Where Oddsmakers Now Place Celtics In Kevin Durant Sweepstakes
The Suns are still the betting favorite
Nearly a week after Kevin Durant's trade request, oddsmakers see new teams in the mix to land the Brooklyn Nets superstar.
The Phoenix Suns are still the favorite to pull off a deal for Durant, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, but two teams that originally were out of the picture when Durant requested a trade last Thursday have become trendy destinations for the 12-time NBA All-Star.
Oddsmakers now see it becoming increasingly likely Durant stays in Brooklyn with the Nets having the second-best odds to retain the former MVP, while the Toronto Raptors have become a favorite as well in the Durant sweepstakes.
As for the Boston Celtics, their odds took a bit of hit since the Nets put Durant on the trading block even though the organization could offer the Nets quite the package for the 6-foot-10 forward. Boston had the eighth-best odds at +1400 to get Durant in a Celtics uniform last week when his trade request became public. But now, the Celtics are in a three-way tie with the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies with the 10th-best odds at +3000.
Here are the top teams on the DraftKings Sportsbook betting sheet:
Phoenix Suns +130
Brooklyn Nets +250
Toronto Raptors +380
Miami Heat +1400
Golden State Warriors +1400
Portland Trail Blazers +2000
Chicago Bulls +2000
New Orleans Pelicans +2200
Philadelphia 76ers +2500
Los Angeles Lakers +3000
Memphis Grizzlies +3000
Boston Celtics +3000
The Nets reportedly want a "historic haul" for Durant, and there's good reason why with the four-time scoring champ still one of the best players in the league. And after what the Utah Jazz got for Rudy Gobert, it only made Durant's price tag higher.
