Peyton Watson is already setting the tone for his new team.
The Cavaliers forward, acquired from the Nuggets in a sign-and-trade deal, said he wants Cleveland to bring a tougher edge every night, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reports.
“Just to go out there with a mean streak. Go out there and try to kill.
Take no prisoners mentality,” Watson said. “That’s my mentality, and that’s something I’ll be echoing to the team.
There is no time for being nice and buddy-buddy with the opposition. The league is more competitive than ever, and there are guys going out there that are trying to take what you have, and they want what you have.”
Watson also pointed to the less glamorous part of a title chase: staying healthy and learning how to play together long enough to make it matter.
“It’s going to be tough,” he said. “Everybody knows that is the most challenging thing is to stay durable and available for an entire season and practice the right principles.
That’s something we’re challenging ourselves to do, and I think that we’ve got the personalities on the team for it, and we’ve got the roster for it. After that, it’s not about talking about what we’re going to do but actually going out there and doing it.”
Around the Eastern Conference, the Raptors moved on from Jamarion Sharp at the end of training camp, but he may not be leaving the organization. Raptors 905 has taken over his rights, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet. Sharp was on an Exhibit 10 contract, and if he joins the G League club and remains there for at least 60 days, he could earn a bonus of up to 91K.
Charlotte is dealing with a crowded injury report, though there is some progress on the rehab front. Kon Knueppel (left hamstring strain), Grant Williams (right hamstring strain) and Coby White (left calf strain) have all gotten back to individual on-court work, the Hornets’ PR department said. Even so, all three will sit out Wednesday’s opener against Brooklyn.
Orlando has its own list of absences to manage. The Magic will be without Anthony Black (right ankle sprain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury management), Noah Penda (right partially torn hamstring) and Izaiyah Nelson (left ankle injury management) for Wednesday’s season opener against Atlanta, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel reported. Franz Wagner, dealing with right shoulder soreness, is available, and Jase Richardson, who had back soreness, is also set to play, Beede added.
In Other News...
Hornets Are Positioning For The Move Fans Have Been Waiting On
Jeff Petersons latest update offered a pretty clear read on where the Hornets see themselves right now: still building, but with the kind of optionality that can change quickly. Charlotte has spent the summer stacking financial flexibility and draft capital while reshaping the roster through a flurry of moves, including trades involving LaMelo Ball, Josh Green and Miles Bridges, plus the additions of Naz Reid, Dennis Schrder and a new deal for Coby White. The bigger picture is that the front office is not just collecting pieces for the sake of it, but creating room to chase a specific type of upgrade when the time is right.
For Hornets fans, that is the part worth watching as the team works toward the 2026-27 opener. The organization has leaned into future assets, with several incoming picks and swaps now part of its path forward, and Petersons comments made it clear those tools are meant to be used, not just stored away. The question is less whether Charlotte has the means to make a meaningful addition than when it will decide the market presents the right opening to do it. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets New Core Is Earning Attention Ahead Of A Pivotal Season
The Hornets spent the offseason turning over the top of their roster, moving on from LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Tre Mann while bringing in Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and Dennis Schroder. It is the kind of reshaping that usually comes with a waiting period, but Charlotte appears ready to skip ahead, with Coby White, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Reid and Moussa Diabate projected to make up the starting group when the season opens.
What makes the new-look lineup interesting is how quickly the conversation around the franchise has shifted toward Miller and Knueppel as the next faces of the team. Thats already drawing notice outside the organization, too, with Blake Griffin telling Bill Simmons that he likes what the Hornets are building. For a team that has spent plenty of time searching for direction, the attention is a sign that this version of Charlotte may have at least changed the way people view its future. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Open With A Rotation Test Fans Will Notice Fast
The first look at Charlottes 2026-27 season will come on the road against a Brooklyn team still working through a rebuild, and the opening-night setup already has a different feel to it. Even with the Hornets listed as slight favorites away from home, this one carries a little more curiosity than your typical opener because the rotation will be missing some familiar pieces and the margin for error may be thinner than usual.
That pushes the spotlight onto the supporting cast and the way Charlotte chooses to cover for those absences. Defense is expected to be the early identity, but there will also be a need for more from the backcourt and wing depth as the Hornets sort through heavier minutes for Dennis Schroder, Christian Anderson and Grayson Allen. For a team trying to establish itself right away, the first game is already looking less like a formality and more like a test of how quickly the next men up can settle in. [Read more 🡒]