{"id":322184,"date":"2025-10-21T21:52:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T21:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/322184\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T21:52:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T21:52:12","slug":"bold-nba-2025-26-season-predictions-new-champion-fresh-faces-in-mvp-race-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/322184\/","title":{"rendered":"Bold NBA 2025-26 season predictions: New champion, fresh faces in MVP race and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Athletic has live coverage of Rockets vs. Thunder<\/a> and Warriors vs. Lakers<\/a> from 2025-26 NBA Season Tip-Off.<\/p>\n

Will Victor Wembanyama be an MVP finalist? Will the NBA champion come from the Western Conference (but not Oklahoma City)? Will the Warriors or Pacers make a surprising run in the playoffs?<\/p>\n

Maybe! Those were among the responses The Athletic got this week when it asked its NBA staff for bold predictions for the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s one prediction for each team as the season tips off:<\/p>\n

Atlanta Hawks<\/p>\n

The Hawks finish with a top-10 defense:<\/strong> Atlanta was 19th in defensive efficiency last season and has never finished in the top half of the league in the Trae Young era. This year, that changes. First, some poor shooting luck should even out (28th in opponent 3-point percentage; 23rd in opponent free-throw percentage last season). More importantly, by adding Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is to go with elite ball thief Dyson Daniels and multiple big, mobile forwards, there\u2019s just way more defensive talent now. \u2014 John Hollinger<\/p>\n

Boston Celtics<\/p>\n

Derrick White will be an All-Star:<\/strong> White has long been an advanced stats darling. This season, he will also have the traditional production to land on his first All-Star team. Early signs suggest that White will see a big bump in opportunity after all of the Celtics\u2019 changes. If he finishes anywhere close to his preseason usage rate of 27.8 percent, he will set a career high in that category. Boston will win enough games for him to make the All-Star team while also establishing career highs in points and assists. \u2014 Jay King<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Nets<\/p>\n

The Nets will get a top-four pick:<\/strong> The Nets made five first-round picks in June\u2019s draft, and none were in the top five. That was a credit to the work done by head coach Jordi Fern\u00e1ndez and a roster that was a smidge too good. This season, the organization is leaving less to chance, despite the NBA\u2019s quixotic lottery odds. Even owner Joe Tsai has said this is the year for the future. The Nets only have one first-round pick in the 2026 draft, but this time, it will land in the top four and give them a building block player in a draft projected to be strong at the top. \u2014 Mike Vorkunov<\/p>\n

Charlotte Hornets<\/p>\n

The Hornets win 28 games:<\/strong> This may seem like a not-so-bold prediction, but it\u2019s actually not. For one, the Hornets haven\u2019t won 28 games in a season since 2021-22. Second, this is above their projected win total of 27.5 set by BetMGM. Third, this would be a nine-win improvement from last year for a roster that hasn\u2019t really gotten significant outside enhancement. But the Hornets have a lot of young talent, which should be on the ascent. And the bottom of the East is \u2026 weak. The Hornets get to be the beneficiary and make some progress in their multiyear rebuild. \u2014 Mike Vorkunov<\/p>\n

Chicago Bulls<\/p>\n

The Bulls won\u2019t make the Play-In:<\/strong> I know, I know. History repeats itself, and Chicago\u2019s intimate relationship with the Play-In has neared obsession. Inevitable, even. But no more. With this youth movement, a backlog of questionable contributors on the wing and a lethal lack of rim protection, the Bulls could stand to win fewer than 39 games. \u2014 Joel Lorenzi<\/p>\n

Cleveland Cavaliers<\/p>\n

Lonzo Ball resurrects his career:<\/strong> Last year in this same exercise, I predicted the Cavs would end up trading either Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Then they won their first 15 games and were on \u201c70 watch\u201d for months. So, you know, good call. My prediction this year is as risky, because, let\u2019s face it, Ball\u2019s career has been basically derailed by injury.<\/p>\n

