There can be little argument that the NBA’s Western Conference is significantly better than the East in terms of overall depth. How deep? LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers might not even make the playoffs in the West – they wouldn’t as things stand today.

Trade Deadline Odds

The Raptors entered Thursday as +220 East favourites at Sports Interaction, and they just got better. Boston (+260) stood pat before the deadline.

While the West’s Golden State Warriors remain the team to beat on Sports Interaction’s NBA title odds, the Eastern Conference is now clearly better than the West at the top following Thursday’s trade deadline.

The Philadelphia 76ers were dominated in a home loss to Toronto on Tuesday, and that likely was an impetus for the 76ers to go out and trade for the Los Angeles Clippers’ best player in forward Tobias Harris. He was an All-Star snub, averaging 20.9 points and 7.9 rebounds. Now Philly has arguably the best starting five in the NBA outside of Golden State in Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, JJ Redick, Harris and Joel Embiid. What the Sixers lack is depth. Philadelphia entered Thursday at +300 to win the East.

Milwaukee has the NBA’s best record and certainly improved Thursday with the addition of forward Nikola Mirotic from New Orleans for basically nothing that would hurt the Bucks to lose this season. The Bucks attempt the second-most three-pointers in the NBA, but their best player, MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, can’t shoot three-pointers to save his life (about the only thing he can’t do).

Mirotic (16.7 ppg, 36.8 per cent from deep) is another shooter to stick behind the arc while the Greek Freak penetrates the lane. Try and double Antetokounmpo, and he can kick it out to one of his three-point shooters. Now the Bucks will be one of just two teams to have at least three players who attempt a minimum of six three-pointers per game. Milwaukee was +275 to win the East entering Thursday.

Cost For Gasol Not Overwhelming

While Harris and Mirotic are fine players, neither compares overall to former All-Star Grizzlies centre Marc Gasol. The Raptors gave up Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, CJ Miles and a 2024 second-round pick for the 34-year-old Spaniard. Sure, losing Wright hurts the depth, but Toronto is set at backup point guard with Fred VanVleet. Valanciunas hadn’t played Dec. 12 due to thumb surgery and would have been redundant with the addition of Gasol. Plus, Valanciunas can opt out of his contract this summer. Miles was averaging less than 15 minutes per game.

Gasol was the Grizzlies’ franchise leader in points, rebounds, blocks and field goals made. He is one of the best passing big men in the NBA and in the past couple of seasons became a major weapon behind the three-point arc. He was averaging 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and a career-high 4.7 assists this season. Gasol didn’t cost more in terms of players or picks because he also can opt out of his deal this summer.

One big question is whether adding Gasol means that Serge Ibaka, having a terrific season, moves back to power forward or might become a reserve. Or, perhaps, Gasol comes off the bench. Regardless, he’s an upgrade on Valanciunas, who was set to return Thursday for Toronto.