NBA odds, futures: How will Jaylen Brown's trade impact 2027 NBA Finals, Eastern Conference outlook?
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- Philadelphia 76ers title odds at DraftKings collapsed from +5500 to +2000 after acquiring Jaylen Brown, jumping past all Eastern Conference teams except the Knicks (+850) and Celtics (+1300) in title odds
- Boston Celtics slid from +650 to +1100 in NBA title futures after trading 2024 Finals MVP Brown for 36-year-old Paul George, two first-round picks (including an unprotected 2031), and two second-round picks
- The 76ers are now +750 to win the Eastern Conference, down from +1900 on Monday, while the Celtics lengthened from +230 to +425 in the same market
- Brown's 28.7 PPG last season (4th in NBA) joins Tyrese Maxey (28.3 PPG, 5th) and Joel Embiid (26.9 PPG) in a potentially potent Philadelphia lineup, though Embiid has not played more than 39 games in any of the past three seasons
- Boston engaged in trade talks with Milwaukee for Giannis Antetokounmpo after being eliminated by Philly in the first round, offering Brown and two first-round picks — but the Bucks traded Giannis to Miami instead, forcing the Celtics to pivot
- A chemistry concern surfaced when Brown called Embiid a 'flopper' in a viral live stream after Philadelphia knocked out Boston in the playoffs two months ago
- The Celtics also signed free agent center Mitchell Robinson on the same day as the Brown deal
Why it matters: The market priced Philadelphia as a 55-to-1 longshot on Monday and a 20-to-1 contender by Thursday, reflecting bettors' belief that pairing a 28.7 PPG scorer (Brown) with Maxey and Embiid transforms the Sixers into a real East threat — yet Brown's 'flopper' comments about Embiid and Embiid's three straight sub-39-game seasons give the Sixers' new odds real downside risk.
