Lillard to the tune of $113 million over the subsequent 5 years for the power to signal Myles Turner. For what it is value, Bucks governor Wes Edens believes Giannis was dedicated to Milwaukee even earlier than the Turner deal went down. 

“I had an excellent dialog with Giannis again in June out right here and he made it clear that he was very dedicated to Milwaukee,” Edens mentioned. “He likes being right here, he likes his household being right here… Clearly we have had some unhealthy fortune in these final couple years within the playoffs, however there’s a variety of positives.”

This would possibly sound like a constructive for Bucks followers if Giannis did not flip round and say on Monday that he would not recall this dialog having taken place. All of this comes because the comply with as much as an August report from ESPN’s Shams Charania that nothing is “set in stone” with regard to Giannis’ future in Milwaukee. 

Giannis did acknowledge that report, and he is did not precisely deny it. 

“Each summer season there’s reality to each report,” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “The identical factor I have been saying my entire profession: I need to be on a group that enables me and provides me an opportunity to win a championship and desires to compete at a excessive degree. I feel it is a disservice to basketball, to the sport, to not need to compete at a excessive degree, to need your season to finish in April. It is just about the identical. 

“I had the identical ideas final yr, I had the identical ideas two years in the past, I had the identical ideas 5 years in the past. It is by no means going to alter. I need to be among the many greatest, I need to compete with the very best and I need to win one other championship. That is it.”

If Giannis wished to squash this, he may’ve mentioned I am right here and I am not going wherever. However he did not. He mentioned he desires to compete for championships, the straightforward reality is he is not going to be doing that in Milwaukee any time quickly. Which is to say, Giannis did nothing to erase the writing that’s clearly on the wall. 

Durant, Jokić seeking to lengthen

Two guys that did verify their dedication to their present franchises on Monday have been Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokić. Durant, in fact, was traded to the Rockets this summer season. He is within the last yr of his contract and will turn into a free agent this coming summer season, however he famous the “fast development of this franchise” and mentioned plainly he desires to be part of it shifting ahead. 

“I do see myself signing a contract extension,” Durant mentioned. “I am unable to let you know precisely when that may occur, however I do see it occurring.”

In the meantime, Jokić is about to turn into a free agent in the summertime of 2027 if he would not lengthen by then, and naturally groups just like the Warriors are planning their books as if he is really going to make it that far with out extending in Denver. 

It is a pipe dream for the Warriors and Lakers (and whomever else). Jokić is not going wherever, and he mentioned as a lot on Monday when he mainly advised everybody to not learn something into the truth that he hasn’t signed an extension but (it is a timing factor aimed toward signing for as a lot cash as potential) whereas saying his plan is to “be with the Nuggets without end.”

As famous within the part above, if Giannis wished to squelch the the commerce rumors, that is the way you do it.