But in Cleveland, he will come off the bench, and he\u2019s coached by a point guard whisperer in Kenny Atkinson. He won\u2019t be asked to play on consecutive nights, and he is surrounded by shooting. Ty Jerome was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year last year, essentially in this role. Ball probably won\u2019t play enough games to qualify, but we\u2019ll be talking about him as a positive contributor to the Cavs at season\u2019s end. \u2014 Joe Vardon<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks<\/p>\n

Defense will be good \u2026 but not elite:<\/strong> The Mavericks think they can be the best defensive team in the NBA. They\u2019re a huge team, and they have elite defensive personnel in their frontcourt. I think they\u2019ll slightly underwhelm because of their ability to contain at the point of attack. They have no clear-cut stopper to slow other elite guards. They started D\u2019Angelo Russell and Klay Thompson together in the backcourt some in the preseason. Neither is an ideal option against guards in the division, such as De\u2019Aaron Fox or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. \u2014 Christian Clark<\/p>\n

Denver Nuggets<\/p>\n

The Nuggets will win the West:<\/strong> This isn\u2019t as wild as it sounds, Thunder fans. Yes, your team was historically dominant in the last regular season and should be properly respected as the reigning champs. But \u2026 the Thunder also came really close to falling to Denver in the seven-game, second-round series. The Nuggets have since landed the kind of roster depth that would have come in handy back then. One would imagine they\u2019re even that much hungrier now, too, what with the 2023 title even further in the rear-view mirror. \u2014 Sam Amick<\/p>\n

Detroit Pistons<\/p>\n

Cade Cunningham will finish top three in MVP voting:<\/strong> Cunningham has increased his scoring numbers in each of his first four seasons, finished tied for seventh in MVP voting last year and shot 7 of 12 from behind the arc during the preseason. If he can take the proverbial leap as a 3-point shooter, don\u2019t be surprised if Cunningham pushes the Pistons into the upper echelon of the East and finds his name atop MVP ballots in the process. The 24-year-old notched nine of his 11 career triple-doubles last season and will be tasked with even more responsibility in 2025-26. More responsibility means more opportunity, and now he has the Association\u2019s attention. \u2014 Hunter Patterson<\/p>\n

Golden State Warriors<\/p>\n

The Warriors will make it to at least the Western Conference finals:<\/strong> It all boils down to health, but if the Warriors can stay healthy, they are deep enough and talented enough to make one more run in the West. Plus, they could still add another piece or two at the deadline. \u2014 Nick Friedell<\/p>\n

Houston Rockets<\/p>\n

Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn will finish second in triple-doubles:<\/strong> Nikola Joki\u0107 led the NBA with 34 triple-doubles last season. I\u2019m not bold enough to put \u015eeng\u00fcn in that rarified air yet. But with the absence of Fred VanVleet, \u015eeng\u00fcn will take on even more shot-creation responsibility than he did last season when he averaged 4.9 assists per game. Giannis Antetokounmpo was second in triple-doubles last season with 11. Assuming \u015eeng\u00fcn stays healthy, I\u2019d be surprised if he doesn\u2019t get at least 15 triple-doubles in 2025-26. I\u2019d say it also helps having Kevin Durant on the team if you\u2019re one of the guys looking to pick up more assists. \u2014 William Guillory<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n With Fred VanVleet out, Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn may flash even more of his playmaking skills for Houston. (Ezra Shaw \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Indiana Pacers<\/p>\n

Pacers get to the second round without Tyrese Haliburton:<\/strong> The East isn\u2019t exactly a gauntlet this season with injuries to key players throughout the conference. Last season\u2019s Pacers showed us that they\u2019re a deep squad with a wizard for a coach. We can\u2019t forget there are a few guys on the team with points to prove, and this season gives them an opportunity. Just sayin\u2019 \u2014 don\u2019t sleep on Indy. \u2014 Shakeia Taylor<\/p>\n

LA Clippers<\/p>\n

LA will match its best 20-game start under Tyronn Lue:<\/strong> The Clippers haven\u2019t always been very good about starting seasons fast during Tyronn Lue\u2019s previous five years as head coach. However, this is the first time Kawhi Leonard and James Harden have had a full camp to work together, in addition to the rest of a fairly loaded roster. This old team needs rest at the end of the season, and it\u2019ll be motivated to get off to a fast start after running out of gas by early May due to its push at the end of last season to avoid the Play-In. A 15-5 record entering December should be an attainable and relatively necessary goal to achieve. \u2014 Law Murray<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n

