Now that LeBron James has announced he was leaving Cleveland for the Los Angeles Lakers, other free agents are starting to sign with teams, and they are having an effect on the odds for the NBA Championship. Several high-profile players will be wearing different uniforms next season, having decided to look for new opportunities.
The two biggest were former New Orleans Pelicans Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins. Both went to Western Conference teams and should have an impact with their new employer.
Rondo, who averaged eight points and eight assists last season, signed a one-year deal with the Lakers. The guard is expected to challenge Lorenzo Ball for the starting spot, but also could take over if Ball is included in any trade. It is rumored that James has been consulted on all free agent acquisitions.
Once the Lakers signed Rondo, they jumped up the board, and for a brief moment were the favorites to win the 2019 NBA Championship at -150.
DeMarcus Cousins Restores Order
Having the Golden State Warriors not favored to win an NBA championship for the first time in three years didn’t last long. The defending champs quickly made a move to ensure that they are the top choice for next year.
Cousins was inked to a one-year deal worth $5.3 million, and will give the Warriors an All Star at the center position. The team now has a starting lineup of players that have played in the previous All Star Game. There have been six teams to have achieved that, the last being the 1975-1976 Boston Celtics.
The move allows Cousins to recover from a torn left Achilles he suffered last season. There is no timetable of when he’ll return, but now being with a stacked Warriors team, allows the 27-year-old to take time in his recovery and not rush his return.
“This is my ace of spades,” Cousins said of joining the Warriors. “This is my chess move.”
Oddsmakers adjusted the NBA Championship lines again, reinstalling Golden State as the -150 favorite. The Lakers now are anywhere from +350 to +400.
The signing perplexed many NBA players, who wondered why NBA Commissioner Adam Silver didn’t step in to prevent the move, much like his predecessor David Stern did when he nixed the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers in 2009.
Many players took to social media to vent their frustrations. Jae Crowder of the Utah Jazz summed up what many were thinking.
“WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE GUYS.!??” Crowder wrote on Twitter.
And Kawhi Leonard?
One big piece remains to be solved in the offseason puzzle, and that is where disgruntled San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard will end up. He sat out most of the 2017-18 season with a quad injury, but made his intentions known that he wanted to be traded after the season.
The Celtics remain the favorite by oddsmakers to get Leonard at +300, with another Eastern Conference team, the Philadelphia 76ers, at +400.
The team that wants him the most is the Lakers, but the Spurs are reluctant to send him to another Western Conference rival. They also reportedly want Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma, a price the team has deemed too high.
