2024 PBA Elite League: Roster Transaction Window Fallout

This article is part of our Betting Advice series.

While the sports world was abuzz with the opening of NFL free agency, the PBA Elite League transaction window opened and shut quietly heading into PBA All-Star Weekend, with just two teams making roster changes.

In the first season with an extended League schedule, teams had from March 5th through March 14th to make trades, drop players and select replacements via the waiver wire. Players who were top 75 in points through the PBA Delaware Classic were eligible to be added by team managers. 

Ultimately, Waco decided to replace last year's MVP Ryan Ciminelli with Zach Wilkins, and New Jersey dropped Kyle Sherman for 2023 Rookie of the Year Cortez Schenck. The drops were not surprising, as Ciminelli has struggled all season, including a League-low 29.17% strike rate and 75% fill percentage, while Sherman was limited to one appearance due to injury.

What was surprising was that no team decided to make a move to acquire David "Boog" Krol, who is coming off a title win in Delaware and currently sits in sixth place in Tour points. Other notable available players who did not get selected include Nate Stubler (17th), Cristian Azcona (20th), Sean Lavery-Spahr (28th) and AJ Chapman (30th).

I believe Krol and Stubler in particular would have been great additions to any team. François Lavoie (Akron), Shawn Maldonado (Dallas), Sam Cooley (Motown), Zac Tackett (Motown), D.J. Archer (Waco) and Tom Hess (Waco) are all players who hung onto their spots despite having a fill percentage of 85% or worse in League play while also falling outside the top 30 in Tour points. Current frontrunners Las Vegas also could have strengthened their team by moving on from Thomas Larsen, who has only appeared in half of the PBA events so far, and/or 42nd-ranked Matt Ogle, whose strike% and fill% are worst on the team.

Now teams are set, and competition will resume March 30th, as teams fight to earn a trip to Bayside Bowl for the Finals in September. 

So what did these roster moves (or lack thereof) do to PBA Elite League futures bets? Let's take a look and identify our best bets for the rest of the League season. Be sure to also follow @RotowireBowling on X for additional picks.

PBA Elite League Futures

With a record of 1-8 and holding the worst average in the league (204.11), the Waco Wonders have held the position as the biggest longshot to win all season, despite coming in as the reigning Elite League champions. Moving on from Ciminelli wasn't enough to move them out of the basement, but they did see the biggest line movement from free agency, moving from +1500 to +1100.

Meanwhile, New Jersey's addition didn't move the line at all, and Akron and L.A. moved in the other direction (previously +500 and +600) after choosing not to make any roster changes.

All odds via BetRivers as of 11:00 AM ET Saturday 3/16.

2024 PBA League Best Futures Bets

Portland Lumberjacks +400

Coming into the season, I liked L.A. because of their talented roster and Akron because of their manager, but neither team has impressed so far. I was concerned that the Lumberjacks were only built to win at Bayside Bowl, where they won the Elias Cup three consecutive times starting in 2019, and they might struggle at different sites on different oil patterns. They have answered those questions by carrying the highest average in the league (218.25) and positioning themselves to earn one of the two byes in the PBA Elite League Playoffs. They don't have the most talented team on paper, but the Lumberjacks have perhaps the top manager, great team chemistry and the home field advantage for the Playoffs.

Dallas Strikers to Win +1100

Everyone loves a longshot, and despite their 2-7 record, the Strikers have been one of the best teams in the league so far. Dallas has the third best average in the league (217.78) but has been on the wrong end of too many matches as their opponents have averaged a league-high 226.89. I would be even higher on Dallas if manager Norm Duke would have replaced Maldonado with Krol, but it appears that he didn't want to risk messing with team chemistry.

2024 PBA League Best Round 10 Bets

Dallas Strikers to defeat New Jersey KingPins -115

If there were luck rankings for the PBA, New Jersey might be at the top, while Dallas would be way down at the bottom. The KingPins have taken advantage of facing the lowest opponent's average (203.94), earning a 6-3 record so far despite having one of the lowest team averages (207.94). Both teams are likely to regress toward the "luck" mean, so give me the Strikers in what might be a must-win for them to have a real shot at making it to the playoffs. 

Las Vegas High Rollers to sweep Waco Wonders +155

Waco player-manager Parker Bohn III improved the roster by adding Wilkins, but to get back into contention, I believe he needed to move off of Tom Hess and/or D.J. Archer as well. These are all professionals, so no result would be shocking, but I'll take the first place team with the 218.22 average to take care of business against the last place team that is averaging 204.11.

Get in on the action exclusively at BetRivers Sportsbook.

2024 PBA Elite League Round 10 TV Schedule

All times listed in Eastern.

• Saturday, March 30th at 6:30 p.m. – FS1