EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The question drew a wry laugh from LeBron James.

Does he intend to try to extend his NBA career long enough to play with his younger son, Bryce, the same way he did for his elder son, Bronny? Could he envision a scenario where he shares a court with the 18-year-old incoming University of Arizona freshman?

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“No, I’m not waiting on Bryce,” James said Monday at Lakers media day. “He has his own timeline. I’ve got my timeline. I don’t know if they quite match up.”

That was emblematic of the tone James struck on the eve of his 23rd NBA training camp. The 40-year-old described himself as “super invested” in teaming with Luka Dončić to compete for a championship this season because he doesn’t “know when the end is, but it’s a lot sooner than later.”

“The thing that’s still pushing me is the fact that the love of the game is still high and the love of the process is even higher,” James said. “That’s what continues to push me to play this game. It’s really that simple.”

For the first time in his NBA career, James is entering a season on the final year of his contract. He did not commit to returning next season.

When asked if reporters would see him at Lakers media day again next fall, James laughed once more and said only, “Maybe.”

With media day for the Los Angeles Clippers taking place on Monday, there was only one thing to talk about: the allegations of salary cap circumvention with star forward Kawhi Leonard. During his press conference, Leonard was asked about the allegations, but the veteran forward denied any wrongdoing on his part or the organization.

“I don’t read headlines or do conspiracy theories or anything like that, so. It’s about the season and what we’ve got ahead of us right now,” Leonard said, via The Washington Post’s Ben Golliver. “The NBA is going to do their job. None of us did no wrongdoing. That’s it.”

Earlier in the day, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said that he and the organization “welcome” the NBA’s investigation into allegations of wrongdoing. Leonard echoed that idea in his press conference.

“We invite the investigations. It’s not gonna be a distraction for me or the rest of the team,” Leonard added.

Earlier this month, NBA opened an investigation into the Clippers amid allegations that the team and owner Steve Ballmer got around cap restrictions when signing Leonard via a nonprofit. Journalist Pablo Torre reported in early September that Leonard signed a $28 million contract with tree-planting nonprofit Aspiration for a “no-show” job, which Torre alleges was funded by Ballmer and the Clippers.

Ballmer has said he was “defrauded” by Aspiration, which has since gone bankrupt. But Torre dropped another report Monday, just before media day, alleging that Ballmer continued to donate to the organization well after the nonprofit started showing red flags.

On Monday, Leonard also dismissed the reports as “clickbait,” and did not provide many specifics on the deal. He noted that his contract with the nonprofit was made “a while ago,” directing reporters to ask the people involved in the company for more details.

Before Leonard’s press conference, Frank addressed the allegations in a lengthy opening statement, but said that he could not freely answer questions given that the investigation was ongoing. In his comments, Frank spoke on Ballmer’s character, addressed salary cap restrictions and said that the reports did not match his personal experience.

“We are glad there is an investigation. We welcome it. We appreciate that there’ll be a clear eye to look at these allegations, and we’re eager for the truth to come out. The assumptions and conclusions that have been made are disappointing and upsetting. And we expect the investigation will show these allegations are wrong,” Frank said, via Golliver.

“I’m hurt for Steve,” he continued. “He’s one of the best people and most honorable people I’ve ever met. He does things the right way for the right reasons. And he constantly reminds us to stay on the right side of the rules. I’m also hurt for our players, our staff and fans, and on a larger level, as I’ve learned more about this over the past month, I feel bad for all the people who were defrauded by this individual. Let’s not forget, this was a case of widespread fraud, and there were a lot of different victims.

“The salary cap governs everything we do. Our mission every day is to build the best team we can under the constraints of the cap. There is no gray area. There are no secret shortcuts. It’s clear what we are and are not allowed to do.

“The accusations made against us are serious,” Frank concluded. “And they don’t line up with my experience, my reality. We will cooperate with this investigation and let this process play out. But we are eager for the whole truth, the whole picture, to be revealed. We’re very confident in what it will show.”

