NBA Training Camps 2026 Start Dates, Schedules and Top Storylines to Watch

The 2026 NBA offseason produced an unforgettable wave of landscape-shifting player movement.

The 2026-27 NBA season will determine exactly how much the hoops world changed amid all of that activity.

Before any of that happens, though, teams will soon break for training camp to prepare for the 82-game grind ahead. After providing the starting dates for all 30 of those training camps, we'll spotlight two key storylines that may well shape this entire season.

Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic

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Who Can Challenge the Champs in New-Look East?

The reigning champion New York Knicks should, by default, be granted the top spot on the Eastern Conference pecking order. But after so many impact additions were made around them, who has a legitimate chance of dethroning the champs?

The star-studded Philadelphia 76ers come first to mind after supplementing their Tyrese Maxey-Joel Embiid foundation with the summer arrivals of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. They will, however, have to strike the right offensive balance to keep everyone involved and engaged, and they figure to have some availability issues at some point.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have an argument, especially if new swingman Peyton Watson hits the ground running. They also have the same logistical issues to tackle come playoff time. The Detroit Pistons are another option, though the lack of a second shot-creator to pair with Cade Cunningham is notable (as is the still unsettled restricted free agency of Jalen Duren).

Maybe the return of Kawhi Leonard vaults the Toronto Raptors into the conversation. Perhaps the Miami Heat get there after reeling in their long coveted whale Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Atlanta Hawks could continue their ascension. The Boston Celtics are almost always a factor. And don't discount what the Indiana Pacers might do with a healthy Tyrese Haliburton back at the helm.

The potential threats are numerous—even the Washington Wizards have a case for being the NBA's biggest curiosity—but will any of them rise to championship-level? Stay tuned.

Is Another Spurs-Thunder Showdown Inevitable?

All throughout last season, it felt as if the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder were on a collision course to meet in the Western Conference finals. And that's exactly how things transpired with the Spurs ultimately escaping a seven-game thriller in the postseason's penultimate round.

The Spurs effectively return their entire rotation with another veteran shot-maker added to the mix (Tobias Harris). And while the Thunder made a few financially driven cuts (Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe), but the foundation of their 2025 title team all remains in place.

These two will (and should) snag the top two spots on any Western Conference power ranking you'll find. So, should fans expect another pre-title-round clash? Probably, but few things in sports are ever cemented this early.

While injuries forever loom as any singular team's biggest threat, there are some external challengers who could make it interesting.

The Denver Nuggets will be a factor as long as Nikola Jokić is manning the middle. The Minnesota Timberwolves could prove as potent as ever with LaMelo Ball joining Anthony Edwards in the backcourt. The Houston Rockets might see missing-piece impact from a healthy Fred VanVleet. The Los Angeles Lakers have a super-potent perimeter pairing with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, plus Walker Kessler to protect the paint now. The Golden State Warriors are always interesting by virtue of rostering Stephen Curry, and they should get a big boost from a midseason Jimmy Butler return.

In the end, though, the Thunder and Spurs are collective favorites for a reason. If they don't wind up wrestling in the WCF again, it feels more likely that would stem from their own shortcomings as opposed to anything happening around them.