Kevin Durant trade makes Rockets title contenders according to sportsbook odds shift

Drew Bishop

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Kevin Durant trade makes Rockets title contenders according to sportsbook odds shift image

As the dust settles on the Kevin Durant trade, sportsbooks are scrambling to adjust the odds for next season's race for the NBA title.

Before the blockbuster deal the Rockets were +1200 to win the 2026 championship according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

Now they stand at +750, the second-best odds behind the Oklahoma City Thunder at +235.

It's a massive shift for Houston, a team that didn't make it out of the first round last year, after trading for the 36-year-old.

On FanDuel the Rockets' odds jumped to +900. They are third on the list behind the Cleveland Cavaliers at +850 and the Thunder at +220.

+900 is an implied probability of 10%, while +750 translates to an 11.8% chance to win the title.

The Houston Rockets’ odds to win the 2026 NBA Finals shifted from +1200 to +750 after acquiring Kevin Durant 👀 pic.twitter.com/p4VczStYnX
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) June 22, 2025

Sportsbook odds are often the best indicator of how sharp bettors grade a trade. This sharp odds shift shows that there's a widespread belief in the Rockets after acquiring the two-time NBA champion.

MORE: Rockets projected starting lineup after Kevin Durant blockbuster trade

It's a good sign, but in the grand scheme of things it won't affect the on-court results.

Drew Bishop

Drew Bishop is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. After graduating from the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University, he worked in local media in Sandusky, Ohio at BCSN and the Sandusky Register, freelancing as a reporter, broadcast director and play-by-play commentator for high school sports. He then moved on to KRIS 6 News where he serves as a producer in the news department.