100 bold NBA predictions for 2026-27, forecasting every team's season

Here are 100 predictions ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season:

East:Atlanta Hawks • Boston Celtics • Brooklyn Nets • Charlotte Hornets • Chicago Bulls • Cleveland Cavaliers • Detroit Pistons • Indiana Pacers • Miami Heat • Milwaukee Bucks • New York Knicks • Orlando Magic • Philadelphia 76ers • Toronto Raptors • Washington Wizards

West:Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets • Golden State Warriors • Houston Rockets • LA Clippers • Los Angeles Lakers • Memphis Grizzlies • Minnesota Timberwolves • New Orleans Pelicans • Oklahoma City Thunder • Phoenix Suns • Portland Trail Blazers • Sacramento Kings • San Antonio Spurs • Utah Jazz

Atlanta Hawks

1. Atlanta wins 41 games (43.5 over/under) and makes the play-in tournament.

2. Hawks fans clamor for Kingston Flemings to get more minutes. Flemings had 21 assists to only five turnovers during the preseason. It’s just preseason, yeah. But the rookie top-10 pick looked like a reliable facilitator and his speedy drives will lead to some big highlights coming off the bench to begin the year.

3. Jalen Johnson makes an All-NBA team again. Expect another leap from him this year as a scorer.

4. Dyson Daniels shoots below 20% from 3 again. He made only 18.8% on 1.5 attempts per game last year. He was jacking them up in preseason, but continued to struggle to make shots and his mechanics look no better. 

Boston Celtics

5. Boston wins 56 games (51.5 over/under), grabs the top seed in the East, and makes the East finals.

6. Hugo González takes a big leap as a scorer. He already established himself as an elite hustle guy last season. During the summer playing with Spain and this preseason, he’s looked far more dynamic and comfortable with the ball in his hands.

7. Jayson Tatum finishes top-5 in MVP voting. From the 2022-23 season through 2024-25, Tatum averaged 31.5 points, 8.3 boards, and 5.4 assists per 75 possessions with only a minor decline in scoring efficiency. 

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Brooklyn Nets

8. Brooklyn wins 25 games, hitting the over (24.5 over/under). 

9. Nets fans get disgusted with Julius Randle. He might lead to a few more wins over the course of the season, but ultimately his ball-stopping, mopiness, and mere presence will take away from opportunities for some of the more impressive young players that offer hope for a brighter future.

10. Mikel Brown has multiple 40-point games. The rookie guard can catch fire at any given moment, and with his skill set he’s not overly reliant on just the jumper or just at-rim finishing. He can do everything. Nets fans are going to fall in love.

Charlotte Hornets

11. Charlotte wins 36 games (39.5 over/under) and misses the playoffs. The East is just so deep and loaded. Someone good will need to underwhelm, and already the Hornets are impacted by key injuries to Kon Knueppel and Coby White.

12. The Hornets lead the NBA in 3-point rate. Despite trading away LaMelo Ball, Charlotte’s rate still has a roster full of shooters. The Hornets were first in makes but second in rate last year. It was Golden State who was first. Based on preseason play, the Warriors could be taking a step back, moving Charlotte into the first slot.

Chicago Bulls

13. Chicago wins 27 games (29.5 over/under) and misses the playoffs.

14. The Bulls trade Norm Powell. Even though Powell is one of the only knockdown shooters on the team, at 34, he’ll be in high demand come trade deadline time.

15. Bulls fans will question whether the core has enough shooting. As high as I am on all three of Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, and Josh Giddey, I do think there’s a legitimate question whether the three of them offer enough shooting (very similarly to the Orlando Magic with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero).

Cleveland Cavaliers

16. Cleveland wins 44 games (47.5 over/under) and makes the playoffs through the play-in tournament. 

17. Evan Mobley plateaus on offense. For all his media day talk about improving his offensive game, he didn’t look all too different during preseason. His handle is still clunky, his shot is still average. There’s little reason to believe he’s going to become the creator that the Cavaliers need.

