The expectations surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers may be through the roof now that they have drafted former UCLA star Lonzo Ball, but Las Vegas oddsmakers don’t think fans should count on the team making the postseason in the rookie’s first year.
As ESPN’s Ben Fawkes notes, the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook on Saturday posted odds for the Lakers to reach the playoffs next season. The odds that they won’t make the playoffs are currently -700, meaning you’d win roughly $14 if you bet $100 on the Lakers missing the postseason. A bet that they will get there pays +500, meaning a $100 wager would net $500.
Immediately after the Lakers drafted Ball on Thursday, his infamously outspoken father LaVar guaranteed the team will make the playoffs next year. That led to a great response from head coach Luke Walton, who clearly does not want his players getting ahead of themselves.
Even if Lonzo Ball is as good as advertised, the Lakers won just 26 games and were one of the worst teams in the NBA last season. Should they find a way to acquire Paul George in the coming months, we’d like their chances of playing extra games a lot more.
