Ahead of opening night, a panel of Hoops Prospects analysts once again put their prediction skills to the test in the annual Hoops Prospects NBA Fearless Forecast. The panel voted on the seedings of each conference, conference/league champions, and winners of every major award. 

The panel consisted of:

In addition to the results below, you can listen to analysis of the voting on the latest episode of the Hoops Prospects Podcast, including over-under total wins predictions for all 30 teams.

Eastern Conference Voting

Outlook

The Celtics dominated the East last season with a conference record of 41-11, and they lost just three games in their finals-winning playoff run. Returning their entire core, the Celtics remain a favorite to repeat as the top team in the East in 2025. However, there is renewed competition in the conference, with multiple franchises making major talent acquisitions over the offseason. The Knicks fell apart in the playoffs last season due to injuries and a lack of depth around All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson. With the addition of All-Star center Karl Anthony-Towns and star wing Mikal Bridges, the Knicks’ starting five rivals that of the Celtics from a talent perspective, and New York arguably will be the deeper team throughout the regular season. The Philadelphia 76ers revamped their bench and even signed star forward Paul George away from the Clippers, forming yet another “big three” in the City of Brotherly Love. Even if a fully healthy season from Joel Embiid is pie in the sky, the Sixers have the depth and top-end talent to remain relevant should Embiid miss extended time. 

Headlining the youthful contenders are the Indiana Pacers, fresh off of a conference finals appearance that many chalked up as a fluke. However, the Pacers will have a full season with star forward Pascal Siakam and added depth thanks to the return of guard Ban Mathurin from injury. With the full team intact last season, Indy had one of the most explosive offenses in the league; now with a year of continuity, they could be even better on both ends. Similarly, the Orlando Magic enter the season hoping their young stars will take another leap forward this season. Boasting one of the league’s stingiest defenses, the Magic could prove worthy playoff competitors should their offense take a step forward this season.

On the older side, but still just as competitive, the Milaukee Bucks enter the season as underdogs after yet another early playoff defeat in 2024. Khris Middleton’s health remains a major question mark after dual ankle surgeries in the off-season. However, this Milaukee core was the favorite to reach the NBA finals this time a year ago, and any team with Giannis Antetakounpo can’t be fully counted out. Similarly, the Cleveland Cavaliers are doubling down on their core four of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen after a year from injury hell in which each of their core players missed time with injury. The Cavs are betting heavily on continuity; however, they could find themselves just one trade away from serious finals contention should the right transaction present itself at the trade deadline. The Miami Heat have made a bet on continuity as well, though perhaps a more hesitant bet. Star forward Jimmy Butler has not inked a contract extension and has entered a contract season. The Miami roster appears to be on a downward trajectory, but could anyone in their right mind count this veteran roster out of the mix entirely after what we have seen from them in the past? 

The East, though certainly more competitive than in years past, appears to be an 8-team for playoff contention. The middle of the conference has taken a downturn, with teams such as Atlanta, Brooklyn, and Chicago moving on from key contributors through trades and free agency. There could be a sizable race to the bottom brewing in the conference, as this year’s NBA Draft class promises to be one of the more talented in recent memory. Brooklyn, Detroit, Washington, and Toronto could each vie for the league’s worst record this season and may be very pleased to earn the unflattering distinction. Charlotte and Chicago could be an injury to a key player away from taking a similar path. We could see a new low for tanking in the East this season. 

Western Conference Voting

Outlook

The Western Conference appears to be as tight as ever this season. After a surprising level of regular-season success last year, the Oklahoma City front office went into the off-season looking to build on the momentum by acquiring the rights to Alex Caruso in a trade with the Chicago Bulls and signing backup center Isaiah Hartenstein from underneath the Knicks’ nose. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could emerge as a real MVP contender this season, heading a Thunder lineup with depth, offensive versatility,, and defensive chops to boot. 

