2021-22 NBA Awards: S-and-S Staff Roundtable

2021-22 NBA Awards Predictions: Most Valuable Player

DJ: Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets are going to be among the best teams in the Eastern Conference this season, and a large part of that is going to be because of the performance from their three major stars, especially Durant and James Harden. If Durant is able to average 28-some points on extreme efficiency, I think his greatness will become more recognized. Of course, though, there is another universe which he only plays 60 games for load management reasons.

SS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

Before the injury last season, Embiid was looking like the surefire MVP. Now he’ll likely be without Ben Simmons requiring him to do even more in the regular season to keep the 76ers afloat. If he’s healthy, he’s more than capable.

JP: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Antetokounmpo is going to carry his success from last year over into this year and win MVP. I wanted to give it to Durant, but I believe Antetokounmpo will simply care more about the regular season and winning MVP. Fresh off winning a championship Antetokounmpo will try to add to his legacy and winning his third MVP adds him to a list of all-time greats. He will have the stats and the popularity to win the award.

GM: Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

He was pretty close to winning the MVP with an 8th seed and a play-in spot. Jokic is probably not going to repeat even though I’d love to see him do it, Giannis will probably play like 25 MPG in the regular season the way Bud is moving his minutes down before the playoffs, betting favorites Luka and Embiid to me will either not win or play enough games to get there, so Steph if the Warriors are even a 5th seed will have a huge push behind him with a season as good as last year. If I had to give a hot take-y pick it would be Trae Young, but arguably Nate would get a brunt of the credit there.

EB: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid likely would have won the MVP award last season had he played in enough games, and with the uncertainty surrounding Ben Simmons, Embiid will need to be healthy in order to keep Philadelphia afloat. Odds-on favorite Luka Doncic has a case to be made, but a new head coach and organizational upheaval this offseason may take their toll. Philadelphia also has a clearer path to a top seed in their conference compared to the Dallas Mavericks, and team success is a factor for MVP voting.

JH: Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets

We saw how Kevin Durant is still the best player in the world during the playoffs last season and he should still continue to be that season as he’s now a year removed from his Achilles injury. Durant proved that even with superstars James Harden and Kyrie Irving sharing the ball, he can still average almost 30 points per game. With only one MVP to his name, Durant continues to have a chip on his shoulder.

MW: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks are going to be a fantastic team to watch next season. The sole reason is because Luka is gonna light the league on fire. His game is only gonna get better as he ages and gets more seasons under his belt. I expect his season to be similar to Russell Westbrook’s seasons dominant MVP seasons. I don’t see much help on the Mavericks roster. I think Lukas stats alone will propel him to the award as he will carry this team to a playoff spot.

QE: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

He just keeps getting better and better. At this point, I’m scared. What if he just keeps getting better? And he becomes so good that Dallas doesn’t even need other players on the court, they just send Luka out to play 1 vs. 5? And then Mark Cuban starts 3-D printing clones of Luka and then Luka and his Side-Cic’s rule the NBA for years, decades, centuries to come? What if? Anyway, I really do think this is Luka’s year.

JF: Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

Should have been last year’s MVP. We’ll never see an offensive player like him again, and the unprecedented has unfortunately become so standard for him that it’s not enough. If Klay Thompson is anything resembling his former self when he returns, the Warriors will have the record they need to qualify Steph as an MVP option for voters. I think he’s still got plenty left in the tank.

Final tally: Kevin Durant (BKN) 2, Steph Curry (GS) 2, Luka Doncic (DAL) 2, Joel Embiid (PHI) 2, Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) 1

Takeaways: Five different players listed, with none receiving more than two votes. This category is more wide open than ever. No one picked the reigning MVP to repeat, either.