18. Cavs fans will question the Peyton Watson move. Watson is a solid role player. But he really only had a single 15-game stretch of his career in which he looked like he warrants the contract that he received. Other than that? He was a solid role player. Not much more.

19. Jaylon Tyson has a big year off the bench, shoots over 40% from 3, and posts over three assists per game.

Dallas Mavericks

20. Dallas wins 41 games (34.5 over/under) and makes the playoffs through the play-in tournament.

21. Cooper Flagg makes an All-NBA team, averaging 27.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.

22. Flagg and Kyrie Irving are both named All-Stars. And if a Comeback Player of the Year Award existed, Irving would win it.

Denver Nuggets

23. Denver wins 51 games (49.5 over/under) and grabs the third seed in the West.

24. Aaron Gordon is named an All-Star for the first time in his career.

25. Denver’s depth is its Achilles’ heel. The backup bigs don’t provide enough support behind Nikola Jokić. DeMar DeRozan puts up points but not much else. A trade will need to be made.

Detroit Pistons

26. Detroit wins 51 games (49.5 over/under). After winning 60 games last year and then improving the roster this summer, it’s a bit strange that the Pistons are projected for under 50 wins — and that’s coming from me, a Pistons skeptic!

27. Trajan Langdon makes a trade. The Pistons still need more shooting. He’ll cash in some chips to find it on the market.

28. Ron Holland falls out of the rotation. The Pistons have way more options now, and they need more spacers not defenders. He likely ends up on the trade block as a result.

29. Jalen Duren starts taking 3s. Whether it’ll be for better or worse is harder to predict, but I’m taking him for his word that “it’s time” to start shooting them after he started taking midrange pull-ups last year.

Golden State Warriors

30. Golden State wins 28 games (37.5 over/under), hitting the under by the widest margin of any team in the NBA. This is fueled by an injury-riddled year to their core pieces with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody already sidelined, and Kristaps Porziņģis dealing with his situation.

31. Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler get traded, and Warriors fans end up happier that the franchise has finally chosen a direction. Stephen Curry will still be there, but now he’ll be surrounded by impressive young players.

32. Yaxel Lendeborg finishes in the top-3 for Rookie of the Year voting.

Houston Rockets

33. Houston wins 47 games (48.5 over/under).

34. The team shoots way more 3s. The Rockets were 19th in 3-pointers per game last season. That’ll rise into the top-7 this season.

35. Rockets fans question Alperen Şengün’s upside. It’s been a long time hoping that Şengün will start making jumpers, an important development for him given the lower volume shooters elsewhere on the roster. Things didn’t look all too improved this preseason.

Indiana Pacers

36. Indiana wins 45 games (43.5 over/under).

37. Tyrese Haliburton makes an All-NBA team and looks exactly like the superstar who we last saw in 2024-25.

38. Ivica Zubac proves to be the best center Haliburton has ever played with. Despite not shooting 3s, he does everything else imaginable better than Haliburton’s old partner: Myles Turner.

Los Angeles Clippers

39. Los Angeles wins 22 games (28.5 over/under).

40. The Clippers become trade deadline sellers. Collectively, the Clippers don’t have a good roster. But individually, there are pieces that could appeal to plenty of contenders: Derrick Jones, Brook Lopez, Rui Hachimura, Kris Dunn, Max Strus, and Brandon Ingram. Expect the Clippers to trade some of them.

41. Keaton Wagler makes an All-Rookie team, and him and Yanic Konan Niederhäuser look like the pick-and-roll combo of the future.

Los Angeles Lakers

42. Los Angeles wins 47 games (46.5 over/under).

43. Luka Dončić has the best season of his career. Think about what Luka did after the deadline last year prior to his injury. Now apply that to this season with him in even better shape and a better fitting supporting cast. Luka will get MVP votes, and even win it if Wemby doesn’t hit 65 games.

