NBA Summer League Best Futures Bets

Summer is here, which means for basketball fans, it is time to bet on the NBA Summer League. There is always value to be found, and that's why we have taken a deep dive into rosters for this year's Summer League to determine the best Futures bets to make!

Teams don't cut down nets for a summer league championship, but it can often be the start of something special and a sign of things to come. Some franchises take the summer more seriously, and it's important to identify that before betting. These are our top three favorite bets to win the NBA Summer League.

Bet #1: Oklahoma City Thunder (+700)

The Thunder have notoriously sent very good players to Summer League at a rate that other franchises do not. That leads to fun basketball, but more importantly it often leads to racking up the Summer League victories. Josh Giddey participated last season, and he quickly matured into one of the best young players in the entire NBA. Oklahoma City is the betting favorite for a reason, but we still believe it's worth a sprinkle, as they sent both Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams, who played real rotation minutes down the stretch of last season, along with Tre Mann, Ousmane Dieng and last year's injury-prone Chet Holmgren, who looked fantastic in the first game. This roster has more talent than any other team playing this summer, and we expect the best value to be betting them early.

Bet #2: Detroit Pistons (+1100)

From one stellar young core to another, the Pistons are hoping to replicate what Oklahoma City did last season and make a jump from the lottery into a playoff push late in the season. Their summer league roster reflects that, as they are sending last year's star rookie combo of Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, alongside former top draft pick big men James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley. Pair that quartet with this year's rookie class which includes Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser, and Detroit's summer league roster offers a nice mix of veterans that are still hungry for more opportunities, and talented rookies that can make a splash in Vegas. We love this one at +1100 odds.

Bet #3: Houston Rockets (+2000)

The Houston Rockers were widely praised as the winners of this year's NBA Draft, as they scooped up the electric Amen Thompson at the 4th pick and then were the recipients of Cam Whitmore's fall all the way down to the 20th pick. Houston is in a similar spot to Detroit as a franchise, where they are looking to go from consisting tanking to competitive playoff team sooner rather than later, and the core of their Summer League roster includes many of their key pieces going forward - such as Jabari Smith, Tari Eason and the aforementioned Thompson/Whitmore duo. We have no idea how good Houston will be next season, but their Summer League version isn't short on talent and will certainly be motivated to win some games. It's worth a sprinkle at the +2000 odds.

Remember to gamble responsibly and set limits on your betting activities. It's important to approach sports betting as a form of entertainment, rather than relying on it for financial gain. Set a budget for yourself and stick to it, and never bet more than you can afford to lose. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.