2025-26 NBA Season: Best Players in the Eastern Conference

It figures to be a different season in the Eastern Conference of the NBA as standouts such as Tatum and Haliburton are sidelined with gruesome injuries.

The Best of the East

Entering the 2025-26 National Basketball Association season, bragging rights in NBA odds belong to the Western Conference after the Oklahoma City Thunder won the title last season. 

It’s no surprise the Thunder are the 5-2 (+250) favorites to repeat as of this mid-October writing, though there are any number of the best NBA players plying their craft in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic, Central and Southeast Divisions.

There’s no doubt the East is going to look somewhat strange this time around, with gruesome injuries sidelining both Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers. What that does to the 2024 champion Celtics and surprise 2025 finalist Pacers remains to be seen, but eliminating both stars in NBA MVP odds race is a given

That doesn’t mean the East is devoid of players and possibilities. It’s the Cleveland Cavaliers as 15-2 (+750) second choices to win the title, just behind the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder. The New York Knickerbockers are a 9-1 (+900) fourth choice overall. Cleveland and New York won 64 and 51 games, respectively, last season,

Among the East standouts (with current MVP odds) are Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks (10-1, [+1000]), Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons (40-1, [+4000]) Jalen Brunson of the Knicks (60-1, [+6000]) and Donovan Mitchell of the Cavs (100-1, [+10000])

While Antetokounmpo and Mitchell have been associated with either trade rumors (former) or nagging injuries (latter), both are certifiably qualified to carry their respective teams, averaging in excess of 30 (Antetokounmpo) and 24 (Mitchell) points last season. 

Though NBA expert picks suggest someone out of the Western Conference is expected to win the MVP hardware, do not doze on the ‘other’ guys with the start of the regular season less than a week away.

Here’s a primer on those ranked among the association’s best ahead of the 2025-26 season…

Who is the Best Player in the NBA?

Choosing the best NBA players is quite subjective. Let’s rewind to 2024-25 as a start. It was a season to remember with the champion Oklahoma City Thunder and their star. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander not only led the league in scoring (32.7 points per game), he was the winner of the MVP award.

As was mentioned, it’s Gilgeous-Alexander and thrice-an-MVP-winner Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets as arguably the two best players in the league. There’s no one regularly stuffing a stat sheet nearly as well as Jokic, who ended 2024-25 averaging 29.6 points (career-high), 12.7 rebounds and 10.7 assists. 

It’s no surprise that SGA and the Joker enter this season co-favored in NBA MVP odds.

By the way, Jokic and his three honors joins some pretty fair company in (alphabetically) Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Moses Malone.

Since this story is concentrating on the Eastern Conference, why not some love toward aforementioned Giannis Antetokounmpo. Donovan Mitchell and New York’s Jalen Brunson (24, 28.7 and 26 points/game in three seasons with the Knicks?

With the surprising (41-41) Orlando Magic making the playoffs last season, Paolo Banchero (career-highs 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds/game) has earned his stripes. Same was true with the 44-38 Detroit Pistons and a postseason appearance last season, in no small way due to Cade Cunningham (career-high 26.1 points/game).

Which NBA Players Are Hot Right Now? 

Games don’t count as of this writing, so a ‘glass half-full’ observer can say everyone is hot. However, that changes with the opening tip of the season, as any fan or bettor knows. Trick is to find an under-the-radar player who may be looking at a big or bounce-back season in 2025-26. 

How Many NBA Pros Are There?

NBA news reminds us there are 30 teams in the league, with 15 in both conferences (Eastern and Western). Each team can have a maximum of 18 players under contract, with 15 as ‘standard’ contracts and three as ‘two-way contracts.’

Fast math says that’s 540 as the max number of players in the league. As a side note, there are a maximum dozen players who may be in uniform each game on any team.

Any Final Thoughts?

According to NBA championship odds, the OKC Thunder are solid choices to successfully defend their title. There are 29 other teams out to stop that.

- Tyrone Black, Gambling911.com