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Rumors, chatter, uncertainty; let the speculation begin! Even before we crown a champion between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors, we can look at the 2023 NBA Finals odds and speculate on who could end up here this time next year.

So, let’s look at some potential offseason storylines, and see if there are some early edges to be gained.

The Brooklyn Nets are in one of the most precarious positions a team could be in. Three stars, two on the wrong end of 30, and genuine uncertainty about two players’ commitment to putting in the hours required to play basketball at an elite level.

Kyrie Irving can opt-in to his contract with the Nets this offseason. it would put him on a one-year deal for this coming season worth just under $37 million, per Spotrac.

However, it has been expected that Irving will opt out and seek a full-max contract, despite missing 144 games combined since 2019. That comes off the back of forcing his way off of a title-contending Cleveland Cavaliers team and not re-signing with the Celtics, who are currently two games away from winning the NBA title.

Suppose Irving is insistent on a max extension with the franchise, as has been expected. In that case, the Nets could try to move Irving for a legitimate player who can contribute to a championship-contending team.

Ringer founder Bill Simmons said on his podcast on Thursday: “You have to move on from Kyrie if you’re the Nets. You cannot bring him back; you have to sign and trade him.”

Simmons also said earlier in the week that “there is some Lakers buzz with him [Kyrie].”

Simmons’ guest on the show was NBA Insider Kevin O’Connor. “There’s a lot of noise out there about what could happen with the Nets,” But the salient question ended up being, “Who else is going to want Kyrie besides the Lakers?”

There are some teams out there, but the Lakers would give him a chance to compete for a title in a major market while getting a full max contract.

The route to get there is pretty difficult, though.

A possible trade destination discussed was Irving in a three-team deal where Irving ended up in LA. Russell Westbrook goes somewhere with cap room (the Thunder would make sense). The Nets would get two Lakers first-round picks (likely more, too) and, most importantly, a $40 million trade exception.

The massive trade exception combined with picks from the Lakers and picks from the 76ers acquired in the James Harden deal could be enough to land a legitimate two-way player that will actually play a full season.

Possible options for the Nets to trade for at that point would include Donovan Mitchell, Zach Lavine, Damian Lillard, and Bradley Beal, to name a few.

This scenario could make them significantly more reliable as an NBA Finals bet for 2023.

Also of note, SNY also had some reporting about a month ago, saying that the Nets were open to trading Irving during the season and that the Lakers were interested in making a move for the point guard.

As currently constructed, the Brooklyn Nets are not even worth discussing as a bet to win the 2023 NBA Finals.

Overall, none of the favorites are overly enticing to bet on at current odds. Going into last season, the Los Angeles Lakers were near the top in the league in odds to win the NBA Finals. Injuries and poor roster moves thwarted those hopes in a hurry.

LeBron James will surely push the Lakers to make a move for more pieces to help them compete for a title. If that player is Irving and all the uncertainty he has, their current NBA Finals for the 2023 season are an outstanding value.

At +2200 on Caesars Sportsbook, the Lakers will be extremely active during the offseason, leaving this as an opportunity to get better with some roster additions.

Furthermore, most sportsbooks offer cashouts for futures bets like these. If the Lakers make no moves or only minimally improve, you will probably be able to cash out for close to the bet amount.

A combination of James, Anthony Davis and Irving would be one of the most interesting “Big Threes” that we have seen in NBA history.