There are not many NBA futures bets out right now, as the Summer League is just wrapping up. However, now that the dust has settled in free agency and the draft, who the conference winner will be does have some odds. The favorites are ones fans will be familiar with. No one is surprised to see the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Oklahoma City Thunder sitting atop the odds right now. However, if bettors are looking to get on the hype train for a certain team, now is the time. Here are three NBA futures bets you might want to look at closely.
Note: All odds are courtesy of DraftKings and are subject to change.
NBA Futures: A Surprise In The West
Memphis Grizzlies To Win The West: +1500
This might be considered more of a longshot in terms of NBA futures, but Memphis seems like an afterthought to many people. The number of injuries this team had last season was staggering. Players who even the most avid fans of the NBA have never heard of were starting games last year. For the 2024-25 season, Ja Morant will hopefully be back and healthy. He has the potential to be the best player on the court on any given night.
Surrounding him are former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and a bunch of quality role players. On top of that, they drafted two-time college basketball player of the year, Zach Edey. They missed the brute force that Steven Adams provided and now have that with Edey. We’ve seen this team get the second seed in the conference. If other teams have bad injury luck and they return to form, the Grizzlies could sneak out of the West. Keep an eye on this NBA futures bet as the season gets closer.
Milwaukee Makes One More Run
Milwaukee Bucks To Win The East: +600
Everyone seems to be out on the Milwaukee Bucks in NBA futures. However, we forget everything that happened to them last year. The team switched coaches midseason and still was able to nab the three-seed in the conference. While they were bounced in the first round, it was hardly a shock. Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t play at all in the series due to a calf injury. Damian Lillard missed games in the series due to injury as well. It’s hard to blame anyone in the franchise for that.
It isn’t out of the question that Giannis goes on another playoff run for the ages. When healthy, he is still one of the best players in the world. They will get a full offseason under Doc Rivers. In free agency, they have quietly made some savvy moves with the limited cap space they have. Furthermore, they likely still have a trade in them at the midseason mark. They didn’t win last year because of injuries. If they stay healthy, the conference will definitely be within reach.
A Longshot Winner
Indiana Pacers To Win The East: +2500
If you like to live on the edge, this is the NBA futures bet for you. Even if you consider it a fluke, the Indiana Pacers did make the Eastern Conference Finals last season. They have a star in Tyrese Haliburton and a good supporting cast around him. The trade for Pascal Siakam worked, and Myles Turner looked solid last year, too. Benedict Mathurin will be back from injury, and they took a flyer in free agency on former lottery pick James Wiseman.
This team could be even better next season, as they are pretty much bringing the same team back. Rick Carlisle is a solid head coach, and they have playoff experience under their belt. It’s definitely a long shot. However, if they can get some luck like they did last year, they could be the surprise team out of the East, and you will look like a genius for this NBA futures bet.
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