NBA Survey: Insiders pick Cavaliers, Thunder as this season’s Finalists

The final chapter of ESPN’s annual offseason survey (via Tim Bontemps) brings us to the big questions: Who’s winning each conference, and who’s hoisting the NBA trophy next June?

Twenty coaches, scouts and execs weighed in, and let’s just say the results weren’t exactly shocking.

Eastern Conference

• Cleveland Cavaliers: 9

• New York Knicks: 7

• Atlanta Hawks: 2

• Milwaukee Bucks: 1

• Orlando Magic: 1

The East feels like a two-team race, with voters split between Cleveland’s top-end talent and New York’s depth and toughness.

Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley and All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell give the Cavs a clear ceiling, but the Knicks’ battle-tested roster still earned plenty of respect.

A handful of execs went off-script. One picked Orlando, citing the Magic’s young core and improved fit. Another backed the Hawks, pointing to Trae Young’s overlooked playoff track record.

And at least one voice couldn’t resist a simple explanation: “I’m just betting on Giannis Antetokounmpo, and against the rest of the East.”

Western Conference

• Oklahoma City Thunder: 18

• Denver Nuggets: 2

No surprise here. The defending champs received 18 of 20 votes, thanks to MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a roster where only two players are over 27.

Denver got the other two nods, largely because Nikola Jokic and a retooled bench are still a force.

NBA Title

• Oklahoma City Thunder: 18

• Denver Nuggets: 2

Not a single vote went East. That alone tells the story: The gulf between conferences is real, and execs don’t see Cleveland, New York or anyone else breaking through this season.

So there you have it. The Thunder enter 2025-26 as the league’s team to beat, with Denver lingering as the only alternative in the eyes of insiders.

The East? It’s still searching for a juggernaut, though the Cavaliers are viewed as the favorites for now. And hey, why not?

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