NBA Preseason Tips Off: Antetokounmpo Debuts in Miami, Leonard Joins Toronto, James Begins New Chapter in Philadelphia
The NBA's 2026-27 preseason began on Saturday, October 3, marked by major roster shakeups across the league - Giannis Antetokounmpo made his Miami Heat debut, while Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James start the new season with new teams.
A Historic Game in Quebec City
The Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors played their preseason opener on Saturday at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, as reported by Hot Hot Hoops. The contest was part of the NBA Canada Games series and marked the first NBA game ever played in Quebec City. Tip-off was at 7 p.m. ET, with the broadcast carried by WPLG Local 10 and NBA TV.
Miami's Revamped Roster Featuring Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo made his first appearance in a Heat uniform after joining the team this summer as part of a major roster overhaul. His projected starting five included Bam Adebayo, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell. According to Yahoo Sports, Adebayo spoke ahead of the game about building chemistry with Antetokounmpo, while Antetokounmpo said he's relieved not to face Adebayo as an opponent anymore, after years of matchups while Antetokounmpo played for the Milwaukee Bucks. Head coach Erik Spoelstra reportedly credited Adebayo's standing around the league with helping convince both Antetokounmpo and Thompson to choose Miami.
Leonard Returns to Toronto, But Not on the Court
Toronto's projected starters against Miami were Immanuel Quickley, Ja'Kobe Walter, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl. Kawhi Leonard officially joined the Raptors this summer after a long-awaited move, but he did not play in the opener due to injury. Also unavailable for Toronto were Jamison Battle, Kyle Anderson and Allen Graves, while Miami was missing Dru Smith and Keshad Johnson.
James Starts a New Chapter in Philadelphia
In a separate but related NBA storyline, Bleacher Report reported on September 29 that LeBron James, after joining the Philadelphia 76ers, commuted home to New York by helicopter following his first training camp practice. A car trip between the two cities takes roughly 90 to 120 minutes, compared to about 40-45 minutes by helicopter. It has been confirmed James will split his time between New York and Philadelphia during the season. Fans will see James in a Sixers uniform for the first time on October 5 in a preseason game against the defending champion New York Knicks, with the two teams' regular-season opener set for October 20 at Madison Square Garden.
