Wizards Moneyline Set at -118 Against Hornets in NBA Cup Matchup
Washington hosts Charlotte tonight in an NBA Cup game, with Hornets guard Dennis Schroder listed as a game-time decision.
By Noor Phillips ·
The Washington Wizards open as -118 moneyline favorites against the Charlotte Hornets tonight, a line the source author says he is "baffled" by while still backing Washington at home. The game is part of the NBA Cup, which pays out bonus money to the winning team's players, a factor the source says matters most for role players and rookies whose prize share can approach a full season's salary.
Charlotte enters the contest 3-2, with wins over Brooklyn, Miami, and Washington, and losses to Detroit and Atlanta. The Hornets beat the Wizards in Charlotte earlier this week, the source notes, while the two teams they lost to are described as playoff teams. The author expects Washington to reach the postseason and allows that Charlotte could also make it, more likely as a play-in team.
Charlotte's roster is dealing with availability questions. Coby White, Kon Knueppel, and Grant Williams are out. Dennis Schroder is listed as a game-time decision. The Hornets do not have LaMelo Ball, which the source argues has opened room for Brandon Miller and allowed Kon Knueppel to show what he can do. The Hornets also carry Naz Reid, Dennis Schröder, and a group of veteran role players the source says make a difference.
Washington's bench includes Bub Carrington, Tre Mann, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Justin Champagnie, Khris Middleton, and DeAndre Ayton. The source writes that a lineup of Mann, Coulibaly, Champagnie, Middleton, and Ayton would likely win 20 to 30 games over a full season, and calls it a very deep second unit. The group is assembled as reserves, which the source says is why they are available in that role.
The Wizards also added AJ Dybantsa to the rotation. The source watched Dybantsu play five minutes against Cleveland and placed a Rookie of the Year bet on him the next day, describing the rookie as polished, smart, and more versatile than others in his class. The source also raises the possibility of a trade involving Anthony Davis, writing it could affect Washington while returning value.
Washington sits at 1-1 at home, where this game is played, and the source says he is taking the Wizards on the moneyline at -118. He frames the play around home court, the NBA Cup setting, and his read that Washington's roster is better than Charlotte's. The author, who posts betting information on X/Twitter, is identified as David. This page contains affiliate links to sports betting partners, and Fox News may be compensated if a reader signs up or places a wager.
The NBA Cup adds bonus money to the winning team's players. The source says that prize is large enough for some players to essentially double their salary, mostly role players and rookies. The Wizards play the Hornets tonight at home, their third game of the season at that venue, after beating Brooklyn and losing to Miami in their first two.
