NBA Draft Odds Position and Best Bets: Brandon Miller 2nd Overall?
With the Finals about to kick off, the next thing on the NBA calendar is the draft, which has value worth looking into.
All odds courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook.
As we saw during the 2022 NBA draft, there’s a lot of value to be found looking at props leading up to the event. There won’t be the same amount of drama surrounding the first overall pick this time, though, with Victor Wembanyama being a slam dunk pick to the San Antonio Spurs.
1st Overall Pick Odds
Wembanyama is a -20000 favorite to be the first overall pick, and there’s no reason to look elsewhere. He’s a generational talent, and the NBA has never seen a player like him. Many are labeling him the best NBA prospect of all time, but LeBron James will certainly have a word about that claim.
2nd Overall Pick Odds
Here’s where things get interesting, at least regarding the overall odds. The Charlotte Hornets have the second-overall pick, and there are a few different ways they can go with it. Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson are neck-and-neck for their odds of going second. Miller is listed at -120, while Henderson is behind him at -115. It’s not often you see two juiced picks, but that’s the case when you factor in the Hornets’ need. They have a ball handler in LaMelo Ball, which certainly puts Miller in the conversation, but Henderson is the better overall talent. Talent over need should take precedence, meaning we’ll side with Henderson’s -115.
3rd Overall Pick Odds
There are a lot of rumors out of the Portland Trail Blazers organization that they’re looking to move the third overall pick for an impact piece to play with Damian Lillard. If that ultimately transpires, and maybe even if it doesn’t, the best player between Miller and Henderson should go off the board here. There’s value in Henderson (+110) and Miller (+125) that warrant consideration.
4th Overall Pick Odds
The Houston Rockets would have preferred to be in the top 3, with a clear-cut trifecta at the top of the 2023 draft class. Still, they’ll get another piece in their rebuild if they don’t move the pick. There’s a lot of chatter about James Harden returning to Houston, which could factor into whether or not they want to keep or move the selection. Amen Thompson has a juiced price at -155 to be the fourth overall pick. He’s not entirely on par with the top 3, but the former five-star recruit has value in being the fourth pick off the board.
5th Overall Pick Odds
After a dismal season, the Detroit Pistons likely thought they’d be picking higher. The organization certainly isn’t thrilled with how the lottery balls played out, but they’ll still get a good piece here at 5. This is where things get interesting, though, with no players holding a juiced price. We talked about Amen Thompson above, and his twin brother, Ausar Thompson, is in the conversation at fifth overall at +280, behind only Cam Whitmore at +270; with where things stand now, though, Jarace Walker at +320 is a nice value price to be selected at five.
