It has been a very busy week for the Los Angeles Lakers.
To the shock of many fans, the Lakers actually did quite well with the NBA trade deadline and made some substantial changes to the roster.
You would think that all the alterations they pursued would give them a better chance of winning the NBA Finals.
But the betting market doesn’t think so.
Lakers Championship odds last week: +5000
Lakers odds after dumping Westbrook, acquiring D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba:
+5000 🤷🏾It’s not getting easier for Lakers fans😂 pic.twitter.com/6V5uM0MKNk
— ClutchPoints Betting (@CPBetting) February 9, 2023
The Lakers’ championship odds last week were +5000.
This week, after the hard work of Rob Pelinka and his front office, their odds are now the exact same at +5000.
That’s disheartening for Lakers loyalists.
Just days after acquiring Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards, the Lakers sent away Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Damian Jones, and Thomas Bryant.
In exchange for those players, they earned D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Mo Bamba.
Those are some major and crucial changes for the team.
It gives them more sharpshooters, length, and defensive talent too.
Those are all things that the Lakers have desperately needed all season long.
Yet, it seems that the betting market doesn’t acknowledge these changes or at least doesn’t think it gives the Lakers a better shot at winning the Finals.
Perhaps this is because of all the other big moves that happened in the league this week.
Kyrie Irving is now playing for the Dallas Mavericks, Kevin Durant is with the Phoenix Suns, Jae Crowder is suiting up for the Milwaukee Bucks, and multiple other teams have strengthened their cores and improved their chances.
The Lakers did a lot of work and fans should be happy with what they accomplished.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean they will be winning another ring this year.
NEXT: Thomas Bryant Made A Shocking Demand Of The Lakers
