Bradley Beal’s impending Phoenix arrival has shortened the Suns’ odds of winning the NBA Finals.

Phoenix opened at +850 to win the 2024 NBA title shortly after the Denver Nuggets took down the Miami Heat. Phoenix was the No. 4 favorite behind the Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.

The Suns are still the No. 4 favorite at BetMGM, but they’re now at +650 and right behind the Bucks at +600. And if you’re tempted to bet on Phoenix anytime soon, we’re here to issue a word of warning. You may want to look elsewhere for your title bets.

Phoenix’s attempt to create a “Big 3” with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Beal is coming at the expense of the team’s depth. While DeAndre Ayton looks like a very solid No. 4 option, the roster is pretty bare behind him.

Depth is necessary to win an NBA title. Just ask the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. form perhaps the best top four in the league. But the Nuggets’ title was made possible by the excellence of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown in the playoffs.

There’s no one on Phoenix’s roster around its top four near the quality of Brown or Caldwell-Pope. And it’s hard to see how Phoenix can add very good veteran role players to its roster either. Ayton, Beal, Booker and Durant are on the books for over $160 million combined in 2023-24.

Sure, Phoenix could add some veterans on minimum deals over the summer. Especially if players see the lure of playing alongside three perennial All-Stars and the availability of playing time as worth more than a bigger contract somewhere else. And the Suns will likely be players on the buyout market during the season too.

But Phoenix is just too thin to currently be considered a title contender. There are much better Finals cases to be made for the three teams ahead of them on the board and even a few teams behind them right now. If and when Phoenix signs a key veteran or three, its odds aren’t going to budge much. You’re better off waiting to see who else joins the roster and betting the Suns in August or September than you are laying any money at the moment.

Current NBA title odds

• Denver Nuggets (+500)

• Boston Celtics (+550)

• Milwaukee Bucks (+600)

• Phoenix Suns (+650)

• Golden State Warriors (+1200)

• Los Angeles Lakers (+1200)

• Philadelphia 76ers (+1200)

• Dallas Mavericks (+2000)

• Miami Heat (+2000)

• Los Angeles Clippers (+2200)

• Memphis Grizzlies (+2200)

Can Reds continue their win streak?

The Cincinnati Reds are all alone in first place in the NL Central thanks to a nine-game win streak.

The Reds moved to 38-35 with a 5-4 win over Colorado on Monday night. Cincinnati was in third in the Central after a 7-4 loss to the Cardinals on Friday, June 9. It hasn’t lost since then and jumped into second over the weekend thanks to a road sweep of the Houston Astros.

The arrival of top prospect Elly De La Cruz has been a huge spark for the Reds as he’s posted a .769 OPS and has six steals in just 54 plate appearances. The Reds’ jump into first place also came on the same day as the season debut of Joey Votto. He was 2-for-3 with a walk and a homer and three RBI in the win.

Tuesday night, Cincinnati is -175 to win over the Rockies and the total is 9.5 runs.

Who cashed tickets on Monday?

The Royals became the first team in MLB history to lose in a pitcher’s first 15 starts of the season as Kansas City lost 6-4 to the Detroit Tigers. While Jordan Lyles officially didn’t get the loss in this one (and is still 0-11) he gave up three runs in six innings and was unable to get an out in the seventh.