The 2025 NBA preseason began with a bang, especially for fans supporting local Bay Area Teams. The basketball games between skilled teams such as the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Los Angeles Clippers began on October 2nd and are ending on October 17th. They function as a way for players on the teams to test out their skillsets against other players, and as a way for basketball fans to assess which teams they wanted to place bets on. Furthermore, they function as a way for NBA teams to boost publicity and fan support before the actual season begins, alerting the public to any team changes or drama that might pull viewers’ focus in on them in particular.
An example of a popular team that gained attention in the weeks leading up to the pre-season is the L.A. Lakers, who began their term with an 81-103 loss against the Phoenix Suns before losing with a closer neck to the Golden State Warriors at 103-111. Lakers fans suspect that as the preseason progresses, the team may commence with a player trade in order to boost their chances when the actual season starts. Sites such as Sports Illustrated theorized that the Lakers may be looking to acquire the Minnesota Timberwolves’ star player Jaden McDaniels, whom the Lakers traded to the Timberwolves earlier in 2020, to boost their chances in the actual season. If true, this would give the Lakers’ yet another superstar after Luka Doncic in February. In the meantime, the Lakers have been exchanging less famous players, such as DaJuan Gordon who was welcomed in as a guard October 3rd.
However, not all attention gained during the pre-season is positive. With stakes rising, NBA officials have launched an investigation into the L.A. Clippers, looking into if a potential illegal deal was brokered between team owner Steve Ballmer, player Kawhi Leonard, and a Clippers endorser to circumvent the salary cap the NBA had put on game participants. If the allegations are true, they could destabilise the Clippers’ integrity amongst fans when the season actually begins. In other news, the Golden State Warriors continue their winning streak from 2024-2025, bolstered by the acquisition of Jonathan Kuminga in February. However, concerns remain with the Golden State Warriors’ reliance on aging stars. As Bleacher Report noted earlier this year, “Curry’s absence generally spelled doom for the Warriors”, evidenced by the Lakers’ losses after he had to miss out the last four games of the earlier year’s playoffs due to a torn hamstring. He’s “certainly not going to get younger,” Bleacher Report continued onwards. Results from the 2025-2026 run could therefore determine the Warriors’ standing when negotiation for future players when rollover comes about.
In sum, basketball fans will have to await new preseason results to determine and place bets on which teams might make it in the actual NBA season. In the meantime, fan theories abound, and teams sort out any last minute trades or adjustments they want to make to boost their chances for the upcoming games. Most assuredly though, both players and watchers will be able to enjoy themselves and have a good time.
