Basketball bettors are still coming down off an exhilarating Game 7 of the NBA Finals and while most offseasons are like sitting through a community college film festival, the summer of 2016 is set to get very interesting with numerous big-name free agents at the market.

The crown jewel of the NBA free agent class (now that LeBron James squashed any rumors that he was leaving Cleveland – again) is small forward Kevin Durant. Durant, who has played his entire pro career for the Seattle Sonics/Oklahoma City Thunder, is currently scheduling meetings with possible suitors and has NBA oddsmakers at DEFCON 1 awaiting his decision.

We talked to sportsbooks to determine how much impact Durant would have at the NBA Championship futures if he was to sign with one of the rumored teams competing for his talents. 

Oklahoma City Thunder (Currently +600)

The Thunder are the betting favorites to retain Durant’s service this coming season, set as -200 front runners. Should KD stay in OKC, the Thunder’s title odds would likely stay steady. However, there may well be some slight adjustments with early NBA futures money already on Oklahoma City and the general public projected to react if Durant re-signs.

“I greatly believe he stays in Oklahoma City and we've our futures odds in line with that premise,” Peter Childs, supervisor of risk management for Sportsbook.ag tells Covers. “If he signs anywhere else, you will discover major shockwaves to the long run market.”

If Durant does go elsewhere, Childs believes OKC would move from 6/1 to as high as 50/1, dependent on who the Thunder pick as much as replace Durant. He can also see Oklahoma City pulling off a sign-and-trade with another team in the event that they realize Durant has one foot out the door – specifically with the la Clippers and star forward Blake Griffin.

“If that happens, then a minimum of the Thunder can be gaining a top quality All-Star player in Griffin, so their odds would go up but only to the 20/1 range,” says Childs.

Golden State Warriors (Currently +250)

This scenario doesn’t even seem fair. The idea of getting Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Durant with their heels behind the 3-point line is sufficient to keep Western Conference coaches awake at night. Golden State is already the favourite to win the 2016-17 NBA Championship without Durant, and would see significant movement should the Dubs add KD to their arsenal. 

“The Warriors are around +250 favorites to win next season and if Durant bolts for the Bay Area, you will see them become odds-on favorites, probably around -150,” Scott Cooley of Bookmaker.eu tells Covers.

San Antonio Spurs (Currently +800)

San Antonio could also be among those teams on Durant’s radar. Last summer, the Spurs snatched up LaMarcus Aldridge and will make another big move toward the way forward for the franchise by adding Durant. Sportsbooks could see San Antonio’s title odds trimmed as little as 3/2 and would set the Spurs because the favorites within the Western Conference.

“I do not know why, but I'VE the sensation he will finally end up in San Antonio,” says Cooley. “Durant is a class-act player, and he would slot in well in that classy organization. The lineup can be somewhat crowded with forwards, but I DON'T BELIEVE he would mind running as a shooting guard when needed.”

Boston Celtics (Currently +3,000)

The Celtics have a deep core of young talent but no proven superstar to get the team over the hump, especially come playoff time. Durant could be that push. The storied franchise finished third within the Eastern Conference this past season and adding a proven winner would place Boston back within the title picture, cutting their NBA futures in half to 15/1.

“A very interesting team within the mix are the Celtics,” says Childs. “They have such a lot young talent in addition to a ton of future draft picks. They might build their entire roster around KD with the standard players they have got in place in addition to through trades and draft. Durant and the Celtics could be competitive for years and years to come.”

Miami Heat (Currently (+2,500)

The Heat are at the other end of the dimensions when put next to the Celtics. Miami has all-stars in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh but age has caught up with those two and Bosh’s career continues to be at the fence because of medical issues. There isn’t as much upside in South Beach as there may be in Boston, expect for the truth that it is, after all, South Beach. Miami would drop from 25/1 to 12/1 if it somehow landed KD in free agency.

“The East should be appealing to him simply to avoid the grind of the Western Conference playoffs,” notes Cooley. “Miami looks as if an excellent fit, but does he really need to get on board with all of these aging veterans? They still have some tread left, but not much.”

New York Knicks (Currently +7,500)

Rumors have it Carmelo Anthony is putting the bug in Durant’s ear during Olympic workouts – which can or might not be a fair thing – and the Knicks are supposedly on KD’s meeting schedule. Big apple can be an improbable place for Durant to showcase his talents and a large" Three" of KD, Melo and Derrick Rose can be fun to observe. Ny would move from 75/1 to around 25/1 to win the title, which might be tempting odds considering how weak the East is outside of Cleveland.

Other hopefuls:

Los Angeles Clippers (Currently +2,000, With Durant +900)Washington Wizards (Currently +12,500, With Durant +5,000)Los Angeles Lakers (Currently +10,000, With Durant +8,000)

Read More... [Source: Covers.com: NBA News and Stories]