How to bet the NBA after the 2023 trade deadline.

Key Points

– The trade deadline makes for some interesting wagers when you bet the NBA.

– The Suns will be a team to watch when you bet the NBA after the trade deadline.

The dust has finally settled on another NBA trade deadline. It seems like 15,000 second-round picks traded hands over the final week of dealing before the deadline.

Even though most of the significant movements occurred on Wednesday, the day before all trades had to be completed, the action was fairly chaotic. Now, it’s time to figure out how to prepare for betting basketball futures. 

Here’s a look at some of the biggest moves and how they can help you bet the NBA over the latter half of the season.

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In probably the biggest landmark deal before the 2023 trade deadline, Brooklyn traded Durant, TJ Warren and a bunch of draft picks to Phoenix for Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson. 

The Suns are going to rock. However, they don’t have a lot of time and a lot of work to get done. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are both returning off extended injury absences, so they must find a new chemistry while avoiding any further serious problems. Phoenix will also have to adjust to a lack of wing depth now that Bridges is gone.

Phoenix was listed as high as +1900 to win the Western Conference on Feb. 6. After the trade, those odds dropped significantly to +425. Several sportsbooks now have the Suns around +240 to win the conference as well as second on the board behind Boston to win the NBA title.

There was a rush on Phoenix as soon as the trade was announced. The buzz on the Suns will pass, and there will be chances for the Warriors to surge once Stephen Curry returns. The Mavs will make a play with their big trade and Sacramento is hanging around with the big dogs. Don’t forget, the Nuggets still lead the West with two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. 

The best bet might be to wait on Phoenix here and see how the new lineup comes together. 

Dallas acquired Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris from Brooklyn in return for Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith. There were draft picks involved as well.

Memphis is four games ahead of Dallas in the Southwest Division. The Grizzlies are just 3-7 in their last 10 games and have really struggled. Dallas has won five of its last seven and has even won a few without star Luka Doncic. 

Doncic and Irving paired up for the first time recently and the results were outstanding. The Mavs are one of the better defensive teams in the NBA and now have two of the league’s best players. Plus, Josh Green and Jaden Hardy are beginning to show flashes which will help Irving when Doncic is off the floor.

With Doncic on the floor, the Mavs have a +3.7 net rating. The Mavs underperformed over the first half of the season while Memphis overperformed. The Mavericks can catch Memphis, which gives real value to Dallas +375 to win the division.

Make sure you know how to calculate betting unit size before placing a bet here.

The Clippers are one of those teams that could win it all or bust. At the deadline, LA decided to send John Wall and Reggie Jackson packing. The Clippers added Eric Gordon and strong defensive big man Mason Plumlee.

After 59 games, the Clippers were 31-28, in sixth place in the Western Conference and just 2.5 games out of third place. When you bet the NBA in the second half of the season, be sure to check out the Clippers win totals.

Right now, the Clippers number is 45.5 and to hit this prop Los Angeles only has to go 15-8 in its remaining 23 games. With Kawhi Leonard, who is healthy now, in the Clippers lineup; the team is 20-10. If Leonard plays in the rest of the Clippers games, it stands to reason that they will clear this prop. 

Plus, they now have a quality backup center in Plumlee and a better starting guard in the backcourt. That gives LA what it needs to hit this prop.

Jae Crowder was acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks at the deadline and they were able to keep Grayson Allen. The Bucks gave up a handful of role players – George Hill, Serge Ibaka, and Jordan Nwora and added a player that is strong on both ends. Plus, Crowder is in a place where he wants to be. Crowder had not played all season for Phoenix and had wanted to be traded.

With the Bucks moves combined with those of Phoenix, there is strong value to bet on a Bucks-Suns NBA Finals. The Bucks can now go small with Giannis at the 5 and Crowder at the 4. In the regular starting lineup, Crowder can play the 3 alongside Khris Middleton. Crowder’s addition gives the Bucks tremendous flexibility and they keep Allen, a long-range marksman. On the other end, you have the Suns with Kevin Durant. It’s a finals matchup that could definitely happen and, at +800, a small wager is worth the risk.

This is one of those bets where you could use online sportsbook bonuses to grow your bankroll and minimize your risk.

The Lakers have disappointed for the most part for the opening half of the 2022-23 NBA season. Before the trade deadline, the Lakers got rid of Russell Westbrook, Thomas Bryant, Patrick Beverley, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Damian Jones.

They acquired players that can help them tremendously –  D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Mo Bamba. With Russell at the point, he can create shots of his own as well as those for others. Beasley is a physical player who can heat up at times on offense. 

Bamba gives the Lakers the ability to play him at the stretch-5 and keep Anthony Davis and LeBron James on the floor together. Vanderbilt will also allow the Lakers to go small without losing anything defensively. The biggest key might be that Westbrook and his poor attitude are now gone. 

Currently, the Lakers are 26-31 and in 13th place in the Western Conference. Two games separates the Lakers from the No. 10 spot in the West. Given a shot at making the play-in tournament, there is value on LA at +194 to make the playoffs. 

The Clippers have upgraded and the Warriors will probably play better down the stretch. However, Minnesota has been disappointing since the injury to Karl-Anthony Towns and New Orleans is sliding fast too. 

The Lakers have a clear shot at the play-in tournament and, if they get in, look out. With their upgrades, this is a better roster than the first half of the season. When you bet the NBA in the second half, a wager on the Lakers to make the playoffs could pay off.