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Nets NBA Championship Odds Surge Following Kevin Durant News

By Ben Heisler

Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant is staying this season, rather than being traded following a release sent out by the team on Tuesday morning.
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant is staying this season, rather than being traded following a release sent out by the team on Tuesday morning. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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Brooklyn Nets fans, like BetSided's Reed Wallach, can finally relax. Kevin Durant will be playing basketball in a Nets uniform for the 2022-23 season.

The news first broke Tuesday morning when Brooklyn put out a statement from General Manager Sean Marks regarding the latest state of negotiations between Durant and the team. After several weeks of willing to honor Durant's request of playing for another team, the two sides met back up, and decided to stay together for now and "move forward with our partnership."

With Durant back in the fold, here's how the Brooklyn Nets' roster will likely look at the start of the season:

Brooklyn Nets Projected Starting Lineup

  • PG: Kyrie Irving
  • SG: Seth Curry
  • SF: Ben Simmons
  • PF: Kevin Durant
  • C: Nicolas Claxton
  • BENCH: Patty Mills, Cam Thomas, Joe Harris, T.J. Warren, Royce O'Neale, Day'Ron Sharpe, Alondes Williams, Kessler Edwards

Brooklyn Nets Odds Movement Following Kevin Durant News

When it comes to the Nets' championship odds movement throughout the offseason, "time is a flat circle."

Via BetMGM's John Ewing, the Nets began the offseason at +700 to take home the NBA Finals. Following Durant's trade request, the number moved to +2500, and then as high as +4000 in the month of July.

Now, it's all the way back to where it was before: 7/1 odds.

Are the Brooklyn Nets the Favorites to Win the 2022-2023 NBA Finals?

Brooklyn may have moved closer to the front of the line, but they still are not the consensus favorites to win the title next year. That honor belongs to the Boston Celtics, who come in at +450 odds at most books around the country. The Celtics fell to the Golden State Warriors in six games in last year's Finals.

Following Boston is some variation of the Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks in the +600 - +700 range before the Nets at 7/1.

With Durant, Irving, and Simmons all finally set to lace 'em up together, the Nets once again have the talent to be a force in the regular season and beyond. But the key, as it was last year is if they play together. Simmons after being traded from the 76ers has not played in an NBA game in a full season, not appearing in any games with Brooklyn following the acquisition.

Meanwhile, Durant and Irving only played in 17 regular season games together, via StatMuse last season, going 11-6 overall. With still much to prove as a cohesive unit, I'll be fading the Nets again in 2022-23.

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