:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71274744/1389981047.0.jpg "NBA championship odds 2022-23: Kevin Durant's return to Brooklyn has Nets in contender tier")
The NBA championship picture for the 2022-23 season took another turn Tuesday morning with news that Kevin Durant would return to the Brooklyn Nets for the start of the season. For now, it appears Durant's trade request is off the table this year. That means Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons should take the floor together to kick off the season. Here's how DraftKings Sportsbook views the Nets with news of Durant's plan to return.
When title odds initially came out, the Nets were actually the favorites at +450. This was despite getting swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. That number slipped to +600 after the 2022 NBA Finals and now sits at +700. The Nets sit in fourth but are technically in the third tier of contenders per the oddsmakers. The Celtics hold the best odds at +500, while the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors sit at +600.