What happened: JJ Redick said Dalton Knecht and Bronny James missed Monday practice with illness as excused absences. The session came one day before the 2026-27 regular-season tipoff.

Why it matters: Both guards face a roster crunch with a Monday cutdown looming to set the regular-season group. An absence on decision day leaves one fewer practice evaluation for the back end of the roster.

What to watch: Watch whether both return for Tuesday's opener and which guard survives the final cut.