The Philadelphia 76ers made the biggest move of the young 2018-19 NBA season on Saturday when they dealt Dario Saric and Robert Covington to Minnesota in exchange for Jimmy Butler.
The move is clearly one made with the intent of improving their chances in the Eastern Conference after starting the season 8-5, with three of those losses being by double-digits to the three top teams in the East. The Sixers decided they needed to make a move to have a chance at a Finals run this season and pounced at the right time when the Timberwolves were desperate to move Butler after an 0-5 stretch.
As for how much better this makes the Sixers, we’ll have to wait and see, because while Butler is a significant addition, they do have depth concerns on the wing. Still, few see this as anything other than a net positive, and the folks at Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas agree, as they vaulted the Sixers up from 30-1 to win the NBA title to 16-1, moving them even with the Houston Rockets and third in the East behind the Celtics and Raptors (each 13-2).
NBA Championship updated
Warriors 2/5
Celtics 13/2
Raptors 13/2
76ers 16/1
Rockets 16/1
Bucks 20/1
Jazz 25/1
Thunder 30/1
Lakers 40/1
Nuggets 50/1
Pelicans 60/1
Spurs 100/1
Trail Blazers 100/1
Pacers 100/1
Clippers 200/1
Grizzlies 200/1
Wizards 200/1
Heat 300/1
Timberwolves 500/1— Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) November 10, 2018
It’s a significant jump and, most interesting, is that it vaults them ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks in the East. Still, you can see that Vegas sees the gap between the Sixers and the Raptors and Celtics still existing in the East, even if Philly improved their standing in the eyes of many with this move.
