NBA Futures Odds, Picks & Predictions (2026)

by Colton Pool |
Oct 09, 2026

Not one but two former NBA MVPs changed teams this offseason.

LeBron James is entering his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers, joining forces with fellow former MVP Joel Embiid. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won the award in back-to-back seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-2020, is now with the Miami Heat as they hope to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference.

But I don't think either of them will be the MVP this season. My MVP pick is someone who's never won the award before, or even been top five in voting in his career.

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NBA Futures Picks & Predictions

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

MVP

Here are the odds for the top five favorites to become the 2026-27 NBA MVP on FanDuel Sportsbook:

So much goes into who wins MVP that doesn't always directly reflect the player’s success. Sometimes there's voter fatigue, which is why I'm not going with Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Giannis Antetokounmpo. Sometimes a player is great, but his team isn't, which is why I don't expect Luka Doncic to win it, either.

Victor Wembanyama makes a ton of sense as an MVP favorite. He's a young star on a team that just made it to the NBA Finals. And the Spurs should be great again this year.

But Anthony Edwards is my pick. He has the sixth-best odds to win the award at +1600, so he offers better value than Wembanyama or the others mentioned.

And with the addition of LaMelo Ball, I love the Timberwolves this year. Edwards was third in the league in scoring last season, averaging 28.8 points per game, and I think he's going to keep putting up a ton of great numbers.

The stars are aligning for Edwards this upcoming season.

Pick: Anthony Edwards (+1600)

Rookie of the Year

The No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa, isn't even in the top three for Rookie of the Year odds. And considering the Wizards’ roster, it makes sense. Dybantsa might get lost in the shuffle a bit, at least in his rookie season.

At +410, Dybantsa doesn't offer much more value than the top three Rookie of the Year favorites. Cameron Boozer is the leader among them at +300, and Caleb Wilson (+340) and Darryn Peterson (+350) are right behind.

I'm going with Wilson, who was drafted fourth out of North Carolina by the Chicago Bulls. After averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in his lone collegiate season, I think Wilson is in a great position to become the Rookie of the Year. He has enough talent around him in Chicago that he won't have to carry the offensive load single-handedly, but there's not enough for him to be a forgotten option.

Pick: Caleb Wilson (+340)

Defensive Player of the Year

Victor Wembanyama (-330) is by far the favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year award. And that makes sense if you watch him play for more than three minutes. He makes everything - shooting, passing, rebounding - difficult for opposing teams. And he won the award last year, so there's little reason to think he won't repeat as long as he's healthy.

While Wembanyama is my pick, minus odds don't provide much of a payoff. On the other hand, Chet Holmgren (+1000) does provide some interesting value. He's an important defensive piece for the Thunder, and he could conceivably have a strong case for the award if they're good again.

Pick: Victor Wembanyama (-330)

Sixth Man of the Year

To win the Sixth Man of the Year Award, you need two things:

A player who doesn't start enough to be eligible for the award.
Someone who stands out among all other reserves in the league.

That's a narrow needle to thread.

Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell is the favorite at +490. Last season, his second in the league, he averaged 13.6 points per game and was fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. Obviously, he's a strong candidate.

But I'm going further down the list for my pick - Bobby Portis Jr. at +5500. He's finished in the top three in Sixth Man of the Year voting multiple times in his career with Milwaukee, and he's averaged over 13 points per game each of the last five seasons. He's a respectable veteran who I expect will continue to be productive in Miami.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo as the focal points of this Heat frontcourt, I think Portis has the skill set and opportunity to win this award.

Pick: Bobby Portis Jr. (+5500)

Most Improved Player

Many have won this award en route to flourishing and becoming bona fide stars of the game. So I understand why Brandon Miller is the favorite at +750. He's shown why he was highly touted coming out of Alabama the last three years, averaging 20.2 points per game in 2025-26. He has the potential to become an All-Star as early as this season.

But Dylan Harper is my pick and provides better value at +1200. I loved what we saw from him last season, though he started just four games after being drafted second overall by the Spurs in 2025. But he averaged just 11.8 points per contest, so I think there's room for his numbers to increase enough to stand out.

Pick: Dylan Harper (+1200)

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