NBA title odds post trade deadline: Should Cavs be East favorites?
While Giannis Antetokounmpo remains a Buck and there wasn't a Luka Doncic-level blockbuster, teams across the league were active leading up to the NBA trade deadline, positioning themselves to compete this season and beyond.
The Wizards, Jazz, and Pacers used the deadline to improve for the 2026-27 campaign. Each of them added win-now veterans - Washington with Anthony Davis, Utah with Jaren Jackson Jr., and Indiana with Ivica Zubac - while planning to tank this season in hopes of landing a franchise-altering talent in the draft.
If odds for the 2027 champion were posted, all three organizations would have soared up the board in the last 48 hours. But we still have to crown a 2026 winner first.
The Cavaliers are the only team whose moves significantly increased its title chances, led by their acquisition of James Harden in exchange for Darius Garland. They went from having the eighth-best odds to win the Finals at +2000 to the third best at +1200, behind only the Thunder (+110) and Nuggets (+480) on theScore Bet.
Cleveland jumped from the fourth-best odds to win the Eastern Conference at +440 to the favorite at +300. Meanwhile, the Clippers, who have won 17 of their last 23 games and were surging into the playoff picture, saw their championship odds plummet from +3300 to +20000 following the Harden and Zubac trades. Kawhi Leonard remains on the roster but seems likely to be moved this summer.
π Check out all of the NBA futures available on theScore Bet here
After three-and-a-half seasons and just two playoff series wins, Cleveland ultimately decided that a Garland-and-Donovan Mitchell backcourt was too physically challenged and not talented enough to achieve deep postseason success. Garland's extensive injury history, imperfect fit alongside Mitchell, and poor playoff performances led to his departure.
The Cavs now hope Harden can help them escape postseason purgatory. Yes, the same Harden who notoriously shrinks in the playoffs.
But that's not an entirely fair assessment of the trade. While Harden's late-season shortcomings might ultimately prevent Cleveland from winning the East, adding the former MVP significantly bolsters its chances. That alone makes the deal worth it for a team going all-in to challenge a weakened conference. The Cavaliers replaced an 18-point-per-game scorer with a 25-point-per-game scorer who's also a better playmaker.
Harden, who's third in the NBA in assists per game, is one of the league's best distributors and and now inherits two exciting pick-and-roll partners in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. His scoring took a back seat to Joel Embiid in Philadelphia and Leonard in Los Angeles, and, in Cleveland, he'll defer to Mitchell, the league's sixth-highest scorer. Yet, with Harden pouring in 25.4 points of his own, he and Mitchell have become one of two pairs of teammates who are both averaging at least 25 points this season.
Before bringing in Harden, the Cavs traded De'Andre Hunter to the Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. The organization cut ties with Hunter after only 70 games following a disappointing 2025-26 campaign in which he'd shot 42.3% from the field and 30.8% from three. Flipping him for a backcourt depth piece and a great perimeter defender is a quality return.
The Cavs are a deadline winner, but would I go as far as oddsmakers and declare them the favorites in the East? That might be a reach. Although Garland contributed to the group's playoff blemishes, the frontcourt pairing of Mobley and Allen has floundered against increased physicality during certain series.
Even as Mobley nurses a calf injury, Cleveland has won 14 of its last 19 contests. However, the Knicks, who were the favorites to win the East before the Cavs leaped them, remain the most talented team in the conference. While New York also carries flaws, some of which were exposed during a rough January stretch, it has won eight straight and has plenty of playoff experience. Then there's the Pistons, who are tied with the Knicks for the second-best odds to win the East at +350 on theScore Bet. Detroit holds a five-game cushion for first place in the conference, and while its core hasn't won a playoff series together, the team's physicality, matched with the NBA's second-best defense, will be a nightmare matchup for any challenger.
At this time last year, the idea of the Pacers making the Finals was an afterthought, so a few of this season's unlikely contenders, such as the Celtics (+370) and 76ers (+1000), deserve consideration as well.
Acquiring Harden undoubtedly makes the Cavs more dangerous, but they shouldn't be assumed to win the East or placed into the same conversation as the Thunder or Nuggets so long as their new point guard continues to be a playoff no-show.
Sam Oshtry is a sports writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more basketball coverage.
US: Must be 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER; Hope is here. Call (800)-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support (MA); Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY).
ON: Please play responsibly. 19+. ON only. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call ConnexOntario 24/7 at 1-866-531-2600. Text us at 247247 or chat with us at www.connexontario.ca.