The Los Angeles Lakers desperately needed to make a move at this year’s trade deadline, and management delivered Wednesday.
LA landed D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley in a three-team trade with the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves, bolstering their roster for a playoff push in the stretch run of the season.
At 25-30, the Lakers are 13th in the West and two games out of a play-in spot, but their title odds jumped from +5000 before the trade to +2500 afterwards at BetMGM. The new odds are near the +2000 LA had reached after being rumored to land Kyrie Irving, and they rank seventh in the West.
The odds for Minnesota and Utah didn’t move one bit after the deal, though that was expected at least on the part of the Jazz, who are rebuilding.
As for the Timberwolves, it’s still not completely clear what they’re trying to do.
