NBA Player News

Thybulle has made an immediate impact defensively during his first training camp with the Lakers, recording at least seven steals through the team's first two practices, according to Daniel Starkand of LakersNation.com.

Head coach JJ Redick specifically highlighted Thybulle's ability to disrupt passing lanes, joking that his teammates need to learn not to throw the ball when the veteran wing is positioned to make a play. Thybulle's defensive ability should give him a strong opportunity to earn consistent minutes as Los Angeles sorts through a crowded competition on the wing.

Okoro is expected to play significant minutes this season, with head coach Tiago Splitter calling him Chicago's "best perimeter defender," Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic reports.

Splitter praised Okoro's physicality, relentlessness and ability to navigate screens while stating that the veteran wing will "definitely" play a lot. Okoro's defensive value should provide him with a consistent path to playing time even within a deep Bulls rotation, though his offensive role could remain relatively modest.

Diallo has impressed head coach David Adelman on both ends of the floor during training camp, according to DNVR Nuggets.

Adelman praised Diallo's ability to navigate screens and described his defense as a "special skill," while also noting that the 29-year-old has been impressive offensively with his positioning and movement. The reigning EuroLeague Best Defender has already received work with Denver's second unit during camp, and Adelman indicated that Diallo's combination of defense, cutting and off-ball movement could give him a chance to earn regular rotation minutes.

Brown (ankle) hasn't been cleared to practice with contact and remains without a timetable for a return, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports.

Brown suffered an ankle injury before the start of training camp, and while he's been able to get back on the court in a limited capacity, the team is taking a cautious approach to his rehab. "Yeah, as of right now they're just telling me you could get back to moving a little bit, really just trying to get the strengthening it back up," said Brown on Thursday. "I mean, I am back on the court moving. That's all I'm really worried about right now. I'm just taking it one step at a time." It remains to be seen whether Brown will be cleared in time to play in the preseason.

Coach Dusty May has been impressed by Sasser's off-ball play during training camp, Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com reports.

Sasser is competing for a bench role ahead of the 2026-27 season, and he's showing early on why he deserves a spot in the rotation. "Sass, first of all, I've been impressed with his cutting. He's been a real contributor when he wasn't even directly involved in the play," said May. "He's had a lot of those hidden plays that really make the team go. His shooting, his decision-making has been very sound, and defensively, he played at Houston, so we know we're going to get his best effort." Sasser averaged 5.2 points, 1.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 38 regular-season appearances a season ago in Detroit before joining Dallas in June as part of a six-team trade.

Coach Jamahl Mosley stated during Thursday's media day that he's challenging Missi to contend for Defensive Player of the Year this season, Jim Eichenhofer of the Pelicans' official site reports.

Mosley notes that he's well aware of how talented Missi is on the defensive end, and he's looking for the third-year center to take yet another step forward as the 2026-27 season approaches. The big man saw his opportunities take a hit during the 2025-26 campaign, averaging 19.7 minutes over 66 games after logging 26.8 minutes per game in 73 appearances during his rookie year. Missi is poised to open his third NBA season behind starting center Herbert Jones.

Brown stated Thursday that he's in the process of learning an entire new system in Philadelphia, Chris Hine of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Brown noted that he's been grateful for his teammate Tyrese Maxey during the install, as Maxey has reportedly been an excellent communicator and leader to start camp, per Austin Krell of OnPattison.com. The 29-year-old will have a few more weeks to get used to this new system before the 76ers open the 2026-27 season against the Knicks on Oct. 20.

Sharpe intends to pace himself entering the 2026-27 season as he slots into a starting role, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports.

Sharpe ended the 2025-26 campaign as the team's starting center, but he's entering his first full NBA season with the expectation of tackling a larger workload. The big man acknowledges that while he may need to pace himself over the course of a long season, he has no intention of letting his foot off the gas. "I feel like I played against starters last year as well. Sometimes, when I would come in the game, they would put the more physical guy in the game to deal with me. So just do my thing, just keep playing hard," said Sharpe. "And even if it's double the minutes, learn how to pace myself during the game, learning what opportunities to take [to avoid] getting in foul trouble, saving myself for later on in the game. But I'm just going to play hard until the wheels fall off. That's all I can do."

Brooks, who was formally charged Tuesday with driving under the influence for an incident that took place on March 6, is focused on preparing for the upcoming 2026-27 season, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.

Brooks has been a fiery competitor to start camp, and his teammate Devin Booker stated Thursday that he isn't concerned about any potential distractions. "Nah, we already addressed it as a team back in February or March, when it happened," said Booker. "We kept everything in-house. He addressed the team also. We're moving on." Brooks is in line to open the upcoming 2026-27 season as part of the starting lineup after scoring 20.2 points per game in 56 regular-season appearances a year ago.

Queta has looked much improved on the offensive end to open camp, Justin Turpin of WEEI.com reports.

Coach Joe Mazzulla has been impressed by the strides that the big man has taken over the summer, noting that Queta has looked comfortable on the offensive end. "Just making plays. Whether he's in the seam, catching it in the paint versus a small, or just when he has the ball in his hands, something happening and not just getting rid of it because we want something else to go to," said Mazzulla. "So I think just the comfort level of when he has the ball in his hands, making the right play. That's something that I've seen him work on, something we worked on together in Portugal, and something that he's been confident in." Queta has a major opportunity in front of him, as he's in a battle with Mitchell Robinson for the starting job at center with the 2026-27 season looming.