LeBron James makes an All-NBA team:<\/strong> I\u2019m really backing myself into a corner here with James missing the start of the season due to sciatica, but here\u2019s betting that the reduced offensive load allows the 23-year vet to meet the 65-game minimum and earn another All-NBA spot because of his all-around greatness. \u2014 Dan Woike<\/p>\n

Memphis Grizzlies<\/p>\n

Cam Spencer and PJ Hall end up in the rotation:<\/strong> I nailed this last year with Scotty Pippen Jr., so let\u2019s try it again. With Pippen and Ty Jerome injured, Luke Kennard gone and Ja Morant permanently questionable, the coast is clear for Spencer\u2019s shooting and passing to carve out a much bigger role in the Memphis backcourt. Meanwhile, the 6-8 Hall may be undersized for a center, but he can play, and Memphis\u2019 paucity of healthy bigs portends a Jay Huff-like ascent into the rotation. \u2014 John Hollinger<\/p>\n

Miami Heat<\/p>\n

Nikola Jovi\u0107 challenges for Most Improved Player:<\/strong> At only 22 years old, Jovi\u0107 enters his fourth NBA season poised to break out, thanks in large part to his new four-year, $62 million extension. At different times, he\u2019s shown an ability to shoot, pass, defend and play in transition, tools he put on display during this past summer\u2019s EuroBasket with Serbia. Without Tyler Herro for a while and Kel\u2019el Ware still finding his way, Miami will need Jovi\u0107 to be a blend of tantalizing talent and young vet, which could help make a mark in this season\u2019s Most Improved Player race. \u2014 James Jackson<\/p>\n

Milwaukee Bucks<\/p>\n

The Bucks will make more 3s than any other team (outside of Boston):<\/strong> Last season, the Bucks shot a league-high 38.7 percent from 3 but took the 18th-most 3s per game (36.6). This preseason, they upped that to 42.5 per game. With many of the same great 3-point shooters on the roster and increased volume, the Bucks should be able to make more 3s than any other team. (We\u2019re not counting Boston here, because who knows how many the Celtics might take.) \u2014 Eric Nehm<\/p>\n

Minnesota Timberwolves<\/p>\n

The Wolves will win the championship:<\/strong> Did it not say BOLD predictions? I really like the vibe of this team. The players know one another and are stinging from getting embarrassed in Game 5 against the Thunder. I think Anthony Edwards will leap into the MVP discussion, Jaden McDaniels will become a household name and the continuity will carry them over the top.<\/p>\n

OKC is the best team, but it\u2019s really hard to repeat. Denver is awesome, but the Wolves always play the Nuggets well. Concerns about point guard are legitimate, but Minnesota is deep enough and talented enough to figure that out. And the Wolves have also proven that, even if they start slow, Chris Finch can figure things out to get them playing their best by the playoffs. I really think this could be their year. \u2014 Jon Krawczynski<\/p>\n

New Orleans Pelicans<\/p>\n

Jordan Poole will break Pels\u2019 single-season 3-point record:<\/strong> Last year, my bold prediction was that Zion Williamson would make an All-NBA team. And while his recent physical transformation would make it easy to run that prediction back again this season, I decided to go a different direction. CJ McCollum broke the franchise\u2019s single-season record with 239 3-pointers in 2023-24, which is only four more than Poole made in his final season with the Wizards last year. And Poole reached that number while playing only 68 games. A fully healthy season playing next to Williamson and Trey Murphy will give him plenty of opportunities from outside. I\u2019m expecting Poole to be one of the top high-volume 3-point shooters in the league this year. \u2014 William Guillory<\/p>\n

New York Knicks<\/p>\n

New York will win the East:<\/strong> I\u2019m not sure this is bold, but so much can happen between now and then that it\u2019s still not something I feel comfortable saying. Still, though, the Knicks have probably the most proven talent of any other contending team in the East. And when things get tight, as they tend to do in the playoffs, New York has Jalen Brunson at its disposal. Cleveland will have the best record in the East during the regular season, but the Cavaliers have routinely flamed out in the playoffs. I think the Knicks\u2019 offense will be less predictable come the postseason, and it\u2019ll benefit New York immensely. \u2014 James L. Edwards III<\/p>\n

