Award ballots for the 2020-21 NBA season are due in one week. Some categories have a clear winner. Last week, I detailed Nikola Jokic’s MVP case and, as we’ll get into soon, I also believe Rudy Gobert is the pick for Defensive Player of the Year. Sixers fans, don’t worry, you’ll be cheered up by multiple All-Defensive team selections. But there are a lot of candidates—seemingly more than usual—for every honor this season. One thing is for sure: there will be a ton of snubs.
I’d imagine there will be anger from fans once ballots are published and winners are announced in the coming months. As I researched my ballot, I became increasingly frustrated too. There are some super talented players having great seasons that will be left empty handed. It sucks. But a large number of snubs is the by-product of a league flooded with talent. It’s a good problem for the league and fans to have. But maybe not for players or teams. Maximum contract extensions are tied to awards for some players who could meet the supermax criteria. This year, Jayson Tatum could lose $32 million because his contract extension value is determined by his All-NBA status. The same goes for Bam Adebayo and Donovan Mitchell. Some or all of them will miss out.
Stats won’t change much over the final week. Neither will the standings. But with some races being so tight, the final few games could clarify some choices. Here’s my ballot as of now plus my thought process behind some of the more difficult decisions:
Most Improved Player of the Year1. Julius Randle
2. Christian Wood
3. Jerami Grant
“Everyone tends to measure people on points or shots, and not the all-around game,” Tom Thibodeau said on Sunday after the Knicks’ win over the Clippers when asked about Randle not having a big game based on his stat line. Thibodeau is right. Randle does have great numbers: a career-high 23.9 points on 41.3 percent shooting from 3 with 10.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists in a league-leading 37.2 minutes per game. But his greatest impact is often what he does beyond the box score. It’s his feel for sensing a help defender coming his way, then swinging the ball to an open man to force a defense to rotate. It’s his intensity on defense, and the will to stay seated in his stance and force an opposing scorer into a tough shot.
This wasn’t always the case for Randle in the past. Many Knicks fans dreaded when he touched the ball last season because it was as if he had blinders on. He was a turnover machine. He was never a consistently impactful defender. All that has changed. Randle went from being an empty-stats player to a winner, a solid player to an elite one.
Other players like Wood and Grant made more significant statistical leaps this season and certainly deserve consideration for the award. So do Jaylen Brown, Zion Williamson, Michael Porter Jr., Zach LaVine, and Terry Rozier. I’m likely missing others, but Randle is the award’s obvious recipient.
Sixth Man of the Year1. Joe Ingles
2. Jordan Clarkson
3. Jalen Brunson
With a week to go, I remain undecided on Sixth Man of the Year. Two Utah players, Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson, will rightfully receive a lot of votes, and maybe even mine. Ingles is averaging 12.3 points on an obscene 46.3 percent shooting from 3. The versatile wing has given the Jazz what they need whenever they need it: scoring, playmaking, and defense. With Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell both missing time this season, he’s also managed to step into their roles as a starter.
Ingles has now started 41 percent of his games, and if he starts in Utah’s final four he will have started in 45 percent of games, which would be the highest percentage ever for a winner. Lamar Odom won the hardware in 2010-11 after starting 43 percent of his games, so there is a historical precedent for Ingles to win it. But that’s a lot of starts for a supposed Sixth Man and there are many other strong candidates that are true bench players.
With that said, isn’t Ingles doing exactly what a sixth man is supposed to? To step up when others go down? He’s absorbed more ballhandling responsibilities when Mitchell or Conley have missed time, and served as more of a sharpshooter when they’ve played. He does what his team needs to win. That was the argument for Odom in 2011 after Andrew Bynum (remember him?) was injured to start the season, forcing Odom into the Lakers’ starting lineup. For now, Ingles is my choice. But there are other candidates, including his own teammate.
