Basketball: the main stories of 10.09.2026

The loudest thing said about the Doncic trade all year came from outside basketball. Donald Trump called the deal that sent Luka Doncic from Dallas to the Lakers one of the worst in the history of sport, and suggested it be redone — which is not a thing the league has any mechanism to do. The remark lands at an awkward moment for the Lakers, who are being talked down from inside the family as well: Byron Scott, who played for and coached the club, said the side is a contender in name only and puts them no further than the play-offs. It carries in a way a pundit's line does not, because the trade is still the reference point for every judgement made about both franchises. Dallas have not replaced him.

Doncic himself was reported by the Slovenian portal Sportklub to have finished his individual work in Ljubljana at around 105 kg and in his best condition in years. Two other clubs did business at the margins: The Athletic's Tony Jones reports that Philadelphia sold Anfernee Simons a role designed to rebuild his market value after a thin season, while in Detroit, one outlet reports that Jalen Duren is leaning towards taking the qualifying offer if the Pistons will not meet his terms on a five-year deal. Neither has a second report behind it yet.

At the World Cup, the United States put 108 points on Hungary and won 108-56 to reach the semi-finals, a quarter-final scoring record; Napheesa Collier led with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Hungary's quarter-final tie had been set the day before. Australia got there through Italy on the back of 30 points from 21-year-old Isobel Borlase.

• Dwight Howard, 40, signs from October with Black Fortress of Tbilisi.
• Chicago will wear a patch through 2026/27 for Stacey King, who died on 7 June aged 59.
• Delano Banton turned down Euroleague offers for Shandong in China.
• Partizan re-elected Ostoja Mijailovic as president.
• Pedro Martinez set out Real Madrid's priorities: aggressive defence, pace, ball movement.
• Lokomotiv-Kuban declined to sign Ivan Pynko after a trial; he returns to the free-agent market.
• Pablo Torre, whose reporting led to the NBA's sanctions on the Clippers, faces a threatened lawsuit, per insider Chris Mannix.
• The Lakers have until Halloween on Dalton Knecht's option; reporter Trevor Lane expects a decline after 4.2 points in 54 games.
• Richard Jefferson says Ben Simmons has the tools for an All-Star berth.