Have Knicks' Championship Odds Shifted After Bogdanovic, Burks Trade?
The New York Knicks have been almost unanimously labeled as winners of the 2024 NBA trade deadline, acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons. They might be the biggest winners among oddsmakers as well.
Odds from BetOnline shared with All Knicks labeled New York one of the biggest movers after Thursday's rush of transactions. The Knicks' conference championship odds moved from +700/7-1 to +600/6-1 while their odds to win the NBA Finals shifted from +2000/20-1 to +1800/18-1.
New York (33-19) now holds the third-best odds to win the East, behind only Boston (5-4/+125) and Milwaukee (12-5/+240). Their championship chances are tied for seventh with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Vincent Carchietta, USA TODAY SPORTS
The team has already been one of the hottest, if not the hottest, squads in the NBA in the infant stages of the new calendar year (16-4 since Jan. 1), and adding Bogdanovic and Burks at a relatively meager price figured to give them one of the deepest rotations in the Association.
One might consider that the Knicks' odds might be rather high considering their recent success and retainment of All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. It stands to reason, however, that oddsmakers may be looking for the Knicks to at least register some official minutes with their new lineup.
Several regulars, including Brunson, Randle, and December trade acquisition OG Anunoby, are sidelined with injuries, ones that have caused the Knicks to drop two of their last three after a nine-game winning streak. The latter loss carries a bit of an asterisk, as the Knicks had only eight men dressed for Thursday's 122-108 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. That number dwindled to seven when starting center Isaiah Hartenstein, already stepping in during the long-term absence of Mitchell Robinson, left after first half action with an Achilles aggravation that previously kept him out of two games in late January.
The revamped Knicks, with Bogdanovic and Burks likely in tow, are set to take the floor on Saturday when they host the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).