44. Collin Sexton receives Sixth Man votes. I’ve been waiting since Sexton was in college to see him playing in a winning basketball environment. Finally, he’s going to get that chance and it’s going to lead to a lot of recognition he’s never received before.

45. The Lakers defense is terrible without Walker Kessler. I have little doubt that Kessler will be an excellent defensive anchor when he’s on the floor. But there are serious concerns about what the team looks like without him. The Lakers will need to find a better backup center via trade.

Memphis Grizzlies

46. Memphis wins 38 games (29.5 over/under), hitting the over by the widest margin of any team in the NBA.

47. Cam Boozer wins Rookie of the Year and even draws All-Star replacement consideration.

48. Cedric Coward shoots over 40% from 3 after shooting just 34% as a rookie.

Miami Heat

49. Miami wins 49 games (46.5 over/under).

50. Giannis Antetokounmpo posts a career-high in assists. It looked like we witnessed Point Giannis out there this preseason. The Heat shot an unsustainable percentage on his passes, but it still looks like he’s shaping up to exceed seven assists per game for the first time in his career.

51. The Heat will need more shot creation. As nice as Davion Mitchell and Ryan Conwell are, this season will end with Heat fans feeling like the team needs to improve at guard — whether that comes internally from one of them or externally with a trade.

Milwaukee Bucks

52. The Bucks win 26 games (25.5 over/under).

53. Myles Turner gets traded.

54. Bucks fans are ecstatic by year’s end. Taylor Jenkins is a great development coach, and this team is loaded with talented young players. Whether it’s the guys received in return for Giannis (I am especially interested to see what Kasparas Jakučionis and Kel’el Ware can do) or the rookies (Brayden Burries might be the real deal), there’s lots to like about what’s brewing in Milwaukee.

Minnesota Timberwolves

55. Minnesota wins 49 games (48.5 over/under).

56. Anthony Edwards makes a career-high amount of 3s per game. With LaMelo Ball on the roster, more of those will come off the catch than ever before.

57. Minnesota’s defense will be better than ever in the Rudy Gobert era. Why? No more Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Way more Joan Beringer off the bench, and a ton of guards and wings who play with grit. The Gobert minutes will always dominate defensively, but now he has support behind him.

58. Zyon Pullin will end up earning minutes. A deep cut here on a two-way guard, but Pullin looked like the better fitting backup guard over Bones Hyland in preseason. It wouldn’t be a shocker if that pans out true during the year too.

New Orleans Pelicans

59. New Orleans wins 26 games (28.5 over/under), the same amount as last season. It’s not that the team will be worse, it’s just that the rest of the league is so much better now.

60. Jeremiah Fears resembles a future star, but Derik Queen continues to underwhelm.

61. Joe Dumars resists more trade offers for Trey Murphy, even though he should probably take them.

New York Knicks

62. New York wins 51 games (52.5 over/under) with an up-and-down regular season that very much resembles last year ahead of the championship run.

63. The Knicks do not repeat as champions.

64. Mitchell Robinson is not missed on the court. The collective of Andre Drummond, Mo Diawara, and even James Wiseman, fill backup frontcourt minutes admirably.

65. Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart are re-signed, and the Knicks avoid the second apron. That means bye-bye to Deuce McBride.

Oklahoma City Thunder

66. The Thunder win 62 games, the most in the NBA (62.5 over/under) and go on to win their second NBA Finals in three seasons.

67. Ajay Mitchell wins Sixth Man of the Year.

68. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes a career-high in 3s per game as he takes a career-high amount of off-ball 3s.

69. Aday Mara is named first-team All-Rookie.

70. OKC’s decision to trade Lu Dort and Isaiah Joe proves to be beneficial to the team since more players who can generate shots off the dribble receive minutes: Cason Wallace, Jared McCain, Ajay Mitchell, Bennett Stirtz, Nikola Topić, and Aday Mara all receive opportunities that make the Thunder overall more dynamic.

