The NBA is in the midst of its best run of parity in league historical past. The league has been round since 1947, and that is the primary time it’s ever seen seven straight years of distinctive champs. Since 2019, the Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder have every raised a title banner. Can this streak lengthen one other 12 months because the league enters the 2025-26 season?
The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder may very well be on the precipice of a dynasty. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP in the midst of his prime at 27 years previous, and co-stars Jalen Williams (24 years previous) and Chet Holmgren (23 years previous) are already actually good and nonetheless getting higher. The Thunder have an elite protection and a number of the finest position gamers within the league round their massive three, to not point out a bundle of future draft picks. It’s completely potential the Thunder win three titles within the subsequent 5 years. It’s additionally potential the Thunder are undone by accidents or chilly taking pictures or a very wonderful opponent, and the parity streak has one other probability to proceed.
I believe “the Thunder or the sphere?” is a good technique to body the championship race coming into the 2025-26 season. On the identical time, nobody might have anticipated a possible Indiana Pacers championship coming into final season, and so they had been one sport and one devastating Tyrese Haliburton damage from probably doing that within the final sport of the season.
There are seven groups with actual championship probably coming into the season in my eyes. Let’s rank them.
It takes an enormous leap of religion to consider the Magic can go from .500 to championship materials, however the Pacers (and 2023 Miami Warmth earlier than them) are proof that miracles can occur within the East. A part of it’s common skepticism with the convention: the Cavs and Knicks are the plain favorites, however after that, Orlando feels prefer it has essentially the most upside of another group. The Magic sustained lengthy accidents to Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs final season, and all will probably be able to rock at the beginning of coaching camp. Final season’s elite protection (No. 2 within the NBA) ought to carry over. The problem final 12 months is that Orlando was an all-time unhealthy taking pictures group relative to period, making solely 31.8 % their threes, by far the worst mark within the league. Desmond Bane — acquired from Memphis for 4 first-round picks — was introduced in to alter that, and he’s a hand-in-glove match for precisely what the group wanted. Bane is an elite shooter, a stable secondary ball handler, and a feisty defender who received’t compromise that unit’s excellence. This actually comes right down to if Banchero and Wagner can lastly determine how one can make one another higher. The outcomes are been fairly grim to date, however I earnestly consider loads of that may be chalked as much as unhealthy spacing. It’s at all times going to be somewhat wonky when your two finest gamers aren’t dependable three-point shooters, however Banchero and Wagner are gifted sufficient to make up for it. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Magic win the East, and due to that, they’re a fringe championship contender to me coming into the season.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
There’s some comprehensible skepticism concerning the Wolves championship fairness coming into the season, coming in at No. 9 within the FanDuel odds. Minnesota misplaced Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free company to Atlanta, Mike Conley Jr. is one other 12 months older, and the group will probably be extra reliant on a pair of second-year gamers, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Rob Dillingham, who nonetheless should show themselves on the NBA stage. I’m nonetheless shopping for this group as a possible champion for a couple of totally different causes. After back-to-back Western Convention Finals runs, we all know the Wolves have what it takes to win playoff sequence. The protection is elite with Rudy Gobert rim safety, Jaden McDaniels’ versatile defensive playmaking on the wing, and Edwards potential to defend at a excessive stage whereas carrying an enormous offensive burden. I’m nonetheless not tremendous offered on the Gobert/Julius Randle tandem, however Randle’s extra deliberate secondary scorer proved it may nonetheless be efficient within the playoffs final season. Edwards is the actual key right here. He may very well be an MVP candidate with an incredible season, however what the Wolves really want to proof that he could be trusted to make sensible choices with the ball in his palms in excessive leverage conditions. Everybody is aware of about Edwards’ nuclear rim attacking, however he additionally quietly grew to become one of many league’s finest three-point shooters final 12 months. If Edwards can combine in somewhat little bit of a mid-range sport this season and proceed rising as a decision-maker, the Wolves have a sustainable system for achievement that would money in with the correct breaks.
The Knicks haven’t received an NBA championship since 1973, and you can also make the case that this could be their finest shot but within the time since. The East is down, and the Knicks are firmly in the midst of their competition window. One of many league’s finest beginning lineups returns, and the bench Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, and Guerschon Yabusele serving to type a very robust top-8. Tom Thibodeau obtained this group to the convention finals, however that wasn’t adequate to save lots of his job. Enter Mike Brown, who had a magic contact with the 2023 Sacramento Kings when he led that group to the league’s No. 1 offense. My concern with the Knicks is identical because it was final 12 months: Karl-Anthony Cities and Jalen Brunson are each negatives defensively, and that instantly compromises the Knicks’ protection towards nice opponents. New York has to depend on its offense to be even higher after ending No. 5 on that finish final 12 months. Most groups find yourself regretting the choice to fireplace Thibodeau, and that’s definitely on the desk once more. On the identical time, if Brown is much less depending on Josh Hart and makes the offense somewhat extra dynamic round Brunson, it might work out of their favor. Something lower than an NBA Finals look will probably be thought-about a disappointment for the Knicks. That’s completely truthful given the expertise stage on this roster.
