The annual NBA.com GM Survey just dropped, as the game’s decision-makers project the future of the league.
Kevin Durant was voted the offseason acquisition most likely to make the biggest impact.
In his first game in a Rockets jersey, he showed why.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Oct. 9, 2025
NBA GM Survey: What do GMs across the league expect to see in the 2025-26 NBA season?
Lone Stars Shine: KD clicks in his Rockets debut, plus Wemby doing Wemby things
Wednesday Roundup: Ingram ignites Raptors, Celtics dub and the Warriors did what?
Star Guards: Some of the game’s brightest playmakers could square off tonight
LP Spotlight: New-look Clips open 2025-26, while OKC & Charlotte run it back
BUT FIRST … ⏰
More hoops – and A’ja at the buzzer…
Thursday delivers five games, starting with the Knicks’ preseason home opener after going 2-0 in Abu Dhabi as they host Anthony Edwards’ Wolves at MSG (7:30 ET, NBA TV).
Vegas Up 3-0 In W Finals: A’ja Wilson capped a 34-point, 14-rebound masterpiece with a last-second game-winner to give the Aces a 3-0 series lead over the Mercury in the WNBA Finals.
1. THE RESULTS ARE IN: INSIDE THE 2025-26 NBA GM SURVEY
The 2025-26 NBA GM Survey has been released, revealing how some of the top minds in basketball see the season playing out, from breakout candidates to championship favorites.
The annual GM Survey is more than a set of predictions – it’s a snapshot of how the league’s decision-makers see the landscape shifting.
Here’s what GMs expect heading into Opening Night on Oct. 21 – and three things it tells us about the league’s next chapter.
1. The Next Generation Is Here: Youth was well-represented across this year’s ballot, starting with the GMs’ pick to win it all — the Oklahoma City Thunder earned 80% of votes to repeat as champions, three months after becoming the youngest team to win a title since 1977.
The youth surge continued from title contenders to individual standouts.
Victor Wembanyama, 21, was voted best interior and overall defender
Dyson Daniels, 22, topped the list as best perimeter stopper
Anthony Edwards, 24, claimed best shooting guard
Amen Thompson, 22, was voted most likely to have a breakout season
Cooper Flagg, 18, was an overwhelming favorite to win Kia Rookie of the Year
Jamie Schwaberow/NBAE via Getty Images
2. Still The Standard: A new wave of talent is on the rise, but the game’s most proven superstars aren’t going anywhere, with plenty of love for the 30-and-over crowd – including one 40-year-old.
Nikola Jokić was tapped to win his fourth Kia MVP award this season, along with being voted the league’s top center
Giannis Antetokounmpo was chosen as the game’s best power forward
Steph Curry took home best pure shooter (again)
Kevin Durant was named the offseason acquisition most likely to make the biggest impact
LeBron James earned votes in five different categories, including most athletic
Jamie Schwaberow/NBAE via Getty Images
3. Anyone’s Game: OKC drew 80% of votes to repeat, but the NBA hasn’t seen a back-to-back champ since the 2017-18 Warriors. Seven different teams have won the title in the seven seasons since — a reminder of how deep the field is.
This year’s survey backs that up with a long list of contenders in each conference.
Five teams received votes to win the NBA title
Seven earned votes to finish top-two in the West
Eight drew votes to finish top-four in the East
And in total, 17 teams appeared on at least one ballot to finish top-four in their conference
For the full results – from which players GMs would build a franchise around to their favorite teams to watch – check out the complete 2025-26 NBA GM Survey.
2. LONE STARS SHINE: KD COOKS IN ROCKETS DEBUT, WEMBY STAYS HOT
Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images
After making the splash of the summer, one question hovers over Houston entering 2025-26 – how will the league’s eighth all-time leading scorer mesh with one of its brightest young cores?
One preseason game in, they’re already clicking.
