Injuries expected to sideline LeBron James and Joel Embiid for multiple weeks have shaken up the chase for the Most Valuable Player award. Nikola Jokic is now the frontrunner to win the wide-open race for the award, according to Chris Sheridan of Basketball News. Betting sites FanDuel, Draft Kings, BetMGM and PointsBet.com have made the Nuggets’ All-Star big man the favorite.
We have more tidbits from around the basketball world:
- The Thunder possess a boatload of first-round picks, some veterans with trade appeal and plenty of trade exceptions. That’s why Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report ranks Oklahoma City No. 1 in terms of trade assets. Pincus lists each team by the value of its trade assets.
- Raptors 905 guard Gary Payton II has been named the G League Defensive Player of the Year, according to a G League press release. The league’s head coaches and GMs voted on the award. Payton II led the league in steals per game (2.54), including nine games with two or more steals.
- Nuggets guard Monte Morris has committed to the Nigeria national team for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweets. Mike Brown will coach the team, which also includes NBA players Al-Farouq Aminu, Josh Okogie, Chimezie Metu and Ekpe Udoh.
If Lillard can work through his latest knee troubles, and stay healthy, he’ll be in this race.
No 1 in trade assets…a dubious honor
Which veterans for OKC have any trade appeal (that they would trade)?
George Hill, though he’s hurt for another week or 2. However he’s on a cheap contract. Likely would fetch another second and okc eating another expiring contract close to his.
Horford would be really difficult to trade unless a team gets in a desperate situation.
Bleacher report
Top 5 good assets
1 Thunder
2 Warriors
3 Pelicans
4 Knicks
5 Bulls
18 Wizards
27 Pistons
If Steph doesn’t miss much more time with his tailbone, he’s a shoo-in, especially if he gets bunch of scrubs to the playoffs. Put the whole team on his back this year…
7 games missed in a regular season is the mark to beat, 6 this season with the reduced schedule. If the health of Curry can actually hold out and play those games, it would definitely boost his chances.
Bucks need to add Payton on a two way deal and then also add Rivers or Thomas too
dad’s proud. The Glove II.
Jokic winning mvp would make him the first center to do it since 2000. It sounds weird but the joker may be the best center since the younger Shaq (until 2002). If Embiid wasn’t always injured it would be a nice battle
So everyone is forgetting about James Harden ok
Have to factor in him quitting on his teammates in Houston. That alone should disqualify him from the race.
He’s probably a better MVP candidate than Curry is just for the fact that the players who win MVP are usually on really good teams, which Curry isn’t.
I mean Harden is having a great year, but the Houston fiasco will take some of the luster away from him and he’ll lose some points because he’s playing with Kyrie and KD.
Embiid also is considered a forward on everything. Let’s be honest. If Bucks(scored 48 in the first quarter without Giannis) keep winning, Giannis deserves another mvp. Most efficient player, more assists, blocks, steals and higher fg% and free throw % then last year. I do like Joker though. He’s amazing
He should be in consideration based on numbers alone, but he probably won’t even sniff top 3 (without some injuries to the other frontrunners). Unfortunately he’ll fall victim to voter fatigue. LeBron would’ve had atleast one more MVP, if not more, during his Heat/return to Cleveland days if it weren’t for voter fatigue.
Imo if the season ended today, it should probably be between Embiid and Jokic. I could see some writers giving Embiid the nod over Jokic if Philly finishes as the best team in the East. My guess is (1) Jokic, (2) Embiid, (3) Lillard, (4) Giannis, (5) LeBron, (6) Curry.
Imo it’s extremely hard to justify MVP votes for Curry if GS can’t make the playoffs; regardless of how the rest of the roster looks a true MVP candidate should be able to get his team to the playoffs (a la first stint in Cleveland LeBron). Giannis probably/should fall victim to voter fatigue despite having on-par/better numbers than the previous two seasons. But I think the argument that the Bucks still play really well when Giannis rests will catch up to him this year. I have a hard time calling a player the “Most Valuable Player in the league (for that season)” if the team can continue to play at a high level without you, especially when you have a team like the Bucks that lack a second bonafide star on the team. Considering that LeBron will miss a few weeks, that probably takes him out of the MVP race as well. Lillard is having a great year as well, but probably isn’t doing enough to beat out Jokic/Embiid.
That has always been the case with Giannis & Bucks… But he rarely takes a day off so it’s hard to tell!
Picks don’t equate to anything. Ask the Celtics.
Don’t see what the discussion is ’bout the MVP, since game 1 this year only Jokic has been the MVP, no one has even been closer to have a discussion, I am a great LBJ fan, but… man Jokic right now is light year ahead of him.
1/ Jokic
2/ Giannis
3/ Embiid
4/ Harden
5/ Luka
6/Vucevic
7/ Lillard
8/ LBJ
9/ Curry
10/ Kawhi
Absolutely horrible take. Mvp was embiids before he got hurt and I don’t think it’s that close. Jokic having a great year for sure, but his teams in 5th place. That plays into it. Sixers have been in first virtually all year.
You also lost all credibility when you put lBJ 8th in mvp race and VUCEVIC not only in the mvp race but ahead of Lebron. Vucevic is so valuable to his team that he took them to a whopping 14-28 record good for 2nd to last place in the east only in front of the horrid Detroit Pistons.