It's that time of year when you see a plethora of articles (and just as many opinions) with predictions for the upcoming NBA season. Who's going to win it all? Who's missing the playoffs? Who will be the league MVP? Opinions range from sensible to downright ridiculous, but we're going to toe the line and provide something right down the middle. I'm offering six predictions, and some of them are just nutty enough to come true.
RAPTORS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND WIN AT LEAST ONE SERIES
Things are looking up in Toronto, as the Raptors gave us a preview of the first-string offense during the preseason. While the excellent play of Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett is well documented, the addition of Brandon Ingram and solid point guard numbers from Immanuel Quickley have vaulted the team from pretender to contender. The Eastern Conference is a wide-open race, with Boston set for a regression due to Jayson Tatum's absence. Toronto's roster looks poised to make a move in an exploitable field. Toronto has been one player short of the playoffs since Kawhi Leonard's departure, and while Brandon Ingram's arrival doesn't hold the same kind of gloss, he's joining a crew that's already incredibly strong. The only element we've yet to see is the return of Jakob Poeltl, who is arguably one of the most underrated centers in the conference. While they may not make it to the Eastern Conference final, they could easily make the playoff field without the need of a Play-in berth.
WARRIORS MISS THE PLAYOFFS
Jimmy Butler's addition to the squad certainly lifted Golden State's viability as a contender, but the Warriors have the highest average roster age in the league. Butler hasn't played a full season without injury since 2012, and although Stephen Curry is usually dependable, he's been known to hit the injury report as well. Minus one or both of them, the Warriors look like a 12th-place team that is thin at multiple positions. Unless they can make some moves at the trade deadline, they may need to hang their hopes on staying healthy to have a hope for the postseason. If Jonathan Kuminga finally realizes his full potential and steps up with the rest of the bench, they could have a shot. Otherwise, it could be a long season by the Bay.
ANTETOKOUNMPO JUMPS SHIP
This article is titled "Bold Predictions," so let's go there. The 2025-26 season is the last straw for Giannis, as the Bucks limp to break-even ball by the break, and Giannis begins demanding a trade well before that. Doc Rivers loses the locker room and the stamp of approval from his star player, and Giannis gets shipped to a contender in exchange for a blue-chip player and a heap of draft picks. Think Doncic for Davis - it could happen.
DONCIC WINS MVP
If we eliminate the Bucks prediction I made earlier, I think there's equal stock in considering Giannis, but this season is a turning point for Doncic. He will command ownership of the team during LeBron James' absence and rack off line after line of double and triple-doubles. He also fits the literal translation of 'valuable.' The Lakers lose any hope of the playoffs without him, as they lack the depth and strength to contend otherwise. As an addendum to this prediction, I think Jaylen Brown's name will crop up as an MVP candidate after he has a career year leading the Celtics.
THE MAGIC ARE A TOP-3 SEED IN THE EAST
Slowly but surely, Orlando had made strides over the past couple of seasons. As previously mentioned, the East is a free-for-all this season, and the Magic have all the tools in place to make a run for a high playoff seed. The acquisition of Desmond Bane adds to a roster filled with underrated blue-chip talent. Paolo Banchero could be an MVP candidate one day. Franz Wagner is a do-it-all fantasy producer. Jalen Suggs is healthy again and has a lot of guard depth behind him. The only question mark currently is at center, where Moritz Wagner will be out for October. Goga Bitadze and veteran Wendell Carter will help solve that puzzle in the short term. It may take a couple of weeks for the team to figure out how all the pieces fit together, but I would not be surprised to see them in the running for a No. 1 seed at the All-Star break.
KNICKS ARE THE CHAMPS
New York came tantalizingly close to the finals last season, and they would have been a better challenge for the Thunder. I believe they'll finally get to prove it this time around. Let's go big or go home with a final prediction. Knicks and Thunder in the finals, and New York wins in six. The team returns with all of their key pieces and stays healthy, getting past the Orlando Magic (see above) in the conference final. They then take care of business in the Championship and beat the defending champs.