Oklahoma City Thunder<\/p>\n

Three Thunder players make All-NBA:<\/strong> I\u2019m calling it \u2014 this is the leap year for Chet Holmgren, the one that vaults him from up-and-comer to full-fledged star. He\u2019s already one of the league\u2019s top rim protectors. He can fire away 3s. He\u2019s a release valve for Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, who have already made All-NBA teams. Let\u2019s say Holmgren stays healthy (always a question) and the Thunder, who won 68 games last year, win 70, a supreme possibility given their youth and imperfect health a season ago. They could get three guys on All-NBA, and the natural next in line is Holmgren. \u2014 Fred Katz<\/p>\n

Orlando Magic<\/p>\n

The Magic will finish third in the East:<\/strong> My colleague John Hollinger recently predicted the Magic will finish second in the East standings. I\u2019m not prepared to go quite that far, although I see a legitimate pathway to get there. I think John may be underestimating the adjustment time for Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones; even though they\u2019re unselfish, veteran players, it takes time for newcomers to adjust and for returning players to adjust to new teammates.<\/p>\n

Also, the Magic\u2019s travel schedule is hellish. The mid-January trip to Berlin and London is a smart business move, but it\u2019s a bad basketball move because of the mileage and time-zone changes. Finishing third in the regular season and gaining home-court advantage in the playoffs\u2019 first round would be important for this still-young team. Over the last two postseasons, the Magic lost all seven of their road playoff games. \u2014 Josh Robbins<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Can Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero lift Orlando toward the top of the East? (Nathan Ray Seebeck \/ USA Today via Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Philadelphia 76ers<\/p>\n

Joel Embiid will play 58 games:<\/strong> This season will be the healthiest Embiid has been in multiple years. He\u2019s learned how to listen to his body, and he\u2019s made significant progress since the knee surgery in April. More importantly, the health gods owe Embiid a few years of relative health, right? \u2026 Right? What that does to the Sixers is up in the air. But Embiid will enjoy a run of being on the floor and playing basketball this season, relative to where he has been for the past 18 months. \u2014 Tony Jones<\/p>\n

Phoenix Suns<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll win more games than last season:<\/strong> I know. Low bar. With the league\u2019s highest payroll, the Suns won 36 games last season and missed the Play-In Tournament. It was a miserable year, one that couldn\u2019t end quickly enough. This will be better. The weight of expectations is gone. Without Durant, Devin Booker will be more aggressive. Dillon Brooks will provide a defensive edge (and other shenanigans). Jalen Green will \u2026 actually, I\u2019m not yet sure.<\/p>\n

The whiff potential here is significant. To improve, the Suns will need big man Mark Williams to stay healthy, something he has not done. Booker will have to be at his best while bringing out the best in Green, a tricky task. Ryan Dunn will have to be consistent from 3. A playoff team? No. But 38 wins with a chance at the final Play-In spot? That\u2019s doable. \u2014 Doug Haller<\/p>\n

Portland Trail Blazers<\/p>\n

Yang Hansen is runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting:<\/strong> The 7-foot-1 center from China will become one of the more intriguing watches around the league as he wows with deft passing, long-range shooting and agile footwork. The Blazers were mocked by some when they took Yang with the 16th pick, but his skill set is ready enough that coach Chauncey Billups has already declared he will be a rotation player. He won\u2019t surpass the production and impact of top pick Cooper Flagg, but Yang will impress \u2014 and entertain. \u2014 Jason Quick<\/p>\n

Sacramento Kings<\/p>\n

Russell Westbrook will help (and they need it):<\/strong> What if Westbrook is really good for the Kings? As I wrote recently<\/a>, Sacramento is a non-contending environment where I could see him raising the floor on a low-ceiling situation. This is far different from the high-expectation teams he was on these past few years (Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets). And if this prediction comes true, it\u2019s fair to wonder how that might impact the starting point-guard spot that veteran Dennis Schr\u00f6der was signed to fill. \u2014 Sam Amick<\/p>\n

