Basketball: the main stories of 07.09.2026

Los Angeles are without five first-round picks from 2029 to 2033, and the league has left the debts they already owed elsewhere exactly where they were. One outlet reports that Philadelphia's 2029 swap right survives the sanctions untouched — the punishment takes the pick away from the Clippers without taking the swap away from the 76ers. That is the part the $30m fine of 4 September did not settle: a side built round an ageing core now has almost no draft capital to move, and no obvious way to refresh itself before the next decade. The whole case rests on the Kawhi Leonard arrangement.

Milwaukee gave Myles Turner four years last summer and, by all accounts, no club will take the centre on at that price, according to Ben Golliver of ESPN. Dubai have been the busiest side in Europe this window at both ends: Eurohoops puts the fee they paid Olympiacos for Thomas Walkup at $2.6m, and PianetaBasket reports Napoli are in the final stage of talks to take Mouhammadou Jaiteh from the same club on loan.

• The United States beat Italy 55-52 in Berlin, their lowest score at a World Cup since 1971; Paige Bueckers said an early test would do the squad good.
• UNICS beat Betsity Parma 90-72 in the semi-finals of the pre-season Kondrashin and Belov Cup in St Petersburg.
• UNICS will terminate Angel Delgado's contract after the centre injured a leg on Dominican Republic duty, BIZNES Online reports.
• Elijah Stewart, who played 11 matches for UNICS last season, has joined Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia.
• Rival clubs pushed Denver to add first-round picks to any Cameron Johnson trade, exploiting the Nuggets' cap position.
• Helen Holdings, Jamal Mashburn's fund, told L'Équipe why its investment in Monaco fell through.
• Charles Barkley said San Antonio's Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper could become the next Curry and Thompson.
• Derek Fisher put the rebuilt Lakers at 45-50 wins; Collin Sexton said he signed for the chance to win on a big stage.
• Steve Kerr declined to name a target for Golden State's season but backed the side to have a good one.
• Draymond Green on Damian Lillard making 1,100 of 1,168 threes in a shooting session: the league is not ready for it.
• Uralmash unveiled their kit for 2026/27, with under a month to the VTB United League opener.
• Spain play Japan and Germany face Mali in Berlin tonight, a week after Mali beat Spain.