All offseason, the New York Knicks were the clear-cut favorites to trade for Utah Jazz All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. However, when the Knicks signed RJ Barrett to an extension early this week, it hugely affected a potential Mitchell trade.'So much so that the Jazz today dealt Mitchell in a shocker to the Cleveland Cavaliers, whose 2022-23 NBA futures odds have improved across the board at Caesars Sportsbook.
Utah is trading the three-time All-Star Mitchell to Cleveland for Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton, thre e unprotected first-round picks (2025, '27 and '29) and two pick swaps (2026 and '28). Sexton was a restricted free agent who was limited to 11 games last year due to injury but averaged 24.3 points during the 2020-21 campaign. Agbaji, the 2022 Final Four Most Outstanding Player for Kansas, was the No. 14 overall pick this year. Markkanen basically serves as salary filler.
Cleveland had been +10000 at Caesars to win the NBA title, +5000 to win the East, +750 to capture the Central Division and had an over/under win total of 42.5 – the team finished 44-38 last season and reached the play-in tournament but lost in it.
Now, those numbers are +3000, +1500, +380 and 46.5 victories. To make the playoffs (which means past the play-in tournament), the Cavs are now -270 with No at +200. Mitchell's debut will be Oct. 19 at Toronto and his home Cavs debut Oct. 23 vs. Washington. Cleveland visits Utah on Jan. 10.