A trio of Western Conference powerhouses could stifle the young Thunders’ rise this season. On paper, the Minnesota Timberwolves may have taken a step in the wrong direction by sending Karl Anthony-Towns to the Knicks. The addition of Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in his place will allow the Wolves’ coach Chris Finch to deploy a variety of new lineups with the ability to go big or small, something that was all but impossible with their former front-court logjam. Anthony Edwards is poised to continue his rise as the American born face of the NBA this season. The Dallas Mavericks were no match for the Celtics in the finals last season, but this team showed that shooting and defense surrounding Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving is a potent recipe for a finals contender. With the addition of former All-Star Klay Thompson to that mix, the Mavericks may be on the verge of perfecting that recipe. Lagging just behind in our fearless forecast are the former champion Denver Nuggets. Replacing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with former MVP Russell Westbrook was not the headline that many Nuggets fans were hoping for in the offseason, after a disappointing second round playoff exit in 2024. Although Denver is positioned to rely heavily on second- and third-year players to fill the shoes of their departed veteran playoff reserves, the Nuggets are still in contention on the back of their generational superstar, Nikola Jokic. 

The middle of the Western Conference is yet again filled with competitive playoff teams. With only one team, the Portland Trail Blazers, clearly positioned to tank – the middle of the conference is as wide open as ever. The Memphis Grizzlies hope to resume their rise up the Western Conference standings after a series of unfortunate events derailed their 2023 season. Last year, the Griz set the record for the most active players rostered in a single season; 33 players suited up for the team, as suspension, trades, injuries, and constant player movement between the active roster and the G-League made it impossible for the team to find a rhythm. However, when Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. share the court together; this is a team capable of reaching 50 wins, even in a stacked Western Conference. 

Just behind the Grizzlies is a series of veteran teams looking to make a deeper playoff run. The Phoenix Suns are hoping that newly hired head coach Mike Budenholzer and recently signed Tyus Jones can breathe fresh air into a talented roster that lacked depth and a true lead guard last season. The Kings have doubled down on their offense-first approach by signing veteran swingman DeMar DeRozan. New Orleans is gambling on small ball, teasing that defensive standout Herb Jones will play extended minutes at the center position this season. New Orleans should be able to play much faster this season after trading for a premier point guard in DeJounte Murray and allowing Jonas Valanciunas to walk in free agency. Finally, the Lakers snagged perhaps the steal of the draft in Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht, who lit up college basketball last season. Knecht’s offense could be the missing piece for a Lakers franchise that has sorely missed reliable perimeter scoring in the LeBron-AD Era. 

One team that fans have been overlooking that could take the league by storm this season, much in the way Oklahoma City did last year, is the Houston Rockets. The Rockets current over/under sits at just 43.5 wins, we at Hoops Prospects like this team to blow that number out of the water this season. The Rockets are an extremely well coached team, Ime Udoka is our prediction for NBA Coach of the Year after all. Also, this team was not at full strength last season: talented forward Tari Eason missed the majority of the season due to injury and star center Alperen Sengun missed the final 18 games with a serious ankle sprain. Even with Sengun out, the Rockets nearly snuck into the play-in tournament thanks to the improved play of former second overall pick Jalen Green, who averaged 24.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and one steal per game while shooting 45/38/79 percent in the final 18 games without Sengun. Nevermind the fact that the Rockets acquired guard Reed Sheppard with the third pick in the draft, a prospect who is already being touted as a “Steph Curry-like” player by the Rockets own players. “I saw Steph Curry, a little bit,” Cam Whitmore said. “Not trying to exaggerate it, but he’s a great player. He knows how to read the defender. His defense, he knows where to find the ball. I said it at Summer League, he’s going to be a great player.” 

Out of playoff contention, the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors seem to be one injury away from the bottom of the conference. Unfortunately for the Clippers, Oklahoma City has the right to swap first round picks with the other LA franchise in the upcoming draft. For Golden State, another trip to the lottery could mark the end of the Steph Curry era as the franchise moves into yet another rebuild. The San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers, and Utah Jazz will look to continue the development of their young players, but are unlikely to make a push for the playoffs this season. Each of these teams might just be in playoff contention if they were in the Eastern Conference, but with competition in the West so steep and such a tantalizing draft on the horizon those franchises should be more than content building for the future this season. 

