NBA basketball is back. After an offseason packed with trades, free-agent moves and monster extensions, the 2026 NBA preseason tips off on October 3, giving fans their first proper look at how the league’s reshuffled rosters fit together.
Miami and Toronto get things started in Quebec City before the schedule quickly ramps up. Golden State face the Clippers in Honolulu on October 4, while the Mavericks and Rockets head to Macao for the NBA China Games on October 9 and 11. There are 67 preseason games across 14 days, with the exhibition slate finishing on October 16. Opening-night rosters must be set by October 19 before the regular season tips off on October 20.
New-look lineups hit the floor
Preseason wins will be forgotten by November. Lineups and chemistry won't.
Several teams enter camp needing to work out how major offseason additions slot into their rotations. The Sixers are one of the most fascinating after adding Jaylen Brown, while Klay Thompson is beginning a new chapter in Miami and DeMar DeRozan has joined Denver. Golden State, meanwhile, head into another season with Stephen Curry after the four-time champion agreed a reported two-year, $116million extension.
This is where coaches can experiment. Expect different starting groups, small-ball units, three-guard lineups and plenty of minutes for players fighting to crack the second unit.
The kids get their run
Preseason also belongs to the youngsters.
Rookies get their first extended taste of NBA speed and physicality, while second- and third-year players have a chance to force their way higher up the depth chart. Fringe players on Exhibit 10 and two-way deals will also be battling for the final roster spots.
Keep an eye on the fourth-year class too. Amen Thompson has already landed a five-year, $208m extension in Houston, while twin brother Ausar Thompson agreed a five-year, $155m deal with Detroit. Utah have committed five years and $157.5m to Keyonte George, another sign that the 2023 draft class is starting to cash in.
Preseason basketball can get chaotic once the starters sit and the benches empty. That is part of the fun.
Forget the standings for two weeks. Watch the rotations, the new combinations, the young players demanding minutes and the end-of-bench guys treating every possession like Game 7.
The NBA is officially warming up. Bing on the new season on October 20th.
