Celtics improving Finals odds
The Boston Celtics are showing signs that they want to be in the hunt to win the NBA Finals next season. Do oddsmakers feel the Celtics are on the right track?
Last week the Celtics agreed to a four-year, $128 million deal with Gordon Hayward, one of the top free agents in the 2017 class. In order to make room for Hayward and his contract, the team moved Avery Bradley over to the Detroit Pistons in return for Marcus Morris. The Celtics also agreed to let Kelly Olynyk go in free agency while bringing in former Piston forward Aron Baynes on a 1-year deal.
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, the Celtics are now listed with +1000 odds to win. They have the third-shortest odds right now, as the Warriors are a -200 favorite and the Cavaliers are listed with +450 odds. In the East, the Celtics are currently listed with +300 odds to win.
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Hayward is the biggest addition to the team. He is coming off his best season in the NBA, as he averaged 21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1 steal per game for the Jazz. He shot 47.1 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from the arc. Hayward gives the Celtics a nice scoring option to compliment Isaiah Thomas, who was often considered a 1-man team at times.
The Celtics lose Bradley, who was second on the team in scoring at 16.7 points per game. However, they add some physicality in Morris, a 6-9 power forward. Morris averaged 14 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for the Pistons last season. Baynes is a 6-10 center that also provides some more bulk inside. He averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for the Pistons last season as a backup to Andre Drummond.