Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has requested a trade, sending the NBA world into a frenzy. Pennsylvania online sportsbooks briefly took 2022-23 NBA championship odds off the board.
The Sixers were +1700 to win the 2023 NBA Finals on FanDuel PA sportsbook in the morning of June 30. They were +650, tied with the Miami Heat, to win the Eastern Conference behind the Boston Celtics (+275), Brooklyn Nets (+300) and Milwaukee Bucks (+350).
Once NBA free agency officially started at 6 p.m. everything was in flux and sportsbooks already had Kevin Durant next team odds.
Kevin Durant updated trade odds
The Suns were the favorites to land Durant when he requested a trade on June 30 since their NBA Finals odds jumped from +1000 to +600 in a matter of minutes.
On August 8, Durant told Nets owner Joe Tsai he has to choose between Durant or coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks, that adds a major wrinkle to the “Kevin Durant next team odds” prop.
PA sports betting apps are not permitted to take wagers on which team a player will sign with. Legal sportsbooks in other states such as BetRivers do offer Durant’s next team odds.
Kevin Durant next team odds at BetRivers:
(As of Aug. 10 at BetRivers Colorado)
- Nets: -400
- Celtics: +400
- Suns: +400
- Heat: +600
- Raptors: +800
- Pelicans: +1000
- Sixers +5000
- Bulls +6000
- Nuggets +6000
Sixers chances of getting Kevin Durant
According to a SNY’s Ian Begley, Durant has targeted the Celtics and Sixers as possible landing spots. NBC Sports John Clark tweeted, “I’m told Kevin Durant is still close with James Harden & would like to play with him & Joel Embiid, as well as a few other teams, confirming Begley’s earlier report.”
2022-23 NBA MVP odds
NBA MVP odds have not changed all that drastically since Durant wanted out of Brooklyn. Though it doesn’t seem to matter what Joel Embiid’s odds are since he’s gotten ripped off in each of the last two seasons.
Sixers 2022 offseason moves
News came out Wednesday that James Harden opted out of his $47.4 million deal for 2022-23 and would renegotiate a new contract to help set up the Sixers for flexibility.
Part of that flexibility enabled the Sixers to sign PJ Tucker to a three-year, $33.2 million fully guaranteed contract.
It has been reported that the Sixers are in on the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, and that Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, Matisse Thybulle and picks are on the table.
Joel Embiid is also reportedly making a strong push to bring Durant to Philadelphia.
Balance of power in NBA
Though the Nets got swept by the Celtics, who won the Eastern Conference, in the 2022 NBA playoffs, Durant still made the Nets a formidable opponent that no one wanted to face in the playoffs.
With Durant leaving, it could mean the Nets blow it up altogether by trading fellow star Kyrie Irving, who opted into a $37 million contract for next season on June 29. If that’s the case, the Big 3 experiment in Brooklyn will be looked at as a colossal failure. However, the Nets still have Ben Simmons, who appeared to be working on his game at the Nets’ facility.
Durant makes any team he’s on an instant contender. If he goes out west to Phoenix, a trio of Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Durant looks to be pretty lethal.
A duo of Durant and Jimmy Butler in Miami likely puts the Heat as a top favorite in the east. If Durant and Embiid are paired together, that could be the best 1-2 punch in the league.
NBA 2022-23 odds
According to initial reports, Durant’s preferred destination is Phoenix and Miami. As of June 30, Phoenix was listed at +1000 on FanDuel PA sportsbook to win the 2023 NBA Finals. Golden State was the favorite at +600 to win the championship.
Odds to win 2023 NBA Championship
Odds to win 2023 NBA Eastern Conference
Lead image c/o Shutterstock
