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Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Sunday, March 17, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Sunday, March 17, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)Seth Wenig/Associated Press

2019-20 NBA Title Odds: Latest Lines After Kevin Durant, More Free-Agency Deals

Joseph Zucker
Jun 30, 2019

The Los Angeles Lakers remain the early NBA title favorites in 2020 as free agency opens, while oddsmakers are souring on the reigning champion Toronto Raptors.

The Lakers lead the field at 2-1 odds, while the Raptors have fallen from 8-1 to 12-1 at the Caesars Palace sportsbook, per B/R Betting. The Milwaukee Bucks (4-1) are right behind the new-look Lakers and improve from 7-1. The Los Angeles Clippers also saw their odds drop slightly from 6-1 to 8-1.

The Brooklyn Nets weren't listed, and they're likely to take the biggest jump when the dust settles Sunday.

ESPN'sย Adrianย Wojnarowskiย reported they agreed to deals with Kevin Durant (four years, $164 million) andย Kyrieย Irving (four years, $141 million).ย Wojnarowskiย also reportedย DeAndreย Jordan will sign with Brooklyn.

Durant's Achilles injury will likely keep him out for the entirety of the 2019-20 season, so the Nets probably won't even be the top title contender in the Eastern Conference. But they've still taken a step forward with the additions of Irving and Jordan.

The Bucks are largely standing pat and running it back with last year's squad.ย Khrisย Middleton wrote aย first-person essayย for ESPN confirming his return to Milwaukee, andย Wojnarowskiย reported Brook Lopez agreed to a four-year, $52 million deal.

The Bucks will, however, lose Malcolmย Brogdon. According toย Wojnarowski,ย Brogdonย agreed to a four-year, $85 million deal with the Indiana Pacers, and the Pacersย will sendย a first-round pick and two second-rounders as part of a sign-and-trade to landย Brogdon.

Despite the departure ofย Brogdon, the Bucks are poised to remain a championship contender with Middleton playing alongside 2019 MVPย Giannisย Antetokounmpo.