The brand new 2022-23 NBA season is nearly upon us, with the first day’s action taking place on Wednesday, 19th October. That means it’s time for us to bring you our best bets for some of the key futures markets. Good luck to everyone following us this season!
Also, be sure to check out our NBA Betting Tips page regularly to find our best bets for multiple slates each and every week!
2022-23 NBA Futures Betting Tips
NBA Championship
There are no clear-cut favourites to win the Championship this season, with 4-5 teams all around the $8 mark depending on the agency. The defending champion Golden State Warriors were a lot of people’s picks to go back-to-back, but some recent inhouse fighting has lessened the hype.
Naturally, last season’s runner-up in the Celtics are one of the key players in the outright market, while the Nets, Clippers, and Bucks are the other main fancies and you could certainly make a case for either of those clubs.
It’s always tough to pick the winner before we’ve seen any team play a competitive regular season game, but one club that does look over the odds at around $17 is the Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid will have another monster season and Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey will be fantastic role players. However, the key to unlocking their full potential rests in the hands of James Harden who’s coming off a down season by his lofty standards. If he can get back to somewhere near his best and continue to build chemistry with Embiid, then the 76ers are certainly in the mix this season.
Most Valuable Player
The MVP had been won by a European player just four times prior to the 2018-19 season, but that number has doubled in the last four seasons with Giannis Antetokounmpo (2018-19 & 2019-20) and Nikola Jokic (2020-21 & 2021-22) each winning the award in back-to-back seasons.
Another European born player is the favourite to win the MVP this season, with Luka Doncic topping the market at most agencies at around $5. Doncic has a stronger supporting cast around him this season and is reportedly in the best shape he’s been in for a couple of seasons due to playing a lot of basketball with his national team in the off-season. If his Mavericks can notch 55+ wins and finish in the top 3-4 in the Western Conference, Doncic will be every chance to win his first MVP.
Most Improved Player
Anthony Edwards is the narrow favourite to win Most Improved Player this season, which is a tough ask considering he averaged splits of 21/5/4 last campaign, coupled with the fact the Timberwolves have some other great players on offense in D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns.
I’ll be taking no part in the Edwards MIP hype and will instead be taking Tyrese Haliburton in this market. Haliburton showed flashes of his stat-stuffing ability when he was given the keys by the Pacers late last season and will be the head of the snake for them from day one this campaign. There’s every chance he can improve his numbers to something like 22/5/8 in 2022-23, which will have him right in the conversation.
Rookie of the Year
2021-22 was another tough season for the young and rebuilding Magic but getting their hands on the #1 pick and selecting Paolo Banchero was a cause for optimism for their fans. He will be heavily involved on both ends of the floor right from the start and that alone will give him a great chance to put up some impressive numbers and be in the conversation for ROTY. Add the fact that he’s the best talent in the draft and looked right at home in the pre-season, and you have yourself a likely winner of this award.
