5 Best NBA Futures Bets for the 2025-26 Season: NBA Finals, Playoffs, Awards, and More

The 2025-26 NBA season is just days away, making now the perfect time to dig into some futures markets.

Which NBA futures bets stand out? Using the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, let's dive into some of the top markets.

Best NBA Futures Bets for the 2025-26 Season

NBA Finals Winner: Denver Nuggets (+850)

The Denver Nuggets won the offseason. They are my pick to win the 2025-26 NBA Finals at +850 odds.

The vibes couldn't have been much lower in Denver heading into the 2024-25 NBA postseason. The Nuggets were a mere week removed from firing head coach Mike Malone, and Michael Porter Jr. was promptly benched in Game 1 of the playoffs, which was so brutally telling given Denver's roster was already thin. Nevertheless, Denver's makeup was that of a championship-caliber team and they pushed the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the Western Conference Finals.

The Nuggets managed to trade in Porter for Cameron Johnson this offseason. A talent upgrade? Sure. A vibes upgrade? One thousand percent.

Johnson is one of the smarter players around the league but has been wasting away in Brooklyn for the past few seasons. It's never a bad idea to arm Nikola Jokic with a 40.0% three-point shooter who is dying to win games.

Denver also reunited with Bruce Brown Jr., added Jonas Valanciunas and Tim Hardaway Jr., and will get 2024 first-round draft pick DaRon Holmes II back from an Achilles injury. And though Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson won't have to factor in as much this year, those are guys who have already had key "moments" in the playoffs.

Indiana Pacers To Make the Playoffs (+152)

In just a three-month span, the Indiana Pacers went from having tame playoff expectations to reaching the NBA Finals before losing Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles and Myles Turner to free agency.

Indiana has +152 odds to make the playoffs this season, which is essentially a slap in the face for them in a meh Eastern Conference. I think the Pacers will outdo the market's expectations.

Haliburton was a ginormous piece of the puzzle for Indiana last season, but we can't forget the Pacers made their name on depth and a unique style of play. Some of that goes out the window sans Hali, but not all of it. Strange as it may sound, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, and Pascal Siakam are probably one of the more well-rounded trios in the East and Bennedict Mathurin has proved more than capable of stepping into a high-usage role.

More than anything, though, my faith in the Pacers is based on my lack of faith in the Eastern Conference. The Boston Celtics (-215) are favored to make the playoffs despite having the ugliest frontcourt these eyes have ever seen, and the Philadelphia 76ers (-225) are an evergreen question mark. Plus, I feel fairly confident Rick Carlisle and company are less likely to get into the tanking business than some of the other teams in the East.

Team To Advance To Western Conference Semifinals: Dallas Mavericks (+390)

The Dallas Mavericks have made a bad name for themself, but I believe they have one of the strongest rosters in the league. I'll happily back the Mavs to win one playoff series at +390 odds.

Kyrie Irving tore his ACL in March and is eying a midseason return. A Christmas day game against the Golden State Warriors has been thrown around as a possible return date. We just need Irving back for the playoffs, however, and the Mavs should put up a good enough record to make the postseason.

Dallas' frontcourt is superb when healthy. They've got Anthony Davis playing his preferred role at the four spot next to Dereck Lively/Daniel Gafford at center. Cooper Flagg, PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, and Caleb Martin round out a Mavs group that is hoarding serviceable forwards.

The guard play could look meh at first with no Irving -- D'Angelo Russell, Klay Thompson, and Max Christie are expected to hold down the fort. But if the Mavs manage to head into the postseason with an Irving, Thompson, Flagg, Davis, and Lively lineup that's backed by incredible depth, I don't really see what's separating them from teams such as the Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Los Angeles Clippers.

NBA Sixth Man of the Year: Jordan Clarkson (+4000)

The NBA Sixth Man of the Year market is always intriguing, as we can somewhat comfortably rule out some of the top names before the season even starts.

The 6MOY award has gone to a player on a 48-plus win team in all but one of the last 20 seasons. The Sixth Man of the Year's team is averaging 54.8 wins in an 82-game season in this span.

Team performance really matters.

Instantly, we can identify Ty Jerome (+1400; 4th-shortest odds) Anfernee Simons (+1500; 5th-shortest) and Malik Monk (+2000; 8th-shortest) as being potentially overvalued in this market due to being on teams with low expectations.

You also need to be a reserve to qualify for this award. De'Andre Hunter (+1100; 2nd-shortest), Josh Hart (+1200; 3rd-shortest), and John Collins (+1500; 5th-shortest) might not be eligible by the season's end. Hunter and Collins are expected to start for their respective teams at the start of the season while Hart could start his fair share of games even if OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson miraculously stay healthy.

We want to identify players who will be firm reserves on a great team.

Jordan Clarkson (+4000) stands out for three key reasons: the Knicks are primed to win 50-plus games, Clarkson is a clear-as-day reserve, and Clarkson likes to shoot the ball.

Other than Clarkson, Lonzo Ball (+6000) and Brook Lopez (+25000) stand out in this market. There just aren't that many players who are primed to play 20-plus minutes off the bench all season long on a great team, so I don't mind taking a swing on some long shots who fit the bill.

Three Pointers Made Per Game Leader: Anfernee Simons (+6000)

Stephen Curry has led the league in made threes per game for five straight seasons. He has -135 odds to defend the crown this go around. I think there's reason to fade the 37-year-old in this market as Golden State looks to ease his workload.

Anfernee Simons is a fun pivot at +6000.

Simons averaged 3.1 made threes per game (tied for 15th-most) with the Portland Trail Blazers last season. His role should look different this year, as the Celtics are expected to have Derrick White and Payton Pritchard serve as the team's primary ball handlers. That's great news as far as Simons' shot volume is concerned.

Boston led the league with 48.2 three-point attempts per game a season ago -- a consistent trend under head coach Joe Mazzulla. That was with Boston playing at the second-slowest pace, and the new-look group is planning on operating at a much higher tempo this season.

This is a contract year for Simons, and the Celtics essentially brought him in to help fill the gaping three-point void left behind by Tatum, Holiday, Porzingis, and Horford. Simons averaged the seventh-most 3PA in 2022-23 and the sixth-most 3PA in 2023-24. I think he's a value to pace the league in made threes per game at +6000.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.