San Antonio Spurs<\/p>\n

Victor Wembanyama will make the top 3 in MVP voting:<\/strong> Wembanyama\u2019s preseason was a confounding battle of his burgeoning skill sets competing to see the floor. He did a little bit of everything, and the result was some pretty awesome output in low minutes. He looks primed to put up a season-long stat line we haven\u2019t quite seen in years, if ever. If the Spurs can finish top six in the West and he\u2019s averaging a power-ball box score, Wembanyama is going to give the last two MVPs a run for their money. \u2014 Jared Weiss<\/p>\n

Toronto Raptors<\/p>\n

Brandon Ingram will be an All-Star (and Scottie Barnes won\u2019t):<\/strong> Whatever you think of their long-term plan, the Raptors are well-positioned to improve. If that happens, I think Ingram will be the offensive driver of an uptick. He is the Raptors\u2019 most important player from an all-around perspective, but his defensive value remains underrated. Meanwhile, if Ingram stays healthy \u2014 I said if \u2014 he will become a huge part of opposing game plans. And it\u2019s opposing coaches who vote on All-Star reserves. \u2014 Eric Koreen<\/p>\n

Utah Jazz<\/p>\n

Lauri Markkanen gets traded by the deadline:<\/strong> The extension before last season kept the Jazz from being able to tank even harder (if that\u2019s possible) by trading Markkanen away. Now they can go get more assets for him as they search for a franchise guy. This upcoming draft is loaded with them. I\u2019d expect Markkanen to be in a new uniform soon. \u2014 Zach Harper<\/p>\n

Washington Wizards<\/p>\n

The Wizards\u2019 leading scorer will average under 20.0 points per game:<\/strong> Coach Brian Keefe wants the Wizards\u2019 offense to share the basketball. If that democratic vision comes to fruition, the scoring load will be distributed well. Kyle Kuzma averaged a team-high 22.2 points per game two seasons ago, and Jordan Poole led the team last season with 20.5 points per game. The team\u2019s key vets are CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton, and they tend to play the right way. Cam Whitmore has a reputation for lighting up the scoreboard when he has the green light, but it\u2019s possible he will spend much of the season coming off the bench; that scenario would diminish his scoring. \u2014 Josh Robbins<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Athletic has live coverage of Rockets vs. Thunder and Warriors vs. Lakers from 2025-26 NBA Season Tip-Off.…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":322185,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[3119,3125,3124,3118,3127,3128,3139,3134,3129,3140,3136,1267,3142,3141,3135,3120,3130,3131,1260,3137,3122,1268,3121,3123,1721,3133,3143,3138,62,3126,67,132,68,3132,3117],"class_list":{"0":"post-322184","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-atlanta-hawks","9":"tag-boston-celtics","10":"tag-brooklyn-nets","11":"tag-charlotte-hornets","12":"tag-chicago-bulls","13":"tag-cleveland-cavaliers","14":"tag-dallas-mavericks","15":"tag-denver-nuggets","16":"tag-detroit-pistons","17":"tag-golden-state-warriors","18":"tag-houston-rockets","19":"tag-indiana-pacers","20":"tag-los-angeles-clippers","21":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","22":"tag-memphis-grizzlies","23":"tag-miami-heat","24":"tag-milwaukee-bucks","25":"tag-minnesota-timberwolves","26":"tag-nba","27":"tag-new-orleans-pelicans","28":"tag-new-york-knicks","29":"tag-oklahoma-city-thunder","30":"tag-orlando-magic","31":"tag-philadelphia-76ers","32":"tag-phoenix-suns","33":"tag-portland-trail-blazers","34":"tag-sacramento-kings","35":"tag-san-antonio-spurs","36":"tag-sports","37":"tag-toronto-raptors","38":"tag-united-states","39":"tag-unitedstates","40":"tag-us","41":"tag-utah-jazz","42":"tag-washington-wizards"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=322184"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322184\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/322185"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=322184"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=322184"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=322184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}