Dec. 15 is an important date in the NBA. It’s the day a majority of offseason signings become available to trade, making it something of the start of the trade season between now and the February deadline. The anticipation for Christmas games starts to grow. And most teams are at or past the quarter mark of their schedules. So now is as good a time as any to introduce Sports Illustrated’s MVP rankings. Every week we’ll rank our top five candidates for the award until we pick a winner at the end of the season. In this inaugural version, some familiar faces are at the top.
David Zalubowski/AP (Jokic); Matt Slocum/AP (Embiid)
1a. Joel Embiid
The reigning MVP has followed up last year’s stellar campaign by increasing his averages in points (33.8), rebounds (11.5) and assists (6.4). The assist total is particularly impressive. With James Harden gone, Embiid has taken on more of a playmaking responsibility and is thriving without a massive spike in turnovers. More impressive is all of this has happened after the roster was overhauled early in the season. And it’s led to the Sixers having the best net rating in the league.
We know Nikola Jokić is Embiid’s main competition for this award. How about this? Per Cleaning the Glass, the Sixers have a better offense with Embiid on the floor than the Nuggets do with Jokić so far this season.
1b. Nikola Jokić
The Joker has been as impactful as ever, even if his efficiency is down after a shocking two-game slump earlier this month. It’s really hard to separate Jokić and Embiid at this point. Their teams are very close in the standings. Both have been phenomenal. Embiid’s had the Harden drama, while Jokić has had to deal with Jamal Murray’s hamstring injury. Right now, I give Embiid the slightest of edges because the 76ers have two fewer losses, and I think the expectations for Philly were nowhere near this high considering how its season started.
3. Luka Dončić
Dallas is fourth in the West after not even making the play-in tournament last year. Luka is averaging 32.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 9.1 assists a game, Nobody else in the league is even at 28/7/7. He produces at an absurd level every single night, and the Mavs are on pace for only their second 50-win season in his career.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo
The counting stats are still there for the Greek Freak, who is third in scoring at 32.0 points a night on an über-efficient 62.3% shooting. There are two issues holding Giannis back from the very upper crust of this race, though. First, Damian Lillard has been the Bucks’ crunch-time No. 1, taking some of the “most valuable” part of the argument away from Antetokounmpo. In big moments, Lillard becomes Milwaukee’s most important offensive option. Secondly, the Bucks’ defense is still in the bottom third of the league, and that’s a side of the floor Giannis is expected to exert more dominance over.
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SGA is fourth in scoring and has a higher field goal percentage than both Embiid and Jokic. And the Thunder are third in the West and third in net rating. He’s the best player on a team nobody expected to be a contender this soon.
