NBA

NBA Finals Odds See Massive Shift After Luka Doncic Trade

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The NBA world was shaken by Saturday’s late night trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. And with marquee superstars swapping cities, both teams saw their Finals odds take massive swings.

NBA Finals Odds See Big Change After Blockbuster Trade

Many are wondering why the Mavericks made the trade at all. There was no indication that the team was looking to move on from Luka Doncic, the perennial First-Team All-NBA selection and MVP candidate. The news that he had been swapped for Anthony Davis still has many around the league in disbelief, with plenty of arguments being made that Dallas could have gotten more in return had they shopped Doncic around.

The thought was that the Mavericks are looking to upgrade for a win-now scenario, hoping that Davis brings the defensive presence that lacked with Doncic on the roster. They aren’t even a year removed from their NBA Finals appearance in June 2024, and are hoping that the swap of stars will help elevate them immediately from where they currently sit in the 8th spot in the Western Conference.

The oddsmakers do not agree. Before the deal was made, Dallas was listed at +1800 to win this year’s championship, or 18-to-1 odds. But those numbers shifted instantly upon the breaking news of the trade, and the Mavericks are now listed at +3500 (35-to-1). They previously had a designation of +900 to win the West and make it back to the championship, but that number is now at +1600.

The opposite has happened for the Lakers. The thought was that Los Angeles made the move for the future, giving them a piece to build around once LeBron James is gone. But the sports books apparently like their chances better this year than they did a couple of days ago. After being listed at +4500 to win the NBA Finals, Doncic’s new team is now down to +1700, a massive shift on the odds board.