On Monday, Frank’s statement was careful to emphasize his own experience and speak on Ballmer’s character. But it is unclear what Frank’s notion of “the whole truth” would include in terms of the allegations.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said that the league would need clear evidence of circumvention to take action on the team, which may explain some of Frank’s confidence that the investigation would come up empty. NBA investigations take time, meaning it may take a while for the league to reach a conclusion.

Leonard signed with the team in 2019, after several seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and a championship with the Toronto Raptors. At the time of Leonard’s signing, the league looked into allegations that Leonard had been seeking improper benefits, but did not find any evidence of wrongdoing.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo did not attend the team’s season-opening media day session Monday because he tested positive for COVID, according to Bucks general manager Jon Horst:

Antetokounmpo, 30, is still in Greece, unable to travel since falling ill. He’s expected to be away from the team “for a bit” as Milwaukee begins training camp ahead of a 2025-26 NBA season that will feature a dramatically different Bucks roster than the one Antetokounmpo led into the last two campaigns.

“I’m just waiting for a negative test, so I can leave my house and get on a plane and travel,” a clearly under-the-weather Antetokounmpo said when he joined the Bucks’ media day stream remotely via Zoom. “I don’t want to put anybody at risk.

“I’m definitely disappointed — bummed out that I’m not able to be there with the team and get this ball rolling. As a leader, I don’t feel good about this, but at the end of the day, this is life.”

The Bucks shocked the NBA-watching world this summer when they waived All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, who’s likely to miss the entire upcoming season after rupturing his left Achilles tendon, using the stretch provision in the league’s collective bargaining agreement to create enough salary cap space to sign center Myles Turner away from the rival Indiana Pacers — who have eliminated Milwaukee in the last two postseasons — in a free-agency stunner.

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The move represented another in a series of significant changes for the Bucks in recent months. Lillard joined franchise mainstays Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton in moving on from Milwaukee, while Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Harris, Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey enter the fold as Horst, head coach Doc Rivers and Co. continue to try to build a championship-contention-caliber roster around Antetokounmpo, the two-time Most Valuable Player who led the Bucks to the 2019 NBA championship.

Despite all-in moves like the initial trade for Lillard, the Bucks haven’t made it out of the second round since the 2019 title, with myriad ill-timed injuries and top-flight opponents like the Celtics and Pacers preventing them from returning to the ranks of the conference’s elite. By getting younger and bringing in more shooting and athleticism on the perimeter, Milwaukee’s braintrust is hoping to provide Antetokounmpo — who finished third in MVP balloting last season, averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.2 blocks per game on 60.1% shooting in yet another remarkable campaign — with the right kind of supporting cast to get the Bucks back within hailing distance of the promised land.

“This team is built to maximize Giannis, but also Giannis can maximize this team,” Horst said Monday.

Antetokounmpo said he feels optimistic about the roster the front office has put together, but also stressed the importance of experiencing more success than the Bucks have managed in recent years.

“I believe in my teammates — that’s pretty much it,” he said. “I believe in the people that are around me. I believe in my teammates. I believe in the moves that they make. We’re young. You know, hopefully we can get on the same page and understand what’s at risk right now. Like, the last three years, I think, we’ve been eliminated in the first round. So there’s not much to talk about.

“We’ve just got to put our butts down, put our heads down and stay locked in the whole year long and try to win some games and hopefully get into the playoffs, and then don’t get eliminated in the first round. That’s pretty much it, and then we go from there.”

If Giannis or the Bucks stumble in that process, struggling to get back to contention in an injury-ravaged East, expect the resumption of annual rumblings from national pundits about whether Antetokounmpo — who has frequently expressed a desire to remain with the Bucks for the remainder of his career, but who has also said he feels compelled to put himself in position to compete for championships — will start to look for the exit.

