Bringing home the hardware
2016–17 NBA Season Preview: End-of-season awards
The 2016–17 NBA season began last week and all is right with the world. Now, in the infant stages of the season, it’s time to predict who will win the major hardware when it’s all said and done.
Don’t @ me.
Most Valuable Player
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
No single player is in a better position to unleash holy hell on opponents night in and night out. No single player has more of a green light to stomp on the gas pedal so hard he rams it down through the pavement and runs over everything in his path. No single player has the ability to absolutely obliterate everything we thought we knew about what was capable from any single player in a given season.
Look at the other guys. LeBron James knows he doesn’t need to exert too much effort in the regular season as he looks to defend his crown. Kyrie Irving might explode but voters are likely to give LeBron credit for the team success. James Harden might explode but he might have no team success. Kawhi Leonard will be his usual defensive nightmare self, but will the gaudy offensive numbers be there at the end of the season? Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will split votes. Steph Curry and Kevin Durant will split votes.
Who’s left? The lone star left on a somewhat desolate Thunder roster, Russell freaking Westbrook.
The Westbrook revenge tour has officially kicked off, in splendid fashion nonetheless, with a 32/12/9 game against the hapless Philadelphia 76ers. The best part of that game? Westbrook shot 52 percent from the floor. The lightning quick guard has a chance to put up season numbers the likes of which the league hasn’t seen since Oscar Robertson triple-doubled everyone and their grandmother in 1961.
Close but no cigar: Damian Lillard
Rookie of the Year
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
This award likely would have gone to the Sixers anyway, but when number one overall pick Ben Simmons went down with a broken foot, its recipient seems all the more certain.
The Cult of Embiid (gosh, we have so many good storylines this season) is alive, #TrustTheProcess is thriving and the 22-year-old Cameroonian is at the heart of it all. In Embiid’s first NBA basketball game, he rang up 20 points and 7 rebounds in just 22 minutes. Over the course of a season, that’s a line of 32 points/11 rebounds/3 blocks per 36 minutes. Are you getting excited yet?
With Simmons out of the mix until January, at the earliest, and Luke Walton insisting on shackling second-overall pick Brandon Ingram to the bench, Embiid has a shot at the ROY honor in his third season.
Close but no cigar: Buddy Hield, New Orleans Perlicans
Most Improved Player
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Antetokounmpo had a good season last year. He averaged 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 50.6 percent shooting and 25.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Now for the best part: after the All-Star break last season, Antetokounmpo’s numbers jumped to 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.6 assists. But here’s the kicker, Milwaukee traded away former starting point guard Michael Carter Williams (a non-shooter that played 30+ minutes per contest last season) and lost Khris Middleton, their leading scorer from a season ago, to injury.
Antetokounmpo was already on the uptick, but now, at 6-foot-11, the Greek Freak is set to play point guard and shoulder a larger scoring responsibility. The usage and minutes will be there for Antetokounmpo to blow up this season.
Close but no cigar: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Defensive Player of the Year
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Leonard finished second in the NBA in defensive win shares last season with 5.49. He led the NBA two seasons ago in steals (2.31) and defensive rating (96.39). He’s the best defensive player on one of the best defensive teams in the entire league. I also don’t subscribe to the notion that rebounding should be a qualifier for defensive player of the year, sorry DeAndre Jordan.
Leonard will be the true focal point on offense this season for the first time in his career but his defense has been second to none for some time now.
Last year, Leonard won his second DPOY honor; this season, Leonard will join elite company when he becomes just the fourth player in NBA history to win the award three times.
Close but no cigar: Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Sixth Man of the Year
Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors
Iggy probably should have won last year. Heck, Will Barton should have finished higher than he did, but that’s not the point.
Iguodala came off the bench last season for 64 of his 65 appearances and, barring an injury, you can probably expect a similar season this go-around. When Golden State gutted their second unit to clear the way for Kevin Durant, they ensured one positive: even more Iguodala.
The veteran swingman hasn’t averaged double-digit scoring since the 2012–13 season, his lone campaign with the Denver Nuggets. He hasn’t hit five assists per game since that 2012–13 season either. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this season’s numbers creep back up towards those Denver marks. The Warriors need someone to score in that second unit.
Close but no cigar: Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers
Coach of the Year
Tom Thibodeau, Minnesota Timberwolves
Thibodeau is a defensive ace. The Timberwolves are loaded with defensive potential.
They have, arguably, a top 10 player in the league in Karl Anthony-Towns, they have a ridiculous amount of talented youth, they have a veterans in place to help with any growing pains and they should benefit from a few playoff teams last season that take a step back in the standings.
Considering the Wolves haven’t been in the postseason since 2004, if Thibodeau can get them over the hump, it’ll be the feel good story of the year and he’s my dark horse candidate.
Close but no cigar: Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Executive of the Year
Bob Myers, Golden State Warriors
Funny what will happen to your chances once you sign an MVP still in his prime.
