Cup of Cavs: Cleveland Cavaliers News and Links for Monday, Sept. 26

Happy Media Day folks. Look for our open thread going live at 11 a.m. But let’s get the day started here, shall we?

The first sip

In no order, here’s the players I am most intrigued to hear from today at media day:

• Ricky Rubio, re-signed and coming off his second ACL tear
• Darius Garland, talking for the first time since his extension and the Donovan Mitchell trade
• Evan Mobley, talking for the first time since the Mitchell trade
• Dean Wade, who just got extended

There are others too — Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro, namely — but those are the big four for me.

Oftentimes, what we here doesn’t reveal exactly what’s going on — other reporting and the games themselves are such a big part of the picture. But still, access matters. I’m excited that the season is getting oh so close. A week from Wednesday is preseason game No. 1. It’s going to come fast.

Read this

At The New York Times, Jonathan Abrams profiled American men playing professionally in Russia amid the war and Brittney Griner’s arrest

Links of the day

Russ says he’s ‘all-in’ on helping the Lakers win in his second season in LA

Giannis says Steph Curry is the best player in the NBA right now

Suns forward Jae Crowder will not participate in training camp as they look for a trade

Markelle Fultz is out indefinitely after fracturing his toe

If you’re looking at a team to become punchy a la the Cavs last year, maybe it’s the Pistons