Brooklyn star Kevin Durant shook the NBA world with his trade request earlier this offseason, sending the Nets betting odds tumbling. But following Durant’s recent trade request withdrawal, Brooklyn’s back amongst NBA title contenders.
The Brooklyn Nets’ betting odds received a massive boost this week following star forward Kevin Durant withdrawing his trade request. The 12-time All-Star shook the basketball world in late June with his trade demand, but Brooklyn couldn’t find a suitable deal over the last two months. This ultimately led to a meeting between Durant, head coach Steve Nash, and Nets owner Joe Tsai, where Durant agreed to “move forward” with their partnership.
This new development shook sportsbooks during a normally stagnant time of the NBA offseason. Naturally, a team featuring the likes of Durant, Kyrie Irving, and even a healthy Ben Simmons, would be considered among the championship favorites. And that’s exactly what happened.
Following Durant’s trade request withdrawal, the Nets saw their NBA championship betting odds boost in dramatic fashion.
Nets Enjoy Betting Odds Boost
The timeline for the Brooklyn Nets NBA championship odds looks like a rollercoaster track this offseason. Following last season’s NBA Finals, most sportsbooks situated the Nets among the betting odds leaders for the 2022-23 title.
The general consensus at sportsbooks set the Nets odds at +650, among the shortest in the league. But following Durant’s trade request in June, and unrest in the Kyrie Irving camp, Brooklyn’s betting odds faded to the +3000 range across the board. But now that Durant’s back in the fold, the Nets see betting odds around +700.
At Casears alone, the Nets went from +1800 prior to the trade request being rescinded to +750.
It helps that the Nets will also have their seven-time All-Star point guard in the fold as well. Shams Charania reported earlier this week on The Athletic that Brooklyn “made clear to interested teams that they plan to keep” Irving. And with New York City no longer enforcing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, Irving should be, barring injury, available for all games next season.
Best Nets NBA Championship Odds
The rollercoaster rides that’s been the Brooklyn Nets’ betting odds this offseason still offers bettors value for the Nets performance this season. Most sportsbooks set Brooklyn in that championship-tier, but behind the likes of the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, and Milwaukee Bucks.
Bettors find the most value among New York sportsbooks at PointsBet. The +900 odds there stand as the longest among the local sportsbooks, and could change at any given moment. BetRivers also set Brooklyn in the top-5 on their odds board at +800.
The Nets should be an improved team in 2022-23, especially if their roster returns healthy. Keeping an MVP-candidate like Durant provides the offense a focal point, and Irving remains one of the most talented players in the league.
But Brooklyn also upgraded some of the role players expected to get time around their stars with the additions of Royce O’Neale and T.J. Warren in the offseason. What’s more, the Nets expect Joe Harris back after the sharpshooting forward missed all of last season. The wild card this year will be three-time All-Star Ben Simmons, who missed all of last season due to injury and mental health issues.
Durant’s return has settled some of the uncertainty surrounding the Nets futures market. The one-time league MVP should keep Brooklyn in the mix for the franchise’s first NBA championship.
