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    NBA 2026-27 season tracker: preseason, opening night and key dates

    The NBA's 81st season starts on 20 October 2026 with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader that includes the champion Knicks hosting LeBron James's new team, the 76ers.[1][2] The Knicks won the 2026 title 4-1 over the Spurs, and the offseason sent James and Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia and Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami.[3][4][5][6]

    Editor reviewedUpdated DevelopingSports

    What we know

    • Opening night is 20 October 2026: Celtics-Pistons, 76ers-Knicks and Thunder-Spurs on NBC/Peacock[2]
    • The Knicks are defending champions after beating the Spurs 4-1 in the 2026 Finals[3]
    • LeBron James signed a two-year deal with the 76ers[4]
    • The Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat[6]
    • AJ Dybantsa was the No. 1 pick, to the Wizards[17]
    • NBA Cup group play starts 30 October; the final is 11 December at Hinkle Fieldhouse[19]
    • The regular season ends 11 April 2027; the playoffs start 17 April[23]

    What we don't know yet

    • The result of the second Mavericks-Rockets game in Macao on 11 October, and whether Kyrie Irving played as expected
    • How the 76ers' new core of James, Brown, Maxey and Embiid fits together over a full season
    • Which eight teams reach the NBA Cup knockout rounds in December
    • Whether the Knicks can repeat as champions
    Story status

    Story status

    State
    developing
    Started
    2026-06-23
    Timeline entries
    11
    Last entry

    Timeline data (JSON)

    This tracker follows the NBA’s 2026-27 season from the end of the 2026 Finals through preseason, opening night and the NBA Cup. It is the league’s 81st season, and it starts on 20 October 2026.[1][2] Results are dated and taken from NBA.com unless stated. New to the league? Start with how the NBA season works.

    Where things stand (11 October 2026)

    Preseason is under way. The Rockets beat the Mavericks 135-117 in Macao on 9 October in the first of two NBA China Games.[7] The second game was scheduled for 11 October, and NBA.com reported that Kyrie Irving, who last played in March 2025, was expected to make his preseason debut.[8][9] Its result was pending at the time of writing.

    LeBron James played his first game for the 76ers on 8 October, scoring 10 points with five assists and four rebounds in the first half against the Nets.[10] Two top-four picks also met: Cameron Boozer’s Grizzlies beat Caleb Wilson’s Bulls 104-100, with Wilson scoring 21.[11]

    Teams must set opening-day rosters by 5 p.m. ET on 19 October.[12]

    The champions and the offseason

    The Knicks enter as champions after beating the Spurs 4-1 in the 2026 Finals, their first title since 1973.[3] They had already won the 2025 NBA Cup, making them the first team to win the Cup and the championship in the same season.[13]

    The offseason reshaped the East. NBA.com lists these moves as officially announced:[4][5][6][14]

    PlayerFromTo
    LeBron JamesLakers76ers (free agency, two years)[4]
    Jaylen BrownCeltics76ers (trade)[5]
    Paul George76ersCeltics (trade)[5]
    Giannis AntetokounmpoBucksHeat (trade)[6]
    Kawhi LeonardClippersRaptors (trade)[14]
    Ja MorantGrizzliesTrail Blazers (trade)[14]
    LaMelo BallHornetsTimberwolves (four-team trade)[14]

    Victor Wembanyama signed a five-year extension with San Antonio and Stephen Curry a two-year extension with Golden State.[15] NBA.com’s John Schuhmann noted that Trae Young and Anthony Davis will play for the Wizards next to No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa.[16]

    The 2026 draft class

    Washington took BYU’s AJ Dybantsa first. Darryn Peterson (Kansas) went second to Utah, Cameron Boozer (Duke) third to Memphis, Caleb Wilson (North Carolina) fourth to Chicago and Keaton Wagler (Illinois) fifth to the Clippers.[17] Nine of the top 10 picks were college freshmen, tying the record, and all of the first 20 picks came from college for the first time since 1994.[18]

    Key dates ahead

    DateEvent
    20 Oct 2026Opening night tripleheader on NBC/Peacock[2]
    30 Oct - 27 NovNBA Cup group play[19]
    7 NovNuggets vs. Pacers in Mexico City[20]
    11 DecNBA Cup championship, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis[19]
    25 DecFive Christmas games on ABC/ESPN, starting with Spurs vs. Knicks[21]
    14 and 17 Jan 2027Spurs vs. Pelicans in Paris and Manchester[20]
    11 FebTrade deadline[22]
    19-21 FebAll-Star 2027, Phoenix[22]
    11 AprRegular season ends[23]
    13-16 AprPlay-In Tournament[23]
    17 AprPlayoffs begin[23]

