NBA Draft

How the 2015 NBA Draft Impacted the Odds to Win the 2016 NBA Title

Big Kat Karl Anthony Towns changes Minnesota's fortunes

Changes in teams’ rosters are inevitable during every NBA offseason when front offices are busy wheeling and dealing players. But aside from the current free agency period, the league has also seen shifts in team’s lineups because of the recently concluded NBA Draft.

And along with the influx of young blood through the draft is the expected movement in the NBA Futures odds. Take for example the Minnesota Timberwolves, who selected Karl-Anthony Towns as the first pick overall in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Last year, the ‘Wolves were priced as high as +35,000 to win the 2015-16 title. Fast forward to today with Towns joining Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, Ricky Rubio, Gorgui Dieng and Kevin Garnett, and Flip Saunders’ team is now priced at around +20,000 to take home the franchise’s first ever league championship next June.

Although they’re still considered long shots, the shift in the ‘Wolves’ odds speaks volumes about the impact of their success in the recent draft. With Towns in tow, Minnesota now has the post-up player and rim protector that it has long coveted. It also helps the T’wolves that they fortified their backcourt with the addition of Tyus Jones. Like Minnesota, the Lakers have also seen their futures odds go through a significant change since the draft. In fact, the media has noted a shift in LA’s odds after the team picked D’Angelo Russell second overall.

A week before the draft, the Lakers were given odds of +7,500 to win it all. But with the Russell selection, the Lakers saw their odds dip to +3,000.

The Sacramento Kings, meanwhile, may be in turmoil, but that didn’t prevent their odds from improving after they selected Willie Cauley-Stein. The Kings, who were priced +15,000 at this point last year, are now pegged at +10,000 to take home the championship.

It’s safe to say that the NBA Draft has impacted NBA teams’ odds to win the 2016 title in a lot of ways. But whether these rookies will be able to perform and live up to their hype is another story altogether.

 

 

 

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