Phoenix Suns a 2023 NBA Title favorite following Kevin Durant trade

  • Boston (+350) and Phoenix (+450) are the NBA title favorites following the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline
  • Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were the biggest names to switch teams last week 
  • The Bucks (+575) and Nuggets (+800), Clippers (+1200) and Mavericks (+1400) are viewed as contenders

Kevin Durant is on the Suns. Kyrie Irving is in Dallas. And LeBron James has some new toys to play with in Los Angeles. Following the 2023 NBA trade deadline, let’s look at the updated championship odds for all the league’s contenders and pretenders.

You should also check out our guide to betting on the 2023 NBA Finals and our tips for betting on the NBA.

2023 NBA Championship

BetOnline Review
Boston Celtics+350
Phoenix Suns+450
Milwaukee Bucks+575
Denver Nuggets+800
Los Angeles Clippers+1200
Philadelphia 76ers+1200
Dallas Mavericks+1400
Golden State Warriors+1400
Memphis Grizzlies+1800
Cleveland Cavaliers+2200
Los Angeles Lakers+2500
New Orleans Pelicans+3300
Miami Heat+5000
Atlanta Hawks+8000
Brooklyn Nets+8000
Sacramento Kings+8000
Toronto Raptors+12500
Minnesota Timberwolves+20000
New York Knicks+20000
Portland Trail Blazers+20000

Celtics title favorites over Suns

Boston (+350) is still favored to win the championship despite standing pat at last Thursday’s trade deadline. Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics’ path to a second-consecutive NBA Finals got easier with the Eastern Conference exodus of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Meanwhile, the arrival of KD in Phoenix (+450) made Monty Williams’ club the chalk pick out West.

The 13-time All-Star averaged 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 39 games with Brooklyn this season. With Devin Booker back from his groin injury, the Suns should rise up the standings in short order. Health is the only real question when evaluating the team’s title hopes. The 34-year-old Durant is coming off a sprained MCL and hasn’t played more than 55 games since 2018-19. Chris Paul is also starting to break down at age 37.

Bucks and Nuggets stay quiet

Despite holding down the No. 1 seed in the West, Denver (+800) was quiet at the deadline. The Nuggets shipped out point guard Bones Hyland and brought in center Thomas Bryant to back up Nikola Jokic. The reigning two-time MVP has already notched 19 triple-doubles this year, averaging 24.8 points, 11.3 rebounds and 10.1 assists.

Milwaukee (+575) dealt five second-round picks to the Nets for gritty veteran forward Jae Crowder. The move wasn’t enough to make them Eastern Conference favorites. But, Giannis Antetokounmpo has the ungodly talent to lead the Bucks to their second title in three years by himself.

Denver Nuggets2023 NBA Championship
★★★★★
+800
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Milwaukee Bucks2023 NBA Championship
★★★★★
+575
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LA teams in the mix?

LeBron James had one helluva week. First, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. And then his Lakers (+2500) shipped out a disgruntled Russell Westbrook and brought in D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt. While these quality pieces could help King James sneak in the postseason, his 13th-place club is still far from a title contender.

The Clippers (+1200) made only a few minor adjustments. Given the franchise’s long history of playoff failure, it’s hard to see Kawhi Leonard and Paul George coming out on top.

Mavs a good longshot?

Kyrie Irving scored 24 points in a win over the Clippers in his debut for the Mavericks (+1400). Will the eight-time All-Star be the perfect second banana for Luka Doncic, who is leading the NBA in scoring with 33.4 points per game? Or will he tear Dallas apart from the inside-out with his signature brand of crazy bullshit?

Best Bet

If injuries were not a consideration, Phoenix would probably be closer to 2-to-1 favorites to win the NBA title. We’ll take the gamble and bet on KD and the Suns at +450.

Phoenix Sunsto win Western Conference
★★★★★
+450
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Steve Starr

Steve is the quintessential American sports enthusiast. He has mastered the art of Sundays, devoting them to football, and barbecue parties. He proudly wears the hats of a good father, husband and a great dog owner. Aside from his decades of contributing to different top-tier sports publications, Steve has also found his niche on Twitter, where he publishes funny and relatable sports-related insights. When he's not busy tweeting, Steve loves to watch each game unfold live. He possesses an innate talent for finding humor in the sports world, appreciating both the thrilling moments and the comedic mishaps that make each event unique.