Oklahoma City Thunder
1 Bold prediction: The OKC Thunder will make the NBA Finals
With the way the Western Conference is set up, the argument can be made that the stage is set for the Oklahoma City Thunder to make a run to the NBA Finals this season. The Denver Nuggets are in an identity crisis, the Dallas Mavericks and Phoneix are battling injuries and inconsistency, and aside from the Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets, who have their own legitimacy issues, there isn't a team that has separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the conference.
That means the door is clearly open for a team like the Thunder to finally break through. With all the pieces to make a deep run in the postseason, and under the assumption that Chet Holmgren will be back at some point during the stretch run, this is a team that I believe will finally punch their ticket to the NBA Finals in 2025. I'm not sure if they will win the NBA Championship but they're going to get their first taste of the biggest stage the league has to offer.
Orlando Magic
1 Bold prediction: The Orlando Magic will trade for a veteran star
The Orlando Magic have built a strong foundation for the future. And even though they've managed to survive despite the injuries so far this season, I do believe that this team is still a piece or two away from emerging as a legit contender in the Eastern Conference. That's why I predict that after another early playoff exit, the Magic will head into the 2025 NBA offseason with the priority of landing a veteran star to help push this team toward the next level in their progression as a franchise.
The Magic passed on that opportunity this past season and decided to sign role player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope instead. While those results have been mixed through the first 30-ish games of the season, I'd imagine the Magic are going to be a bit more aggressive this time around. As Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner begin to develop into one of the best duos in the NBA, this could be the right time for the Magic to pounce on making a big move. And if they still are unable to win a first-round playoff series, it would be hard to blame them.