Bucks governor Wes Edens opened media day by insisting Antetokounmpo “made it very clear he is committed to Milwaukee” during a meeting they had in June. Asked about it via Zoom, Antetokounmpo said he couldn’t recall the meeting. He also said that “of course” there was some truth to offseason reports that he’d be open to the possibility of playing elsewhere if he determined that would be his best course of action.

“The same thing I’ve been saying my whole career: I want to be on a team that allows me and gives me a chance to win a championship, you know, and that wants to compete at a high level,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think it’s a disservice to basketball, it’s a disservice to the game to not want to compete at a high level. To want your season to end in April, you know? So it’s pretty much the same.

“It’s not the first time. I had the same thoughts last year. I had the same thoughts two years ago. I had the same thoughts five years ago, 2020. It’s never going to change. I want to be among the best. I want to compete with the best. And I want to win another championship. And that’s it.”

The San Francisco Giants are moving forward without manager Bob Melvin. The team announced Monday that it had fired Melvin after two years at the helm.

Melvin, 63, was hired ahead of the 2024 MLB season with hopes of getting the Giants back on track after the team missed out on two consecutive postseasons. Despite investment from the front office, the Giants failed to end that streak under Melvin. The Giants finished fourth in the National League West in 2024 and third in the division in 2025.

Team president of baseball operations Buster Posey said Monday that the team failed to play up to its expectations this season, leading to Melvin’s firing. 

“After careful evaluation, we determined that making a change in leadership was in the best interest of the team. The last couple of months have been both disappointing and frustrating for all of us, and we did not perform up to our standards. We now turn our focus to identifying a new leader to guide us forward.”

Posey also thanked Melvin for his “dedication, professionalism, and class.”

Melvin’s tenure as the team’s manager wasn’t a disaster. The veteran manager was nearly exactly .500 in his two seasons with the club. After going 80-82 last season, the Giants finished 81-81 in 2025. While average, that record wasn’t good enough. 

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The move comes despite Posey picking up an option on Melvin’s contract in July. That option guaranteed Melvin’s deal through 2026, but the team faltered during that month, going 9-15, which resulted in Posey selling at the deadline.

The Giants briefly recovered enough to play their way back into playoff contention, but they couldn’t keep pace with the wild-card field. The team went 27-26 over the final two months of the regular season, falling behind the Cincinnati Reds and the collapsing New York Mets, who remained in playoff contention until the final day of the regular season.

With Melvin gone, Posey will be charged with picking the team’s next manager. Given the organization’s high expectations, that manager will be tasked with winning immediately in San Francisco. 

Under Posey, the Giants have shown a willingness to spend money in free agency. The team brought in shortstop Willy Adames on a seven-year, $182 million deal last offseason and signed third baseman Matt Chapman to a $151 million extension at the end of 2024. Those moves, as well as the team’s trade for Rafael Devers, show Posey’s desire to build a winner in San Francisco.

While the team will invest in talent, winning in the NL West won’t be easy. The Los Angeles Dodgers remain perennial contenders, and the San Diego Padres are always a threat to make a blockbuster trade. The Giants have mostly operated as the third banana in the division in recent memory. 

It will be up to Posey and his new manager to prove the Giants are capable of hanging with the other juggernauts in the NL West.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen cares. Among baseball owners, that’s enough to endear him to his team’s fan base.

But beyond spending money to try to win, Cohen is able to sway fans to his side by being the most public-facing owner in the game. He regularly tweets about the team, occasionally interacting with fans to share his opinions or ask for feedback. 

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He also holds himself accountable — unlike most baseball owners. So when the Mets failed to make the playoffs after a miserable second-half collapse, Cohen was quick to write a public message to fans apologizing for the team’s performance and vowing to fix it.  

His full statement read:

“Mets fans everywhere. I owe you an apology. You did your part by showing up and supporting the team. We didn’t do our part. We will do a post-mortem and figure out the obvious and less obvious reasons why the team didn’t perform up to your and my expectations.

“We are all feeling raw emotions today. I know how much time and effort you have put into this team. The result was unacceptable. Your emotions tell me how much you care and continues to motivate the organization to do better. Thank you to the best fans in sports.”

