Lakers News: Betting Odds to Win 2019 NBA Finals Rise Amid Kawhi Leonard Rumors

Oddsmakers are clearly expecting the Los Angeles Lakers to look like a vastly different team when the 2018-19 season starts.

Per OddsShark, the Lakers are 7-1 favorites to win the NBA championship next year. 

These updated odds came out after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski listed the Lakers as Kawhi Leonard's preferred destination after he reportedly requested a trade from the San Antonio Spurs. 

Also from OddsShark, the Lakers are an overwhelming favorite to have Leonard on their roster next season:

On June 11, OddsShark gave Los Angeles 16-1 odds to win the NBA title. The only teams ahead of it are the Golden State Warriors (5-4), Houston Rockets (4-1), Philadelphia 76ers (9-2) and Boston Celtics (6-1).

This could be a huge summer for the Lakers, who have enough cap space to sign two max players after dealing Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson to the Cleveland Cavaliers in February. 

Per ESPN's Kevin Pelton, the Lakers have the flexibility to sign LeBron James and Paul George if they opt out of their current deals to become free agents and trade for Leonard, but it would require San Antonio to take Luol Deng's contract to make the money work. 

After missing the playoffs in each of the last five seasons, the Lakers are at least in position to make their biggest offseason splash since 2012 when they acquired Steve Nash and Dwight Howard.