The 2025 NBA season is over, with the Oklahoma City Thunder ousting the Indiana Pacers in an enthralling Game Seven clash - despite being down at half-time - to win their first-ever Championship as a franchise last month.
But despite the city soaking in the glory, and joining the list of teams who have won the famous accolade, attention has already turned to next season with trades, the NBA Draft and off-season rumours already flooding through thick and fast.
Many experts, insiders and fans are already trying to predict who will win the Championship next season, despite injuries and mitigating circumstances in terms of financial trades - and ChatGPT has now joined in on the act. Here, GIVEMESPORTreveals who the AI bot believes will win the famous trophy next time out with an in-depth review.
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AI Predicts: The 2026 NBA Regular Season
Western ConferenceChet Holmgren Josh Giddey Oklahoma City Thunder
Having won the NBA Championship last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder will likely be in the conversation to blossom once again - and AI predicts that, just like last season, they will top the Western Conference, owing to their first-ever NBA Championship.
AI believes that their deep yet balanced squad, alongside the emergence and improvement of MVP and Finals MVP star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, alongside young stars Chet Holmgren and Josh Giddey, means that they'll once again be the unstoppable force on the west side of the USA next season.
Joining them in the play-offs are the Houston Rockets, who have recently added veteran star Kevin Durant to their ranks from the Phoenix Suns - and having linked up with a young core, an elite offensive roster is expected from the Texan outfit.
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The Denver Nuggets are predicted to come third, with three-time MVP winner, Nikola Jokic, still being dominant, as well as their strong bench depth which will see them through testing schedules and moments.
Perhaps surprisingly, the LA Lakers are only expected to finish fourth despite boasting Luka Doncic and LeBron James, though the Slovenian's injury record is posed by AI as a potential threat to going any further in the standings. However, it would still be enough to secure a play-off place.
The final two teams in the top six are Anthony Edwards' Minnesota Timberwolves, who have one of the most solid defences in the competition, and they will be expected to shut out offensive teams such as the Rockets and the Lakers. Meanwhile, the Steph Curry-led Golden State Warriors are expected to come in the sixth and final playoff place, in what could be Curry's final run in Oakland, owing to their boost of youth to signal a new era.
Missing out on the playoffs, yet still qualifying for the play-ins, are last season's fifth-placed side, the Los Angeles Clippers, finishing behind their city rivals after a rehashed roster, with Brook Lopez providing defensive stability. Furthermore, the Memphis Grizzlies are gaining a returning Ja Morant, the Sacramento Kings boast DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis, and Phoenix Suns - who will have to cope with Durant's loss, and help out poster boy Devin Booker - will finish in the play-in spots.
Losing out on any chance of winning the Championship are the Dallas Mavericks, who bizarrely traded Doncic in what will be a rebuild year, alongside the New Orleans Pelicans, who have an inconsistent and injury-ridden squad.
Finally, Victor Wembanyana's San Antonio Spurs don't have enough talent to help him have any chance of a championship, and the Utah Jazz's poor defence will see them struggle - with the Portland Trail Blazers finishing rock-bottom.
Eastern Conference
Donovan Mitchell Cleveland Cavaliers
OKC ousted the Pacers at Game Seven to win the Championship for the first time in late June, but it won't be the Central Division outfit who finish top of the Eastern Conference, according to AI.
Instead, that gong will go to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who boast the 'deepest' team in the east. Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley are name checked as being the stars who will help them 'break out' from the rest. Following suit are the New York Knicks. Jalen Brunson will help the Big Apple-based side finish with a silver medal on their side of the US, having almost done so last year with a third-placed finish - and they pack a 'legit' Finals threat, according to AI.
Taking the bronze are the Orlando Magic. Fresh after offering star man Paolo Banchero a new five-year contract, which could reach up to an astonishing $287million (£211.5million) if he wins certain awards such as the MVP. That is a huge leap from last year's seventh-placed finish and exciting things are expected.
Boston Celtics' regular season statistics - record by recent years
Season
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
Finishing up in the playoffs are the Boston Celtics; one of the best teams consistently in the past decade, an injury to Jayson Tatum means that their progress will be slowed. But the likes of Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, amongst others, will elevate them with ease to the final stages.
