I cannot wait for the NBA season to begin after all the drama, including LeBron moving to LA, Kawhi and DeRozan trade, and GSW buying the fifth all-star to complete their mega team. To be honest, Hollywood could just film LeBron battling against GSW and show it as Space Jam 2. Yup, I have no doubt that anyone who is not a fan of GSW will agree with me that those guys look like evil guys from an evil corporation now.
And all this summer drama made us forget some huge superstars who did not show-off during the summer. One of those guys is Giannis Antetokounmpo. My dream is to see Benedict Cumberbatch play Giannis in a movie one day. Not because they resemble one another in any way, but only because I would love to hear someone say these two names in one sentence. Anyway, let's talk about the Greek Freak. He will become the MVP. You know why?
Milwaukee Bucks as the dark horses
I might even write a whole new post about the upcoming year for the Milwaukee Bucks but you can already guess that I fancy this team a lot. I remember times when I hated the Bucks team with Michael Redd as their all-star. That team was boring. Things have changed now, especially when the Greek Freak joined the show.
LeBron has left the Eastern Conference, opening a space for new unestablished stars to prove their worth. The Greek Freak will have perfect conditions to dominate the conference while other all-stars battle in the west. Of course, teams like the Celtics, Raptors, and 76ers will still be the favorites against the Bucks but I trust this Bucks team. It is strong enough to be in the top 4 in the conference which would be enough for the Greek Freak to win the MVP title if his stats are good enough.
Also, other young players like Brogdon and Parker should only improve throughout the years, making the Bucks even more competitive. Add Middleton and Bledsoe to the equation and you have a team which can win the Eastern Conference under the right circumstances. So, the Greek Freak will be the main superstar of his team. He already recorded 27 ppg, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game last season and I cannot see any reason why those stats should not improve. Giannis is still only 23 years old, meaning that his physical abilities, maturity, and basketball IQ will only improve for upcoming 5 years or so. I am afraid to see the Greek Freak in his prime, but believe me, he has what it takes to win the MVP this year as well.
The main competition for the MVP
I think we all agree that if a player wants to win the MVP he has to bring his team to at least the top 4 in the conference. Of course, 50 ppg and 20 rebounds stats would be enough to win even if your team finishes in the bottom, but those things don't happen. So, realistically speaking, here are the main competitors who can steal the MVP title from the Greek Freak:
As long as Lebron James is playing in the NBA, he will be the guy to beat for the MVP title. However, at the age of 33, it is hard to expect LeBron using too much energy during the regular season. He has already proven enough. Also, I am not so sure how LeBron will fit into a new team. The acclimatization process might take a while meaning poor stats from both LeBron and the Lakers.
Anyone from the GSW might be considered a candidate to win the MVP only because the team itself will probably win the regular season. However, the Warriors are strong as a team so none of the individual players need to work their asses off every night. I don't think that a player from the GSW could ever win the MVP award unless of course, all the team decides to work for that. Is it possible? Most likely not.
James Harden, the current MVP, will have massive stats again next season. Also, the Rockets should finish in the top 3 in the Western Conference. However, I doubt that the NBA could have enough courage to hand the trophy to Harden for the second year in a row. It is not good for business. Also, Harden has proven himself as a superstar already and he won't have the same passion to win the trophy again.
Kawhi Leonard is THE player but he is still recovering so I think that the Raptors will save him as much as possible during the regular season.
The Boston Celtics are an impressive team. However, when I say "team", I mean team. Even with Irving and Hayward back, I have no doubts that Brad Stevens will rely on team play rather than letting one guy steal the show. Also, with such a depth, I don't see any of the Celtics players becoming the undoubtful leader of the team. I love this type of teams, but it is not good for players who aim for the MVP award.
Anthony Davis is the definition of the beast. If I had to build my franchize around one player, I would probably choose Anthony Davis. However, I have doubts that the Pelicans have a strong enough team to compete in the Western Conference. The poor performance of the Pelicans will be the reason why Anthony Davis will have to wait for his MVP award at least one more year.
Everyone from the 76ers are too young and unstable to win the MVP award just yet. Just look at Simmons and his performance in the playoffs. People who think that Embiid is ready... well, he is too injury-prone so the coach will do everything to minimize Embiid's minutes during the regular season.
Damien Lillard has finished fourth this year in the MVP voting but there is something about the Blazers that I don't like. They are out of ideas and we could see that in the playoffs. The competition in the Western Conference is growing and I believe that the Blazers and Damien Lillard will have a bad season.
Russell Westbrook might want to get his second MVP award and he has what it takes to do that. However, the OKC will have to worry about getting to the playoffs first rather than letting Westbrook work for his triple-doubles. Also, Paul George might steal the spotlight from Westbrook as he is already used to Oklahoma and it is time for him to start delivering.
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