Kawhi Leonard Trade Sparks Massive Raptors Betting Line Shift

• DraftKings slashed the Raptors’ NBA championship odds from +10000 to +2200 after acquiring Kawhi Leonard from the Clippers
• Hall of Fame oddsmaker Johnny Avello calls it one of the biggest single-player sportsbook line adjustments he’s ever seen
• Sportsbooks reacted immediately, with Toronto attracting heavy betting action and emerging as a legitimate Eastern Conference contender

In all his years as an oddsmaker, DraftKings’ Director of Race & Sportsbook Operations Johnny Avello doesn’t remember seeing a single-player line adjustment as significant as the one he’s witnessed over the past 24 hours following the Toronto Raptors’ trade for Kawhi Leonard.

Historic Odds Adjustment

Raptors’ NBA title odds at DraftKings went from +10000 to +2200 this morning after the trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Avello was inducted into the Sports Betting Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2021, a recognition of his more than four decades in the sportsbook industry. So, he has seen a lot.

“Trades with big name guys don’t always pan out,” he said. “This one looks like it could turn out well for Toronto. They gave up a bunch to get him. He wants to end his career there, with three to five good years left. They won it with him before. And they’ve got a good nucleus.”

Raptors Built To Defend

Trade details: Leonard, 35, with one year left on a contract that will pay him $50.3 million this season, with media reporting that he’ll sign a two-year extension with the Raptors, comes to Toronto for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a first-round pick swap in 2027, and two second-round picks in 2030 and 2033 heading to the Clippers.

That nucleus Avello referenced is Scottie Barnes at power forward, Jakob Poeltl at centre, RJ Barrett at shooting guard, and Immanuel Quickley at point guard, with a budding star in power forward Collin Murray-Boyles, especially on the defensive end, coming off the bench, along with shooting guard Ja’Kobe Walter.

Leonard returns to the organization he led to an NBA title in 2019. Last season, despite his history of injuries, Leonard had his best statistical season ever – career-high 27.9 points per game with 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals, on 50.5% shooting, including 38.7% from three.

Bettors Back Toronto

With Barnes and Murray-Boyles already in the fold, adding the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year cements the Raptors as a physical, defence-first team that’s going to be one of the league’s toughest matchups.

DraftKings’ NBA championship futures have a clear top tier, with the Spurs (+270), Thunder (+270), Celtics (+700) and defending champion Knicks (+800) leading the way. The Raptors now sit fifth at +2200.

“It’s been a big move, but it’s warranted because [the trade] does make them that much better,” said Avello. Sometimes sportsbooks adjust odds without taking a single bet, and that’s exactly what happened here. Once the Leonard trade became official, DraftKings couldn’t leave the Raptors sitting at 100/1.

“If there’s a pro out there that sees a price like 100/1 he is going to gobble that up,” he said. “That’s why we have to react quickly when we see these types of trades happen. The casual bettor, they’re going to bet Toronto as long as the price isn’t ridiculous. They’re going to bet Toronto because they’re better, and they actually have a chance to win the East. The East is the easier path of the two [conferences] this year for sure.”

Heat Trade Reshapes East

At DraftKings, the Raptors are +800 to win the Eastern Conference now, after the Celtics (+260) and the Knicks (+320).

At BetMGM, before the Leonard trade, the Raptors were +12500 to win the NBA championship. Now they’re +2200 (14% of bets, the most among East teams, are on the Raptors to win the NBA championship since the trade). Before the Leonard trade the Raptors were +3000 to win the East. Now they’re +800 (45% of bets, the most, are on the Raptors to win the East since the trade).

So the East is wide open, and as Avello added, one of the more interesting impacts of the Leonard trade has been on Miami Heat futures.

Raptors Bump the Heat

 It was only a week ago (June 23) that the Heat pulled off their own NBA trade stunner – acquiring superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks, along with Bobby Portis, in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round draft picks, a draft pick swap in 2030 and a second-round pick in 2033.

BetMGM cut their Heat futures odds for NBA championship from +3000 to +1800, with 23% of bets (the most) post trade going to the Heat to win. To win the Eastern Conference, before the trade, the Heat were +1200 at BetMGM. After the trade happened that dropped to +650, with 39% of the bets (also the most) going the Heat’s way.

At DraftKings, the Heat are now +900 to win the East, and +2500 to win the NBA championship.

“That’s why traders must keep their eyes and ears open at all times,” said Avello.

What About LeBron?

Other NBA storylines that bettors should keep at eye on – rumours surrounding LeBron James, where he ends up as a free agent, and the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown, with a slew of trade rumours around him now after media reports he was heading to the Bucks in a trade for Antetokounmpo, that fell through.

DraftKings has props up for Brown’s and James’ next team. The Cleveland Cavaliers have the shortest odds, at +100, to land James, followed by the Golden State Warriors at +130. The Celtics are the odds favourite to keep Brown, at +220, followed by the Portland Trail Blazers at +400.

“Brown at plus money shows we are not clear if he is going [to the Celtics],” said Avello. “Where is [James] going? Yesterday we had him going to the Warriors at -240. Today that’s all changed. We’re anticipating there’s a chance he goes to the Spurs [+5000]. That would make the Spurs the favourite to win the NBA right there.”