How Kevin Durant Impacts Mavs' NBA Title Odds

Kevin Durant is staying with the Brooklyn Nets, and it caused a shift in NBA title odds. Where do the Dallas Mavericks stand?

Led by Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks managed to make a run that lasted to the Western Conference Finals. The team is focused on building toward winning their second-ever championship and first since 2011. What are the odds of it happening?

With Kevin Durant re-committed to the Brooklyn Nets, the landscape for 2023 NBA title odds has shifted significantly. Now, the Nets have 15/2 odds and are tied with the LA Clippers for the fourth-best odds.

According to BetOnline.ag, the Mavericks are currently slotted at 22/1 odds to win the NBA Finals. The current favorites include the Boston Celtics (5/1), Milwaukee Bucks (6/1), and Golden State Warriors (7/1).

While Jalen Brunson departed in free agency, the Mavericks took measures to fill the scoring void and upgrade the frontcourt by completing a trade with the Houston Rockets for Christian Wood. Dallas later signed JaVale McGee and added Jaden Hardy by trading back into the NBA Draft.

There's another factor to consider for the Mavericks. Tim Hardaway Jr. was sidelined for much of last season but will be back into the lineup after making a full recovery. 

It won't be easy for any team to make it out of the Western Conference as long as the reigning champion Warriors remain intact. There are plenty of other potential threats, such as the LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets, but health has recently been an issue. 

It's often premature to look at which teams could win the NBA Finals in August. Entering last season, many analysts projected the Los Angeles Lakers and Nets to face off after the Russell Westbrook trade. Neither team came remotely close to achieving those results. 

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You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.

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