For as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo is at the height of his powers it is hard to bet against Milwaukee at least winning the Central Division, if not the Eastern Conference.
Last year, Chicago and Cleveland both finished above .500 and made the playoffs. I am not sure where the Bulls are headed this year, but a big trade has the Cavs looking for more.
Indiana only finished a couple of games ahead of Detroit last season. Detroit is young but it looks like they should be able to close that gap this season, and then some.
Let’s have a look at all the Central Division futures and see where some smart bets are.
Central Division Futures
Milwaukee Bucks -260
The playoffs might have ended differently had Khris Middleton been healthy for Milwaukee. This team is working with the same roster they had a year ago and that should make for lots of success during the regular season and beyond. That is actually the biggest concern with the Bucks who deserve to be the favorite. Just how much are they going to prioritize winning the division or playoff seeding over health. They know what they have and they can win with it.
Futures Take: It is hard not to like the Bucks to win the division but easy not to like the price.
Cleveland Cavaliers +350
The Cavs were good last year. They were one of the best defensive teams in the league and definitely hit on their top pick, Evan Mobley. With Collin Sexton out most of the season, Darius Garland really came into his own, making the All-Star team. Then they caught us all off guard by trading for Donovan Mitchell. I like the aggressiveness and it improves the talent, but I do wonder about the chemistry in Cleveland. Garland and Mitchell both need the ball in their hands a lot. The move might help more in the playoffs than during the regular season.
Futures Take: Cleveland is a great value. As a younger team, they are less likely than Milwaukee to be burdened by injuries. Nice payoff too.
Chicago Bulls +600
The Bulls finished as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference last season, avoiding the play-in tournament. That was with DeMar DeRozan having his best season in the NBA. Coming into this season it is hard to see how they improve on that effort, especially with Lonzo Ball not looking good to start the season due to injury. DeRozan and Zach LaVine can be a high-scoring duo, but the defense of the Bulls is lacking. Ball’s injury makes them even more offensively focused so some overs are definitely expected.
Futures Take: The only way to back the Bulls is if you know they are going to be the healthiest team by far. That is way too hard to predict.