This fall, fans all over the nation are gearing up for a highly competitive NBA season, starting on October 21, with predictions spreading rapidly over the internet. What local fans are really curious about, however, is will the Boston Celtics be able to reclaim their champion title from the Oklahoma City Thunder, or will a stronger team step up and win the 2026 NBA Championship?
Over the summer, the Celtics made a huge move in the trading market, trading Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers in return for shooting guard Anfernee Simons, and Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks in return for power forward Georges Niang. This trade initially went awry in August, 2024 when the Celtics decided to trade their recently received power forward, Georges Niang, to the Utah Jazz in exchange for rookie guard and forward RJ Luis Jr..
According to ESPN, the Celtics are not in the top rankings for winning the next NBA championship, having additionally lost Jayson Tatum to a ruptured Achilles tendon. Tatum is expected to miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season. The Oklahoma City Thunder lead ESPN’s predictions, followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks.
The Houston Rockets are also predicted to have a great start, being a top contender for Western Conference champions, as they recently received Kevin Durant—a 15-time all star player—as part of a trade deal with the Phoenix Suns. This trade significantly influenced the team’s odds for the upcoming NBA championship, with Durant averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game last season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2025 NBA Championship against the Indiana Pacers, making them an obvious fan favorite and front-runner for the season. During this time, their team was led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a successful point guard who scored 2,484 total points and was named Western Conference and overall NBA Most Valuable Player last year. Their position in the upcoming season’s rankings is incomparable, yet no team has won back-to-back championship titles since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, making some fans skeptical, and careful not to get too hopeful, about a back-to-back win.
Finally, another stellar contender for this year’s season is the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have a predicted record of 59-23. The Cavaliers have also been active in the trading market, having received Lonzo Ball, a point guard who averaged 11.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, a move that should further their chances this season.
Ultimately, due to unexpected injuries and recent trade deals across the top teams this past summer, the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season is filled with potential championship contenders. The Boston Celtics may still have a chance of winning, and fans are excited to see the new additions and adjustments to this year’s roster. However, they have to watch out for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Houston Rockets, as they have had improvements in their own rosters and are fan favorites across betting apps.