The 2025-26 NBA season tips off Tuesday, and the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are co-favorites to win the NBA championship at +270. Right behind them, the defending champion New York Knicks and the upgraded Philadelphia 76ers both sit at +900.
Not every team is a contender, but every team still offers a betting opportunity. NBA betting experts Andre Snellings and Eric Moody sorted through the possibilities and suggested a future bet on every team this season. Odds are from DraftKings and subject to change.
Snellings on the Eastern Conference
Atlanta Hawks
Bet: To make playoffs (-145), to win Southeast Division (+320)
The Hawks traded Trae Young on Jan. 7, and after that trade they finished with a 29-15 regular-season record, the seventh-best mark in the NBA over that span. They then went up two games to one on the eventual champion Knicks in the playoffs, the only team to win two games against New York in the postseason. Atlanta returns the core that finished the season, led by budding star Jalen Johnson, and adds two contributors from the Oklahoma City Thunder championship team in Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins, plus lottery pick Kingston Flemings. The Hawks seem poised to build on their strong finish.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics are under a new regime following the Jaylen Brown trade, but in many ways this team resembles last season’s group, when Jayson Tatum was out. In both situations, Boston built around one of the two stars who have led the franchise for the past near-decade. Last season, Brown led the Celtics to 56 wins. This year’s team has better balance, with Mitchell Robinson brought in at center and Paul George, when healthy, joining the rest of the core. Matching last season’s 56 wins is a reasonable goal, which makes over 51.5 wins solid value.
Brooklyn Nets
Bet: Mikel Brown Jr. to be named first-team All-Rookie (+220)
Brown was the fifth pick in the NBA draft and is projected to start at guard for the Nets from Day 1. He is a polished perimeter creator on offense and has the potential to lead this class in both points and assists. Although this is a deep draft class with plenty of talent, Brown has better than a 2-to-1 chance to play his way onto the first team.
Charlotte Hornets
Bet: To participate in play-in tournament (+130)
The Hornets were the ninth seed in the East last season, one of four play-in teams. They finished 12 games ahead of the 11th-seeded Bucks, who have since traded franchise MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Charlotte is an up-and-coming team led by two perimeter scoring wings, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, and it strengthened its front line by acquiring Naz Reid in exchange for point guard LaMelo Ball this offseason. The loss of Ball may limit the Hornets’ upside enough to keep them out of the playoffs, but they should still be significantly better than non-play-in teams.
Chicago Bulls
Bet: Caleb Wilson to win Rookie of the Year (+350)
Wilson was one of four candidates to be drafted No. 1 overall in this historic draft, on the strength of his elite athleticism, defensive upside and the slasher and finisher game he showed in college. In the Las Vegas Summer League, however, he displayed a new knack for taking and making 3-pointers both off the catch and off the dribble. If Wilson keeps that shooting in the NBA, he has serious Rookie of the Year upside, especially as he settles in as the face and franchise player for a fast-paced Bulls unit that could produce big numbers.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Bet: To qualify for conference semifinals (+125), win Central Division (+195)
The Cavaliers were the top seed in the East two seasons ago after winning 64 games with a +9.5 points per game scoring margin. Last season, a down regular season, partly caused by injuries to point guard Darius Garland, turned around when Cleveland traded Garland late in the year for James Harden, and the Cavaliers played their way to the Eastern Conference finals. The conference as a whole got stronger this offseason, but Cleveland should return the same key players who have shown they can succeed in both the regular season and the playoffs. Betting them at plus money to advance a round further than last season is good value, even in a tougher East.
Detroit Pistons
Bet: Cade Cunningham to be named first-team All-NBA (+275)
Cunningham has been All-NBA in each of the last two seasons, earning third-team honors in 2024-25 and first-team honors last season. He finished in the top seven of MVP voting in both seasons, and at age 25 he is still improving. Cunningham led a young Pistons team to the top seed in the East last season. If he plays at a similar level this season, he has a much better than 2.75-to-1 chance to repeat on the First Team.
Indiana Pacers
Bet: Tyrese Haliburton regular-season assists-per-game leader (+450)
Haliburton is returning after missing all of last season with a torn Achilles. In his three full seasons with Indiana before the injury, he averaged 10.2 assists per game, and he led the NBA with 10.9 in 2023-24. The Pacers run their entire offense through Haliburton. They ranked in the top 10 in team offensive rating in his last two seasons with them, second in 2023-24, but fell to 29th last season without him. With Haliburton back at the helm, the offense should return to high efficiency, and he should again rack up assists.
