NBA 25/26 Season Preview

By: Lucas Vain

The NBA’s old dynasties are slowly coming to a halt, and new ones are forming.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning champions, are now the blueprint for any franchise, mixing a very young roster with elite depth, all behind current MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Staying in the West, the Denver Nuggets, led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokić, remain strong contenders, while LeBron James’ LA Lakers and Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors are fighting to maintain their teams at the top after all these years. Although the Lakers' trajectory shifted dramatically when they made a blockbuster move for league star Luka Doncic.

The Eastern Conference was blown wide open by injuries to Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers. The Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and Cleveland Cavaliers are the main contenders, but anything could happen in this competitive conference.

Our hometown Miami Heat are also part of the Eastern Conference, though they're entering more of a rebuilding phase after trading their star Jimmy Butler. They seem focused on developing talent for the future, but with this unpredictable East, they could easily make a surprise playoff push.

The league's future is very bright at the hands of Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, already an MVP candidate after only two years, and rookie Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks, who is one of the most anticipated prospects we’ve had this century.

The balance between current stardom and potential of the NBA is some of the best it has ever been, and we’re in line for a great season.

Kevin C. Cox