Kevin Durant Trade Sees Suns Join Celtics, Bucks atop New 2023 NBA Championship Odds
The Phoenix Suns are now the favorites to come out of the Western Conference after they reportedly landed Kevin Durant in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets.
The Suns are +480 at FanDuel Sportsbook to win the 2023 NBA Finals, the best odds of any West team and the third-best in the league behind the Boston Celtics (+260) and Milwaukee Bucks (+390). Phoenix is also +210 to claim a conference crown ahead of the Denver Nuggets (+320) and Los Angeles Clippers (+500).
This comes as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Suns acquired Durant and T.J. Warren for Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder and draft compensation.
The Suns are 8.5 games behind the first-place Nuggets in the West, yet it's easy see why oddsmakers are bullish on a roster that includes Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
Phoenix's core is battle-tested in the playoffs together, and now the franchise is adding one of the most well-rounded scorers in NBA history, one who's continuing to play at an elite level. Durant is averaging 29.7 points and shooting a career-high 55.9 percent from the field.
Still, the Nets demonstrated during their ill-fated superteam era that talent alone doesn't win the day in the postseason.
As adaptable as he is, Durant's arrival will require an adjustment period for him and his teammates. That process is further complicated by an MCL sprain that has kept the 34-year-old out since Jan. 8.
On Tuesday, Wojnarowski reported Durant isn't expected to be back on the court until at least after the All-Star break.
Phoenix's first game after the break is Feb. 24 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Were that to mark the 13-time All-Star's Suns debut, he'd still only have a maximum of 22 games to get accustomed to his new surroundings before the playoffs.
There's no question the Suns are better now with Durant in the fold, and he makes them more of a championship threat. But you have to wonder whether the full benefits of this trade won't be realized until next year and beyond.
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