The Phoenix Suns’ Championship odds for the 2021-22 regular season were relatively unchanged by the team’s deals with a pair of “CPs” on Monday.
The defending Western Conference champions re-signed veteran guards, Chris Paul and Cameron Payne, bolstering a backcourt that led the franchise to its first NBA Finals appearance since 1993.
Breaking Down The CP Deals
Paul’s deal, which is worth upwards of $120 million over four years according to an ESPN report, comes on the heels of a renaissance season for the 16-year league stalwart.
Payne’s three-year, $19 million deal is the net result of a breakout eighth year in the league for the one-time lottery pick.
The one-time Murray State Racer played a key role in the Suns’ recent playoff run, averaging 9.3 points per game in 22 contests, while filling in for Paul after he suffered a wrist injury in the team’s Western Conference Quarterfinals and tested positive for COVID-19 in the run-up to the NBA Finals.
The deals with Paul and Payne, in combination with the team’s one-year. $5 million deal with free agent center JaVale McGee and trade for former Brooklyn Nets guard Landry Shamet, leave Phoenix with just under $56 million in luxury tax space.
The addition of McGee and Shamet and the team’s deals with Paul and Payne didn’t move the needle much, when it comes to Arizona sports betting sites’ odds on the Suns’ championship chances.
How Deal Impacts Odds
FanDuel AZ Sportsbook has the Suns with the seventh-best odds of winning the 2022 NBA championship (+1300).
Their odds are slightly rosier at DraftKings AZ Sportsbook, which gives Phoenix the fifth-best odds of winning the 2022 title (+1600).
BetMGM AZ also gives the Suns the fifth-best odds at winning the 2022 NBA Championship (+1400).
Arizona betting trends give the Nets the best odds of winning a title in 2022. BetMGM has the Nets at +225, while FanDuel has them at +220 and DraftKings has them at +200.
Looking Forward
The Suns could make a major splash in free agency by bringing on free agent Kawhi Leonard, or by making a trade for another established player.
According to SportsBetting.ag, the Suns currently have the fourth-best odds on AZ betting apps of signing Leonard (+350), behind the New York Knicks (+200), Dallas Mavericks (+250) and Golden State Warriors (+300).
The other question for the Suns this offseason is whether they will try to re-sign forward Deandre Ayton or guards Mikal Bridges and Shamet.
All three will be restricted free agents at the end of the 2022 season, with Ayton and Bridges playing key roles on the Suns’ Western Conference championship team.
Ayton, who averaged a career-best 15.8 points and 11.8 rebounds in 2021, is on the last year of his rookie contract.
The former No. 1 pick out of the University of Arizona is slated to make $12.6 million in the final year of his rookie contract, and wis eligible for a $16.4 million qualifying offer in 2022.
Bridges, meanwhile, will make just over $5.5 million in 2021 and will be eligible for a $7.5 million qualifying offer at season’s end.
The Suns could sign Ayton, Bridges and Shamet to a five-year, $173 million rookie extension at any time.
Shamet, who is entering the final year of his four-year, $9.5 million rookie contract, is slated to earn $3.7 million in 2021-22.
