The 2019 NBA season is now in the books, with the Toronto Raptors crowned as the somewhat surprising champions. While the men from the north winning it all may not have been what anyone expected, they were a thoroughly deserving champion. The question now is whether they are going to be able to come back and do it all again next season.
That might well depend on where Mr. Leonard decides to hang his hat next year, as losing him would make it very tough for the Raptors to get back to the top. It’s way too early to be talking about potential winners in 2020, as we are going to see moves aplenty this offseason. Still, let’s take a look at who the bookies like as the NBA Betting favorites to win it all next season.
2020 NBA Finals Odds – June 17th Edition
Los Angeles Lakers
- 2020 NBA Finals Odds: +270
There was a belief that the Lakers were going to take a big step forward last season after landing LeBron James, but things did not go to plan. Injuries sidelined James for an extended period, during which time it became perfectly clear that the Lakers needed to do some more shopping to take that next step.
They wasted very little time in filling that shopping basket, trading with the New Orleans Pelicans to acquire the services of Anthony Davis. That move prompted the bookies to immediately install the Lakers as the favorites to win the 202 NBA Championship. There may yet be more moves to come, so stay tuned.
Milwaukee Bucks
- 2020 NBA Finals Odds: +650
The Bucks posted the best regular season record in the NBA in 2019, but they came up short in the postseason, losing to the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Final. It was a huge step forward for the Bucks, but you can bet that they were not content with just getting close.
I expect them to come back better next season, as they will almost certainly have learned some tough lessons from their deep run in the playoffs. The East could once again be up for grabs, especially of Kawhi Leonard decides to move on from the Raptors.
Toronto Raptors
- 2020 NBA Finals Odds: +700
It’s not very often that a defending champion is not immediately installed as a favorite for the next season, especially just a matter of days after being crowned as the champions. The main reason why the Raptors are in this spot is that there are some doubts as to what they might look like next season.
Job number one, as we have already mentioned a couple of times, is convincing Kawhi Leonard to stick around for at least one more season. It’s impossible to know what he is going to do. It was clear he did not want to be in Toronto when he was shipped there the last offseason, but perhaps a championship may have changed how he feels.
Golden State Warriors
- 2020 NBA Finals Odds: +850
With their loss in the NBA Finals, there are some ready to write this team off. The headlines are all about how the dynasty is now over, but it might just be a little too early to count out the Warriors.
They are, though, going to have an interesting season, as they will be looking to convince Kevin Durant to stick around. Another issue is that they may not have Klay Thompson at all next season after he tore his ACL in the Finals. Still, this is a team that you write off at your own peril.
More 2020 NBA Championship Odds
- Atlanta Hawks +10000
- Boston Celtics +1500
- Brooklyn Nets +1600
- Charlotte Hornets +30000
- Chicago Bulls +10000
- Cleveland Cavaliers +30000
- Dallas Mavericks +4000
- Denver Nuggets +1800
- Detroit Pistons +30000
- Houston Rockets +950
- Indiana Pacers +6000
- Los Angeles Clippers +1000
- Memphis Grizzlies +20000
- Miami Heat +30000
- Minnesota Timberwolves +30000
- New Orleans Pelicans +8000
- New York Knicks +1800
- Oklahoma City Thunder +2500
- Orlando Magic +10000
- Philadelphia 76ers +1100
- Phoenix Suns +30000
- Protland Trail Blazers +3000
- Sacramento Kings +10000
- San Antonio Sputs +5000
- Utah Jazz +3000
- Washington Wizards +10000