They'll be joined by the Pacers, also hindered by Tyrese Haliburton's injury in Game Seven, whilst the Milwaukee Bucks - having lost Damian Lillard - will just about rely on 'Greek Freak' Giannis Antetokounmpo to drag them over the line.
Finishing in the play-in spots are the Atlanta Hawks, who boast Trae Young as their star man, and they are deemed to have a scrappy playoff squad but will just miss out on a guaranteed place in the top six.
Joining them are the Detroit Pistons. Turning their poor 2023/24 form around with a shock play-off place last season, they'll look to keep that momentum but ultimately miss out, whilst the Miami Heat's roster regression means they'll be Florida's second-best side, joined just about by the Brooklyn Nets, who are dubbed solely as a 'mid-tier' outfit.
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Missing out on any chance of a trophy are the Philadelphia 76ers. Star man Joel Embiid is out with an injury, and that is expected to see them fail to reach the top 10, with a major decline 'probable', according to AI.
The Chicago Bulls' 'ageing and directionless core' means that Illinois-based fans will be disappointed this season, whilst the Charlotte Hornets will continue their nine-year spell without finishing in the play-offs, only bettering the Toronto Raptors who are under a rebuild, and rock-bottom Washington Wizards, who are seen as a 'clear tanking candidate'.
AI Predicts: The 2026 NBA Play-ins
Play-in rounds
Ja Morant Memphis Grizzlies
The Western Conference play-in will see the Clippers face the Grizzlies for the first spot in the playoffs, though the Grizzlies will progress thanks to Morant's return to action despite a lower finish - and, on the other side of the bracket, the Kings will beat a Durant-less Suns side to face off against the Clippers for the final spot.
It will be their local rivals who take the gong though, with the Los Angeles outfit progressing to the playoffs, according to AI.
In the Eastern Conference, seventh-placed Hawks will face eighth-placed Pistons for the first spot in the playoffs, though once again it will be the lower-ranked seed who secure their place in the final bracket. Elsewhere, the Heat will beat the Nets to secure their game against the Hawks - but the Kaseya Center side will fall at the final hurdle, missing out on that elusive spot to signal another poor season.
AI Predicts: The 2026 NBA Playoffs
The crunch clashes will be vital in the hope of a Finals spot
PG Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks
Heading into the Western Conference First Round, the Thunder will beat the Clippers in five games to reach the semi-finals, the Rockets will beat the Grizzlies in six to join them - whilst a hard-fought series between the Nuggets and the Warriors will see Jokic's men just oust Curry in a seven-game final hurrah for the NBA legend, alongside the Lakers breaching the Timberwolves' strong defence to make it a top-four in the semi-finals.
In the Eastern Conference version, first-place Cavs will beat the Hawks in five, the Knicks will beat the upbeat Pistons in the same number of games, whilst the Magic will beat the Bucks in six to advance to the semi-finals before the Celtics, pushed all the way by the Pacers, will inflict more Game Seven damage on Haliburton's side to advance.
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The Western Conference Semi-Finals will see the Thunder gain momentum after last season's triumph, beating LeBron's Lakers in six to deny him a trophy, whilst another seven-game clash will see the Nuggets topple the Rockets to set up a blockbuster Conference Finals clash with the Thunder - although they'd fall there, with Gilgeous-Alexander's side beating them in six games to reach consecutive NBA finals.
In the Eastern Conference's equivalent, the Cavs will beat the Celtics in six games, according to AI, whilst an enthralling seven-game series between the Knicks and the Magic will see the New Yorkers advance - and they'd then do the same again by beating a resurgent Cavs in seven games to set up an NBA Finals showdown with OKC.
AI Predicts: The 2026 NBA Finals
Does AI think the Thunder can pull off a repeat of last season?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Thunder
Gilgeous-Alexander vs Brunson in a point guard duel, Holmgren vs Karl-Anthony Towns, and Giddey versus the Knicks' wingers - it promises to be a superb series this time next year.
But any notion of an upset from the east will see the Thunder go back-to-back in their search for silverware, with Gilgeous-Alexander being the Finals MVP for the second year running, according to AI.
The Canadian star will average 29 points-per-game in a 4–2 series win, as well as six assists-per-game and five rebounds-per-game to write his name in Oklahoma folklore, being the best the franchise has ever seen in terms of success.
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Statistics courtesy of StatMuse. Correct as of 08-07-25.