After signing Kawhi Leonard and trading for Paul George, oddsmakers have installed the L.A. Clippers as the favorites to win the 2020 NBA Championship.
According to oddsmakers from Wagerweb.com, the Clippers are now 13/4 favorites to win the 2020 NBA Championship. This is hardly surprising after the team agreed to a four-year, $142 million max contract with Leonard. In one fell swoop, the Clippers landed Leonard and traded for George within minutes of signing Kawai.
L.A. parted with quite the haul to land George, too. The Clippers sent Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and four unprotected first round draft picks to the Thunder in order to acquire George and pair him with Kawhi. According to ESPN.com’s Romona Shelburne, Leonard met with George, who then requested a trade from OKC once it was possible for him not only to join Kawhi in L.A., but also head home to L.A.
The Clippers now have two of the best two-way players in the league and still have Patrick Beverley to run the offense at point guard. While they have less depth than they did at the end of last year, there’s little doubt that L.A. is a title contender. The job that Chairman Steve Ballmer, President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank. GM Michael Winger and consultant Jerry West has done building the Clippers is nothing short of impressive.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are 5/1 to win the season’s title, while the Bucks are 11/2 and the 76ers are 10/1. The Warriors are 13/1, followed by the Jazz at 16/1 and the Rockets at 18/1. The Nuggets are also 20/1, followed by the Celtics at 30/1 and the Blazers at 35/1. The Nets, who also rebuilt their roster this offseason, are 40/1.