Miami Heat
Bet: Giannis Antetokounmpo to win MVP (+1200)
Antetokounmpo gets a fresh start after being traded to Miami. He finished in the top four of MVP voting in all eight seasons from 2018-19 through 2024-25, winning twice. Last season, however, he played a career-low 36 games while battling injury. If he is healthy enough to play his typical minutes, he continues to have a massive on-court impact. The Bucks were 14.4 points per 100 possessions better with him on the court than off it last season. If the Heat return to top-three seed contention, Antetokounmpo would again be among the MVP favorites. Those are a lot of ifs, but joining a new team gives him a narrative bump from any improvement. At 12-1 odds, Antetokounmpo for MVP is a rare long shot with a tangible chance to hit.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks had a net rating of -7.7 points per 100 possessions in 46 games without Antetokounmpo last season. This season’s lineup will look different, and Milwaukee has embraced a rebuild after trading him this offseason, but last season’s “without Giannis” numbers offer a reasonable estimate of their expected level. In the last four NBA seasons, none of the 16 teams with point differentials worse than -7.5 won more than 22 games, and they averaged 19.2 wins per season.
New York Knicks
Bet: Jalen Brunson to be named first-team All-NBA (+200)
Brunson has been named second-team All-NBA in three straight seasons, cementing his status as a New York superstar for leading the Knicks back into contention. Last season, he led New York to the NBA championship and earned Finals MVP honors. That raised his standing across the league, and he is now widely considered one of the best players in the NBA. If he once again leads the Knicks to a strong regular season, he has a good chance to earn enough votes for his first first-team All-NBA selection.
Orlando Magic
Bet: To participate in play-in tournament (+110)
The Magic have played in the play-in tournament in each of the past two seasons, winning 45 games last season and 41 the season before. Injuries to key players, particularly young stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, hampered both years, so with full health Orlando has the upside to improve. On the other hand, the East has gotten tougher this offseason, making a top-six seed harder to earn than in recent years. Overall, the Magic project to be a bottom-half team in the top 10 in the East, which gives them a good chance to reach the play-in for a third straight season.
Philadelphia 76ers
Bet: To reach conference semifinals (-125)/conference finals (+200)
The 76ers reached the conference semifinals last season after winning their play-in game and then upsetting the second-seeded Celtics in the first round. They then made the biggest splash in the NBA this offseason, adding former Finals MVPs Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to a core of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe. Changes this big could cause some growing pains, and both James and Embiid carry age and injury concerns. Still, the talent suggests Philadelphia could contend for the title. Getting essentially even money for the team to match its run from last season feels like solid value.
Toronto Raptors
Bet: OVER 46.5 regular-season wins (-105)
The Raptors won 46 games last season as a surprising, up-and-coming roster came together and outperformed expectations. This offseason, they traded leading scorer Brandon Ingram for Kawhi Leonard, who gives them a higher ceiling as a championship-caliber player and who previously brought Toronto a title. The Raptors have legitimate 50-plus win capability and are expected to be closer to a contender than the plucky underdogs of last season. The 46.5-win line seems more like a healthy floor for this group.
Washington Wizards
Bet: Trae Young assists-per-game leader (+290)
In the first eight seasons of his career, Young increased his assists per game each year and peaked at a league-leading 11.6 in 2024-25. Last season, he battled injury before being traded from Atlanta to Washington and posted the worst assists season of his pro career. He now joins a young but talented Wizards roster with finishers at every position, including three frontcourt scorers in Anthony Davis, AJ Dybantsa and Alex Sarr, all of whom are potential pick-and-roll or pop partners. Young has built his career as a high-volume user of on-ball screens to generate individual and team offense.
Moody on the Western Conference
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks should win more than 26 games this season. Cooper Flagg improved throughout his rookie year, and there is no reason to expect that to stop. Getting Kyrie Irving back should also make a big difference for an offense that ranked last in half-court efficiency. Dallas has intriguing defensive pieces, particularly P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II. If Irving and Lively stay healthy, the Mavericks could compete for a play-in spot.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets won 54 games last season even though Aaron Gordon played in just 36, and their preferred starting five went 18-5 together. Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray still lead one of the NBA’s best offenses, and DeMar DeRozan adds another scoring option. Losing Peyton Watson hurts defensively, but better health from Gordon and more production from the supporting cast should push Denver past this total.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors won just 37 games last season, as Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III missed a combined 83 games. Curry still averaged 26.6 points per game but played just five games alongside Kristaps Porzingis, including the play-in. More time together should help the offense, while Brandin Podziemski and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg add depth. If Curry stays healthy and Butler returns around midseason, Golden State should improve.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets won 52 games last season without Fred VanVleet and with Steven Adams sidelined after January. VanVleet’s return should take some playmaking pressure off Alperen Sengun, and Houston posted a +11.8 net rating with Adams on the floor. Kevin Durant and Sengun also have another year to build chemistry, and Amen Thompson gives Houston another reason to surpass this line.