    For who is favoured, see the 2026-27 contenders analysis. For broadcasters and streaming, see how to watch the NBA in 2026-27, which covers year 2 of the league’s 11-year TV deals.[24]

    Timeline

    10 confirmed1 reported

    1. reported

      Second Macao game; Kyrie Irving expected back[8][9]

      The game was scheduled for 6 a.m. ET on 11 October. Its result was pending when this page was written.

    2. confirmed

      Rockets beat Mavericks 135-117 in Macao[7]

      The first of two NBA China Games. Alperen Sengun had a triple-double.

    3. confirmed

      Boozer's Grizzlies edge Wilson's Bulls[11]

    4. confirmed

      James makes his 76ers preseason debut[10]

      He had 10 points, five assists and four rebounds in the first half against Brooklyn.

    5. confirmed

      Media days; James explains his move[30]

    6. confirmed

      Full 2026-27 schedule and TV plan released[24][29]

      Year 2 of the 11-year deals with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon.

    7. confirmed

      Free agency signings open; James heads to Philadelphia[28][4][5]

      Teams could sign free agents from 6 July. NBA.com lists James's two-year 76ers deal and the trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia and Paul George to Boston.

    8. confirmed

      NBA Cup 2026 groups drawn[27]

    9. confirmed

      Wizards take AJ Dybantsa first in the 2026 draft[17][18]

      Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Keaton Wagler followed. Nine of the top 10 picks were college freshmen.

    10. confirmed

      Finals draw the biggest audience since 1998[26]

      The series averaged 20.6 million viewers on ABC and ESPN.

    11. confirmed

      Knicks win the 2026 NBA title[3][25]

      New York beat San Antonio 4-1 for its first championship since 1973. Jalen Brunson was Finals MVP after scoring 45 in Game 5.

    Next in the crash course

    Questions readers ask

    When does the 2026-27 NBA season start?

    The regular season starts on Tuesday 20 October 2026 with three games on NBC/Peacock - Celtics at Pistons, 76ers at Knicks and Thunder at Spurs.[2]

    Who won the 2026 NBA championship?

    The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1, their first title since 1973. Jalen Brunson was Finals MVP.[3][25]

    Who was the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft?

    AJ Dybantsa of BYU went first to the Washington Wizards.[17]

    Which team did LeBron James join?

    James left the Lakers and agreed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his NBA-record 24th season.[4][10]

    When is the 2026 NBA Cup final?

    The championship game is on 11 December 2026 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Group play runs from 30 October to 27 November.[19]

    When are the 2027 NBA playoffs?

    The regular season ends on 11 April 2027, the Play-In Tournament runs 13-16 April and the playoffs begin on 17 April.[23]

    Sources

    · 30 claims from 2 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      The 2026-27 season is the NBA's 81st season. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    2. [2]

      The 2026-27 NBA regular season starts on 20 October 2026 with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader of Celtics vs. Pistons, 76ers vs. Knicks and Thunder vs. Spurs. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    3. [3]

      The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the 2026 NBA Finals, their first championship since 1973. confirmedas of 2026-06-14

    4. [4]

      LeBron James left the Lakers in 2026 free agency and agreed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    5. [5]

      The Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the 76ers, with Paul George going from Philadelphia to Boston. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    6. [6]

      The Milwaukee Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, receiving players including Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    7. [7]

      The Rockets beat the Mavericks 135-117 in the first NBA China Games preseason game in Macao on 9 October 2026, with Alperen Sengun posting a triple-double. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    8. [8]

      The NBA China Games 2026 are two Mavericks-Rockets preseason games at The Venetian Arena in Macao on 9 and 11 October 2026. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    9. [9]

      NBA.com reported on 10 October 2026 that Kyrie Irving, who last played in March 2025, was expected to make his preseason debut in the 11 October Macao game. reportedas of 2026-10-10

    10. [10]

      LeBron James, 41, made his 76ers preseason debut on 8 October 2026 against the Nets, with 10 points, five assists and four rebounds in the first half; he joined Philadelphia for an NBA-record 24th season. confirmedas of 2026-10-09

