By Louis Friedl 
The 2025-2026 NBA season kicks off on October 21st. The league is coming off a postseason that featured many headlines. The upcoming season starts with storylines featuring superstars who succumbed to devastating injuries in the playoffs. The most notable injuries were Achilles injuries to Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton. The trio will be greatly missed, and their absences will affect their teams throughout the season. Taking offseason moves and injuries into consideration, here is a look at the top ten NBA teams heading into the 2025-2026 season:
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City is coming off its first NBA title. They were the best team throughout last season and are poised to lead the West. The trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams is returning for the upcoming season. The Thunder have extended their core, and they will be in the hunt for another championship before their role players are due for contract extensions.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Last season, Cleveland was the second-best team in the NBA. Their title hopes fell short after falling in the conference semifinals. The Cavaliers have most of their budget tied to Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and De’Andre Hunter. The front office’s ability to navigate the salary cap will be important to the team’s success this season.
3. Denver Nuggets
Denver is the biggest threat to Oklahoma City. They enter the 2025-2026 season with a new GM and head coach. However, the roster still features Nikola Jokic, the league’s best player. After years of being one of the West’s top teams, Denver’s window for another title is closing fast.
4. New York Knicks
New York was a game away from reaching the NBA Finals. The team took a step forward a season ago and is poised for another successful campaign. Jalen Brunson will be the team’s catalyst in helping them reach another conference finals.
5. Houston Rockets
Head coach Ime Udoka had Houston firing on all cylinders last season. The offseason addition of Kevin Durant will boost the team’s scoring ability, but losing Fred VanVleet for the season will impact the defense. The Rockets will be among the top teams in the Western Conference.
6. Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles is in win-now mode with aging stars Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. One of their most important players is underrated center Ivica Zubac. With the organization facing severe penalties surrounding the 2019 signing of Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers could be headed for a dark period in the upcoming seasons.
7. Golden State Warriors
Golden State seemed to be in the twilight of its decade-long championship contention, but the team rebounded during the second half of last season. The addition of Jimmy Butler gave the team a breath of fresh air. The team enters the upcoming season led by Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, but this could be the season Golden State’s strong run comes to an end.
8. Los Angeles Lakers
Acquiring Luka Doncic gave the Lakers a light at the end of the tunnel when LeBron James is ready to call it a career. Doncic will be the team’s focal point moving forward, and the superstar will make the Lakers a destination for upcoming free agents. They will be a contender for the Western Conference Finals.
9. Orlando Magic
Orlando is the most intriguing team in the 2025-2026 season. They showed great promise last season and will be led by Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Desmond Bane. They are young, but dynamic. Orlando could be the 2025-2026 version of last season’s Indiana Pacers.
10. San Antonio Spurs
The sky is the limit for San Antonio. The Spurs’ talented roster features Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, rookie Dylan Harper, and veteran De’Aaron Fox. The key to their season is keeping their young superstar Victor Wembanyama healthy.
Angel Atienza-Romero