LeBron James will look to lead the Cavs to a second straight NBA title (Getty)
Three months after the Cleveland Cavaliers erased a three games to one deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, the NBA is set to begin the 2016-17 season. For some teams, including the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, training camp will begin next weekend with the majority of the league set to get going September 27. Below are the training camp start dates and preseason schedules for all 30 teams.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Cleveland’s “big three” of Love, Irving and James will begin camp September 27 (Getty)
Any conversation regarding the Eastern Conference has to begin with the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. With LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love all returning, the Cavs are viewed by many as the favorites to win the East and and represent the conference in the NBA Finals for a third consecutive season. Matthew Dellavedova is now in Milwaukee, but that’s a personnel loss the Cavs have the ability to navigate.
There will be challengers, however, with the Toronto Raptors being led by guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar Derozan, and teams such as Atlanta (Dwight Howard), Boston (Al Horford) and New York (Derrick Rose, Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah) all making moves in free agency that they hope will improve their chances of playing deep into the playoffs. Also of note is the change of point guards in Indiana, with Jeff Teague arriving and George Hill going to Utah via trade. And with one of the league’s best two-way players in Paul George, the Pacers will look to move up the conference standings after losing in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
Atlanta Hawks
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 6 @ Memphis
October 8 @ San Antonio
October 10 vs. Cleveland
October 13 vs. Detroit
October 16 @ Orlando
October 18 vs. New Orleans
October 20 vs. Chicago (in Omaha, Nebraska)
Boston Celtics
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 4 vs. Philadelphia (in Amherst, Massachusetts)
October 6 vs. Charlotte (in Greensboro, North Carolina)
October 8 vs. Charlotte (in Uncasville, Connecticut)
October 13 @ Brooklyn
October 15 @ New York
October 17 vs. Brooklyn
October 19 vs. New York
Brooklyn Nets
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 6 vs. Detroit
October 8 @ New York
October 11 @ Miami
October 13 vs. Boston
October 17 @ Boston
October 20 vs. New York
Charlotte Hornets
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 @ Dallas
October 6 vs. Boston (in Greensboro, North Carolina)
October 8 vs. Boston (in Uncasville, Connecticut)
October 10 vs. Minnesota
October 17 @ Chicago
October 20 vs. Miami
October 21 @ Minnesota
Chicago Bulls
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 vs. Milwaukee
October 6 @ Indiana
October 8 vs. Indiana
October 14 vs. Cleveland
October 15 @ Milwaukee
October 17 vs. Charlotte
October 20 vs. Atlanta (in Omaha, Nebraska)
Cleveland Cavaliers
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 5 vs. Orlando
October 8 vs. Philadelphia
October 10 @ Atlanta
October 13 vs. Toronto
October 14 @ Chicago
October 18 vs. Washington (in Columbus, Ohio)
Detroit Pistons
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 6 @ Brooklyn
October 10 vs. San Antonio
October 13 @ Atlanta
October 15 @ Philadelphia
October 17 vs. Milwaukee
October 19 vs. Toronto
Indiana Pacers
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 4 @ New Orleans
October 6 vs. Chicago
October 8 @ Chicago
October 12 vs. Milwaukee (in Evansville, Indiana)
October 14 @ Orlando
October 19 @ Milwaukee
Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals last season (Getty)
Miami Heat
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 4 @ Washington
October 8 vs. Minnesota (in Kansas City, Missouri)
October 11 vs. Brooklyn
October 14 @ San Antonio
October 15 vs. Minnesota (in Louisville, Kentucky)
October 18 vs. Orlando
October 20 @ Charlotte
October 21 vs. Philadelphia
Milwaukee Bucks
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 @ Chicago
October 8 vs. Dallas (in Madison, Wisconsin)
October 12 vs. Indiana (in Evansville, Indiana)
October 15 vs. Chicago
October 17 @ Detroit
October 19 vs. Indiana
New York Knicks
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 4 @ Houston
October 8 vs. Brooklyn
October 10 vs. Washington
October 15 vs. Boston
October 19 @ Boston
October 20 @ Brooklyn
Orlando Magic
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 @ Memphis
October 5 @ Cleveland
October 12 vs. San Antonio
October 14 vs. Indiana
October 16 vs. Atlanta
October 18 @ Miami
October 20 vs. New Orleans
Philadelphia 76ers
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 4 vs. Boston (in Amherst, Massachusetts)
October 6 vs. Washington
October 8 @ Cleveland
October 11 @ Memphis
October 13 @ Washington
October 15 vs. Detroit
October 21 @ Miami
Toronto Raptors
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 1 vs. Golden State (in Vancouver, British Columbia)
October 3 vs. Denver (in Calgary, Alberta)
October 5 @ Los Angeles Clippers
October 13 @ Cleveland
October 14 vs. San Lorenzo de Almagro (Argentina)
October 19 @ Detroit
October 21 @ Washington
Washington Wizards
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 4 vs. Miami
October 6 @ Philadelphia
October 10 @ New York
October 13 vs. Philadelphia
October 15 vs. Sacramento (in Lexington, Kentucky)
October 18 vs. Cleveland (in Columbus, Ohio)
October 21 vs. Toronto
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Golden State made the biggest move of free agency by signing Kevin Durant (Getty)
Last season the Golden State Warriors were the most dominant regular season team in NBA history, winning 73 games to surpass the 72-10 mark established by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls. But unlike those Bulls the Warriors were unable to cap that run with an NBA championship, which should provide them with ample motivation going into the 2016-17 season. Golden State made the biggest move of free agency by signing Kevin Durant, and with Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut both moving on GM Bob Myers also signed Zaza Pachulia and David West to help in the post.