Rockets 140, Jazz 127: In his Rockets debut, Kevin Durant only needed 23 minutes to pour in 20 points, while Amen Thompson (19 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl) and Alperen Sengun (13 pts, 13 ast, 4 stl) stuffed the stat sheet to lead Houston past Utah, despite Ace Bailey’s big night. | Recap
Seamless Start: Durant’s first shot in Rockets threads hit nothing but twine, splashing an elbow jumper en route to a 7-of-11 night from the field
1-2 Punch: That included a two-handed slam off a dribble handoff from Sengun, who added his own exclamation point with this one-handed hammer
Amen Everywhere: A First Team All-Defensive member in 2024-25, Thompson was back at work – forcing a steal before lobbing an oop to Jabari Smith Jr.
Full Flow: Smith finished with 18 points, while Reed Sheppard added 11 as Houston’s starting 5 combined for 81 in the win
“Being able to play off one another,” said Durant on the team’s early chemistry. “We were moving the ball, had over 30 assists, so that’s the formula for us.”
Opening Ace: Bailey, Utah’s No. 5 pick, went for 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting in his preseason debut, while Brice Sensabaugh chipped in 24 on six 3s
Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images
Houston’s not the only Texas team at 2-0 this preseason.
Spurs 112, Heat 107: Kel’el Ware posted a monster double-double (29 pts, 12 reb), but it wasn’t enough to keep up with Victor Wembanyama (10 pts, 5 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk), Keldon Johnson (19 pts) and the Spurs, who earned a wire-to-wire win in Miami. | Recap
Dishing & Dunking: Wemby now has 12 assists in his first two preseason outings and was back making the extraordinary look routine with this reverse oop
High-Flying Jaime: Jaime Jaquez Jr. (19 pts) also climbed the ladder for an emphatic finish
3. ROUNDUP: GOLDEN RALLY, B.I. BUCKETS & A CELTICS DUB
Warriors 129, Blazers 123: Jimmy Butler III (12), Steph Curry (11) and Draymond Green (9) combined for 32 points in the 1st half and Golden State rallied from a 21-point deficit thanks to 51 – yes, 51 – points in the 4th quarter to stun the Blazers. | Recap
For Perspective: Only 12 teams have scored 51+ points in a regular-season quarter since 1997 – and just one did it in the 4th (the Nets in 2020)
4th-Quarter Fire: 29 of those points came from Quinten Post (15) and LJ Cryer (14), who combined for six 3s in the final frame
Role Reversal: A decade-long connection flipped the script as Steph played quarterback on a fullcourt heave to Draymond (above), who kissed in a smooth reverse lay (plus the celly)
Sharpe Start: After a breakout 2024-25, Shaedon Sharpe led the way for Portland in its preseason opener (22 pts, 4 3s), while Jrue Holiday posted a team-high in assists (7) and plus-minus (+17)
Raptors 130, Kings 122: Brandon Ingram erupted for 14 of his 21 points in the 1st quarter, while Toronto’s No. 9 overall pick Collin Murray-Boyles injected energy on both ends (12 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast, 2 blk), fueling a Raptors win over the Kings. | Recap
B.I. Ballin’: After dropping 19 in his first Raptors outing on Monday, Ingram stayed hot, drilling his first four 3s before finishing 5-of-7 from deep
Sac Stars: Domantas Sabonis (19 pts) and Zach LaVine (16 pts) led the way for Sacramento, which falls to 0-1 this preseason
Celtics 121, Grizzlies 103: With Jayson Tatum sidelined for the foreseeable future, Jaylen Brown set the tone in Boston’s preseason opener, dropping a team-high 21 points to lead the C’s past Jaylen Wells (21 pts) and the Grizz. | Recap
Balanced Buckets: Derrick White added 16 points and 10 assists for Boston, which had five players score in double figures
4. STAR GUARDS HIGHLIGHT THURSDAY’S SLATE
Of the 12 teams to produce a 2025 All-Star guard, 11 made the Playoffs.
The two teams with two All-Star guards were the Cavs and Thunder – both No. 1 seeds, with OKC ultimately lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
In an era of backcourt brilliance, tonight’s matchups spotlight some of the best, from rising stars to proven closers.
Wolves at Knicks (7:30 ET, NBA TV): One is the reigning Kia Clutch Player of the Year. The other is last season’s 3-point king and one of the league’s highest-flyers. Both are certified buckets.
