The arrival of LeBron James to the Philadelphia 76ers immediately changed the betting landscape for the 2026-27 NBA season, but it was not enough to place the Pennsylvania franchise as the main favorite for the championship. The main betting houses and prediction markets keep the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs ahead in the race to win the Larry O'Brien trophy, while the Sixers appear in second place alongside the current champion, New York Knicks.

The James move fueled hype around Philadelphia, which now has its best pre-season odds since roughly the 2019-20 season. However, the forecasts reflect that the competitive balance that has characterized the NBA in recent years is still in force.

The league comes from an unprecedented streak of eight different champions in eight consecutive seasons: Toronto Raptors in 2019, Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, Golden State Warriors in 2022, Denver Nuggets in 2023, Boston Celtics in 2024, Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025 and New York Knicks in 2026. This context suggests that a new monarch in 2027 remains a real possibility.

Oklahoma City and San Antonio continue to set the pace

Although the addition of LeBron considerably raised Philadelphia's aspirations, most markets agree that the path to the title continues to pass through the Western Conference. Oklahoma City starts as a slight favorite thanks to a championship core led by two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The San Antonio Spurs appear very close, driven by Victor Wembanyama, unanimously chosen as Defender of the Year. The young Texan project took an important leap during the 2025-26 campaign and projections indicate that it will continue to grow.

Behind these two teams are the Knicks and the 76ers, whose position may vary slightly depending on the betting house consulted. For New York, remaining among the main candidates represents continuity with respect to last season, when it ended up lifting the championship. Philadelphia, for its part, receives an important boost with the arrival of James, although it has not yet reached the category of top favorite.

The Boston Celtics complete the group of five teams with the best odds despite the criticism generated by several of their decisions during the summer, including the transfer of Jaylen Brown precisely to Philadelphia. Even so, bettors continue to consider the Massachusetts team above the rest of the pursuers.

Several franchises appear in the fight for the championship

After the main group, the picture becomes much more even. Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers appear with very similar shares in most specialized markets.

Toronto stands out as one of the teams that has improved its expectations the most due to the possibility of realizing the return of Kawhi Leonard, a key piece in the championship obtained by the Canadian franchise in 2019.

The Miami Heat also appears among the teams with relevant options. Assessments vary between different platforms, although there is a consensus that the addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo to share the spotlight with Bam Adebayo seriously strengthens the team's aspirations to return to the playoffs.

Despite losing LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers are still considered a team with options to qualify for the postseason thanks to the leadership of Luka Doncic. Also among the teams projected to advance are the Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors, while the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers remain relatively close in the forecasts.

In a lower step, the Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, Charlotte Hornets, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz appear as candidates to compete in the play-in tournament. Further back are the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings, currently considered the highest risk bets.

Analysts remind, however, that recent surprises invite caution. Charlotte, which started among the teams with the worst odds last season, finished with 44 wins. Something similar happened a year earlier with Detroit, which shows that preseason projections do not always anticipate the outcome of the campaign.