NBA Cup predictions: Picking the winners for every in-season tournament group

The 2024 NBA Emirates Cup is officially upon us, and all 30 teams will compete in the second annual in-season tournament.

The champion will not only receive a beautiful, shiny trophy, but there's also a nice financial boost: $514,971 for each player on the winning squad. That may not impact those with NBA supermax contracts like Boston Celtics star wing Jayson Tatum. But it's a considerable sum of money, especially for teammates sitting at the end of the bench or on rookie/two-way deals.

With that in mind, the stakes are high. All eyes will be on the bright courts — and which eight franchises will advance from the group play stage to the knockout rounds.

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NBA Cup: Group draw results

Each conference has three groups of five teams randomly drawn based on win-loss records from the 2023-24 NBA regular season, per the league's official website. Everyone will face their entire group once, and the teams with the best record will advance to the single-game elimination knockout round. The West and East will each have one Wild Card representative, AKA the best runner-up from group play.

Western Conference

Eastern Conference

Now, let's try to predict how the Group Play phase will shake out.

Eastern Conference NBA Cup group winner predictions

You may be surprised to see the Charlotte Hornets, not the New York Knicks, advancing to the quarterfinals out of the East A group. But this event is tailored for young, intriguing, small-market clubs to get additional spotlight. Budding floor general LaMelo Ball and company have exceeded expectations under first-year head coach Charles Lee thus far and will carry the momentum forward.

East B feels relatively wide open, so let's go with the Milwaukee Bucks, who boast the best player in perennial MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak has been visibly frustrated with his team's efforts lately and will exercise his demons on the NBA Cup.

The Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers are currently the top two teams in the East (and arguably the Association). Yet, only one can sit atop the East C standings: Give me the reigning NBA champions. Regardless, both should make it to the Knockout Round, with the latter securing a Wild Card.

Western Conference NBA Cup group winner predictions

Anthony Edwards is the face of the Minnesota Timberwolves and the league. That will manifest in the NBA Cup, with the 23-year-old dominating through West A.

Similarly to the Hornets, the San Antonio Spurs have been one of the more pleasant surprises of the early portion of the 2024-25 season. Second-year phenom Victor Wembanyama continues to look otherworldly, living up to his extraterrestrial-related nicknames. He'll overwhelm the banged-up Oklahoma City Thunder and reigning NBA Cup champion Los Angeles Lakers.

After a period of doom and gloom, the Denver Nuggets are back. Nikola Jokic looks unstoppable and well on his way to earning a fourth MVP in five years. West C is the stiffest group (by far), though the Serbian big man can't be tamed.

Despite lacking a true five on the roster, Oklahoma City still has All-NBA point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and two-way forward Jalen Williams. The Thunder rotation can legitimately go 10 deep, even without Chet Holmgren or Isaiah Hartenstein, making them a rather safe/easy Wild Card choice.