Before the Oklahoma City Thunder made the acquaintance of the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the very first time as NBA champions, they were already huge favorites to get the next one in 2025-26.
Consensus futures odds for the 2025-26 NBA title heavily prefer Oklahoma City, which has few offseason concerns outside of the number of nos the next contract for league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could require.
FanDuel likes the Thunder at +220 and splits from the agreement with the Cleveland Cavaliers (+850) directly ahead of the New york city Knicks (+950) and the Timberwolves. The Western Conference finalist is +1300 followed by
DraftKings listed OKC as +220 favorites and the expensive pick to rule next season over the runners up at +900-- the Indiana Pacers and the Knicks-- before Minnesota (+1000 ). The Pacers' outlook for 2025-26 might hinge on the intensity of the injury star Tyrese Haliburton suffered in Game 7.
For the sake of explanation, a $10 wager on a +220 winner would pay $22 ($100 pays $220, etc).
The Cavaliers (+1100) and Houston Rockets (+1200) are next with the Lakers and Spurs both increasing in recent weeks to +1600. Houston is supposedly acquiring Kevin Durant from Phoenix.
Houston and Indiana were even at +1300 at FanDuel before Game 7.
In 2015's NBA champion, the Boston Celtics, entered the 2024-25 season as heavy favorites but were gotten rid of by the Knicks in the conference semifinals. The Celtics are presently +2000 at DraftKings (+1500 FanDuel) behind the previous title winner, Denver, at +1700. The Nuggets are +1600 at FanDuel.
Boston is facing the capacity of a season without Jayson Tatum, who is recovering from a burst Achilles. The Nuggets lost to the Thunder in 7 video games in the conference semifinals after a late-season coaching modification, and more turmoil is anticipated on the lineup.
Golden State is the last franchise to win successive champions. The Warriors, who also won the 2022 title before Denver's breakthrough, went to five successive Finals from 2015-2019. Golden State went back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.
Prior to moving to Oklahoma City, the franchise was referred to as the Seattle SuperSonics and appeared in the NBA Finals in 1978 and 1996.