It’s way too early to understand the Los Angeles Lakers Championship Odds for next season, but we’re going to do it anyway.
A miraculous run to the Western Conference Finals should leave fans and bettors optimistic for next season, but they have some work to do.
LA doesn’t need to make many moves to compete next year, and should ultimately run it back with this roster.
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Breaking Down the Lakers Championship Odds for the 2023-24 Season
According to BetMGM, the Lakers’ odds of winning the championship next season are set at +1200.
This has them tied with the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers for the fifth-best odds in the NBA.
LA’s odds to win the West are +650, tied for third-best.
These odds are certain to change, but right now, this is good value for the Western Conference runner-ups.
So why should you place your bets now?
For starters, it’s unlikely there will be better preseason odds than +1200.
It’d be surprising if LA brought back a lesser version of their 2022-23 squad, and a fully healthy season together could see them as a top three seed, at least.
+650 to win the West isn’t terrific value just days after the season ended, but it could be the longest odds you’ll find.
Roster Moves
The Lakers are in an interesting spot this offseason.
D’Angelo Russell is an unrestricted free agent, and Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves are both restricted free agents.
Bringing back Hachimura and Reaves feels like a must, but it gets questionable when it comes to Russell.
Do they leverage him with a sign-and-trade and hope Nick Smith Jr. or Jalen Hood-Schifino falls to them at 17?
Or do they bring him back and try to stack depth in other positions using veteran minimums and their pick?
I lean toward the second option.
Yes, Russell had a putrid WCF performance that made Laker fans forget about any success he’s ever had. He was also inconsistent throughout the playoffs.
Dwyane Wade insists Lakers continue to build their chemistry including bringing back D’Angelo Russell.
“When LeBron was out, it gave them a chance to build chemistry outside of LeBron as a team. AD can be at that level. You got a chance to see what DLo and Austin Reaves brings” pic.twitter.com/qmZHjiqhcT
— Dom 🏀🏀 (@DominickNBA) June 13, 2023
But who else is on the market?
A Kyrie Irving sign-and-trade would be catastrophic and wouldn’t make any sense.
Fred VanVleet would be a fantastic pickup, but that means sacrificing their entire cap for an above-average player.
With their projected cap room ($29.6 Million), they can fill out their bench with guys like Kelly Oubre Jr., Cam Johnson, or even Brook Lopez.
Keeping Russell makes sense foundationally, especially with how deep this draft class is.
How the NBA Draft Will Impact the Lakers’ Championship Odds
Currently, LA holds the No. 17 pick in both rounds of the draft.
There is one prospect that would instantly boost their odds, making this +1200 line shrink.
He (for some reason) isn’t too high on experts’ draft boards. He can be a little inconsistent at times. There are also questions about his injury history.
But he is a champion, a winner, and an absolute dawg.
His name is Jordan Hawkins.
A few mock drafts have him falling to 17 to LA, but it’s hard to bank on that.
Whatever the Lakers look to accomplish in this draft, it should be to get Hawkins no matter what.
He is lethal in catch-and-shoot situations, has an absolute beauty of a jumper, and has that intangible “it” factor to him.
Personally, it’s shocking that he’s most likely falling out of the top ten. But the Lakers need to capitalize on this.
He would give them a flamethrower of a scoring threat off the bench, and he provides enough value on defense to earn himself a consistent role.
Kobe Bufkin out of Michigan, Keyonte George from Baylor, and Cason Wallace from Kentucky are also names to look out for that could contribute right away.
Final Thoughts on the “Way Too Early” Lakers Championship Odds
It’s June 15th.
We have absolutely no idea what’s in store this offseason, and any NBA fan knows a LOT can change over the summer.
However, the Lakers have a really nice core that was fantastic when they were all brought together.
LeBron James should be healthy going into the season, along with Anthony Davis.
There are obviously still a few question marks about the rest of the roster, but +1200 is a solid line to throw some dollars on if you’re into future bets.
