Before the Oklahoma City Thunder made the acquaintance of the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time as NBA champions, they were already big favorites to get the next one in 2025-26.
Consensus futures odds for the 2025-26 NBA title heavily favor Oklahoma City, which has few offseason questions outside of how many zeroes the next contract for league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could require.
FanDuel likes the Thunder at +220 and splits from the consensus with the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets (+850) tied for the next-best odds at +850. The Rockets reportedly are acquiring star Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster trade.
DraftKings listed OKC as +240 favorites and the prohibitive pick to reign next season over the Knicks (+750) and Rockets (+750), then the Cavaliers (+900) before the Western Conference finalist Minnesota Timberwolves (+1400). The Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers, after pushing the Thunder to seven games in the NBA Finals, are at +1800. Their outlook for 2025-26 could hinge on the severity of the injury star point guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered in Game 7 on Sunday night.
For the sake of explanation, a $10 wager on a +220 winner would pay $22 ($100 pays $220, etc).
The Orlando Magic are +1200 at FanDuel and +1800 in DraftKings. The Los Angeles Lakers have risen in recent weeks to +1600. Houston and Indiana were even at +1300 at FanDuel before Game 7.
Last year’s NBA champion, the Boston Celtics, entered the 2024-25 season as heavy favorites but were eliminated by the Knicks in the conference semifinals. The Celtics are currently +1800 at DraftKings (+1300 FanDuel); the previous title winner, Denver, also is +1800 at DraftKings, and +1600 at FanDuel.
Boston is facing the potential of a season without All-Star Jayson Tatum, who is recovering from a ruptured Achilles. The Nuggets lost to the Thunder in seven games in the conference semifinals after a late-season coaching change, and more upheaval is expected on the roster.
Golden State is the last franchise to win consecutive championships. The Warriors, who also won the 2022 title before Denver’s breakthrough, went to five consecutive Finals from 2015-2019. Golden State went back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.
Prior to moving to Oklahoma City, the franchise was known as the Seattle SuperSonics and appeared in the NBA Finals in 1978 and 1996.
–Field Level Media