LA Clippers
The Clippers won 42 games last season, but this is a very different team. Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac are gone, and Los Angeles was outscored by 6.3 points per 100 possessions with Leonard off the floor. Darius Garland and Brandon Ingram bring scoring, but the frontcourt is thin and the roster will need time to develop chemistry.
Los Angeles Lakers
Bet: Luka Doncic regular-season 3-pointers made per game leader (+330)
Doncic finished second in the league in 3-pointers made per game last season, averaging 4.0 while attempting 10.8 per game. He also averaged 4.1 triples in 2023-24. With LeBron James now in Philadelphia, Doncic should have even more chances to create his own offense. Few players match his combination of shooting volume and production, which makes him a legitimate candidate to lead the league in 3s per game.
Memphis Grizzlies
Bet: Cameron Boozer to win Rookie of the Year (+300)
Boozer averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game at Duke and earned AP National Player of the Year honors. He is arguably the most NBA-ready player in this rookie class, and he steps into a strong situation in Memphis. With Ja Morant gone and the Grizzlies rebuilding, Boozer should have a major role from day one. He has the talent and the opportunity to lock down this award.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Bet: LaMelo Ball to record 5+ triple-doubles in the regular season (+900)
Ball averaged 7.1 assists per game last season, and playing alongside Anthony Edwards should create more assist opportunities. Scoring will not be an issue, so rebounding will be the key. At 6-foot-7, Ball has the size to reach double-digit rebounds on any given night. Five triple-doubles is ambitious, especially given his injury history, but a healthy season gives him a legitimate shot.
New Orleans Pelicans
Bet: Derik Queen to average 8+ rebounds per game (+140)
Queen averaged 7.1 rebounds per game in just 25 minutes per game as a rookie. A wrist injury disrupted his preparation last year, but he enters Year 2 after his first full NBA offseason and says he is stronger and in better shape. Playing time remains the biggest question, but even a modest increase in minutes could push him past 8.0 rebounds per game.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder won 64 games last season, but losing Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins takes away perimeter defense, shooting and bench scoring. Those departures leave nearly 60 minutes per game to fill, placing more responsibility on Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell and several young players. Oklahoma City remains a championship contender, but winning 63 games is a tall order.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns won 45 games last season even though Jalen Green played just 32, and they need only 41 to clear this total. Devin Booker remains the offensive centerpiece, Miles Bridges adds scoring, and Luke Kennard provides outside shooting. Phoenix also ranked ninth in defensive rating last season. If Green stays healthy, the Suns are well positioned to surpass this line.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers won 42 games last season, but reaching 43 this season will not be easy. Damian Lillard is returning from a torn Achilles, Ja Morant played just 20 games, and Shaedon Sharpe could miss much of the season. Portland also ranked 21st in offensive rating, and fitting Morant and Lillard alongside Deni Avdija presents another challenge.
Sacramento Kings
Bet: Domantas Sabonis regular-season rebounds-per-game leader (+900)
Sabonis led the league in rebounds per game for three consecutive seasons, from 2022-23 through 2024-25, averaging a career-high 13.9 in his most recent healthy campaign. A knee injury limited him to 19 games last season, but he is expected to be ready for the opener. If he returns to his usual workload, Sabonis has a good chance to reclaim the rebounding title.
San Antonio Spurs
Bet: Dylan Harper Most Improved Player of the Year (+900)
Harper averaged 11.8 points and 3.9 assists per game in just 22.6 minutes as a rookie. His per-36-minute averages of 18.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists show what he could do with more playing time. He also stepped up in the playoffs, scoring 21 and 25 points in consecutive NBA Finals games. San Antonio has plenty of backcourt depth, but Harper should get the chance to take on a larger role.
Utah Jazz
Bet: Darryn Peterson to average 20+ points per game (+190)
Peterson averaged 20.2 points per game at Kansas despite dealing with injuries and shot 38.2% from beyond the arc. The second overall pick can score from anywhere on the floor and create his own opportunities. He will compete for touches with Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen, but Utah should give him ample chances to contribute on offense.