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Believeland: Vegas Believes LeBron Could Be Returning to the Cavs

Ryan Murphy

by Ryan Murphy in NBA Basketball

Updated Mar 25, 2020 · 9:48 AM PDT

LeBron James and Kevin Love embrace
Will LeBron James and Kevin Love team up again in 2018-19? Photo by Keith Allison (Flickr).
  • The Cavaliers’ championship odds continue to shorten as LeBron James weighs his free agency options
  • Will Kings James remain in Cleveland?
  • Will LeBron help the Lakers win their 17th NBA title?

Vegas isn’t counting out the Cavaliers just yet.

Cleveland’s average odds to win the 2019 NBA championship have shortened from +2400 on June 15th to +1500 on June 25th across a number of top online betting sites.

 

With all due respect to Collin Sexton, Cleveland’s improved odds have far more to do with LeBron James’ impending free agency than the results of the recent NBA Draft. The four-time MVP has until Friday to opt into the final year of his contract. If he declines his player option, as many expect, LeBron will become an unrestricted free agent and will be able to sign with the team of his choice.

Those who know LeBron best insist his decision will come down between the Cavs and the Lakers.

James has been playing his cards extremely close to his chest all season, but those who know him best insist his decision will come down between the Cavs and the Lakers.

Cleveland can offer more money and the familiarity of home, but the roster is capped out and clearly in decline. The Cavs have invested far too much money in ageing, one-dimensional role players like JR Smith and Tristan Thompson, and lack the assets and financial flexibility to significantly improve their team.

The Lakers, on the other hand, have cleared enough room to dish out two max contracts and have more than enough young talent to trade for a third established star. The franchise has been linked to SoCal natives Paul George and Kawhi Leonard and is trending upwards after winning 35 games in 2017-18. Few other teams can offer LeBron the same ability to drastically makeover a roster while still remaining competitive.

LA may not be LeBron’s hometown per se, but he does own a pair of mansions in Brentwood, and Southern California is the perfect place to oversee his burgeoning media empire.

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Not surprisingly, the Lakers’ link to LeBron has had a profound impact on their own title odds. LA’s average odds to win the 2019 NBA championship have dropped from +1600 on June 9th to +800 on June 25th across numerous online sportsbooks.

Top 5 2019 NBA Championship Contenders

Team Average 2019 NBA Championship Odds
Golden State Warriors +140
Boston Celtics +600
Houston Rockets +630
Philadelphia 76ers +750
Los Angeles Lakers +800

As much fun as it is to speculate on LeBron’s next destination, his decision may have very little bearing on who hoists the Larry O’Brien trophy next June. The defending champion Golden State Warriors still remain firmly in the driver’s seat with average odds of +140.


The Warriors are expected to sign NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant to a longterm deal once free agency begins on July 1st, and have already begun improving their roster by selecting Jacob Evans with the 28th pick in the NBA Draft.

The Cincinnati junior is a high-energy 3-and-D specialist with a knack for guarding multiple positions. He may not be a household name among NBA fans just yet, but he’s a savvy pick who will fit in seamlessly in Golden State’s space and pace offense.


Check out our 2018-19 NBA Championship Odds tracker to see how the odds of all 30 teams have fluctuated since the end of the regular season.

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