The NBA and each of its 30 teams have no shortage of awards to honor the players that make the league go, but that has not stopped people from trying to think of even more ways we can fete our favorite athletes with novel hardware every season.
Such was the hypothetical range of honors devised by Bleacher Report NBA analyst Grant Hughes, who put together a range of non-existing team-specific honors the Boston Celtics and every other ball club in the Association could hand out to properly credit the players on the team who have gone above and beyond in 2022-23 in ways both good and bad.
Hughes came up with a handful for the Celtics in particular — let’s check out the awards and recipients he has in mind for Boston.
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MVP: Jayson Tatum
“An All-Star for the fourth year running and a safe bet to make his second consecutive All-NBA first team, Tatum is also in line to (narrowly) set the Boston Celtics’ all-time single-season record for scoring average,” writes the author.
“Forget the team-specific honor; Tatum shouldn’t finish lower than fifth in the leaguewide version of the MVP award.”
DPOY: Marcus Smart
“Smart’s size and strength make him a viable option against forwards and some centers, he’s hard to screen, and his combination of intensity and intelligence (is) tough to top,” suggests Hughes.
“Plus, he’s good for at least one cagey crunch-time flop that earns an extra possession every game.”
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Best Newcomer: Malcolm Brogdon
“A Sixth Man of the Year candidate, the 30-year-old guard has never been better on a per-minute basis and is in line to set new career highs in true shooting percentage and Box Plus/Minus,” writes the B/R analyst.
“Everyone agreed Brogdon was a perfect fit when Boston signed him, and he’s validated that belief all season.”
Sneakily Integral Award: Derrick White
“We already nodded to White’s status as one of the best shot-blocking guards in the league, and he deserves praise for quietly keying so much of what’s gone right for the Celtics overall this year,” notes Hughes.
“No Boston player’s minutes coincide with a larger net-rating spike than White’s, and anyone watching him contribute on both ends understands why.”
