On Thursday, July 9, NBA teams can officially tender contracts for prospective free agents to sign. Owners will cringe with horror as those luxury tax bills start coming due, players will start diving in their new money like Scrooge McDuck in their money bins and fans will start frolicking with hope as they dream that their teams' roster moves will make the difference in their success next season.
Yes, there are a few free agents waffling on their deals (hello, Tristan Thompson and DeAndre Jordan). There are a few teams who are desperate to sign anybody (hello, Sacramento). There is even the world's greatest basketball player still sitting without a deal (because LeBron owns the Cavs and he'll sign a deal when he darn well pleases). However, the NBA landscape is rounding into form, and things are looking mighty interesting.
The good people connected to Las Vegas have updated their sportsbooks and have provided us with the odds for all 30 teams' chance to win the 2016 NBA title. Yes, after the first 5-6 teams on this list, every team is laughable, but what's wrong with laughing at things on the internet?
Here is the full list courtesy of MyTopSportsBooks, with some brief commentary next to a few teams:
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 5/2 (If Cleveland signs Joe Johnson, does this get better?)
- Golden State Warriors: 4/1 (Motivation for a back-to-back run?)
- San Antonio Spurs: 9/2 (Seems low, because the Spurs won free agency)
- Oklahoma City Thunder: 8/1 (Seems low, but I'm a homer)
- Chicago Bulls: 15/1
- Houston Rockets: 20/1
- Atlanta Hawks: 25/1
- Dallas Mavericks: 25/1 (Seems high)
- Los Angeles Clippers: 25/1 (With Ekpe Udoh playing center? Aight)
- Memphis Grizzlies: 30/1
- New Orleans Pelicans: 35/1 (Seems low, because The Brow's being told to shoot more threes)
- Indiana Pacers: 40/1 (PAUL GEORGE BACK + MONTA)
- Toronto Raptors: 40/1
- Washington Wizards: 40/1
- Miami Heat: 45/1 (Seems low, but here's Wade, LeBron and CP3 riding a banana boat so who knows)
- Milwaukee Bucks: 60/1 (Everyone's darkhorse pick to do big things next year, it will be annoying)
- Boston Celtics: 75/1
- Portland Trail Blazers: 80/1
- Los Angeles Lakers: 90/1 (Seems high, but Lou Will and Kobe together could be entertaining)
- Detroit Pistons: 100/1
- Phoenix Suns: 100/1 (Seems low, curious to have seen their odds if they signed LaMarcus)
- Utah Jazz: 100/1
- Brooklyn Nets: 125/1 (Miss u Mikhail Prokhorov)
- Denver Nuggets: 125/1
- Minnesota Timberwolves: 150/1 (Will be the early candidate of "Bad League Pass Team of the Year")
- New York Knicks: 200/1 (Seems high)
- Sacramento Kings: 200/1
- Charlotte Hornets: 250/1
- Orlando Magic: 250/1 (They have the European J.R. Smith ... so I'm saying this is too low)
- Philadelphia 76ers: 500/1 (Legit)
Who do you think should be the top choice as favorites to win the 2016 NBA Title? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section. NBA Free Agency ... it's fannnnnnnn-tastic!
Related: TVP + Danny Leroux Makes Sense Of The NBA’s Free Agency Sweepstakes (Podcast)
Eddie Maisonet is the founder and editor emeritus of The Sports Fan Journal. Currently, he serves as an associate editor for ESPN.com. He is an unabashed Russell Westbrook and Barry Switzer apologist, owns over 100 fitteds and snapbacks, and lives by Reggie Jackson’s famous quote, “I am the straw that stirs the drink.”