Yardbarker
x
Charlotte Hornets tied for worst odds to win Finals following schedule release
Jan 5, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) drives against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) in the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images David Richard-Imagn Images

It has been quite a while since the Charlotte Hornets were contenders to win an NBA title, if ever, to be honest. The last time they even made the second round was back in the 2001-02 season.

Charlotte has never made the Eastern Conference Finals, despite being around since the 1988-89 season. Quite frankly, they have been one of the worst franchises in the league.

Jeff Peterson made moves to bring in Collin Sexton, Spencer Dinwiddie, Mason Plumlee, and Pat Connaughton as veteran pieces to help them make a run at the playoffs. That doesn't seem to have swayed oddsmakers.

The Hornets have some of the worst odds to make the NBA Finals

Despite making all of those moves and having LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller back healthy (for now), Vegas does not like the odds of the Hornets winning the NBA title, and rightfully so.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Hornets have tied for the worst odds of winning it all at +100000. They are tied with the Nets, Jazz, and Wizards. It's clear that they believe Charlotte will be one of the worst teams in the league yet again.

For comparison sake, the team with the best odds to win the championship is the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have +240 odds to win it all, which makes sense considering they are the defending champs.

Charlotte can use the Thunder as a blueprint on how to turn into a title contender, but it's a multi-year process. They were in limbo for quite a while until they traded for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Hornets are getting no respect from Vegas or the betting public

While the Hornets don't exactly have a track record that would make bettors warm and fuzzy inside, they should still be better than both the Nets and the Wizards next season.

Charlotte should feel insulted to have the same odds to win the title as both of those teams, neither of which has an identifiable star or a player who can turn into one.

The Hornets, meanwhile, have both Ball and Miller, who are poised to have bounce-back seasons now that they are fully healthy heading into training camp.

Odds Disclaimer

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

- MORE STORIES FROM HORNETS ON SI -

One surprising (but realistic) idea to accelerate the Hornets' rebuild

Two Charlotte Hornets land in the top 100 of NBA 2K26's player ratings

What does Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel need to do to win Rookie of the Year?

Which Southeast division team improved most this offseason? Here's where the Hornets rank


This article first appeared on Charlotte Hornets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!