The Dallas Mavericks shocked NBA fans and reshaped the league’s landscape Saturday night by taking part in a three-team deal that saw superstar guard Luka Doncic traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for forward Anthony Davis and others.
While the move may take a while to impact the standings, it had immediate repercussions on the sports betting market.
The Lakers, widely deemed the biggest beneficiary of the deal, saw their odds of winning the NBA Finals skyrocket throughout the industry. For instance, BetMGM Sportsbook moved Los Angeles from +4000 to +1400 to win it all. Conversely, the Mavericks’ odds dropped from +2000 to +3000.
Acquiring Doncic, a five-time NBA All-Star and reigning league scoring champion, marks a new chapter for Los Angeles as it tries to preserve its championship window with 40-year-old LeBron James. While Doncic remains one of the league’s most productive players, averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 22 games this season, the Mavericks reportedly grew tired of Doncic’s conditioning habits.
Still, no one, including Doncic himself, anticipated Dallas parting ways with the franchise centerpiece. His arrival significantly alters the Lakers’ outlook in both the short and long term.
At popular sportsbooks like DraftKings, bettors wasted little time trying to cash in. In the first 12 hours following the trade, DraftKings reported that 80% of the handle to win the NBA Finals was placed on the Lakers. The Lakers also represented 73% of the money to win the Western Conference.
While the Lakers’ conference odds soared from +2000 to +950, the Mavericks’ dropped from +900 to +1500. Currently, only the Oklahoma City Thunder (+110) and Denver Nuggets (+650) are bigger favorites to win the West than Los Angeles (+850) at DraftKings.
ESPN BET also has reported heavy action on Los Angeles. Notably, 46% of bets and 65% of money to win the Finals was on the Lakers over the first 12 hours after the trade broke. The Lakers’ projected regular-season win total also climbed from 45.5 to 48.5.
The Lakers entered Wednesday 29-19, fifth place in the West. Doncic, who hasn’t played since Christmas Day because of a calf injury, is expected to make his Lakers debut later this month. Dallas, meanwhile, is 26-25, tied with the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors for the last three playoff sports in the conference.
Davis, a 10-time NBA All-Star and former No. 1 overall draft pick, is a transformative talent in his own right. Through 42 games this season, he ranks top 10 in scoring (25.7), rebounds (11.9) and blocks (2.1). Even so, oddsmakers are highly skeptical of his ability to follow in Doncic’s footsteps and carry Dallas back to the Finals alongside guard Kyrie Irving. At ESPN BET, the Mavericks’ championship odds fell from +2500 to +4000. They moved in the same direction (+1800 to +4000) at FanDuel.
There, of course, is still time for the Mavericks to prove their skeptics wrong and pick up where they left off before the trade. However, Davis — out since Jan. 28 because of an abdominal strain — will ultimately have the final say.
Doug Bonjour
Doug is a seasoned sports writer/editor with bylines for the New York Times, Associated Press and CBS Sports. He also has extensive experience in the betting industry, including work for Point Spreads. Prior to that, he covered UConn women's basketball and football for Hearst Connecticut Media.
