Hiddy ho, ya'll. The Wicked Witch of the East is DEAD. The lockout is over! Sanity has returned to the...well, let's not go too far. There's a damn good chance Nene is going to get a max contract and teams are going to be dying to out-bid each other for the services of Jamal Crawford.
I love me some JC, but if he gets more than the new MLE ($20m) than the system is still busted.
What are the odds of that happening? Far better than the odds of the Phoenix Suns winning an NBA Championship (75/1) and much better than the Suns chances of winning the Western Conference (30/1).
Them there are some long odds but that's really not surprise considering:
- The Suns head into an abbreviated training camp with serious depth questions at point guard (thanks, Lon Babby for the Dragic + 1st rd pick for Brooks trade that keeps on giving);
- Jared Dudley is the projected starting two guard and the teams best individual shot creator;
- questions surrounding Josh Childress' ability to spread the floor;
- answers about Josh Childress' ability to spread the floor;
- Marcin Gortat might have added a post game (I'll believe it when I see it);
- Robin Lopez;
- and Grant Hill is a free agent who will either leave or come back and be the team's best defender at age 39
So, yeah, it's possible the Suns will defy those odds like they did in 2009-10 when the Nash, Amare, JRich, Hill, Frye, Dudley, Lopez, Dragic, and Amundson group gelled in a special way and got to the WCF. But it's pretty hard to be as optimistic about Nash, Hill, Frye, Gortat, Dudley, Morris, Childress, Pietrus, and friends.
Maybe Babby has a trick up his sleeve that will flip Vince Carter for James Harden or something equally spectacular and unforeseen.
If you believe that, I suggest you truck on up to Vegas and put down some money on this team. Your faith certainly would be rewarded if those suns and stars and moons align.
Full NBA and WC odds (via Bodog) after the jump:
Odds to win 2012 NBA Championship
Miami Heat 9/4
Los Angeles Lakers 5/1
Chicago Bulls 7/1
Oklahoma City Thunder 15/2
Dallas Mavericks 17/2
Boston Celtics 12/1
New York Knicks 20/1
Orlando Magic 22/1
Memphis Grizzlies 25/1
San Antonio Spurs 25/1
Portland Trailblazers 30/1
Atlanta Hawks 50/1
Los Angeles Clippers 50/1
Denver Nuggets 75/1
Houston Rockets 75/1
New Jersey Nets 75/1
Phoenix Suns 75/1
Utah Jazz 75/1
Indiana Pacers 100/1
Milwaukee Bucks 100/1
New Orleans Hornets 100/1
Philadelphia 76ers 100/1
Detroit Pistons 125/1
Golden State Warriors 125/1
Charlotte Bobcats 150/1
Cleveland Cavaliers 150/1
Minnesota Timberwolves 150/1
Sacramento Kings 150/1
Washington Wizards 150/1
Toronto Raptors 200/1
Odds to win 2012 NBA Western Conference Championship
Los Angeles Lakers 2/1
Oklahoma City Thunder 13/4
Dallas Mavericks 4/1
Portland Trailblazers 10/1
San Antonio Spurs 10/1
Memphis Grizzlies 15/1
Los Angeles Clippers 20/1
Denver Nuggets 25/1
Houston Rockets 25/1
New Orleans Hornets 30/1
Phoenix Suns 30/1
Utah Jazz 35/1
Golden State Warriors 40/1
Minnesota Timberwolves 60/1
Sacramento Kings 60/1