Favorite pick:
Joel Embiid/Philadelphia 76ers(+650)
Joel Embiid’s name will be in the media after finishing runners-up in the past two seasons. While voter fatigue is one thing, the opposite can also affect Math Embiid’s performance in a close game if voters think he “deserves it.”
And The Process will surely be one of the MVP odds contenders in April. His popcorn stats and metrics are consistently among the best in the NBA, and he’s shown a penchant for the type of headline-grabbing steal-scoring run that resonates in a season’s narrative.
First, Philadelphia’s low-key offseason was one of the best in the league, filling several openings to complement an elite core of reasonable depth. Barring an injury, We’d be shocked if they didn’t compete for the No. 1 seed in the East, supporting a solid MVP argument.
A player as egotistical and competitive as Embiid would not be happy to finish second again.
Underdog pick:
Kawhi Leonard/Los Angeles Clippers (+3,000)
Okay, so We know Kawhi Leonard hasn’t played competitive basketball in over a year. The last time he took a one-year sabbatical, all he did was come back and play a near-MVP campaign, then morphed into a goddamn god for two months to lead Toronto to an NBA championship. Keeping a career is Kawhi’s name in the game, and there’s no reason to expect him to be the top hitman he’s proven himself time and time again.
The Los Angeles Clippers are the deepest team in the NBA, and their supporting cast can withstand a variety of injuries. If Kawhi and Paul George are healthy, they’ll be one of the best teams in the West.
Of course, Leonard’s health risks in that price, but so is some possible recency bias after his absence. Don’t worry about load management getting in the way of him defending voters. It’s the 2022 NBA, and everyone is missing time.
Fade out
Luka Doncic/Dallas Mavericks (+425)
Luka was dynamite in the second half of last season, but it feels like Dallas has a high ceiling in the West, especially with Jalen Brunson now in New York. Maybe the Mavs’ books are high after reaching the Western Conference finals last year, but let’s be honest, Round 2 tells us a lot more about the Suns than this team.
The Warriors, Clippers, Grizzlies, Nuggets, Timberwolves, and possibly the Suns (at least in the regular season) are better than the Mavericks, and the Pelicans and Lakers are battling Dallas to Compete for a lower-level playoff spot.
Will we see an MVP among the 6-8 seeds? Russell Westbrook is the only recent precedent, and this pick is older than milk in the sun on a summer afternoon. As much as Luka may have been this season, I doubt the team’s success will support him.