Phoenix Suns NBA Championship Odds Now +425 After Trading for Kevin Durant

• The addition of Kevin Durant has vaulted the Suns into top-two contender status in the NBA Championship odds
• Phoenix was +1900 to win it all prior to acquiring KD, and now boasts a +425 price tag
• See below for the updated NBA Championship odds

There’s a new super team in the NBA streets. Of course, we’re talking about the Phoenix Suns, who shocked the basketball world in the wee hours of Thursday morning by acquiring Kevin Durant from the Nets.

The Suns gave up a king’s ransom to acquire KD, but their championship window is clearly now. Durant is the type of world-class talent that can put Phoenix over the top, and online sportsbooks didn’t waste time reacting to the blockbuster news.

2023 NBA Championship Odds

Odds as of Feb. 9, 2023, at DraftKings. Claim the DraftKings promo code to bet on the NBA.

The Suns quickly went from +1900 on February 6th in the NBA Championship odds, to +425 on Thursday morning. That’s the shortest price among Western Conference teams and the second shortest in the league behind the Celtics.

Brooklyn meanwhile, has seen its title odds fall off a cliff over the last 10 days. The Nets’ average price to win it all was +713 on January 30th. After dealing away not only KD but Kyrie Irving as well, Brooklyn is +8000 to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Kevin Durant Trade Analysis

The acquisition of Durant certainly came at a steep price. Phoenix basically mortgaged its future, sending four unprotected first-round picks to the Nets. They also parted ways with two-way star Mikal Bridges, plus backup forward Cam Johnson and disgruntled forward Jae Crowder.

Bridges was thought to be untouchable by teams around the league. However, Brooklyn refused to send Durant to the Suns without getting Bridges back in return. The two sides were thought to be at a stalemate, and while the Nets sought other destinations for KD, Phoenix eventually caved.

Kevin Durant Trade Details

The Suns also received reserve forward T.J. Warren in the trade, bolstering their depth. Warren is a plus-shooter and good defender and should compete with Damion Lee and Torrey Craig for minutes.

Phoenix’s starting lineup is arguably as good as any team in the league’s and features an enormous amount of offensive talent. Durant will join superstar Devin Booker and future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul, as well as former number-one pick Deandre Ayton.

Phoenix Suns NBA Championship Betting Analysis

The Suns have never won an NBA title, and this is clearly them pushing all of their chips into the middle. Durant is getting a little long in the tooth at 34 but is still one of the game’s premier scorers. He averaged 30 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists per outing before suffering a knee injury that’s kept him out of the lineup for a month.

There’s optimism he’ll be ready to play post All-Star break, and his arrival coincides with the return of Booker as well. Booker missed 21 games with a groin injury but returned for Phoenix’s victory over Brooklyn earlier this week. The Suns have won nine of their last 11 overall, climbing into fifth place in the conference standings.

Kevin Durant is averaging 29.7 points this season and is now heading to Phoenix.

That is the 3rd-most PPG at the time of changing teams midseason in NBA history (min. 5 games), trailing only Wilt Chamberlain in 1964-65 and Allen Iverson in 2006-07. pic.twitter.com/37EDvbGSiw

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 9, 2023

Over the last 11 games, they rank second in the NBA in Net Rating and third in defensive rating. The loss of Bridges will impact their play in their own end, but KD’s arrival will drastically increase their offensive ceiling.

The question now becomes are they worth your money to win the title? Their odds are certainly no bargain, but Durant could get them over the hump if he stays healthy. That’s a big if though. KD has missed 79 games over the last three seasons. Both Booker and Paul have missed large chunks of games over that time as well, and Booker and Paul have a history of underachieving in the playoffs.

An additional concern is who is going to guard the other team’s best player. That was a role often reserved for Bridges, and he was one of the best in the league at it. The injury and defensive issues can be overcome if the Suns stay healthy and are incredibly efficient on offense, but it’s enough of a worry to prevent me from wanting to go all-in on Phoenix to win the title.

Denver Nuggets NBA Championship Betting Analysis

One team to consider at its new price tag is Denver. The Nuggets are the West’s top seed and lead the NBA in offensive rating. They feature Nikola Jokic, who’s on his way to a third straight MVP crown, and a stable of talented players around him.

– He sees Porter in the opposite corner
– He stares down Aaron Gordon
– He gets Taurean Prince to double Gordon
– He throws the lob to a wide-open MPJ
– Nikola Jokic is playing an entirely different game pic.twitter.com/hCVxaGQndZ

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) February 8, 2023

Among those is Jamal Murray, who’s been on a tear. He’s averaging 23 points and six assists over his past 20 games, with a true shooting percentage north of 60%. Denver is 17-3 in his last 20 starts, and the team is one more three-point shooter away from plugging the only glaring hole on its roster.

They currently boast +800 odds to win it all. That’s a screaming value given their talent and their place in the standings.

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