Oddsmakers react to Damian Lillard-Bucks trade: may be 'the best 1-2 punch in the NBA'
Damian Lillard is now in Milwaukee, and the Bucks are the new favorites to win this year's NBA title at sportsbooks.
Just when it seemed like there was a lull in the NBA offseason, the long-awaited Damian Lillard deal happened. And in a shocking turn of events, he was dealt in a three-team deal (with the Phoenix Suns) to the Milwaukee Bucks to team up with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Miami Heat had been the odds-on favorite to trade for Lillard at -250 odds on Wednesday, while the Bucks were a long shot at 30-1 odds.
Instead, Lillard went to the Bucks, with the Suns receiving Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little and other players, and the Blazers getting Deandre Ayton and Jrue Holiday, along with picks. There were other pick swaps involved as well.
The move made the Bucks the consensus 2023-24 NBA title favorites at sportsbooks across the United States, as well as the favorites to come out of the East.
At DraftKings Sportsbook, the Bucks went from +850 odds to win the title to +390, and +330 to +165 to win the East. The Denver Nuggets (+475), Boston Celtics (+500) and Phoenix Suns (+650) have the next-best title odds.
“This is all about the market overreacting,” Zachary Lucas, head of retail trading at Twin Spires, said in a text. “Great starting five, question markets around [Milwaukee’s] bench. Have to make them favorites based two All-NBA players in [their] starting lineup.”
Antetokounmpo (+550) and Lillard’s (22-1) MVP odds at DraftKings remained unchanged.
The Miami Heat’s title odds lengthened from 10-1 this morning to 30-1 at BetMGM. The Portland Trail Blazers, already not viewed as contenders this season, saw their odds lengthened to as high as 1,000-1 at SuperBook Sports.
“The Bucks are now the favorites [for us],” Chuck Esposito, sportsbook director at Station Casinos said in a text. “With the acquisition of Lillard, they may have the best 1-2 punch in the NBA. They add a dynamic player and now have two of the top five scorers in the league, plus a healthy Khris Middleton.”