AD deal solidifies Lakers' favorite status in Vegas

Count Las Vegas oddsmakers among those who were not caught off guard by the Los Angeles Lakers' blockbuster trade for superstar Anthony Davis.

In anticipation of a potential trade for Davis, the Lakers were installed as the favorites to win next year's championship at multiple sportsbooks, shortly after the Toronto Raptors finished off the Golden State Warriors on Thursday in a decisive Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

The Lakers' status as favorites was solidified Sunday. After the trade news broke, Caesars Sportsbook trimmed the Lakers' odds to win the 2019-20 NBA title from +400 to +350.

The SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas reported accepting a $10,000 bet on the Lakers at 5-1 at 3 p.m. PT, shortly before news of the Lakers' trade for Davis broke. The Lakers are now 3-1 at the SuperBook.

The Milwaukee Bucks and LA Clippers are each +600 at Caesars Sportsbook, followed by the Raptors and Houston Rockets, who are each +800.

Every book had the Warriors as the favorites entering the NBA Finals, but Golden State lost stars Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson to serious injuries and saw its odds lengthen to as long as 14-1 to win the title next year. On Friday, the SuperBook took a $10,000 bet on the Warriors to win next year's title at 14-1 odds, according to executive director John Murray.

Durant suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, and Thompson tore his ACL late in the third quarter of Game 6. Durant and Thompson, two of several big names that potentially could be on the move this offseason, each face a long recovery.

"[Golden State] is now [Stephen] Curry and Draymond [Green] without much else," Caesars head of risk Jeff Davis told ESPN on Friday morning. "There has been almost zero interest in them in the future market so far, so we made the decision to raise them and lower others."

Durant's and Thompson's injuries throw a wrench into an offseason capable of shaking up the balance of power in the NBA. The champion Raptors head into the summer hoping the franchise's first championship will be enough to persuade star Kawhi Leonard, a free agent, to stay in Toronto.

Caesars sportsbook senior oddsmaker Alan Berg said Thursday that he had already taken bets "big enough to make me respect them" on the Clippers and Lakers.

"We are treating all these bets as sharp on the basis that it's a very speculative market, with all the powerful free agents who can turn these teams into championship contenders," Berg added.

The Philadelphia 76ers are +1,200, followed by the Boston Celtics at +1,300 and Denver Nuggets at +1,500.