After a scorching start, Clarkson has cooled off in recent months. He could still win this award and he deserves to be in the top three. Even with his diminished efficiency, he still provides an important shot-making spark off Utah’s bench. Ingles is just producing at a higher level on both ends of the floor. Other candidates have also closed the gap.
Jalen Brunson has at times been the Mavericks’ second-best player this season, providing a spark off the bench on both ends of the floor. He should be heavily considered for the award.
Matisse Thybulle will get some All-Defensive love, and he is also a contender for Sixth Man. He doesn’t score much, or even touch the ball all that often. But he makes the right play when he does, which is all his team needs. When he checks in off the bench, he immediately changes the complexion of the game. His steals and deflections serve as catalysts to jump-start offensive possessions because he often tips the ball toward Simmons to make the play for someone else.
Other Sixth Man candidates on my mind are T.J. McConnell, Tyrese Haliburton, Dario Saric, Thaddeus Young, Miles Bridges, Carmelo Anthony, Alex Caruso, Chris Boucher, De’Anthony Melton, and Derrick Rose. An argument can be made for any of them, whether it’s Melton’s defense, Young’s playmaking, or Boucher’s shot-blocking. Bottom line: The Sixth Man award should be about more way more than just scoring.
Coach of the Year1. Monty Williams
2. Tom Thibodeau
3. Michael Malone
Williams will be my choice to win Coach of the Year after installing new wrinkles in Phoenix seemingly each month this season. He has cultivated an unselfish environment, blending veterans and young players, all for the common goal of winning games.
Thibodeau is a close second after the Knicks’ miraculous turnaround. He has brought a defensive-minded nature to the Knicks, and a shared sense of accountability that transfers from the coaching staff to the players.
The third spot is a lot harder. Malone gets the nod for now because of the job he’s done to manage the Nuggets’ rotation with so many players in and out of the lineup. But Nate McMillan rejuvenated the Hawks, and Quin Snyder rightfully pushed his players to shoot more 3s than anyone else in the NBA, leading to Utah’s best offensive season during his tenure.
Award ballots for the 2020-21 NBA season are due in one week. Some categories have a clear winner. Last week, I detailed Nikola Jokic’s MVP case and, as we’ll get into soon, I also believe Rudy Gobert is the pick for Defensive Player of the Year. Sixers fans, don’t worry, you’ll be cheered up by multiple All-Defensive team selections. But there are a lot of candidates—seemingly more than usual—for every honor this season. One thing is for sure: there will be a ton of snubs.
I’d imagine there will be anger from fans once ballots are published and winners are announced in the coming months. As I researched my ballot, I became increasingly frustrated too. There are some super talented players having great seasons that will be left empty handed. It sucks. But a large number of snubs is the by-product of a league flooded with talent. It’s a good problem for the league and fans to have. But maybe not for players or teams. Maximum contract extensions are tied to awards for some players who could meet the supermax criteria. This year, Jayson Tatum could lose $32 million because his contract extension value is determined by his All-NBA status. The same goes for Bam Adebayo and Donovan Mitchell. Some or all of them will miss out.
Stats won’t change much over the final week. Neither will the standings. But with some races being so tight, the final few games could clarify some choices. Here’s my ballot as of now plus my thought process behind some of the more difficult decisions:
Most Improved Player of the Year1. Julius Randle
2. Christian Wood
3. Jerami Grant
“Everyone tends to measure people on points or shots, and not the all-around game,” Tom Thibodeau said on Sunday after the Knicks’ win over the Clippers when asked about Randle not having a big game based on his stat line. Thibodeau is right. Randle does have great numbers: a career-high 23.9 points on 41.3 percent shooting from 3 with 10.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists in a league-leading 37.2 minutes per game. But his greatest impact is often what he does beyond the box score. It’s his feel for sensing a help defender coming his way, then swinging the ball to an open man to force a defense to rotate. It’s his intensity on defense, and the will to stay seated in his stance and force an opposing scorer into a tough shot.
