The 2025/26 NBA season is mere weeks away, getting things started when the Houston Rockets visit the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, on October 21st. The offseason has seen the usual raft of trades, buzz around the NBA Draft & Lottery, and quite a few changes to the coaching staff across the league.
But while teams can still make trades up until the deadline, and coaches can, of course, get their marching orders at any time of the year, there should be a sense now that each team has revealed its cards for the season ahead. But what are the big talking points? Which teams are turning heads? And who has something to prove? Let’s dive in with seven key narratives ahead of the new season:
A Repeat Champion?
OKC has just about all the ingredients to become the first team to retain the NBA Championship this decade. The league’s MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has extended his contract into the 2030s, and internal growth could make them even better. They are the clear favorites in the NBA season betting odds to retain the title they won in June. Everything looks perfectly set up for them, but then again, things don’t always pan out like everyone expects.
Luka Might Not Be Enough
The most explosive trade before the deadline last season was clearly Luka Doncic’s move to the Lakers, sending LA fans into delirium and Mavs fans into meltdown. Anyway, Doncic is here to stay in LA, joining Lebron James and getting some help from Marcus Smart, too. On the data points, it appears to be a formidable team, as long as everyone remains fit, but sportsbooks aren’t totally convinced the Lakers will be truly elite.
The Tatum Conundrum
It wasn’t so long ago that the Boston Celtics were being hailed as a team that would dominate for years to come. Then, during last season’s Playoffs, star man Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles, likely putting him out for most of this season. The Celtics have rejigged, looking more like a team that could sneak into the Playoffs rather than dominate. The fairytale story would, of course, be a scenario where Tatum returns in time for the Playoffs; that is, if the Celtics get there.
Nearly Men to Contenders?
The Orlando Magic hierarchy has been quietly building a better team season by season across the past five years. They have reached the Playoffs the past two seasons, exiting to superior teams (Celtics, Cavaliers), but there is a feeling among Magic fans that the additions of Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones address key weaknesses, allowing the team to build around the core of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. A title might still be out of reach, but this looks more like a Top 4 team.
Veteran Experience Meets Youth
Kevin Durant is now in Houston, making an interesting addition to a youthful roster under the popular head coach Ime Udoka. After a few years in the wilderness, Udoka has gotten a tune out of the Rockets, but the addition of KD suggests it’s time to truly compete. A lot will depend on the talented youngsters on the roster, but these Rockets can fly.
Flying Under the Radar
A lot of teams made big moves in the offseason, so there is buzz around the Clippers, for example, after wholesale changes across the roster. But quietly ticking away in the background is the Denver Nuggets. They’ve made a couple of trades, nothing major, though, and they didn’t even have any picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Yet, if it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it, and this team is the biggest danger to OKC in the West.
