What happened: CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu take the floor as the starting unit for Friday night's preseason contest. The lineup keeps McCollum and Daniels together in the starting backcourt as exhibition play continues.

Why it matters: Deploying this five-man unit again builds rotation continuity ahead of the 2026-27 regular season. Pairing Daniels and Alexander-Walker on the perimeter alongside McCollum gives the first unit multiple ball-handlers and point-of-attack defenders to evaluate before opening night.

What to watch: Minute distributions and fourth-quarter substitution patterns will indicate how closely this preseason rotation mirrors the regular-season game plan.