Orlando Magic

71. Orlando wins 41 games (43.5 over/under).

72. Sean Sweeney impresses as head coach. It doesn’t necessarily show up in the wins column because of how loaded the East is this year. But the Sweeney system will bring out the best of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

73. But the Magic still need more shooting. Next summer, Orlando will need to add more shooters to make this team really shine.

Philadelphia 76ers

74. Philadelphia wins 52 games (50.5 over/under) and makes the East finals.

75. The Sixers don’t win the NBA Finals, and the durability of Joel Embiid is the main reason why. I love Embiid, so it pains me to say that. But he looks like a shell of his former self, and the Sixers don’t have much big man support behind him.

76. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe continue trending way up. As much as this year is about winning a title with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown (and a bunch of veteran role players) now on the team, it’s also about watching the kids get better. And they will. Maxey is only 25 and could have a career-year playing off LeBron, and Edgecombe will continue flashing two-way star upside.

Phoenix Suns

77. Phoenix wins 41 games (40.5 over/under) and misses the playoffs through the play-in tournament.

78. Devin Booker continues to underwhelm. Booker’s 3-point shooting and at-rim finishing has dipped ever since Chris Paul departed Phoenix. Those concerns continued this preseason with him making only two of his 16 shots from 3.

79. Khaman Maluach takes the starting center job. As much as I like Oso Ighodaro, Maluach provides higher upside as a center who can both protect the rim and space the floor.

Portland Trail Blazers

80. Portland wins 41 games (41.5 over/under) and makes the playoffs through the play-in tournament.

81. Too many guards proves to be an issue. Damian Lillard and Ja Morant are both making comebacks. Scoot Henderson is trying to establish himself. Deni Avdija is trying to take a leap. One of those guys — probably Ja — will prove to be an odd fit that new head coach Micah Nori will need to navigate around to make this team click.

Sacramento Kings

82. Sacramento wins 16 games (21.5 over/under), its fewest in franchise history.

83. Domantas Sabonis quietly asks for a trade. But he doesn’t get moved due to a lack of strong offers on the market.

84. Darius Acuff has multiple 40-point games.

San Antonio Spurs

85. San Antonio wins 60 games (59.5 over/under), but does not return to the NBA Finals.

86. The three-guard lineup works, but it’s not optimal, so De’Aaron Fox moves to the bench and becomes a super Sixth Man.

87. Dylan Harper wins Most Improved Player of the Year.

88. Victor Wembanyama wins the first MVP of his career, and he becomes just the fourth player in NBA history to win both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. He would join Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

89. The Spurs become active in the trade market looking for an upgrade over Keldon Johnson and Tobias Harris.

Toronto Raptors

90. Toronto wins 48 games (46.5 over/under).

91. Darko Rajaković wins Coach of the Year.

92. Jakob Poeltl is the weak link of the roster and the Raptors trade for a new center, but Rajaković navigates the challenges by leaning heavily on small ball with Collin Murray-Boyles playing a heavy dose of center.

93. Both Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes make All-NBA teams.

Utah Jazz

94. Utah wins 36 games (37.5 over/under).

95. Darryn Peterson plays 75 games, ending all concerns about his cramping that was experienced at Kansas. And in the process, he looks like a future star.

96. Keyonte George takes another leap, but just misses the cut for All-Star because players on teams winning more games get favored for the bench.

97. Mo Bamba proves himself as a serviceable backup center.

Washington Wizards

98. Washington wins 35 games (34.5 over/under), but misses the play-in tournament.

99. Touches become an issue for the youth. There will be too much Trae Young, and not enough AJ Dybantsa and Kyshawn George.

100. As a result, Dybantsa doesn’t finish in the top-3 for Rookie of the Year voting. But he still resembles a future star with the opportunities provided despite having to share the ball so much. In the long run, maybe that ends up being for his best.

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