Raptors' NBA Championship Odds Climbing Amid Kevin Durant Trade Rumors

The Toronto Raptors have gone from dark horse to legitimate contender in the Kevin Durant trade sweepstakes. Masai Ujiri has proven he's not afraid to shake up his roster, and with several intriguing pieces to offer, Toronto could potentially put together the best package for Durant in the entire league.

With Durant-Raptors chatter heating up, the team's odds to win the NBA championship next season are climbing.

Raptors Kevin Durant Trade

Toronto entered July 1 with +5000 odds to win the 2022-23 NBA championship on FanDuel Sportsbook. Now that number has improved to just +3600, placing them in a tie for the 12th-best odds in the league.

This notable change with only rumors circulating shows how serious outsiders are considering the possibility of Durant heading north of the border.

It's obvious the Raptors need some star power to keep pace with the contenders of the Eastern Conference after a first-round exit this postseason. Their core is solid, and Scottie Barnes turning into a star would raise their ceiling, but landing Durant would make them a contender overnight.

Coming off of a Rookie of the Year win, Barnes could headline a potential package for Durant. The Florida State product flashed his do-it-all skillset last season, averaging 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Barnes' availability will be a huge factor in trade talks. The Brooklyn Nets would surely love to land a young building block with star potential, but the Raptors could try to use other wings like OG Anunoby or Gary Trent Jr. to facilitate a deal instead.

Kawhi Leonard's magical one-year in Toronto certainly provides a blueprint the team could follow once again. It remains to be seen if Ujiri offers up a package that puts his team above other suitors like the Phoenix Suns.

Isaiah De Los Santos is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Isaiah De Los Santos also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zayyy05328. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.