NBA - Betting
Nets Odds to Win the NBA Championship Skyrocket Following James Harden Trade
By Jason Schandl | Jan 13, 2021, 4:35 PM EST
The Brooklyn Nets trading for James Harden have caused a huge shift in their odds to win the NBA Championship. | Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets were one of the most hyped teams in the NBA offseason, with Kevin Durant returning to play alongside Kyrie Irving.
Things haven't exactly gone smoothly to start the year, but as of Wednesday morning they still ranked third in the NBA with +600 odds to win the NBA Championship on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Everything changed very quickly on Wednesday afternoon, when it was announced that the Nets had made a trade to acquire James Harden from the Houston Rockets.
Reporting w/ @RamonaShelburne: Brooklyn's acquiring James Harden in a three-way deal with Cleveland. Caris LeVert, Dante Exum, Rodions Kurucs, four 1st round picks – including Cavs' 2022 first via Bucks -- and 4 Nets pick swaps to Rockets. Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince to Cavs. https://t.co/qM0ZDH4dH3
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 13, 2021
Brooklyn Nets James Harden Trade
The Nets have traded a massive haul that includes Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince and four first-round picks to the Houston Rockets in exchange for James Harden.
Harden joins Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to form one of the most talented offensive trios the NBA has ever seen.
Of course, the Nets had to mortgage their future to get those three players. Irving has been absent from the team for personal reasons recently, and Harden had all but given up on the Rockets as he awaited a trade.
Having a trio of ball-dominant players with no shortage of off-court concerns is going to make a splash one way or another. Nets fans will be hoping that it's a positive splash.
Brooklyn Nets Championship Odds
Brooklyn now has +270 odds to win the NBA Championship, ranking second in the NBA behind only the Los Angeles Lakers (+260).
Kevin Durant MVP Odds
Kevin Durant continues to rank third in the NBA with +700 odds to win the NBA MVP award. Having some of the pressure taken off of him by Harden could lead to a boost in efficiency, but there is also a risk that getting the ball out of his hands cuts KD's per-game output, and the betting market doesn't seem too sure about how this change will play out.
James Harden Contract
James Harden has two years plus a player option for the 2022-23 season left on his contract. He is set to make $41 million this season, $44 million in 2021-22 and would stand to make $47 million if he accepted his player option.