The NBA released its annual GM survey on Thursday, which polls all 30 general managers across the league to get their takes ahead of the upcoming season. The 25th annual GM survey was heavily represented by the Spurs and superstar big man Victor Wembanyama, as the franchise received the most votes (50%) to win the 2027 NBA title.
San Antonio was voted as the favorite to win the title over the Thunder (43% of the votes), with the Knicks and 76ers also receiving votes. Last season, Oklahoma City was the heavy favorite among NBA general managers (80% of the vote) to win the title.
Wembanyama was also voted as the overwhelming favorite (77% of the votes) to capture his first MVP. Nikola Jokić, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jayson Tatum also received votes to capture the most coveted individual award in the sport.
Also represented in the survey was Spurs second-year guard Dylan Harper, who is considered the heavy favorite to have a breakout season, ahead of the likes of Cooper Flagg, Collin Murray-Boyles, Amen Thompson, and Cason Wallace. Harper primarily came off the bench during his rookie season but was one of the stars of the playoffs. The Spurs have already experimented with throwing Harper in the starting lineup during the preseason alongside fellow guards De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.
Let's dive into some takeaways of what NBA general managers got right (and wrong).
Will this be the season of Wemby?
It should come as no surprise that general managers picked Wembanyama as the MVP. The Spurs superstar is coming off a season in which he averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 3.1 assists. Wembanyama was voted as the NBA Defensive Player of the Year last season and became the first player in NBA history to win the award unanimously. The next step for Wembanyama is capturing his first MVP award and the cards are set up for him to do so this season.
Wembanyama was a very popular name throughout the ballot. Here are the categories in which Wembanyama finished first or at least received votes from general managers.
- First: NBA MVP (77%)
- First: Who would you start a franchise with (93%)
- First: Which player forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments (47%)
- Second: Best power forward (23%)
- Second: Best center (37%)
- First: Best international player (53%)
- First: Best defensive player (97%)
- First: Best interior defender (97%)
- First: Most versatile (57%)
Legendary Rookie of the Year race on the way?
The hype around the freshmen class in college basketball turned into one of the biggest storylines of the NBA season because of how many teams tanked to secure a top pick in the draft. In the GM survey, Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer (50% of the vote) was picked to win Rookie of the Year honors.
Again, for anybody who followed college basketball last season or watched Boozer play in summer league or preseason, that should come as no surprise. Boozer is the most NBA-ready player of his star-studded class because of his elite basketball IQ, passing and rebounding. Boozer was ranked No. 1 in our preseason rookie impact rankings, ahead of AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson -- the top two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft to the Wizards and Jazz, respectively.
In the survey, Dybantsa and Peterson weren't even picked behind Boozer to win the award. That honor went to Caleb Wilson, the No. 4 pick in the draft, who should make an immediate impact as a rookie with the Bulls. Wilson (20%), Dybantsa (17%) and Peterson (13%) all received votes.
Last year, it was Flagg (97%) who was the heavy favorite to win Rookie of the Year. While Flagg ultimately won the award, his former Duke teammate, Kon Knueppel, made it an intense and close race down the stretch. Expect more of the same this season. Another name to keep an eye on who should be getting more Rookie of the Year attention: Darius Acuff Jr. The former Arkansas star will be handed the keys to the offense immediately and will put up big numbers during his first NBA season with the Kings.
76ers viewed as clear winner of offseason
After signing LeBron James in free agency and making a big trade for Jaylen Brown, the 76ers were voted by NBA GMs (73% of the votes) as the team that made the best overall moves this offseason. The other notable teams that received votes were the Heat (10%) and Hornets (7%).
The 76ers also made several other moves during the offseason, including signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade in free agency and drafting Labaron Philon Jr. with the No. 22 pick. Philon, who had a breakout season at Alabama, was projected to go in the lottery but fell all the way to the 20s.
While Philadelphia was one of two teams from the Eastern Conference -- with the defending champion Knicks being the other -- to receive votes to win the title, NBA general managers are skeptical about what the new-look 76ers will look like. Philadelphia was voted as the team whose level of success this season is the toughest to predict. The 76ers (27% of the votes) ranked ahead of the Timberwolves, Lakers, Jazz, Warriors, Pacers and Trail Blazers.
Unsurprisingly, the 76ers have the second-shortest odds to come out of the East, behind the Knicks.
