The NBA Summer League is just around the corner, taking place between July 10 to 20, 2025, at stadiums around Las Vegas. As the off-season tournament draws closer, there are a few standout teams I will be monitoring. It could be a more open contest than ever with both last year’s winners, Miami Heat, and runners-up, Memphis Grizzlies, crashing out in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Let us look at who I personally think stands the best chance of taking the title in 2025.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
There is little denying how impressive the Oklahoma Thunder has been throughout this year’s NBA season, especially as inch closer to winning the NBA championship. They topped the Western Conference standings winning an incredible 68 games, more than any other team across the whole league. The impressive stats did not stop there – they lost the fewest games (14), had the highest points difference at plus 12.9, and entered the Finals on a four-game winning streak.
While Oklahoma City’s impressive performance this season came as no surprise to me, I was shocked to see just how dominant they were. They crushed perfectly solid opponents, like the Minnesota Timberwolves, who they beat 124-94 and 114-88 in the Conference Finals. Although they were top of many lists coming into the season, they have excelled most people’s, including my, expectations.
A Young Team Built to Win
The team boasts an incredible roster of talent, including last season’s Coach of the Year, Mark Daigneault. In their 2023-2024 run, they became the youngest team to win any Conference League, and this season, I have seen this youthful team really come into its own, scoring the most points ever in a season. Players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s MVP, are standouts for Thunder scoring a league-leading 32.7 points per game.
At the moment, there are very few stumbling blocks I can see for Oklahoma City Thunder when it comes to clinching the summer title. It will all come down to whether they can perform after such a demanding season at the top.
Learning from Last Summer’s Shortfalls
However, despite last season’s success in the regular season they struggled in the Summer League. They will be hoping to improve on the outing which saw them lose their first two games by hefty margins, to the Toronto Raptors 94-69 and Miami Heat 102-73, and their third to the Phoenix Suns by just one point ,100-99. Their poor form continued with a fourth successive loss to the Golden State Warriors. Although they finally netted a win against the Dallas Mavericks, they were eliminated before the final games.
A Strong Outlook for This Year’s Summer League
Overall, I rate Oklahoma Thunder’s chances of going all the way this Summer League pretty highly and expect, at the very least, an improvement from last year’s disastrous showing.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers take their rightful spot as the second of the teams to look out for at this year’s NBA Summer League. The 2023 Summer League champions have had an incredibly impressive NBA season, making them undeniable contenders once again.
During the regular season, the Cavaliers topped the Eastern Conference, finishing with an impressive 78% win ratio. They also boasted the second most wins overall behind the Oklahoma Thunder. Their Finals run also got off to an impressive start with a 4-0 series win against the Miami Heat. They were completely dominant, averaging 126 points compared to the Heat’s 95.5. Throughout the series, shooting guard Donovan Mitchell was in top form, averaging 23.8 points per game.
Surprising Setback Against the Pacers
When they came up against the Indiana Pacers, who finished fourth in the Eastern Conference, many, including myself, expected them to storm through. However, they came up against a much improved Pacers team who gave Cavalier fans an unexpected dose of reality, beating them 4-1 in the series. The key loss for the Cavaliers came in Game 2 when they blew a 19-point lead in the second half. They never seemed to capture momentum after that.
A Second Shot at Glory
Despite their Semifinals loss, the Cavaliers have a strong chance of success at the Summer League. They will be aiming for a much more consistent performance than they put in last season when chasing a second successive title. The Cavaliers were the tournament’s most inconsistent performers, going 3-2. If they can show some of the form that saw them rise to the top of the Eastern Conference, I think they will be hot contenders for this year’s title.
3. New York Knicks
You can never fully write off the Knicks when it comes to the Summer League. Although they’ll be disappointed to have left this year’s Conference Finals falling to the Indiana Pacers 4-2, I would not be surprised if they bounced back to put on a strong showing this summer.
A Glimpse of Potential in the Regular Season
I was relatively impressed with the Knicks’ performance in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, where they finished third overall, winning 51 of their 82 games. However, I don’t think we got an accurate idea of their potential until the Conference Semifinals which saw them beat the defending champions and second-seeded Boston Celtics 4-2.
The games were nail-biters, with the Knicks average defeat over the Celtics being 105.7 to 105.2. However, they showed true Knicks grit, giving us a glimpse of how great the team could really be in the off-season. Although they went on to be, in my opinion, narrowly beaten by the Pacers, there is obvious potential there.
Aiming to Improve on Last Summer
The Knicks will also be wanting to improve on last season’s Summer League performance which saw them lose their first two games. Although they went on to win their next two games by the narrowest of margins, against the Sacramento Kings 106-105 and the Detroit Pistons 91-90, they were far from convincing. Their late surge wasn’t enough, however, and they were eliminated.
Consistency Is Key This Off-Season
For the Knicks, this off-season will all boil down to consistency. In this year’s regular and post-season, they suffered narrow defeats and failed to really dominate a series. However, if they can capitalise on some of the form shown in the Conference Semifinals, they could be real contenders.
4. Indiana Pacers
It would be neglectful of me not to add this season’s finalists, the Indiana Pacers, to my list of contenders for the NBA Summer League. They finished fourth in the Eastern Conference with a solid 61% win ratio across the tournament, but really hit their stride during the NBA Playoffs.
The Athletes and Strategy Fueling the Pacers’ Run
They showed basketball truly is not all about stats by progressing through each round with impressive performances against the Cavaliers and Knicks. Although the numbers are not as impressive as other contenders, watching them is the only way to do the Pacers justice. They boast top players all over the court with the likes of two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton posing a strong attacking threat and Myles Turner dominating in defence.
Coach Rich Carlisle has also been instrumental in the Pacers’ success, calling timeouts that seem to completely change the game. Against Cleveland, he called timeout just 55 seconds into the half when the defence seemed to evaporate for a Darius Garland layup. Spotting the miscommunication, Carlisle called his team together to prevent it going any further and the Pacers completely turned it around. That is what really sums up the Pacers’ season so far – a tale of comebacks and surprises.
A Team Still Proving Itself
There is something about the Pacers I struggle to completely believe, though. I felt their performances in the Playoffs against the Bucks and Cavaliers were convincing enough. However, I found their series against the Knicks far from impressive. I will be interested to see how they hold up in the last few games of the Finals against Thunder before discounting them. If they can capitalize on the form they have shown throughout the Finals, they will certainly be strong contenders.
Who Will Shine at the NBA Summer League 2025?
There are a few clubs that are hard to ignore when it comes to doing well at this year’s Summer League. The Thunder find themselves at the top of my list, thanks to their impressive performance throughout the regular and post-season, as well as their stacked team. There’s certainly no shortage of competition, though, with the likes of the Cavaliers, Knicks, and Pacers, hot on their heels. Overall, it all comes down to who will hold their nerve when the competition kicks off in July and put in the consistent performances needed to clinch the title. How these teams draft will also play a significant role as rookies are a key component to the NBA Summer League competition.
Author: Lucius Boehm
About Lucius Boehm
Lucius Boehm is a sports expert with over ten years of experience writing about the most popular sports around the world. A graduate of the University of Auckland with a Degree in Sport, Health and Physical Education, Lucius shares his knowledge with his readers through articles and reviews. He is also a published author, with his 2024 ‘Sports Betting Myths: Separating Fact from Fiction’ guide helping players get an even better understanding of this field. Lucius’ expertise in a wide range of sports makes him one of the country’s leading specialists and a go-to for tips.
Featured image credit: DepositPhotos.com
