Lakers NBA Title Odds Jump to +1300 Amidst Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant Rumors

• The Lakers have been linked to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, with both expected to leave the Brooklyn Nets
• Lakers title odds have improved from +2400 to +1300 as a result
• Can they land either star, and would it take them to championship heights? Read on for the odds and analysis

2022 NBA Free Agency is now in full swing and there has been no shortage of trades and max deals already. But in the biggest story of the lot, Kevin Durant wants out of Brooklyn, which means Kyrie Irving is also likely to take his talents elsewhere.

He was already linked to the Los Angeles Lakers in a potential sign and trade prior to KD’s bombshell announcement and they’ve now emerged as a frontrunner for Irving again. At the same time, Durant is a longshot possibility, too.

Amid all the rumors, the Lakers’ NBA Championship Odds have jumped from +2400 to +1300.

Updated 2023 NBA Championship Odds

Odds as of July 1st at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Unlikely Both KD, Kyrie End up in LA

There is a belief that Durant and Kyrie would like to keep playing together elsewhere, but it’s extremely unlikely. There aren’t many teams in the league who could offer the Nets enough assets to actually trade for both stars, plus their salaries combined surpass more than $80 million per season.

"I think Kyrie is going to have wait this out because we're not going to really know what the Nets are going to want to trade him for until we see what Kevin Durant gets traded for."

🗣️ Brian Windhorst on when Kyrie Irving could be tradedpic.twitter.com/sQwUBpz86x

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 1, 2022

KD has the Suns and Heat as his top destinations. But the Lakers aren’t on his list. For Irving, his main focus is reportedly LA. The organization is keen on pairing him with LeBron James again and a package of say, Russell Westbrook, some draft picks, and a Talen Horton-Tucker for example could probably move the needle for Brooklyn. Irving’s value isn’t that high right now.

The Lakers have made Kyrie Irving their No. 1 trade target, via ESPN.

👀 pic.twitter.com/U4vZ4izyBA

— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) July 1, 2022

Russ just opted into his player option and there is about a $10 million difference in salaries between him and Kyrie, which means an additional player from the Nets may be included. But given how unnatural Westbrook’s fit was in Los Angeles, this is a way for the organization to cut ties and acquire a player like Irving in return.

Would Kyrie Put Lakers in Title Conversation?

Irving is a phenomenal talent, but his unavailability across the last two seasons is concerning. However, it’s clear he was never happy in Brooklyn, and reuniting with “The King” in southern California could result in him actually being on the court full-time, barring injuries of course.

Now that Kevin Durant has formally asked for a trade, a natural next question has emerged.

Is the possibility of Kyrie Irving reuniting with LeBron James alive again?

"Yes. Very much so.”@jovanbuha and @sam_amick on Irving’s path to the Lakers ⤵️https://t.co/I7UieNEsaw pic.twitter.com/5Vl6BDKWRB

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) July 1, 2022

The Lakers, as currently built, can still be a very solid team. LeBron just averaged over 30 points per game at age 37, while AD is still a dominant big. It all depends if he can stay healthy, though. Add Kyrie to the mix here and LA instantly becomes a favorite to come out of the West. We saw what he did with James in Cleveland. The Cavs would’ve never won a title in 2016 if it wasn’t for Irving’s stellar play in the Finals alongside Bron.

Things Kyrie needs to do to join the Lakers:

— Leave his hometown
— Leave his best friend
— Leave $30 million on the table

If LeBron pulls this off, he is the greatest GM of all time. pic.twitter.com/bHYQ06sSr1

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 22, 2022

Also, Los Angeles has already made a couple of additional signings in free agency, bringing in some young, athletic talent. They inked Juan Toscano-Anderson, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr, and Damian Jones on Thursday. No huge names, but at least they’re getting defensive-minded players who aren’t 30+. Their age became a huge problem last season.

The Lakers need more perimeter shooting however and that will be their focus from hereon. Losing Malik Monk to Sacramento wasn’t ideal by any means, but he wanted a bigger payday.

Are The Lakers Worth a Bet?

No matter who LA is able to come to terms with in free agency, the only one who puts them in championship contention again is Kyrie Irving. He’s already got chemistry with James and we know for a fact LeBron will be interested in the idea of teaming up.

Right now, all signs point to Kyrie ending up at Crypto.com Arena. Jump on +1300 in NBA Betting before the odds shorten even more once Irving secures a move to the Lakers if it does in fact come to fruition.