Donovan Mitchell pushes Cavs' climb in contender pecking order

Donovan Mitchell moving to Cleveland created a current with oddsmakers who now recognize the Cavaliers as something closer to contenders in 2022-23.

Acquired from the Utah Jazz, Mitchell has All-Star credentials and makes for a stellar backcourt sidekick for another All-Star, Darius Garland.

Books reacted instantly to the move on Thursday, with PointsBet lifting the Cavaliers' 2022-23 NBA title odds from +8000 to +3300 and DraftKings elevated Cleveland from 55-1 to 30-1 in the immediate aftermath of the news breaking.

The Cavaliers and Bulls are -110 to participate in the Eastern Conference play-in game in futures odds released by DraftKings.

Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen and rookie Ochai Agbaji and three unprotected first-round picks go to the Jazz in the reported deal. Utah is downgraded dramatically in an offseason that looks a lot like a teardown by second-year team president Danny Ainge.

Ainge parted ways with head coach Quin Snyder -- technically, Snyder's contract wasn't renewed -- and traded Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

BetMGM removed the Cavaliers from the futures bets market on Thursday but previously listed Cleveland at +6600.

DraftKings dropped the Jazz from +20000 to +40000 without Mitchell.