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Every NBA team’s best candidate to win an end-of-season award in 2023-24
With the start of the NBA season just a few days away, we decided to take a closer look at potential award winners for each NBA team. There are obvious picks with some teams and hard choices with others, who face super long shots to get into the awards mix.
Atlanta: Bogdan Bogdanovic (Sixth Man of the Year)
Bogdan Bogdanovic is skilled and impactful enough to win this award. The biggest thing holding him back from being in consideration for it these past few years is his availability. If the 65-game rule was around in previous seasons, he wouldn’t have qualified for any award since joining the Atlanta Hawks.
Boston: Jayson Tatum (MVP)
Jayson Tatum has a strong chance to crack at least the Top 3 in MVP voting this season. According to Vegas, He holds the fourth-highest odds of winning the award and has the statistical case and team success to be in the running. He could have a higher usage this season, which could boost his stats now that the Celtics have less depth.
Brooklyn: Mikal Bridges (Most Improved Player)
Mikal Bridges saw significant improvements across the board statistically upon being traded to the Nets. His scoring saw a significant growth going from 17.2 points per game to 26.1 since his usage went up. He’s currently the favorite to win the award now that he will have a full season as Brooklyn’s first option on offense. Nicolas Claxton might be the next likeliest player to win an award (+2500 to win Defensive Player of the Year).
Charlotte: Brandon Miller (Rookie of the Year)
Brandon Miller was a polarizing pick but there’s no denying his All-Star potential. He doesn’t have the best odds of winning the award and is well outside the periphery of the rookies who are considered the favorites tow in. He’s definitely a sleeper pick as he will have plenty of opportunities to make an impact this year with the starting small forward spot up for grabs.
Chicago: DeMar DeRozan (Clutch Player of the Year)
DeMar DeRozan has had plenty of clutch moments with the Bulls, including back-to-back game-winning shots in the 2021-22 season. He remains one of the most clutch players in the league after he finished third in voting for the award last season.
Cleveland: Evan Mobley (Defensive Player of the Year)
Evan Mobley finished third last year in Defensive Player of the Year voting after leading the Cavaliers to the league’s best defensive rating. He has the second-highest odds to win the award this upcoming season with expectations to further improve defensively. He could receive more consideration if he keeps Cleveland’s defense top-tier while Jarrett Allen is out with an injury.
Dallas: Luka Doncic (MVP)
Luka Doncic has been an MVP candidate since his second season in the league and it feels like a matter of time before he wins the award. He was out of consideration last year after the Mavericks missed the playoffs so the team would need to have a strong rebound in the standings. He’s expected to be in the running again and already has the second-highest odds to win the award.
Denver: Nikola Jokic (MVP)
Nikola Jokic had another season on par with his previous two MVP years but some voters may have been tired of voting for him. He is already favored to win the award as long as he has yet another elite regular season. He also has the sixth-highest odds of winning the Clutch Player of the Year award.
Detroit: Cade Cunningham (Most Improved Player)
Cade Cunningham’s career went on hiatus last year when he suffered a season-ending knee injury. If he has a strong comeback and makes the leap he’s expected to take as a former first-overall pick, he should be a favorite for the award. He currently holds the fourth-highest odds. Besides him, Ausar Thompson could be a sneaky pick for Rookie of the Year if he manages to steal enough frontcourt minutes.
Golden State: Stephen Curry (MVP)
Stephen Curry doesn’t seem to have missed a step since he last won MVP in 2016. He would’ve been a contender to win it last year if the Warriors had a stronger season. He’s not considered a favorite to win the award this year, but he could get in the mix if he continues to extend his prime and if the Warriors have a top seed. Draymond Green will likely be in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year, but the competition for that award is so tough right now.
Houston: Alperen Sengun (Most Improved Player)
Right now the Rockets don’t have any players that have great odds to win any award. They do have several young players that could make big improvements such as Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun. From that group, Sengun has the highest odds of winning Most Improved Player and has a great opportunity as their starting center under Ime Udoka.
Indiana: Buddy Hield (Sixth Man of the Year)
Buddy Hield just had his best season in years after a revitalizing full campaign in Indiana. He’s now expected to come off the bench, which would put him in a position to be one of the highest scorers and three-point makers in a sixth-man role. He’s on the trade block but should remain a favorite for this award as long as he remains with the Pacers, especially considering he rarely misses games.
LA Clippers: Norman Powell (Sixth Man of the Year)
If the Clippers are a top seed in the West, it means Kawhi Leonard played in most games and he’d be an MVP candidate. Aside from that possibility, Norman Powell winning Sixth Man of the Year seems like their best shot at winning an award. He has one of the best scoring profiles for a bench player and currently holds the highest odds for the award.
LA Lakers: Anthony Davis (Defensive Player of the Year)
Anthony Davis had arguably the best individual defensive performance at any point last season during the playoffs. If he is able to play in enough regular-season games and leads the Lakers to a top defensive rating, he should be the favorite to win the award. Austin Reaves is also expected to be a serious candidate for Most Improved Player and already has the sixth-highest odds.
