The NBA’s annual general manager survey dropped Thursday with predictions across the board for the season ahead. Nikola Jokic ranks atop the MVP race while Victor Wembanyama continues to dominate on defense. But the most telling result? Who the GMs think will win the title.
Which Team Did GMs Pick to Win the Championship?
According to the survey released by the NBA, general managers see the reigning champions running it back. The Oklahoma City Thunder had 80% of the votes for the title, while Cleveland and Denver each received 7%.
Last year’s survey shows why GMs trust Oklahoma City now. Boston grabbed 83% of championship votes last season but didn’t win the title. The Thunder weren’t picked by nearly as many but rolled to a 68-14 record and captured their first championship in OKC last June. They proved the doubters wrong.
The faith in Oklahoma City runs deep across the board. GMs gave them 87% of votes to win the Western Conference again and named them the league’s best defensive team at 83%.
Head Coach Mark Daigneault got plenty of votes, too. He finished second for best coach overall and had 37% for defensive schemes. Getting this group to play elite defense while running up historic margins has clearly resonated with the other coaches.
The belief comes from continuity. Oklahoma City brings back virtually the entire group that demolished opponents by an NBA-record 12.9 points per game last season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returns fresh off winning MVP and Finals MVP honors, surrounded by the same core of Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, and Luguentz Dort that steamrolled through the playoffs.
Can the Thunder Actually Repeat as Champions?
Recent history isn’t kind to repeat champions. Golden State pulled it off in 2017 and 2018, and Miami before them in 2012 and 2013. Since then, nobody has gone back-to-back. But Oklahoma City isn’t your typical defending champion.
The Thunder’s most significant edge is youth. Gilgeous-Alexander just turned 27, while Holmgren is 23, and Jalen Williams turned 24 in April. Most championship cores begin their decline the moment they reach the summit, but this one is still climbing.
The Thunder starting lineup vs the Hornets:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Cason Wallace
Lu Dort
Alex Caruso
Isaiah Hartenstein#ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/KqfgJVje8v— SleeperThunder (@SleeperThunder) October 9, 2025
General Manager Sam Presti has largely kept the roster unchanged, adding rookie Brooks Barnhizer through the draft while preserving the championship core. Unfortunately, first-round pick Thomas Sorber tore his ACL in September and will miss the entire season.
But this level of continuity within the core group provides teams a significant advantage, especially since these players have not yet reached their full potential.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring title last season, with an average of 32.7 points per game, provides a foundation that few teams can match.
He received 73% of the votes from general managers for the title of best point guard, showing his ability to carry an offense every single night. His ability to get buckets in isolation creates opportunities for everyone else.
Defensively, the Thunder may be even stronger. They excel at switching on defense and can effectively guard multiple positions. Caruso finished second in the GM survey for best perimeter defender with 20%, bringing veteran experience to a young defensive unit that consistently stifled opponents throughout the year.
That defensive backbone gives them a real shot at repeating, though it’s still early to say for sure. Preseason just started, and other contenders spent the summer making moves to close the gap. But the way Oklahoma City is built right now – elite defense, continuity, and a core still improving – they look capable of pulling it off again.
The Thunder open their title defense on October 21 at home, and every team will bring their best effort against the champs. That 80% GM consensus isn’t just about talent. It’s about a young team that won before hitting its prime, kept everyone together, and plays the kind of defense that holds up when the games matter most.