Playoff Voting

Results

Eastern Conference Champ

• Boston Celtics (6)
• New York Knicks (2)

Western Conference Champ

• Oklahoma City Thunder (4)
• Minnesota Timberwolves (2)
• Denver Nuggets (1)
• Los Angeles Lakers (1)

NBA Champion

• Boston Celtics (3)
• Oklahoma City Thunder (2)
• New York Knicks (1)
• Denver Nuggets (1)
• Los Angeles Lakers (0.5) — boo, hiss, Lakers fans, am I right?

Outlook

The Boston Celtics remain favorites to win the NBA championship in the 20245-25 season after one of the most statistically dominant playoff runs in NBA history. Six out of eight Fearless Forecast voters chose the Celtics to win the Eastern Conference championship. Though, only three voters believe that they will successfully win back-to-back NBA Championships. The Celtics have returned basically their entire roster, though Boston fans should not plan to see Kristaps Porzingis until well after the All-Star break. Health may be the one thing standing between the Celtics and the NBA finals. Porzingis has always been a threat to miss games,  Jrue Holiday is entering year 16 of his pro career, and Al Horford has been eluding father time for years. A distant second favorite to win the East, the New York Knicks, have the talent to become one of, if not the best team in the NBA, and appear to be prepared for a deep playoff run. However, it will take time for this team to convince the average NBA fan that they are truly ready to compete for a championship. 

Rising out of the West, the Hoops Prospects team forecasts that the Oklahoma City Thunder will reach the NBA finals for the first time since 2012. The last time the Thunder reached the greatest stage in professional basketball, the team featured three future MVP’s: Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. The new generation Thunder have an MVP candidate of their own in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but it is the Thunder’s big three that makes them click. Third-year player Jalen Williams is among the most efficient perimeter scorers in the NBA, and though just a hair over 6’6”, Williams’ ridiculous 7-foot wingspan allows him to guard just about anyone on the defensive end. Shoring up the interior of the defense is third-year pro Chet Holmgren. After missing the entirety of his true rookie season with a fracture in his foot, Holmgren burst onto the scene in his red-shirt campaign, making a run at rookie of the year before being surpassed by Victor Wembanyama down the stretch of the season. Holmgren and Wemby are actually quite similar players; Holmgren is not nearly as smooth with the ball in his hands, nor as strong or as athletic as Wembanyama, but they both produce scarily similar numbers. It is not out of the question that the new generation of the Thunder have even more talent than that of the 2012 team. 

Individual Awards Voting

MVP

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (4)
• Luka Doncic (3)
• Nikola Jokic (1)

Another MVP award is not out of the question for Denver’s Nikola Jokic this season, he remains one of the best players in the NBA, if not the best. However, with the Nuggets poised to take a step back in terms of regular season record, the door is open for a new MVP victor. The two players with the best chances at taking home the award are Luka Doncic and our pick Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Both Doncic and SGA have had incredibly successful careers through their first few seasons in the league. Doncic currently sits as the betting favorite to win the award at +370, after finishing a distant third in the MVP voting last season. The Mavericks are fresh off a finals run, the Mavs are contenders but we will have to wait and see if the team is capable of separating themselves in the regular season and therefore strengthening his argument as most valuable player. SGA might be the smart bet this season after finishing second in MVP voting last year. The Thunder finished with the best record in the Western Conference last year, and appear to have made meaningful improvements to their roster in the offseason. If the Thunder can reach the 60 win mark in a stacked conference with Shai leading the offensive attack, it could be hard to make an argument against him in the MVP ballot. 