Memphis: Jaren Jackson Jr. (Defensive Player of the Year)
Jaren Jackson Jr. won the award last year for his defensive impact on a per-minute basis. He remains the favorite for the award and may have more holes to fill with their frontcourt lacking the depth they had last year. Desmond Bane is +3500 to win Most Improved Player and could be a sleeper pick if he leads the Grizzlies to a top seed while Ja Morant is out.
Miami: Bam Adebayo (Defensive Player of the Year)
Bam Adebayo is one of the most versatile and effective defenders in the league. He may also be one of the most underrated considering his best defensive performances are saved for deep playoff runs. He currently holds the fifth-highest odds for the award, which seems low considering he’s already one of the league’s top defenders.
Milwaukee: Giannis Antetokounmpo (MVP)
Giannis Antetokounmpo has usually finished Top 3 in MVP voting over the past five years. That is expected to continue as he currently holds the third-highest odds to win the award. Other potential award winners include Damian Lillard, who is currently the favorite to win Clutch Player of the Year, Brook Lopez with the seventh highest to win Defensive Player of the Year, and Bobby Portis with the eighth highest to win Sixth Man of the Year.
Minnesota: Rudy Gobert (Defensive Player of the Year)
Rudy Gobert had a down year in 2022-23 as he struggled to adjust in Minnesota. He might not get back to the level of his Utah days but he could still provide enough of an impact defensively to get in the mix for the award.
New Orleans: Zion Williamson (MVP)
Zion Williamson winning MVP seems very unlikely but he certainly has the talent to get into the mix. If he plays enough games and keeps the Pelicans at the top of the West’s standings like he did in the first half of last season, he could get a lot of votes. Herb Jones has the same odds to win Defensive Player of the Year while Brandom Ingram is +4000 to win Clutch Player of the Year.
New York: Immanuel Quickley (Sixth Man of the Year)
Immanuel Quickley is the odds-on favorite to win Sixth Man of the Year after finishing second last year. He now has better odds than last season’s winner Malcolm Brogdon, who may have a reduced role upon being traded to Portland. No other Knicks players have favorable odds to win other awards.
Oklahoma City: Chet Holmgren (Rookie of the Year)
Chet Holmgren currently has the second-highest odds to win Rookie of the Year. After missing all of last season, he’s expected to be Victor Wembanyama’s biggest competition for the award. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished seventh in last year’s Clutch Player of the Year voting, currently has the second-highest odds to win that award.
Orlando: Franz Wagner (Most Improved Player)
While Paolo Banchero is getting a lot of attention for his explosive rookie season, Franz Wagner could be getting ready for a major breakout season. He will be motivated to get the Magic into the play-in Tournament ahead of his contract extension eligibility next summer. Banchero is the next likeliest to win an award at +5000 for Most Improved Player.
Philadelphia: Joel Embiid (MVP)
Joel Embiid currently has the fifth-highest odds to win MVP. That may be a reaction to his underwhelming playoff performance and an expectation that the Sixers might not repeat their regular season success from last year. Tyrese Maxey currently has the second-highest odds to win Most Improved Player as he’s expected to have a higher usage this season with James Harden on his way out.
Phoenix: Kevin Durant and Devin Booker (MVP)
Both Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have the same odds to win MVP, which could work against them since they may cancel each other out in voting. Both players also have similar odds to win Clutch Player of the Year. Eric Gordon has the next highest odds to win an award at +3700 for Sixth Man of the Year.
Portland: Scoot Henderson (Rookie of the Year)
Scoot Henderson will have the ball in his hands a lot this season and be a focal point of the Blazers’ offense. He currently has the third-highest odds for the award and would need to have an outstanding and efficient season to win over Victor Wembanyama. Malcolm Brogdon is the next likeliest player to win an award with the fourth-best odds to win Sixth Man of the Year.
Sacramento: Malik Monk (Sixth Man of the Year)
Malik Monk is a favorite for Sixth Man of the Year with the second-best odds to win the award. He could see an increased role this year that could allow him to increase his scoring closer to the 19 points per game he averaged in the playoffs. De’Aaron Fox, last year’s Clutch Player of the Year winner, currently has the third-highest odds to win that award again.
San Antonio: Victor Wembanyama (Rookie of the Year)
Victor Wembanyama is the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year. Even if there’s another more impactful rookie who helped lead his team to the playoffs, Wembanyama could win the award anyway out of sheer popularity.
Toronto: Scottie Barnes (Most Improved Player)
Scottie Barnes, who currently has the seventh-best odds for Most Improved Player, is due for a leap after stagnating last season. An improvement that reminds us of his star potential from his rookie season could help him win. OG Anunoby is the next likeliest player to win an award at +4000 for Defensive Player of the Year.
Utah: Walker Kessler (Defensive Player of the Year)
Walker Kessler has higher odds to win Defensive Player of the Year over Most Improved Player. It’s probably a bit early for him to win the award but the impact he’s already shown makes him a promising candidate in the near future.
Washington: Jordan Poole (Most Improved Player)
Jordan Poole is a favorite to win Most Improved Player with the third-highest odds. He has a strong candidacy because he’s expected to have the keys to a Wizard devoid of offensive weapons. He should take the most shots per game and has the opportunity to significantly increase his stats across the board.