As for the rest of the West, San Antonio begins life without the retired Tim Duncan, and Oklahoma City will look to maintain its spot atop the Northwest Division with Russell Westbrook being their unquestioned leader. And then there’s Los Angeles, a city with a perennial playoff contender in the Clippers and a storied franchise that’s looking to account for the retirement of Kobe Bryant in the Lakers. Add in young, talented teams in Portland, Utah and Minnesota, and the West should be entertaining to watch this season.
Dallas Mavericks
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 1 vs. New Orleans (in Bossier City, Louisiana)
October 3 vs. Charlotte
October 8 @ Milwaukee
October 11 vs. Oklahoma City
October 14 @ Phoenix
October 19 vs. Houston
October 21 @ Denver
Denver Nuggets
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 vs. Toronto (in Calgary, Alberta)
October 7 @ Los Angeles Lakers
October 9 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (in Ontario, California)
October 12 vs. Minnesota (in Lincoln, Nebraska)
October 14 vs. Golden State
October 16 @ Portland
October 18 @ Oklahoma City
October 21 vs. Dallas
Golden State Warriors
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 1 vs. Toronto (in Vancouver, British Columbia)
October 4 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
October 6 vs. Sacramento
October 14 @ Denver
October 15 @ Los Angeles Lakers
October 19 @ Los Angeles Lakers
October 21 vs. Portland
Houston Rockets
Media Day: September 23
Start Date: September 24
Preseason Schedule:
October 2 vs. Shanghai Sharks
October 4 vs. New York
October 9 vs. New Orleans (in Shanghai, China)
October 12 vs. New Orleans (in Beijing, China)
October 15 vs. Memphis
October 19 @ Dallas
October 21 @ San Antonio
Los Angeles Clippers
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 4 @ Golden State
October 5 vs. Toronto
October 10 vs. Utah
October 13 vs. Portland
October 17 @ Utah
October 18 @ Sacramento
Los Angeles Lakers
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 4 vs. Sacramento (in Anaheim, California)
October 7 vs. Denver
October 9 vs. Denver (in Ontario, California)
October 11 vs. Portland
October 13 vs. Sacramento (in Las Vegas, Nevada)
October 15 vs. Golden State (in Las Vegas, Nevada)
October 19 vs. Golden State (in San Diego, California)
October 21 vs. Phoenix (in Anaheim, California)
Memphis Grizzlies
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 vs. Orlando
October 6 vs. Atlanta
October 11 vs. Philadelphia
October 13 vs. Oklahoma City (in Tulsa, Oklahoma)
October 15 @ Houston
October 19 @ Minnesota
Minnesota Timberwolves
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 8 vs. Miami (in Kansas City, Missouri)
October 10 @ Charlotte
October 12 vs. Denver (in Lincoln, Nebraska)
October 15 vs. Miami (in Louisville, Kentucky)
October 16 @ Oklahoma City
October 19 vs. Memphis
October 21 vs. Charlotte
The retirement of Tim Duncan places more responsibility upon LaMarcus Aldridge’s shoulders (Getty)
New Orleans Pelicans
Media Day: September 23
Start Date: September 24
Preseason Schedule:
October 1 vs. Dallas in Bossier City, Louisiana
October 4 vs. Indiana
October 9 vs. Houston (in Shanghai, China)
October 12 vs. Houston (in Beijing, China)
October 18 @ Atlanta
October 20 @ Orlando
Oklahoma City Thunder
Media Day: September 23
Start Date: September 24
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 @ Real Madrid
October 5 @ FC Barcelona Lassa
October 11 @ Dallas
October 13 vs. Memphis (in Tulsa, Oklahoma)
October 16 vs. Minnesota
October 18 vs. Denver
Phoenix Suns
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 vs. San Antonio
October 5 vs. Utah
October 7 @ Portland
October 12 @ Utah
October 14 vs. Dallas
October 21 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (in Anaheim, California)
Portland Trail Blazers
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 vs. Utah
October 7 vs. Phoenix
October 11 @ Los Angeles Lakers
October 13 @ Los Angeles Clippers
October 16 vs. Denver
October 19 @ Utah
October 21 @ Golden State
Sacramento Kings
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 4 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (in Anaheim, California)
October 6 vs. Golden State (in San Jose, California)
October 10 vs. Maccabi Haifa
October 13 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (in Las Vegas, Nevada)
October 15 vs. Washington (in Lexington, Kentucky)
October 18 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
San Antonio Spurs
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 @ Phoenix
October 8 vs. Atlanta
October 10 @ Detroit
October 12 @ Orlando
October 14 vs. Miami
October 21 vs. Houston
Utah Jazz
Media Day: September 26
Start Date: September 27
Preseason Schedule:
October 3 @ Portland
October 5 @ Phoenix
October 10 @ Los Angeles Clippers
October 12 vs. Phoenix
October 17 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
October 19 vs. Portland