Tonight, Jalen Brunson and Anthony Edwards could square off in a rare interconference clash.
Captain Clutch: After finishing second in clutch scoring during the regular season, Brunson leveled up in the 2025 Playoffs – leading all players with 56 clutch points
Only two others topped 30: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (46) and Tyrese Haliburton (37)
The Expanding Ant-Man: Edwards led the league with 320 made 3s last season while shooting a career-high 39.5% from deep
He’s now 903 points away from joining LeBron, KD, Kobe, Melo, T-Mac and Luka as the only players in NBA history to score 10K points before their 25th birthday
Michael Reaves/NBAE via Getty Images
Cavaliers at Bulls (8 ET, LP): Both coming off All-Star seasons, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland form one of the most explosive backcourts in the NBA. Coby White will look to prove he’s on that level this year after a breakout back-half of 2024-25.
Elite Efficiency: Post All-Star break, White was one of two players to average 24+ points on fewer than 17 attempts per game, joining Kevin Durant. That included five 35+ point outings between March 6 and April 6
Double Trouble: Mitchell and Garland combined for 44.6 ppg and 11.7 apg last season – numbers only one other guard duo matched (SGA and Jalen Williams). When they both went for 20+ points, Cleveland was 21-4
Pistons at Bucks (8 ET, LP): In Detroit’s preseason opener, Cade Cunningham did that ⬆️. Tonight, he could see another superstar who’s no guard, but knows how to finish at the rim – Giannis Antetokounmpo.
New Runway: A downhill force, Giannis led the league in dunks (243) and 2-point field goals per game (11.6) last season. Now, he’ll have a new stretch big to open up lanes in Myles Turner – one of two centers to splash 150+ triples in 2024-25
New Heights: Cunningham averaged career-highs in points, rebounds and assists last season, coinciding with the Pistons’ 30-win improvement from 2023-24 – the largest single-season jump since the 2007-08 Celtics
5. LP SPOTLIGHT: CLIPS OPEN 2025-26, HORNETS-THUNDER REMATCH
An arsenal of stars has expanded in the City of Angels.
The Clippers got busy this offseason, bringing in Chris Paul and Bradley Beal — a pair of proven veterans who carry more than just 15 All-Star selections between them. They also bring in a combined 33 seasons of experience.
Tonight (10:30 ET, League Pass), LA can add that to the equation when it commences a four-game preseason by hosting the Guangzhou Loong Lions. Free agency additions have given coach Tyronn Lue one of the league’s deepest pools of veteran talent, and now, he can explore it.
Lucky No. 3? Beal has arrived at his third different destination after dropping 17.0 ppg and a career-best 56.5 2P% with Phoenix last season
Swan Song: After playing a career-high 82 games last season, Paul returned to LA for the 21st year of his illustrious career, where he earned five straight All-NBA selections
“It’s always been about hooping and the fun of it and the connectivity of being on a team,” Paul said. “That’s the thing about being on a team — it’s understanding that you alone aren’t enough.”
Neither of the two will be alone in the backcourt.
They’ve joined 11-time All-Star James Harden in that regard, and will support 7-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard offensively on a Clippers team hunting its first Playoff series win since 2020-21.
Fine Wine: At 35 years old, Harden was one of four players last season to average 22+ points, 8+ assists and shoot 35% or better from 3-point land
Milestone Man: He’s 603 points shy of Carmelo Anthony (28,289) for No. 10 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list after reaching No. 2 in all-time 3-pointers with 3,175 made
Fresh Legs: Leonard played 37 games last season due to a knee injury, but was on the court for 17 of the team’s final 21 as LA entered the postseason on an 18-3 run
Evan Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Also on League Pass, the Hornets and the Thunder duke it out once more (8 ET) after Oklahoma City claimed their shared preseason opener, 135-114.
Triple Bees: Kon Knueppel led Charlotte with 18 points, including four 3s, while LaMelo Ball and Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 11 apiece in that meeting
Rolling Deep: OKC submitted seven double-figure scorers in that win, including Aaron Wiggins (23), Chris Youngblood (20), Jaylin Williams (17) and Ousmane Dieng (17)