2019-20 NBA Title Odds: Knicks, Clippers Among Favorites Amid Free Agency Rumors
The 2018-19 postseason has yet to conclude and the NBA draft and free agency are still over a month away, but there are already championship odds for the 2019-20 season.
The Golden State Warriors remain the favorites at +200 (bet $100 to win $200) and the Milwaukee Bucks are nipping on their heels at +400, but the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers—each possessing cap space and expected to make a splash in free agency this summer—are tied for third with the Houston Rockets at +1200.
You can see the full odds below:
Interestingly, the Los Angeles Lakers—also armed with cap space to sign a premier free agent, or assets to go after Anthony Davis in a trade—are tied for ninth in the odds with the Denver Nuggets (+2000). Clearly, oddsmakers don't believe the Lakers will make the sort of splash that the Clippers or Knicks might.
Rumors have long linked Toronto Raptors pending free agent Kawhi Leonard to his hometown Clippers, while the buzz for much of this past year has been that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will team up on the Knicks.
That would certainly alter the balance of power in the NBA, as will Davis' eventual landing spot. And then there a slew of other impressive potential free agents who could be on the move, including Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, Tobias Harris, Al Horford, DeMarcus Cousins, Nikola Vucevic and more.
Players like D'Angelo Russell and Kristaps Porzingis will be restricted free agents as well, though they'll be expected to return to the Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks, respectively.
Will the Sixers be able to keep the big four of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Butler and Harris together? Will Walker look to pair up with a star elsewhere, perhaps James in Los Angeles? Will the Boston Celtics pursue Davis and give up young stars like Jayson Tatum even if Irving departs? Who else other than Davis—Bradley Beal comes to mind—might be on the trade block? Would Thompson consider leaving the Warriors if Durant also bolts?
It's all up in the air, and it should make for compelling theater. Oddsmakers clearly believe the Knicks and Clippers will be among the teams who have the best summer, but only time will tell how the offseason will play out.
