Basketball: the main stories of 11.09.2026

The Clippers matter has left the league's hands. Prosecutors in Brooklyn have opened a criminal inquiry into the club and Kawhi Leonard, according to Friday's report, and they have done so before the NBA has published the findings of its own cap-circumvention investigation. The difference is not cosmetic: a league ruling ends in a fine and forfeited picks, a federal file ends in subpoenas and sworn testimony, and it will run well past this season. Steve Ballmer's refusal to settle a fortnight ago already produced a record penalty; the same posture now leaves Los Angeles with no quiet exit. Patrick Beverley, two years a Clipper, put the question about the whole era — Leonard healthy is "a phenomenal basketball player", he said, but the doubt is about the bill.

Three medical bulletins landed inside a few hours, none of them small. Mark Williams tore the labrum in his left shoulder in training and was operated on Thursday, with Phoenix setting no return date. One outlet reports that Vlatko Čančar, 29, tore the meniscus in his left knee after an awkward movement in a session at Burgos — the club he joined to restart a career, and another operation to come. Beşiktaş have suspended Madi Sissoko's contract on health grounds; the 25-year-old centre goes into rehabilitation without a debut.

• Mindaugas Balčiūnas stood down as Lithuanian federation president, citing public pressure.
• Kevin Durant wants a place with USA at Los Angeles 2028.
• Beşiktaş did complete one piece of business: forward Dakuan Jeffries, 120 NBA games behind him, signed on.
• Venezia added 35-year-old guard Eric Green, formerly of UNICS.
• Maxi Kleber is weighing Roma after nine NBA seasons.
• Jakub Urbaniak was refused an NCAA move to BYU and stays at Gran Canaria.
• Alex Toohey, 52nd in 2025, signed an Exhibit 10 with Golden State after knee trouble.
• Draymond Green says Sacramento's Ben Simmons signing takes weight off rookie Darius Aikaff; Simmons answered Beverley's criticism by calling the deal earned, not charity.
• The Lakers hired Keith D'Amelio from the Liberty as medical director; Magic Johnson, after the Phil Jackson announcement, called for a Jerry Buss statue.
• Doug Christie earns less than Portland's new coaching hire.
• CSKA found no answer against Galatasaray, losing 65-75 at the Gloria Cup; Tofaş next.
• Georgi Zhbanov called Duško Ivanović's camp the hardest of his career; chairman Alexander Medvedev said the coach's reputation for cruelty is overstated.
• Sergei Monya said federations are being discouraged from fixtures with Russia after preliminary agreements; VTB League president Sergei Kuščenko expects FIBA to accept the league's in-season tournament.
• Nikola Jokić named Jameer Nelson and Wilson Chandler as his early NBA guides; Patrick Beverley described a BIG3 podcast with Michael Beasley turning ugly in seconds.
• Friendlies tonight: Real Madrid host Tenerife, Olympiacos meet Crvena Zvezda.