The Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA Finals odds have improved again.
The Lakers are now the No. 4 favorite to win the Finals following their late-night move to add center Mark Williams from the Hornets. The Lakers reportedly traded rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and their 2031 first-round pick for Williams.
According to BetMGM, Los Angeles’ odds are currently +1200 just hours before the NBA’s trade deadline. The Lakers are likely done making moves after trading both their 2029 and 2031 first-round picks along with multiple players from the roster including Anthony Davis. With Luka Dončić set to return to the court on Saturday, the Lakers could have a starting lineup of LeBron James, Dončić, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Williams.
Is that good enough to win the title? The odds sure make it seem so. The Celtics and Thunder are still the clear favorites for the title at +225 each. The Cavaliers own the best record in the Eastern Conference and are +800.
There’s a three-team tier after that and the Lakers lead it. The Knicks and Nuggets are just behind Los Angeles at +1400 before you get to the Bucks at +2800 ahead of a group of teams with much longer odds.
After trading for Dončić on Saturday, the Lakers jumped to +1800 to win the Finals and +900 to win the West. Their West odds have dropped to +700 after the Williams trade.
Following the acquisition of Dončić, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka acknowledged that his team was in need of a big man with Davis heading to Dallas. But Pelinka also sounded pessimistic about the idea of landing a difference-making center.
“If there’s not a championship big on the market, I can’t wave a wand and create that opportunity,” Pelinka said.”
Could Williams be that guy? He averaged 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds a game in just 25 minutes for a Hornets team that’s been one of the worst in the East. He’ll play with a much stronger surrounding cast in Los Angeles, and will be tasked with anchoring the defense on the interior.
NBA Finals odds
Boston Celtics (+225)
Oklahoma City Thunder (+225)
Cleveland Cavaliers (+800)
Los Angeles Lakers (+1200)
New York Knicks (+1400)
Denver Nuggets (+1400)
Milwaukee Bucks (+2800)
Dallas Mavericks (+3000)
Memphis Grizzlies (+3000)
Golden State Warriors (+4000)
Los Angeles Clippers (+4000)
Philadelphia 76ers (+5000)
Houston Rockets (+5000)
