Despite Kyrie Irving Likely Leaving, Celtics Still Given 18-1 Odds to Win 2020 NBA Championship
- Kyrie Irving is reportedly interested in signing with the Brooklyn Nets
- A potential deal for Anthony Davis, could sway the Celtics star guard to stay
- Books have set a +600 price on the Milwaukee Bucks
The likelihood of Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving leaving the team to sign a deal with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent could very well become a reality soon.
Irving reportedly parted ways with his long-time agent Jeff Wechsler in order to be represented by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports, further fueling speculation that the star point guard will ink a new contract with the Nets this summer.
Despite potentially losing Irving, sportsbooks still have the Celtics among the contenders to win the title next season. Books released their NBA Championship Odds and have the Celtics at +1800 to capture the title in 2020. Only six other teams in the NBA — including the frontrunner Golden State Warriors (+300) — have better odds of winning the NBA championship next season.
Kyrie Irving expected to sign with ROC Nation Sports ahead of free agency, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/nJxU91nMeP
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 13, 2019
Conversely, the Nets are pegged as +2500 longshots to win the title, but that could change with the addition of Irving.
Losing Irving would leave a huge hole in Boston’s back court as the 27-year-old averaged 23.8 points, 6.9 assists and 5 rebounds per game last season.
2020 NBA Championship Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | +300 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +600 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +750 |
| Houston Rockets | +1000 |
| Toronto Raptors | +1000 |
| New York | +1000 |
| Boston Celtics | +1800 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +1800 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1800 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +2500 |
Odds taken 06/14/19.
Celtics in Davis sweepstakes
Expect Boston’s odds to drastically improve should the club successfully land power forward Anthony Davis in a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. The Celtics along with the Los Angeles Lakers are considered to be the finalists in the Davis sweepstakes, with the Lakers having the slight advantage according to several reports.
Whether a potential Davis trade to Boston is enough to sway Irving to stay is yet to be determined. However, having the duo together would give the Celtics a strong chance of winning the title in 2020, so betting on the club at +1800 — with the belief this could be the case — is worth considering.
What’s working against the Celtics is that the agent of Davis would rather see the star land in LA to play alongside LeBron James. Rich Paul told Sports Illustrated that even if Davis is traded to the Celtics “It’ll be for one year” and that the six-time All-Star would enter free agency in 2020.
The outcome of Irving staying or going, coupled with whether Davis joins the Celtics, will have huge implications on Boston’s future heading into the 2019-20 season.
In an improving Eastern Conference, the Celtics finished fourth at 49-33 behind the Bucks, Raptors, and Philadelphia 76ers. It was finding consistent secondary scoring throughout the season that really determined Boston’s fate. After Irving’s 23.8 PPG, there was a significant drop off as Jayson Tatum was second at 15.7, followed by Marcus Morris at 13.9.
Bucks, Raptors Offer More Value
This early into the process, the Milwaukee Bucks (+600) and the newly crowned champion Toronto Raptors (+1000) present far better value to come out of the Eastern Conference and win the title next season.
The Greek Freak finished third in league scoring with 27.7 points per game and led the Bucks to first place in the East with a 60-22 record.
Milwaukee in particular took massive steps forward in reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, and with Giannis Antetokounmpo entering the prime of his young career, backing the Bucks to win the title at +600 is a good bet — even this early. The Greek Freak finished third in league scoring with 27.7 points per game and led the Bucks to first place in the East with a 60-22 record.
In Toronto, the champion Raptors face a similar situation as they await Kahwi Leonard’s decision to either stay with the team or sign elsewhere. With Leonard, the Raptors at +1000 is a great deal and bettors can expect that price to change the minute Kahwi declares he is staying in the Six.
Angelo Montilla is a writer, visual design instructor and graphic designer based on the East Coast. As a journalism graduate, his experience in the media industry spans more than 15 years and includes work with Nation Network, SportsBreak, Featurd, Hockey Writers and the Windsor Star.
