2027 NBA Finals Futures: Heat, Blazers Odds Rise After Marquee Moves
· Yahoo Sports
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Getty ImagesIt may seem like just yesterday the New York Knicks were celebrating their first NBA title since 1973 in enemy territory after dispatching the San Antonio Spurs in five games, but we’ve already seen some major trades and the NBA Draft transpire since that momentous occasion.
Given those key developments, it’s no surprise there’s been some movement in the 2027 NBA Finals Winner futures market in recent days.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo now in Miami, LaMelo Ball set to team up with Anthony Edwards in Minnesota’s backcourt, Miles Bridges in Phoenix, Ja Morant in Portland and plenty of talented rookies now locked into their first NBA homes, it’s a prudent time for sharp bettors to scour the sportsbooks for some futures values.
On the eve of free agency, let’s break down some noteworthy favorites, contenders and longshots to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy next June (all odds valid at time of publishing):
The Favorites
- San Antonio Spurs (+260 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (+270 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
The two Western Conference finalists from this past postseason head up the leaderboard. Oddsmakers are putting plenty of faith in the Thunder using their unexpected ouster by the Spurs in the WCF as motivation, and in San Antonio using its own Finals disappointment to fuel another run at the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Ahead of Tuesday evening’s start to free agency, OKC is set to run it back with the same starting five as last season. Back-to-back MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will once again lead the charge, while Luguentz Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are set to round out the top unit after Hartenstein re-signed on a three-year, $75 million contract.
Getting a mostly healthy season from Williams would be a significant development after the talented wing played in only 33 games during the regular season and then missed 10 postseason games – including four out of the last five in the WCF.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Spurs are also currently set to make another run at the crown with the same core cast. Victor Wembanyama certainly has the talent to take yet another step forward to what inevitably seems like the first of multiple MVP awards, and he’s coming off a season in which he averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.1 blocks and 1.0 steals across 29.2 minutes per contest.
Rumors involving a potential trade of De’Aaron Fox are likely to persist for the time being, given Dylan Harper’s remarkable postseason. Like Wemby, Harper, the 2025 second overall pick, and Stephon Castle certainly have the room to grow into even more well-rounded players than they already are, meaning the Spurs have ample opportunity to be an even tougher out after a season and postseason of highly valuable experience.
Top Contenders
- Boston Celtics (+700 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- New York Knicks (+800 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
The Celtics’ shockingly quick postseason exit this past May notwithstanding, oddsmakers clearly have Boston slated for a big bounce-back season.
The fact Jayson Tatum should be back to 100 percent – after already looking very close to it during a fantastic stretch run of the regular season and very strong postseason – is certainly playing a big role in that thinking.
However, Jaylen Brown’s future with the team remains in question, especially after it was confirmed he would have been included in any trade package for Giannis Antetokounmpo had the Celtics and Bucks been able to swing a trade.
Naturally, Brown won’t be moved for anything less than a fellow superstar, so there may not be much of a net effect if he’s ultimately playing in another uniform next season.
The defending champion Knicks have slightly longer odds at +800 on DraftKings, but in either sportsbook they’re behind several clubs as far as their chances of pulling off back-to-back titles. Like their counterparts in the Western Conference, New York’s Jalen Brunson-led first unit should have plenty of continuity next season.
The Knicks could lose some second-unit pieces such as Mitchell Robinson, but one key bench player, Landry Shamet, is back in the fold after inking a four-year, $24 million contract to stay put Monday.
New York could also potentially make some modest moves in free agency to fortify the back end of the roster, and this season’s postseason run was a reminder this team’s core has what it takes when the stakes are highest.
Mid-Level Values
- Minnesota Timberwolves (+2200 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Miami Heat (+2200 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
This pair of squads represents some interesting mid-level value on the pre-free-agency leaderboard. The Timberwolves and Heat have both made major trades already, and both are coming off winning 2025-26 seasons.
Minnesota’s move to acquire Ball certainly has the potential to take a Minnesota squad that finished 49-33 in the regular season and made it to the Western Conference semifinals to the next level.
The T-Wolves lost valuable sixth man Naz Reid in the trade and also sent Julius Randle to the Nets in a three-team deal that netted them the 33rd pick in this year’s draft, but neither loss shapes up as seismic.
The big question with Ball is always health, and if that’s answered satisfactorily this coming season, Minnesota will be a force to contend with when factoring in the benefit for Edwards of having a legitimate playmaker alongside him.
Then, Ayo Dosunmu displayed a significant ceiling once he got comfortable in Minnesota after his trade from Chicago, giving the T-Wolves a potentially explosive new Big Three.
Meanwhile, the Heat made the early splash this offseason with the Antetokounmpo trade, one that looked unlikely earlier that same day when it appeared the Celtics were the favorites to land the star big man.
Yet, Miami ultimately gave up plenty of young talent in the form of Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis – not to mention a haul of draft capital – to acquire the Greek Freak.
Miami also received Bobby Portis in the deal, and the veteran big man certainly has the ability to give the Heat’s second unit a serious scoring and rebounding boost. However, Norman Powell appears likely to leave in free agency, and paired with the loss of Herro, that puts a serious dent in the team’s non-Antetokounmpo/Bam Adebayo arsenal.
The relative lack of depth as the roster currently stands would seemingly make even emerging from the East an uphill battle, considering the competition.
Intriguing Longshots
- Portland Trail Blazers (+8000 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Phoenix Suns (+12500 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Dallas Mavericks (+30000 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
This trio of longshots certainly catch the eye due to their respective offseason moves to date.
The Trail Blazers saw their NBA Finals Winner odds rise with Monday’s acquisition of Morant, who admittedly has lost some luster over the last couple of seasons due to both his injuries and off-field antics.
Perhaps a fresh start makes all the difference for the 2019 second overall pick, who shot a career-low 41% last season but still averaged 19.5 points and tied a career high with 8.1 assists across 20 games.
Portland already exceeded expectations during a 2025-26 season that began very tumultuously by posting a 42-40 regular-season mark and then emerging from the Play-In Tournament to face the eventual Western Conference champion Spurs in the first round.
The Blazers shipped Kris Murray and Jerami Grant to the Grizzlies for Morant, but a healthy, focused Ja paired with the likes of Deni Avdija, the ascending Donovan Clingan and the defensive wizardry of Toumani Camara could potentially wreak havoc in the West.
The Suns are a particularly interesting case, considering the addition of Bridges, who averaged 17.1 points and 9.0 points + assists last season. Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Bridges comprise a very talented quartet, with Mark Williams offering plenty of upside from the center position.
Then, it’s worth noting there’s a significant discrepancy between the Mavericks’ +10000 odds on DK and the +30000 figure on FD that we’re citing. That makes Dallas all the more eye-catching, and the Mavs are also in line to benefit from a major addition, albeit one that was already on the roster last season.
Kyrie Irving will be back to full health after sitting out all of last season while recovering from his March 26, 2025 ACL surgery. The dynamic veteran, who’s averaged 25.1 points (on 48.6% shooting), 4.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.3 steals across 35.5 minutes per contest across 108 regular-season games in the last two campaigns with Dallas, will finally have an opportunity to play alongside reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.
After an up-and-down start to his career, Flagg looked like a legitimate superstar by the end of his rookie season. As good as he often was down the stretch, the Year 2 leap should still be sizable for the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, especially considering how much pressure a healthy Irving will remove. The rest of the roster could still use some upgrades, but Dallas is a fun longshot bet to make at FD’s price.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com