VEGAS BETTING REPORT: LeBron James to 76ers Shakes Up NBA Futures

LeBron James finally made it official midday today (July 24) – he was signing with the Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent on a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, ESPN reported. 

The 76ers weren’t viewed as the favorites to land James, but they were very much in the conversation. At +700 at DraftKings on Wednesday (July 22), as James’ next team, the 76ers were legitimate, behind the Miami Heat at -200, the Cleveland Cavaliers at +225, and the Golden State Warriors at +450.

As soon as the news broke, sportsbooks got scrambling, pricing National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals winner and conference winner futures, the latest in what’s been a wild NBA summer so far, especially in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron Chooses Philadelphia

First, on June 23, the Heat acquired superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in a massive trade with the Milwaukee Bucks, with 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 going to the Bucks. The Heat also acquired Bobby Portis along with Antetokounmpo.

North of the border, the Toronto Raptors jumped in, when news broke on ESPN June 30 that they were acquiring Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers, a player they won an NBA title with in 2019, with Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), one first-round pick swap (2027) and two second-round picks (2030 and 2033) going to L.A. The Raptors have paused that trade, waiting on the results of an NBA investigation into Leonard’s contract with the Clippers. 

Las Vegas Sportsbooks React Immediately

Then, July 1, the Boston Celtics got in on the act, trading Jaylen Brown to the 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks.

For the 76ers, today’s news means a star-studded core of James at power forward, Joel Embiid at center, assuming he can stay healthy, Brown at small forward, Tyrese Maxey at point guard, and Anfernee Simons at shooting guard. Embiid missed 44 regular-season games for the 76ers this past season.

The transactions dramatically reshaped NBA championship and conference futures, according to Las Vegas sportsbook traders, with the 76ers now a betting favorite.

“When you add LeBron to the mix of the core group they already had, plus other additions this offseason, we were compelled to lower their futures for next season while still maintaining a reasonable price,” said Johnny Avello, the Las Vegas-based oddsmaker who’s the director of race & sports operation for DraftKings.

76ers Build Superteam

Circa Las Vegas Sportsbook quickly moved their lines: 76ers championship odds from +2000 to +850, Eastern Conference odds from +700 to +300. DraftKings moved the 76ers championship odds from +2000 to +900, and the Eastern Conference title odds from +750 to +370.

At Caesars Sportsbook in Las Vegas, the 76ers went from +1700 to +800 to win the title, +700 to +340 to win the Eastern Conference and +350 to +200 to win the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia to make the playoffs went from -450 to -800.

Title Odds Slashed

Caesars Sportsbook now has the San Antonio Spurs at +240 to win the NBA title, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder (+275), the New York Knicks to repeat (+750), the 76ers (+800), the Celtics (+1400), the Minnesota Timberwolves (+2200), the Denver Nuggets (+2200), then the Cleveland Cavaliers, Heat, Raptors and Detroit Pistons all at +2800.

Seeing some resolution soon to the Leonard contract situation and the official completion of the trade to Toronto should shorten the Raptors’ odds.