Defensive Player of the Year

• Victor Wembanyama (7)
• Herb Jones (1)

Well, we have consensus when it comes to the 24-25 Defensive Player of the Year. Second year player Victor Wembanyama is the clear choice for this award. Oftentimes this award can be chalked up to simply the rim protector who creates the most blocked shots or the lowest opponent percentage at the rim, the Rudy Gobert case if you will. In other seasons, the DPOY award is given to the best defensive player on the best defensive team in the league, Marcus Smart is a great example of this scenario. It is rare when the defensive player of the year is simply the greatest defender in the league, carrying his team to defensive viability (Hakeem Olajuwan & Dennis Rodman come to mind). Wembanyama is on track to create some genuinely terrifying defensive numbers this season, and throughout the rest of his career. When he graced the court last season, the Spurs were above league average defensively allowing 117.2 points per game in his minutes. Not mind blowing, unless compared with the team’s defensive rating when Wembanyama was off the court. When resting Wemby’, the Spurs posted the worst defensive lineup in the league producing a vomit-inducing 123.1 defensive rating. There is room for improvement this season. Over the last 15 games of the season, the Spurs had the best defensive rating in the league with Wembanyama on the court (106 DefRTG). Individually, Wembanyama led the league in blocks per game last season with 3.4 blocks per game, and 24 games with over 5 blocks accredited to him. Beyond his rim protection, Wembanyam is also a problem in the passing lanes producing 1.3 steals per game placing him comfortably in the top 25 in that statistic. He could easily surpass 300 blocks and 100 steals this season, a feat that has only been achieved by two players in NBA history David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwan. If you are betting on anyone else for defensive player of the year, you are making the wrong decision. 

Most Improved Player

• Jalen Johnson
• Jalen Williams
• Jalen Suggs
• Trey Murphy III
• Paolo Banchero
• Donte DiVinchenzo
• Andrew Nemhard
• Scoot Henderson

We could not agree on a consensus choice for Most Improved Player this season, which should tell you something about the young talent around the NBA right now. Though their last names do not quite line up, we did choose three Jalen’s as possible award winners this season. Jalen Williams (the guard) of the Oklahoma City Thunder posted Jalen Brown like numbers last season for the team with the best record in the Western Conference. He is still capable of making another leap toward an all-star caliber wing, a very promising bet. Jalen Suggs of the Orlando Magic is one of the most promising defensive guards in the NBA, it is his offense that has held him back thus far in his young career. Improved outside shooting could instantly elevate both Suggs and his team in the Eastern Conference standings. Jalen Johnson, fresh off of a lucrative contract extension with the Atlanta Hawks, is also a strong bet to win the MIP award. He made strides last season as an offensive creator and produces some jaw dropping athletic plays on both ends of the court. Johnson was a bit of a hidden gem last season in Atlanta missing 27 games due to injury, a healthy season with greater playing time could cause him to shine brighter this season. Jalen Green did not receive any votes in our Fearless Forecast, but he did earn a mention on the HP Podcast. There are many great choices for this award this season, but if you are planning on placing a bet for this award, best make sure you are betting on a “Jalen”.

Sixth Man of the Year

• Josh Hart (2)
• Naz Reid (2)
• Bobby Portis
• Malik Monk
• Ben Mathurin

The Sixth Man of the Year award is traditionally one of the hardest award races to bet on in the NBA. In many seasons, the award can simply be boiled down to which bench player averaged the most points per game. However, this season’s race for the award should have much more nuance than in past years. Josh Hart had a heck of a playoff scoring run for the short handed New York Knicks last season, but the traits which make him such a valuable role player are much broader than just scoring. Hart is a heady, tough defensive player who is comfortable guarding up and down the opposing roster. He is among the best rebounding wings in the NBA and is capable of regularly posting double digit games as a board man. His matchup versatility will be invaluable for the Knicks this season helping to bridge the gap between oversized lineups featuring Karl Anthony-Towns and a traditional rim protecting center, and smaller more agile lineups featuring Towns at Center. KAT’s former backup and last year’s Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid could also make a run at the award. With Towns now leading the Knicks front court and forward Kyle Anderson now suiting up for the Golden State Warriors, Reid should have a more predictable workload this season backing up Rudy Gobert. Reid showcased his defensive ability against Nikola Jokic in the playoffs last season. Reid is more than just a defender though, he is a highly efficient scorer as well shooting 41.4% from beyond the arc and 56% at the rim. Reid won the award last season thanks to injury to his front court mates, with more room to grow this season he is a strong choice to win the award yet again. 