This wasn’t always the case for Randle in the past. Many Knicks fans dreaded when he touched the ball last season because it was as if he had blinders on. He was a turnover machine. He was never a consistently impactful defender. All that has changed. Randle went from being an empty-stats player to a winner, a solid player to an elite one.
Other players like Wood and Grant made more significant statistical leaps this season and certainly deserve consideration for the award. So do Jaylen Brown, Zion Williamson, Michael Porter Jr., Zach LaVine, and Terry Rozier. I’m likely missing others, but Randle is the award’s obvious recipient.
Sixth Man of the Year1. Joe Ingles
2. Jordan Clarkson
3. Jalen Brunson
With a week to go, I remain undecided on Sixth Man of the Year. Two Utah players, Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson, will rightfully receive a lot of votes, and maybe even mine. Ingles is averaging 12.3 points on an obscene 46.3 percent shooting from 3. The versatile wing has given the Jazz what they need whenever they need it: scoring, playmaking, and defense. With Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell both missing time this season, he’s also managed to step into their roles as a starter.
Ingles has now started 41 percent of his games, and if he starts in Utah’s final four he will have started in 45 percent of games, which would be the highest percentage ever for a winner. Lamar Odom won the hardware in 2010-11 after starting 43 percent of his games, so there is a historical precedent for Ingles to win it. But that’s a lot of starts for a supposed Sixth Man and there are many other strong candidates that are true bench players.
With that said, isn’t Ingles doing exactly what a sixth man is supposed to? To step up when others go down? He’s absorbed more ballhandling responsibilities when Mitchell or Conley have missed time, and served as more of a sharpshooter when they’ve played. He does what his team needs to win. That was the argument for Odom in 2011 after Andrew Bynum (remember him?) was injured to start the season, forcing Odom into the Lakers’ starting lineup. For now, Ingles is my choice. But there are other candidates, including his own teammate.
After a scorching start, Clarkson has cooled off in recent months. He could still win this award and he deserves to be in the top three. Even with his diminished efficiency, he still provides an important shot-making spark off Utah’s bench. Ingles is just producing at a higher level on both ends of the floor. Other candidates have also closed the gap.
Jalen Brunson has at times been the Mavericks’ second-best player this season, providing a spark off the bench on both ends of the floor. He should be heavily considered for the award.
Matisse Thybulle will get some All-Defensive love, and he is also a contender for Sixth Man. He doesn’t score much, or even touch the ball all that often. But he makes the right play when he does, which is all his team needs. When he checks in off the bench, he immediately changes the complexion of the game. His steals and deflections serve as catalysts to jump-start offensive possessions because he often tips the ball toward Simmons to make the play for someone else.
Other Sixth Man candidates on my mind are T.J. McConnell, Tyrese Haliburton, Dario Saric, Thaddeus Young, Miles Bridges, Carmelo Anthony, Alex Caruso, Chris Boucher, De’Anthony Melton, and Derrick Rose. An argument can be made for any of them, whether it’s Melton’s defense, Young’s playmaking, or Boucher’s shot-blocking. Bottom line: The Sixth Man award should be about more way more than just scoring.
Coach of the Year1. Monty Williams
2. Tom Thibodeau
3. Michael Malone
Williams will be my choice to win Coach of the Year after installing new wrinkles in Phoenix seemingly each month this season. He has cultivated an unselfish environment, blending veterans and young players, all for the common goal of winning games.
Thibodeau is a close second after the Knicks’ miraculous turnaround. He has brought a defensive-minded nature to the Knicks, and a shared sense of accountability that transfers from the coaching staff to the players.
The third spot is a lot harder. Malone gets the nod for now because of the job he’s done to manage the Nuggets’ rotation with so many players in and out of the lineup. But Nate McMillan rejuvenated the Hawks, and Quin Snyder rightfully pushed his players to shoot more 3s than anyone else in the NBA, leading to Utah’s best offensive season during his tenure.
