NBA Finals odds get a facelift
NBA Finals future odds were put through the wringer ahead of the trade deadline thanks to high-profile trades of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and others.
The Westbrook domino was the first to fall of the two. News broke Wednesday night that the Lakers had finally moved off of their controversial point guard, ending a one-and-a-half-year tenure on the West Coast.
Both the Lakers and Suns have better championship odds since making their respective moves.
Durant then got his move to the Phoenix Suns in the very early hours of Thursday morning, roughly 14 hours before the trade deadline. Both the Lakers and Suns have better championship odds since making their respective moves.
No more Russ in L.A.
The Westbrook deal saw him moved to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade that sent D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt to Los Angeles. The Lakers’ finals odds moved from +3000 to +2500 in the immediate aftermath, according to BetMGM.
The Lakers had been sitting on a move seemingly since the offseason, with numerous scenarios and targets on the table. They remained mostly steadfast throughout the season, one that saw them fall to 25-30 on Tuesday night when LeBron James set the all-time scoring record.
Russell and Beasley bring much-needed shooting to the team. They rank seventh and 12th in total three-pointers made, respectively, both of which are far ahead of the Lakers’ leader, LeBron, who is 53rd. LeBron also works best with shooters around him, and the Lakers’ next-highest-ranking shooter is Lonnie Walker IV (116).
Westbrook is the second-worst three-point shooter in the league
There’s also an element of addition by subtraction at play. Westbrook is the second-worst three-point shooter in the league among qualified players and tied for the most turnovers per 36 minutes. Plus, Beasley and Russell are both much more comfortable and impactful playing without the ball than is Westbrook.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile, adds much-needed interior defensive presence, versatility, and intensity. The 23-year-old is also under contract through next season and will make less than $4.7m, which is a great price for a player that could slide in alongside Anthony Davis in the starting lineup.
Durant back in the West
The Suns are in full-on championship-or-bust mode after trading for Durant. They sent Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson, and four unprotected first-round draft picks to Brooklyn in exchange for the two-time Finals champion and forward T.J. Warren.
Durant requested a trade from the Nets in the offseason, but was met with little enthusiasm from the front office. However, the early-week trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks sent Brooklyn into full-on rebuild mode, a deal that was compounded with the latest trade.
Phoenix’s title odds catapulted from +1900 to +460, the third-best in the league, on FanDuel.
Phoenix made the Finals two years ago and earned the top seed in the West last season
Durant will now team up with Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton in the desert. Phoenix made the Finals two years ago and earned the top seed in the West last season and now has the most talented player in the franchise’s history.
The Western Conference was wide open before the Durant trade. Now, Phoenix looks like the outright alpha, while teams such as the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Mavericks are filing in behind. Perhaps the Lakers can join these ranks as well if their move pans out.