Rookie of the Year

• Zach Edey (2)
• Dalton Knecht (2)
• Reed Sheppard (2)
• Alex Sarr (2)

This is going to be a heated rookie of the year race in the NBA. There is a plethora of prospects with both the skill and the workload to make a run at the award. Our voting was equally as competitive with a four-way tie between Zach Edey, Dalton Knecht, Alexandre Sarr, and Reed Sheppard. Edey has proverbially (and literally) plowed his way through the preseason, and is tentatively slated to be the starting center for the Memphis Grizzlies out of the gate this season. Edey, a traditional center, does not look the part of the new age rookie sensation. However, he is capable of becoming one of the few true post scorers in the NBA as a rookie and with all-star point guard Ja Morant teeing off of Edey’s pulverizing ball screens he should also be highly productive in the pick and roll game. Dalton Knecht of Tennessee also had a tantalizing preseason for the Lakers. Knecht could burst onto the NBA scene right away providing perimeter scoring for the aging LA roster. In one preseason game, Knecht impersonated prime Tracy McGrady, lasering home eight three point shots against the Phoenix Suns. Reed Sheppard, as previously mentioned in our Western Conference preview, has drawn comparisons to Steph Curry from his own Rocket teammates since joining the team after the draft. Sheppard is stepping into a locker room full of talented guards such as Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet, Cam Whitmore, Amen Thompson, and Aaron Holiday. Sheppard will have to separate himself immediately to have the workload necessary to win Rookie of the Year, but if he is capable of supplanting the talent on this roster for minutes he should be more than capable of posting some gaudy numbers on the court. Finally, Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards will certainly have the workload necessary to make a run at the Rookie of the Year award. The Wizards are positioned to pursue a deep tanking campaign this season, though it will never be pretty this season – Sarr could post some interesting stats especially if he can improve rapidly throughout the year. Notable players who did not receive a vote in our fearless forecast: number one overall pick Zacharrie Risacher, Matas Buzelis, and Stephon Castle all of whom could take the award home this season. 

Coach of the Year

• Ime Udoka (3)
• Mark Daigneualt (2)
• JJ Redick (1)
• Taylor Jenkins (1)
• Joe Mazzula (1)

Ime Udoka is our pick for NBA Coach of the Year in the 2024-25 season. If you have read our Western Conference preview or listened to the HP Podcast, then you know how high we are on the Houston Rockets this season. Udoka, with the help of NBA veterans like Dilon Brooks and Fred VanVleet transformed the culture of this young roster in just one season. Before Udoka arrived, the Rockets were one of the worst teams in the league and many doubted if the talent on the roster had any chance at bringing the team back to relevance. The Rockets made a run at the play-in tournament last year and could sneak their way into the playoffs this season, given the age of the roster that would be a herculean coaching effort. Second in our Fearless Forecast voting is the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Mark Dagn… Daignult… Daigneault. He has emerged as one of the most creative coaches in the NBA, and has built a culture known for raising DAWGS. In all seriousness, Daigneault has taken a roster of unusual players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren and made sweet lemonade. They are attuned defensively and extremely fast on the offensive end, with the team poised to chase 60 wins this season Daigneult could be a very smart bet to win Coach of the Year. Also receiving votes: Taylor Jenkins of the Memphis Grizzlies, JJ Redick of the LA Lakers, and Joe Mazzula of the Boston Celtics. Jenkins and Redick in particular peak my interest as candidates. The Grizzlies were one of the worst teams in the league last season, although it is well known that their struggles lay mostly with injuries to key players, a massive regular season turn around would still be nothing short of amazing from a coaching perspective. Redick is stepping into the highest profile franchise perhaps in the entire world of sports as a first year head coach and could garner even more attention (and scrutiny) as the team looks to capitalize on another season with the star pairing of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Redick is prioritizing overhauling the Lakers offense and if his experiments prove successful this team still has the talent to compete for a championship.