The NBA MVP award is always one of the most hotly contested and this year is no exception. 2018-19 MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo opens as the favourite this year, currently paying $4. 2-time MVP Steph Curry is second at $6, followed by James Harden at $8 and new Laker Anthony Davis at $10. We’ll go through each of the top 5 contenders for the award and identify where the value lies.
Giannis Antetokounmpo $4
One of the most deserving MVP’s in recent memory, Giannis put up 28 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 6 assists on a 60-win team last year. He is elite on both ends of the floor and looks set to improve even more this season aged 24. What works in his favour the most is that he is considered the lone star on one of the league’s best teams. LeBron and AD could effectively cancel each other out, as could Westbrook and Harden and PG and Kawhi. The Bucks look on pace to be the #1 seed in the East again this year and I don’t see this $4 lasting too long into the season.
Steph Curry $6
A former 2-time MVP, the Warriors are definitely Steph’s team this season with KD gone and Klay out injured. The offence will run through him all season and I see him leading the league in scoring when healthy. Having failed to reach 70 games in the last two seasons, I’m not sure Steph has the durability for another MVP campaign. A lack of depth means the Warriors likely won’t enjoy the same team success, also hurting his chances. The $6 on offer is definitely reasonable should he stay healthy, although that’s a gamble given his recent history.
James Harden $8
Harden has been well in the MVP conversation for at least the last half decade. He won the award in a breakthrough 2017-18 campaign, only bettering his stats to average over 36 points last season. Although he is now 30 years of age, I still see Harden in the upper echelon of NBA players. However, I think the acquisition of Russell Westbrook will dramatically decrease his usage rate, leading to a worse offensive output. Given the other options on the board, I’d opt to stay clear of Harden at this stage.
Anthony Davis $10
Davis has gotten MVP buzz in recent seasons, although the small New Orleans market and relatively poor team worked against him. Now in the prestigious LA market, he is already being hyped as an MVP option by LeBron. If the Lakers improve significantly and AD puts up some gaudy numbers, he does have a real shot at the award. That said, it’s very difficult for a LeBron teammate to win the MVP and I can see their games overlapping somewhat. I don’t hate the $10 on offer, although Giannis and Steph still look more appealing to me.
Joel Embiid $17
The Sixers are thought of as a lock to reach at least the Conference Finals and Embiid is comfortably their best player. He was outstanding last season, putting up 27.5 points to go along with 13.6 rebounds. That said, he likely won’t play enough games to really stand out in the MVP race. He played a career-high of 64 last season and I don’t see him really topping that. If you can see him playing 75 games this season, the $17 on offer is an absolute steal.