At the beginning of 2025-26 NBA futures odds action, the gambling picture has flipped upside down. Previously, the top brands that were consistently favored in future markets were the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and Milwaukee Bucks. Now, those teams are at best in the top tier. Additionally, the defending Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers are wagering long shots for a repeat. Down is up and up is down in the NBA, and that is a great thing for parity. But for gamblers, the landscape is challenging and potentially dangerous.
2025-26 NBA Championship Future Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +205 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +650 |
| Denver Nuggets | +750 |
| New York Knicks | +1000 |
| Houston Rockets | +1200 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +1300 |
| Orlando Magic | +1500 |
| LA Clippers | +1800 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +1800 |
| Atlanta Hawks | +2800 |
| Golden State Warriors | +2800 |
| Boston Celtics | +3300 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +3300 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +3300 |
| Detroit Pistons | +4000 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +6000 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +6000 |
| Indiana Pacers | +8000 |
| All Other Teams | +10000 or higher |
Los Angeles Lakers
Last year, the Los Angeles Lakers were a tale of two seasons. First half action saw Los Angeles flop out of the gate. It appeared as if the Lakers would be on the outside looking in for the playoffs. However, when the Lakers traded for Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic, the sports betting dynamics shifted significantly.
Namely, LeBron James is expected to retire or be traded sooner rather than later. And he is clearly past his prime. Doncic is not known for his defense, and there is not much secondary help. LA is a little more than a playoff team.
Golden State Warriors
Speaking of value, the Golden State Warriors don’t offer much for the NBA betting odds. Stephen Curry is about all the Warriors have, and there isn’t enough to consider them a serious championship contender. However, Curry is enough to keep Golden State a legitimate playoff contender, but little more than that.
Boston Celtics
Following their 2025 NBA championship, the Boston Celtics were touted as a potential dynasty. Instead, Boston flopped in the second round of the playoffs against the New York Knicks. Of great concern is the departures of Al Horford, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis. Boston is expected to see a significant drop in its win total. In fact, they are being touted for having a “gap year” of transition. It has been a steep and rapid decline for the glory of a championship.
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks lost the 2024 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics and seemed to have a bright future. Instead, they waved the white flag of surrender by trading Doncic to the Lakers. As a result, Mavericks fans revolted, and many canceled their ticket plans. Despite the arrival of rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, many experts are projecting Dallas to have a losing season.
Milwaukee Bucks
Since winning the 2021 NBA championship, the Milwaukee Bucks have also experienced a decline in performance. Milwaukee has been eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs for the past three seasons.
A strong argument can be made that the Bucks destroyed themselves on January 23, 2024, when they fired Adrian Griffin as head coach. The rookie Griffin had a record of 30-13 at the time of his firing. In his place came Doc Rivers, who was a name brand but faded coach. Subsequently, Rivers went 17-19 after taking over for Griffin and was 48-34 last year.
Equally important is the fact that the Bucks fired Mike Budenholzer, who led the Team to its first NBA championship in 50 years. Coach Bud was whacked after going 58-24 in that final season. Since his departure, the Bucks have only gotten worse.
Marquee Man Giannis Antetokounmpo is speculated to be on the trading block, which would be the dagger to a franchise that has found relevance after decades in the shadows.