The Cavs regarded like a juggernaut final 12 months … till they reached the second spherical of the playoffs. After successful an astounding 64 video games within the common season and routing the Warmth within the first spherical in historic style, the whole lot got here aside on the seams for the Cavs in spherical two towards the Pacers. Darius Garland’s toe damage rendered him a shell of himself, and that was just one in a protracted checklist of accidents that troubled Cleveland within the sequence. Garland nonetheless will not be prepared for coaching camp this season, and Max Strus is already out for an prolonged interval with a Jones fracture. Dropping Ty Jerome to the Grizzlies is a bummer, too. A very powerful factor for the Cavs is simply being wholesome for the playoffs, and there’s motive to consider the whole lot might fall in line in Kenny Atkinson’s second season as head coach if that occurs. The Cavs had the No. 1 offense within the league final 12 months with Donovan Mitchell incomes First-Crew All-NBA honors and Evan Mobley being named Second-Crew All-NBA and Defensive Participant of the 12 months. Mobley has the case because the league’s finest non-Wembanyama defender, and he nonetheless has loads of room to stage up offensively as he enters his age-24 season. I consider there’s one other stage for Mobley to go up as a scorer and playmaker. There’s at all times going to be postseason skepticism with two guards as small as Garland and Mitchell enjoying heavy minutes, however they’re each so good offensively that they may be capable of make up for it towards a weakened area of convention contenders. The Cavs really feel like the most effective East group coming into the season, but when they fall brief once more, I wouldn’t be shocked if there’s severe LeBron James buzz for Cleveland subsequent offseason.
The Rockets’ fast ascent to the No. 2 seed within the West was probably the greatest tales of the common season, however their first-round playoff exit to the Warriors confirmed this roster nonetheless wanted some work. Enter Kevin Durant, probably the greatest pure shooters in league historical past, changing within the inefficient scoring of Jalen Inexperienced on the perimeter. Durant can nonetheless get buckets at 37 years previous, and he’s going to open up the ground considerably for Houston’s youthful stars. It appears like Alperen Sengun is prepared for an All-NBA flip after a dominant run at EuroBasket for Turkey. Sengun was an All-Star final season, turning into some of the inventive offensive gamers within the league, in addition to an improved defender beneath head coach Ime Udoka. The Rockets have a couple of different candidates for breakout seasons: Amen Thompson ought to stage up once more in 12 months 3 after a standout sophomore season, Tari Eason may very well be prepared to interchange Dillon Brooks because the league’s go-to wing stopper, and Jabari Smith Jr. wants to indicate some enchancment after getting a $120 million contract extension. There’s additionally Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 choose final 12 months, who’s lastly able to enter the rotation. The Rockets have nice depth, what must be an elite protection, improved taking pictures, an stable head coach, and younger stars who hold getting higher. The Rockets have pulled off one thing near an ideal rebuild within the wake of their James Harden commerce, and so they nonetheless have some premium property coming in, like two unprotected Suns draft picks. This group goes to essentially good for a very long time, and so they would possibly already be a title contender with KD in tow.
If Nikola Jokic goes to win a second championship in his profession, this could be his finest probability to do it. Jokic remains to be the best participant on the planet as he turns 31 years previous in Feb., and after counting on youthful gamers that didn’t come by the final two years, the Nuggets lastly gave him an improved supporting forged this 12 months. Denver took a giant swing for Cameron Johnson in a deal that despatched out Michael Porter Jr. and a 2031 unprotected first-round choose. Johnson is a giant wing shooter who was some of the environment friendly scorers within the league final 12 months regardless of enjoying in a poor group context in Brooklyn. He must show he could be sturdy (which has been a difficulty all through his profession), however he appears like an ideal match enjoying off Jokic. The bench is best, too: Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valančiūnas give Denver some a lot wanted veteran depth. Among the many youthful items, Christian Braun has quietly turn into one of many higher glue guys within the league, and he’s enjoying for a brand new contract this 12 months. Peyton Watson can nonetheless present worth as a defensive stopper, and Jalen Pickett will get a much bigger probability at backup level guard duties this 12 months. Finally, this nonetheless feels prefer it comes right down to Jamal Murray’s potential to nonetheless be the second finest participant on a championship group. Murray’s play as dipped a bit the final two years, however at 27 years previous, he shouldn’t be washed but. Denver has a shot on the championship yearly Jokic is in his prime, and it appears like they improved their odds at one other ring fairly a bit with their strikes over the summer season.
The Thunder have all the required items for a dynasty. They’ve the most effective guard within the league in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s totally entrenched in his prime. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren could be the franchise participant on many different groups across the league; on the Thunder, they’re ultimate co-stars who deliver elite protection, flooring spacing, and supplemental scoring punch. Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein are among the many finest position gamers on the planet, whereas Lu Dort has a declare to being the league’s finest wing stopper. Add younger depth like Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and rookie guard Nikola Subject, and the Thunder have a humiliation of riches. A small market group like this shouldn’t ought to be capable of maintain within the second apron period, however OKC is flush with future draft picks that may hold restocking the depth — or be cashed in for one more star. The Thunder aren’t unbeatable: the playoffs confirmed that this can be a very low quantity three-point taking pictures group, and it’s exhausting to come back again from behind whenever you dwell that means. There are occasions when it appears like there’s not sufficient shot creation with SGA out of the sport, and Chet Holmgren didn’t look as nice offensively as anticipated after his pelvic damage. The Thunder have some holes, however not a lot of them, and so they have extra avenues to fill their weaknesses within the current or future than another group. If the Thunder can keep wholesome, they’re a heavy favourite if not precisely unbeatable. That is the measuring stick for the remainder of the NBA till additional discover.
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