Most around the NBA assume that the Portland Trail Blazers will eventually be trading star point guard Damian Lillard at some point this offseason. However, an intriguing betting market has emerged about the potential move, with odds releasing on which NBA insider will be first to report the eventual trade.
Most would assume that either ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski or The Athletic’s Shams Charania will be the first to release the trade news. And the early betting odds certainly would tend to agree.
IndyStar Sports columnist Gregg Doyel tweeted a preview of betting odds from popular offshore sportsbook SportsBetting.ag. They show that Charania is the slight favorite at +110 compared to Wojnarowski, who sits at +115. Those who want a riskier proposition could bet on TNT’s Chris Haynes at +575, or any other reporter breaking the news first at +750.
Sports betting has jumped the shark. pic.twitter.com/BSYS2RHfqB
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) July 7, 2023
Many fans were surprised that this is even something that can be bet on by fans regulated to use the offshore sportsbook.
https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1677416992461017089
This is … something https://t.co/pygSKkyg2h
— Zack Klemme (@zklemmeHD) July 7, 2023
This feels easily exploitable https://t.co/QMNkFYTC2a
— Christian Hernandez (@BigIdiotHeatGuy) July 7, 2023
Some years it would be all but assumed that either Wojnarowski or Charania will break the news if the trade ultimately happens.
However, a Twitter user by the name of @droppingdimes20 reported a number of moves during the early stages of NBA Free Agency before those two.
The betting odds also tend to believe that Lillard will be traded sooner rather than later. A line was placed on whether a trade will happen before or on July 31st, which is the expected outcome at -250 compared to +170 if you believe the trade happens later than that date.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.