Well, folks, we’re not going to sugar-coat it: The worst has happened.
The Nets, in true NYC-basketball fashion, lost both of their superstars in one fell trade-deadline swoop. Needless to say, the odds aren’t looking so sweet. We’ve got the latest on the Nets’ outlook in light of trading away Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant and a Brooklyn Nets odds update.
Jay-Z, the Brooklyn Boy himself, said it best: “Grand opening, grand closing.”
First, the unpredictable lightning rod that is Kyrie Irving said, “girl, bye,” leaving behind predictable debris. Brooklyn was still reeling from Irving’s departure when news broke late on Feb. 8 that Kevin Durant was headed to fairer weather and the Phoenix Suns.
Brooklyn has been walking a tightrope with Durant and called his bluff in the past on trade conversations. But sans Irving to help with a championship run, the Nets were left without much leverage to keep their leading man. The NBA smelled blood in the water, and the Nets are now looking at a true rebuild.
In return for Irving, the Nets got Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and future draft picks. For Durant, they got Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round draft picks, and a further pick swap. Then early in the afternoon on Thursday, Feb. 9, the Nets traded Crowder to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team deal that netted the Nets five more second-round picks.
Trades are still flying today, and we expect the Nets to lean fully into a build from the ground up.
So, Irving is headed to Dallas, Durant is headed to Phoenix, and Brooklyn is headed for…what, exactly? Let’s crunch some new — and, let’s be honest, sadder — numbers available at top NY sports betting outlets.
Brooklyn Nets’ Futures Odds After Irving, Durant Trades
The Nets’ futures are not looking good. While the Mavs’ and Suns’ odds got quite the boost after these trades, the Nets’ odds to win the title or even the East have plummeted.
According to DraftKings NY, before trading for Durant, the Suns were at 18-to-1 odds to win the NBA Finals. Now they’re a little over 4-to-1 at +425. Their odds to win the Western Conference were at 8-to-1 and are now barely over 2-to-1 (+230) after the trade.
In contrast, let’s look at how the Nets’ odds have fared.
Nets Odds to Win NBA Title
Since last week, the Nets’ odds to win the NBA Championship have gone from very good (8-to-1) to very sad (100-to-1). Here’s a comparison of the Nets’ futures before the Irving trade, after the Irving trade, and after the Durant trade.
Odds are from BetMGM NY:
- Before Irving Trade: 8-to-1 (+800)
- After Irving Trade: 22-to-1 (+2200)
- After Durant Trade: 100-to-1 (+10000)
Nets Odds to Win the Eastern Conference
As of Feb. 1, the Nets’ odds to win the East were tied for second with the Milwaukee Bucks, behind the Boston Celtics.
Here’s how they’ve changed since. Odds are from DraftKings NY:
- Before Irving Trade: 3-to-1 (+300)
- After Irving Trade: 8-to-1 (+800)
- After Durant Trade: 35-to-1 (+3500)
That puts them in sixth place odds to win the East.
Overall in the Eastern Conference standings, the Nets have slipped behind the Cleveland Cavaliers to fifth place with a 32-22 record. Their position is still good enough to avoid a Play-In game – but can it hold? They’ve still got Nic Claxton, who has a shot at Defensive Player of the Year.
Can the remaining crew find a way to quickly mesh with the returning Dinwiddie and solid players like Finney-Smith and Johnson? Will they make any more trades?
How Have the Nets Performed Against the Odds So Far?
The Nets started slow this season but found consistency in December and looked to be a major force in the East. Then came Durant’s injury in early January, and now this. It’s easy to predict that the Nets’ odds will get worse, but it’s harder to know how they’ll perform against the spread and the total.
So far this year, the Nets have gone 28-25-1 against the spread, covering 52.8% of the time. They’ve been 25-28-1 against the over/under, going under 52.8% of the time.
Brooklyn Nets Odds Update for This Week’s Games: Bulls & 76ers
The Nets have two Eastern Conference matchups this week. They’re up against the Chicago Bulls tonight and then take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Both games are at home, thankfully, as the Nets get used to their new lineup. Since Irving stopped playing, the Nets have won one game (vs. the Wizards) and lost two (vs. the Clippers and the Suns).
The Bulls are ninth in the East with a 26-28 record. The Sixers are third in the East with a record of 34-19. The Nets are one-point favorites against the Bulls, but we might put money on the Bulls to win this one, considering the emotional shakeup in Brooklyn’s locker room.
Brooklyn Nets Upcoming Games
Here are the Nets’ upcoming games.
- vs. Chicago — Thursday, Feb. 9
- vs. Philadelphia — Saturday, Feb. 11
- @ NY Knicks — Monday, Feb. 13
- vs. Miami — Wednesday, Feb. 15
- All-Star Break
- @ Bulls — Friday, Feb. 24
- @ Atlanta — Sunday, Feb. 26
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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