Five Bold Predictions for the 2025/26 NBA Season
by Sam Cox | by Tyler Doty
With the majority of offseason moves wrapped up, it feels like a safe time to look ahead to the 2025/26 NBA regular season. Giannis Antetokounmpo stayed in Milwaukee, LeBron James flirted with leaving the Lakers, and Damian Lillard made a remarkable return to Portland.
Elsewhere, the Nuggets were the most proactive they have been in years. The Cavs and Knicks are poised to compete for the Eastern Conference, and the Orlando Magic finally added a perimeter scorer to pair with their highly talented young forwards.
It’s not been a summer packed with blockbuster trades and All-NBA free-agent signings, yet there’s no question the balance of the Association is different to how it was a matter of months ago.
Magic Take Top Seed
Orlando should finally have an above-average offense after acquiring Desmond Bane to pair with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. Tyus Jones also brings extra ball-handling off the bench.
The Knicks and Cavs are Orlando’s only serious rivals for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland is purely focused on the playoffs after consecutive postseason disappointments. New York will not be as all-out in the postseason after replacing Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown.
This iteration of the Magic checks the boxes of a team about to take a regular season leap. It’s a young, talented core that is yet to have that dominant 82-game stretch – the novelty of winning regular season games should keep them more motivated than their Eastern Conference foes.
Lauri Markkanen Finally Gets Dealt
Utah was accidentally competitive in 2022/23 and 2023/24, taking them out of the top of the lottery and forcing them to pull the plug in the second half. The 2024/25 campaign was more like textbook tanking with 17 regular-season wins. Look for the upcoming season to follow a similar pattern.
Markkanen has his contract extension (signed last August). He’s surely had enough of playing for a tanking team. Utah risks winning too many games if the Finn plays more than half the season and could collect more high-value draft assets if he’s made available before the trade deadline.
Trade rumors have followed Markkanen since he won Most Improved Player three seasons ago. Salary matching is difficult in this apron era, but teams like the Warriors, Timberwolves, and Pistons should be interested.
Cade Cunningham Makes All-NBA First or Second Team
It took until his fourth season for the Pistons to surround Cade Cunningham with shooting. The result was a Third Team All-NBA selection, an All-Star nod, and a seventh-placed finish in MVP voting.
Cunningham could have easily snuck into the All-NBA Second Team last season, which perhaps undermines how bold this prediction is. The Pistons resisted the temptation to make an all-in move this summer, but they still have enough talent to be a top four team in a weak Eastern Conference.
Averaging 28/7/9 is within reach for Cunningham. If he does that on a 48+ win team, he’s a lock for a first or second team berth.
Spurs Earn Top-Six Seed
San Antonio is going to be a much bigger factor when making futures NBA picks than they were last season. Victor Wembanyama is healthy and has another year of NBA experience under his belt, while De’Aaron Fox is beginning his first full season as a Spur.
Dylan Harper will contribute off the bench immediately. Stephon Castle’s game should grow to another level. Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk are decent backups in the frontcourt.
The Spurs were +2.9 with Wemby on the floor last season. That number should increase slightly with Fox’s presence, and the ability to stagger their two stars should help to avoid the team cratering so dramatically when Wembanyama is on the bench.
Josh Giddey Makes the All-Star Team
Josh Giddey averaged 20.1 points, 2.2 stocks, 8.1 assists, and 9.5 rebounds, while shooting 80.1% from the charity stripe, 51.1% from inside the arc, and 45.1% from downtown in his last 25 regular-season appearances of the 2024/25 season.
The contract stalemate is yet to be resolved, but Giddey will ultimately extend with the Bulls. The competition for an Eastern Conference All-Star berth is even weaker than usual with Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for the year.
Chicago isn’t going to be contending. That won’t stop Giddey being in the All-Star mix – he’s going to fill the box score and put up big numbers across the board. His usage rate could increase towards 25% if his progress as a scorer carries over into the new season.
