You thought NBA betting was over? Guess again; with free agency right around the corner fans of online sportsbook can get ready to place their bets on which moves they think will likely happen. There are plenty of big names in this year’s free agency, especially now that LeBron James is set to become an unrestricted free agent. With all the talent that will be hitting the market there’ll be more than enough to wager on.
July 1st is the day free agency officially starts. On that day at 12:01 a.m. players are free to negotiate. However, they won’t be able to actually sign until July 7th at 12:01 a.m. This is because the league has in place a moratorium period, to help the NBA calculate the salary cap number and luxury-tax figures for next years’ season. The NBA’s lucrative TV deal worth $24 billion has resulted in the salary spiking. Last year the salary cap was set at $70 million, a historic high. This year it’s projected to be around $92-94 million, breaking the record once again. With the salary cap set this high you can expect to see some jaw-dropping deals.
Durant is all anyone can talk about, but you’d be crazy not to check on LeBron’s odds. Now that LeBron ended the championship drought in Cleveland he has fulfilled his promise to the fans. While most would agree that he is likely to stay in Cleveland, can Northeast Ohio really contain the superstar? Right now his odds of returning to the Cavs are -300. If he does decide to leave Cleveland the odds would suggest that he’s likely to head somewhere warmer. The odds are set at +450 for Miami, +550 for the Los Angeles Lakers, +950 for the Los Angeles clippers, and +1200 for the Knicks. LeBron is likely to stay in his hometown, but don’t rule anything out for the 31-year-old icon.
Next on the list is Kevin Durant. Durant is currently sitting at -500 odds for returning to Oklahoma. The Warriors are the favorites if he leaves Oklahoma; they’re posted at +400. Miami is far behind that with +1200, the Knicks are at +1400, and the Spurs and the Celtics are tied at +1600. Also in running are the Clippers at +5000, the Lakers with +6600, and all the way at the bottom are the Wizards with +10000.
Another big name hitting the market is Dwight Howard. While his play has been degrading over the last couple years, Howard is ready to cash in on a rising salary cap. The Boston Celtics are surprisingly even money to sign the 30-year-old, with the Hawks being listed at +175, the Rockets are up to +1200, and any other team faces odds of +175. ESPN has reported that Howard has already sat down with the Celtics.
Up in Canada DeMar DeRozan’s odds of returning to the Toronto Raptors have reached -1500. That seems unusually high considering that DeRozan has stated that he will do everything he can to stay with the only home he’s known in the NBA. Any other NBA club is listed at +700, which is a risky call but fans of NBA betting could find it rewarding.