The Mets entered the 2025 MLB season with sky-high expectations. After signing star outfielder Juan Soto to a massive, $765 million deal and re-signing Pete Alonso to a two-year, $54 million contract, the Mets had one of the highest payrolls in baseball. 

In the first half of the season, it looked like the team was destined for the postseason. The Mets went 55-42 in the first half, jumping out to a .567 winning percentage. But the team cratered in the second half, going just 28-37 despite no major injuries or changes to the roster. 

The Philadelphia Phillies easily took the National League East crown, but despite the struggles, the Mets still had a shot to make the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. All the team needed to do was beat the Miami Marlins, the team with the lowest payroll in the sport. But New York couldn’t push past the Marlins, dropping the season finale 4-0 and getting eliminated from the playoffs. 

There’s plenty of blame to go around after the Mets collapsed in the second half. Starting pitchers David Peterson, Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga all posted ERAs near or above 6.00 over the season’s final months. Midseason acquisitions Cedric Mullins and Ryan Helsley imploded after joining New York. Manager Carlos Mendoza couldn’t do enough to pull the team out of its funk as things fell apart. 

It’s unclear what actions Cohen will take to ensure this type of collapse doesn’t happen again. Other than losing Alonso, who will opt out of his deal, the Mets will return much of the same talent next season. Bringing back Alonso would go a long way toward ensuring the Mets remain a dangerous team on offense, but Cohen can’t simply bring back the same roster and expect success. On the pitching side, the starting rotation is in dire need of reinforcements this offseason.

With the offseason having arrived in Queens, fans can rest easy knowing Cohen is the type of owner who will try to get the team back on track.

Every MLB season is full of surprises, and 2025 was no exception. Here are the players who produced the most shocking stat lines, without having a major injury as part of the equation. Some of these players have reached a permanent new level — either for better or worse — while others are due for another shift in 2026.

Cal Raleigh, C, Mariners

Recap: Raleigh entered the season as a powerful, low-average catcher who was often selected just outside the top-100 picks. He finished the campaign as the most valuable fantasy asset, when factoring in position scarcity. The numbers are absurd — not only did Raleigh lead all catchers in homers, RBI and runs, but he nearly doubled the second-best homer total and was 25 RBI and 21 runs ahead of the second-place finishers.

Looking ahead: Surprisingly, both advanced and expected stats back up Raleigh’s ridiculous stat line. He has done everything right, including lowering his strikeout rate, raising his walk rate and increasing his frequency of pulled fly balls. Raleigh won’t be this good in 2026, but he still deserves to be selected during the first two rounds.

Geraldo Perdomo, SS, Diamondbacks

Recap: Perdomo opened the season on waivers in most leagues, as he had career highs of six homers and 47 RBI. He finished 14th among all players in roto production. He ranked among the top-15 players in runs, RBI and batting average, and no one was able to top Perdomo in all five standard categories (20 HR, 98 R, 100 RBI, 27 SB, .290 BA).

Looking Ahead: Perdomo was one of just two qualified hitters to accumulate more walks than strikeouts, which is a great foundation for consistent offensive success. He should continue to fare well in a productive D-backs lineup, but there are signs that some regression will occur, namely that he doesn’t hit the ball hard and is slightly below average in sprint speed.

Trevor Story, SS, Red Sox

Recap: Story produced 21 homers, 90 RBI and 73 runs in three injured-plagued seasons with the Red Sox before turning the clock back to his days with the Rockies by going deep 25 times and swiping a career-high 31 bases this season. The Boston faithful finally saw the player they expected when Story signed a six-year contract in 2022.

Looking ahead: Story will turn 33 in November, which makes him plenty young enough to repeat an excellent season. But the durability concerns won’t disappear after one healthy year. There is also plenty of blue on Story’s Statcast page, as he has terrible plate discipline. Let’s set 2026 projections at 20 homers, 25 steals and a .245 average.

Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Cubs

Recap: Crow-Armstrong had one of the strangest seasons of any player. He was pushing the likes of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani for fantasy supremacy at the end of July, when he had already totaled 27 homers, 29 steals, 78 RBI and 74 runs. Unfortunately, his play fell off a cliff (4 HR, 6 SB, .188 BA) in the final two months. The net result of these extremes still made PCA the 28th overall roto asset.

Looking ahead: This may be the hardest player to value for 2026, as he could be anything from a first-round player to waiver-wire fodder. Crow-Armstrong has elite speed, which means that his steals are set in stone. But he may be a massive bust who hits .235 with 15 homers.

George Springer, OF, Blue Jays

Recap: If we omit players who returned from a major injury, Springer was likely the MLB Comeback Player of the Year. The 36-year-old appeared to be in steep decline when he logged a .732 OPS in 2023 and a .674 OPS last season, but he turned things around to the point where he finished third in baseball with a .959 OPS this year. Springer also posted the third best homer total, second highest steals total and third best runs scored total of his illustrious career.

Looking ahead: Everything seemed to break right for the Blue Jays in 2025, as they rode their impressive contact skills to finishing fourth in the Majors in runs scored. There is significant potential for team-level regression, and at Springer’s age, it may be hard for him to repeat such a productive season. He belongs in the range of Round 10 for 2026 drafts.

Trevor Rogers, SP, Orioles

Recap: Rogers opened the season on the injured list and then spent time in the minors. He made a spot start in May but didn’t join the rotation until June 18. All he did after that point was lead the Majors in ERA (1.92) and rank fourth in WHIP (0.94). He made this happen by making major strides with limiting walks and homers.

Looking ahead: It’s concerning that Rogers was this dominant while striking out just 24.3% of batters. After all, most fantasy aces rack up whiffs in bunches. He’s clearly going to regress; it’s just a matter of the degree to which it will happen. The guess here is that Rogers settles in as a No. 3 starter in 12-team leagues.

Mookie Betts, 2B/SS/OF, Dodgers

Recap: A first-round pick in many 2025 drafts, Betts finished as the 92nd roto asset. And he needed a strong finish (.899 OPS in September) to make that happen. Even the support of a star-studded Dodgers lineup wasn’t enough to prop up Betts, who still has elite plate discipline but no longer hits the ball as hard as he used to.

Looking ahead: We have seen veterans go through droughts and then bounce back. For example, Betts’ teammate Freddie Freeman had a terrible two-month stretch this year. But this wasn’t two bad months — it was almost a full season. As a member of the Dodgers, Betts can score 90 runs in his sleep. But the rest of his skill set is in doubt to the point where he should fall outside the initial three rounds of 2026 drafts.

Jackson Merrill, OF, Padres

Recap: Although injuries played havoc with Merrill (115 games), he also struggled when healthy (16 HR, 1 SB, .264 BA). The disappointing sophomore campaign came on the heels of a dazzling rookie year in which he hit .292 with 24 homers and 16 steals. Merrill wasn’t simply unlucky, as his strikeout rate rose and his average exit velocity dropped this year.

Looking forward: Merrill is too young (22) and too talented not to bounce back. There will likely be a significant dip in his draft-day cost (his 2025 Yahoo ADP was pick 28), and I’ll be at the front of the line to take advantage of the opportunity.

Devin Williams, RP, Yankees

Recap: Williams entered 2025 as the No. 1 reliever on some draft boards. After all, he had recently joined a loaded Yankees roster and had dazzling career stats that included a 1.83 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 14.3 K/9 rate. But he lost the closer’s role on two separate occasions and finished the season with 18 saves and a 4.79 ERA.

Looking ahead: Williams is heading to free agency, and the expectation here is that he will sign a one-year “prove it” deal with any team that is willing to hand him the closer’s role. He will be a boom-or-bust draft option once the initial 10-12 closers are off the board.