Fresh off their first NBA title in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors enter a summer celebration trailing the favourites on the odds to successfully defend their title, sitting at +1000 on the 2020 NBA championship odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The Raptors ended years of playoff disappointment with their victory over the Golden State Warriors in six games in the NBA Finals to pay out on the +1400 futures odds they sported to open this past season.
The arrival of Kawhi Leonard along with Danny Green, in an offseason deal that sent fan favourite DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs, proved to be the final piece of the puzzle for Toronto. Leonard led the team with 26.6 points per game to power them to a 58-24 record, and put on one of the most dominant playoff performances in NBA history to claim his second career NBA Finals MVP award to pay out at +275 on those prop odds.
The Raptors’ fortunes for next season will largely hinge on whether Leonard elects to re-sign in Toronto as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Toronto remains a strong -115 favourite to retain the services of the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, outpacing the Los Angeles Clippers, who sit second at +125.
Leonard’s decision to stay with the Raptors may influence the decisions of Green and big man Marc Gasol, who could both leave town as free agents this summer. However, there will be no shortage of teams looking to stand in the way of Toronto’s bid for a second straight NBA title.
After pulling the trigger on a blockbuster deal with the New Orleans Pelicans to acquire six-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers have moved to the top of the odds to win the 2020 NBA championship as +350 favourites.
Winners of a league-leading 60 games this past season, the Milwaukee Bucks sit second at +700 on those NBA odds, ahead of the Houston Rockets at +900, while the Raptors are joined at +1000 by the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers.
The Bucks also enjoyed a playoff breakthrough this season after making eight straight first-round exits, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2001, and enjoy an estimated $27.8 million in available salary cap space this offseason.
The Clippers’ strong position on the NBA championship odds come amid expectations of a big free agent splash this summer, while serious injuries suffered by Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson during the NBA Finals have contributed to the Warriors’ tumble from their familiar perch atop those futures.
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