The New York Knicks appear to be testing players’ fatigue levels during practice, with eagle-eyed fan @JKrigg spotting players wearing small pieces of tape on their earlobes. The method may involve taking tiny blood samples to measure lactate levels, giving teams a better idea of how hard players are working and how their bodies are responding.
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Meanwhile, the Lakers and 76ers could be competing for a 6’11” center if he clears waivers, while Enes Kanter Freedom is planning a return to the WNBA Finals spotlight. Elsewhere, LeBron James gets a mural in Philadelphia, and Dallas faces a tough roster decision before Monday’s deadline.
NBA champions experiment with a new reported blood testing method during practice
The New York Knicks appear to be using fatigue testing during practice. Eagle-eyed observer @JKrigg spotted players wearing small pieces of tape or plasters on their earlobes, raising the possibility that the team is using tiny blood samples to measure lactate levels.
These readings can help identify exercise intensity, assess conditioning and adjust individual workloads. By tracking how players respond to physical demands, teams can make better decisions about training and recovery, potentially reducing the risk of overtraining and muscle injuries.
Similar testing methods have also attracted attention in European soccer, including at Bayern Munich. However, the Knicks have not confirmed that they are conducting these tests or what they would be measuring.
Lakers, 76ers and other NBA teams are interested in a 6’11” center
Keeping Dwight Powell, who has spent 12 seasons in Dallas, means the Mavericks have to release someone with a guaranteed contract. Rival teams believe that someone is Moussa Cissé.
“There’s a growing expectation among rival teams that Moussa Cissé is the Dallas player in the greatest jeopardy,” Marc Stein reported. “However, that Cissé is a real candidate to be claimed off waived in the event he is let go. Chicago, sources say, has interest in the high-energy big man. I’m told Atlanta also has interest even though the Hawks don’t currently have an open standard spot…
“If Cissé were to be waived Monday and then clear waivers Wednesday, I’m also told that the 76ers and Lakers would have strong interest in signing him to a two-way deal even though neither team currently has a two-way opening.”
This isn’t the first time Cissé’s future has come down to a Dallas roster call. Last October 18, the Mavericks converted the undrafted big man’s deal into a two-way contract. This summer, the Knicks signed him to a two-year offer sheet, and Dallas matched it to keep him. Because Dallas matched, Cissé can’t be traded to New York for a year, but he could sign there if he’s waived.
Any team that claims him also takes on his $2.2 million salary, which became fully guaranteed when he stayed on the roster past October 1.
Chicago is the most likely team to put in a claim, since Atlanta doesn’t have an open standard roster spot. Philadelphia and Los Angeles only come into play if Cissé clears waivers, and then only for a two-way deal.
The Sixers are in obvious need. Ariel Hukporti ruptured his right Achilles in the preseason opener against the Knicks, ending his season before it began. Behind Joel Embiid, who has his own injury history, the Sixers have Adem Bona, who only recently returned from a foot sprain, and 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall, who was converted to a two-way deal on Saturday after missing the entire preseason with a hip strain and hasn’t played an NBA game since 2021-22.
Adding Cissé would be tricky. Fall took the team’s final two-way slot, so the Sixers would have to waive one of their three two-way players. A standard deal is also hard, because the Sixers are hard-capped at the first apron and sit only about $1.8 million below it.
The Lakers’ interest also makes sense. They want insurance behind Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney, someone who can rebound and protect the rim. The problem is that neither team has an open two-way slot, so Los Angeles would have to waive a current two-way player to add Cissé.
That is a separate problem from the one the Lakers face today: trimming 16 standard contracts down to 15 before the deadline, with Dalton Knecht widely expected to be the odd man out.
Former NBA star announces WNBA Finals visit after previous ejection and ban
Enes Kanter Freedom says he’ll be at State Farm Arena on Wednesday, October 21, for Game 3 of the WNBA Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries. His announcement revisited the controversy surrounding his previous courtside appearance and included sarcastic remarks about joining the league next season.
Kanter Freedom’s latest social media post also sarcastically referenced Valkyries forward Gabby Williams as an inspiration for him to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft. He joked about wanting to learn from Angel Reese and teased a new T-shirt for the upcoming game. The announcement comes after Kanter Freedom was ejected following a verbal confrontation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud on August 23.
The former NBA star wore a shirt reading “WOMAN noun. adult human female.” The Sky subsequently imposed an indefinite ban from attending games at Wintrust Arena, and team owner Michael Alter said the restriction would continue until Freedom could demonstrate that he would follow arena rules without posing a potential threat.
The response from Kanter Freedom included filing a federal lawsuit on September 3 against the Sky, the city of Chicago, and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. Now, his planned Atlanta appearance could bring renewed attention to the controversy, although the Chicago ban does not automatically establish a league-wide prohibition.
LeBron James already has a mural in Philadelphia
LeBron James is making his mark in Philadelphia, and a striking new mural is turning heads in the city’s Fishtown neighborhood. Sportswriter and podcaster Anthony Dabbundo of The Ringer shared a photo of the finished artwork on X.
The detailed Nike mural captures James performing his signature pregame ritual of tossing powder into the air. It also features the Nike swoosh in the upper-right corner and the words “THE CHOSEN ONE” in the upper left. Adding a local touch, the artist placed the numbers “2” and “5” on either side of “ONE,” a nod to Philadelphia’s 215 area code.
Los Angeles previously saw a “King of LA” mural after his Lakers move in 2018, while Cleveland famously displayed enormous Nike-sponsored banners honoring its hometown star.