    11. [11]

      In a 9 October 2026 preseason game the Grizzlies beat the Bulls 104-100; Chicago's No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson scored 21 points and Memphis's No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer scored 10. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    12. [12]

      NBA teams must set opening-day rosters by 5 p.m. ET on 19 October 2026. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    13. [13]

      The 2025-26 Knicks were the first team to win the NBA Cup and the NBA championship in the same season; they beat the Spurs 124-113 in the 2025 Cup final. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    14. [14]

      Other 2026 offseason moves listed by NBA.com include Kawhi Leonard traded from the Clippers to the Raptors, Ja Morant from the Grizzlies to the Trail Blazers, and LaMelo Ball from the Hornets to the Timberwolves in a four-team trade. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    15. [15]

      Victor Wembanyama agreed a five-year extension with the Spurs and Stephen Curry a two-year extension with the Warriors in the 2026 offseason. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    16. [16]

      NBA.com's John Schuhmann wrote that Trae Young and Anthony Davis will play for the Wizards in 2026-27, alongside No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa. confirmedas of 2026-09-28

    17. [17]

      In the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa (BYU) went No. 1 to the Wizards, followed by Darryn Peterson (Kansas) to the Jazz, Cameron Boozer (Duke) to the Grizzlies, Caleb Wilson (North Carolina) to the Bulls and Keaton Wagler (Illinois) to the Clippers. confirmedas of 2026-06-24

    18. [18]

      Nine of the first 10 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft were college freshmen, tying the record, and the first 20 picks all played college basketball for the first time since 1994. confirmedas of 2026-06-24

    19. [19]

      The 2026 Emirates NBA Cup group play runs from 30 October to 27 November 2026, with quarterfinals on 4-5 December, semifinals on 8 and/or 9 December and the championship on 11 December at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    20. [20]

      The Spurs and Pelicans are scheduled to play regular-season games in Paris on 14 January 2027 and Manchester on 17 January 2027, both on Prime Video, and the Nuggets play the Pacers in Mexico City on 7 November 2026. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    21. [21]

      The NBA's five Christmas Day 2026 games on ABC/ESPN include Spurs vs. Knicks, Heat vs. Celtics, 76ers vs. Lakers, Thunder vs. Timberwolves and Nuggets vs. Warriors. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    22. [22]

      The 2026-27 NBA trade deadline is 11 February 2027 and NBA All-Star 2027 is in Phoenix on 19-21 February 2027. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    23. [23]

      The 2026-27 NBA regular season ends on 11 April 2027, the Play-In Tournament runs 13-16 April and the playoffs begin on 17 April 2027. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    24. [24]

      The 2026-27 season is the second of the NBA's 11-year media agreements with Disney (ABC/ESPN), NBCUniversal (NBC/Peacock) and Amazon (Prime Video). confirmedas of 2026-08-13

    25. [25]

      Jalen Brunson was the 2026 NBA Finals MVP after scoring a Knicks Finals-record 45 points in the clinching Game 5. confirmedas of 2026-06-14

    26. [26]

      The 2026 NBA Finals averaged 20.6 million viewers on ABC and ESPN, the most-watched Finals since 1998. confirmedas of 2026-06-16

    27. [27]

      The 2026 NBA Cup groups are West A (Nuggets, Rockets, Suns, Mavericks, Jazz), West B (Thunder, Timberwolves, Clippers, Pelicans, Grizzlies), West C (Spurs, Lakers, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Kings), East A (Pistons, Raptors, Magic, Bucks, Nets), East B (Knicks, Cavaliers, 76ers, Heat, Pacers) and East C (Celtics, Hawks, Hornets, Bulls, Wizards). confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    28. [28]

      NBA teams could begin signing free agents to contracts at 12:01 p.m. ET on 6 July 2026. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    29. [29]

      In 2026-27 ABC/ESPN will show 80 regular-season games, NBC/Peacock 100 and Prime Video 66. confirmedas of 2026-08-13

    30. [30]

      At 76ers media day James said his relationship with Tyrese Maxey was one of the main deciding factors in choosing Philadelphia. confirmedas of 2026-09-28

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Oct 21, 2026.

    Cite this page

    "NBA 2026-27 season tracker: preseason, opening night and key dates." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/events/nba-2026-27-season-tracker

    Spotted an error? Suggest a correction or emailcorrections@contentlora.com.

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