My Official 2022-23 Awards Predictions
It’s about that time of year. With the NBA season rapidly approaching, it’s time to make my awards predictions for 2023.
The start of the NBA season is rapidly approaching. So, it’s time for a yearly tradition. It’s time for my official 2022-23 awards predictions, with some extra awards in there, too. My track record for predicting awards hasn’t been great, so let’s see if I can improve that today.
Most Valuable Player: Luka Doncic (Dallas)
Luka Doncic’s case for MVP has never been about the numbers, and it never will be. For the past three seasons, he’s been otherworldly. Everybody knows him to be one of the best players in the league, leading a competitive Dallas team.
But, Doncic hasn’t had the right formula to win MVP. In most cases, it’s been that Dallas hasn’t been good enough for him to win the award. Losing Jalen Brunson this offseason doesn’t help them in the win column. So, why do I think Doncic will win MVP?
Well, for starters, fatigue. Voters get tired of the same MVP winners, which is why Giannis and Jokic will be blacklisted from the award for the next few seasons, no matter how well they perform. That makes way for other candidates, including Doncic, to make more headway.
Secondly, I think he’s perfect for the award. Why has Nikola Jokic won back-to-back MVPs? It’s because he’s dragged Denver in the regular season through major injuries. Denver hasn’t been some 60-win juggernaut. Jokic hasn’t won the MVP because of the “best player on the best team” narrative.
I think Doncic can do something similar. If he can stay healthy and get Dallas to around 45-50 wins and a top-5 seed in the West, he’ll be a frontrunner. If not, he’ll have to settle for another All-NBA First Team. Oh well.
Most Improved Player: Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana)
I’ll admit, this is pretty lazy. Not only is Tyrese Haliburton not some under-the-radar gem, but he’s also a shoo-in to win this award, barring something crazy. Believe me, I have more bold predictions later on.
Haliburton is the model point guard for a winning team. He can do it all offensively, but it comes with a pass-first mentality. On a crappy Pacers team, Haliburton will be given the keys to the offense. His best season is on the horizon.
Haliburton was unleashed in the second half with the Pacers. He averaged 17.5 points and 9.6 assists on 50% shooting from the field and 42% from 3. Expect more of the same this season. Haliburton is a volcano waiting to erupt. Rick Carlisle may have already found his next magnum opus.
Now, having a larger role on offense doesn’t mean someone is improving. I get that. If Haliburton could improve defensively and around the rim, that would be the cherry on top. But, last season, Ja Morant won the award even though he didn’t really improve. So I don’t think it’s blasphemous to give Haliburton this award.
Indiana will be putrid this season, but Tyrese Haliburton will give everybody a reason to tune in.
Defensive Player of the Year: Draymond Green (Golden State)
Nobody likes Draymond Green. He’s irritable, pesky, abrasive, and an all-around jerk when he gets on the court. As a Blazers fan, I can attest to the abuse he’s given me and the city of Portland over the past few years. You could also argue that Green isn’t the same player he once was. That injury and age have slowed down the podcaster. I would agree with you to some extent on all those points. But guess what?
Every team needs its leader, and Draymond Green has been the pacemaker for this Warriors dynasty. Who knows where they would be without his very presence? You can’t look at the box score and find Draymond Green’s value. His value is between the lines. As good as Steph Curry and co. have been, the Warriors wouldn’t be the Warriors we know without Draymond.
So, why will Green win the award in 2023? Well, he was awesome defensively last season. He housed a 4.3 DBPM and led the Warriors to be the #1 defense in the regular season. Green remains pivotal to the Warriors’ success.
Golden State will be contenders again in 2023. A big reason for that will be their defense, which will be led by Green. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be a frontrunner for this award. This award rarely has a monopoly winner (get out of here, Rudy!), and Green hasn’t won since 2017.
I think it’s as good a time as ever to get Golden State’s pacemaker another piece of hardware.
Rookie of the Year: Jabari Smith (Houston)
It’s hard to find a standout rookie in this draft class. Chet Holmgren’s injury makes this class even less star-driven, which is saying something. This class was notoriously weak at the top compared to previous classes. Obviously, this is subject to change, but this is what we know for now.
This year, I’m going with a wildcard. Houston traded away Christian Wood this offseason, leaving a production gap in the forward position. The player best equipped to fill that space is Smith, who should be a day-one starter in Houston.
Smith is a Rashard Lewis-like scoring threat. He can shoot over defenders with ease. Defenses will have a hard time adjusting to his in-and-out prowess as a scoring threat. Smith will get minutes all season no matter how poorly he’s playing. That’s the gift of rebuilding teams. Houston will remain a bottom feeder, and Smith will be one of their best players.
He may not have been the #1 overall pick, but I think Smith is going to turn out a-ok.
6th Man of the Year: Whoever Scores The Most
I’m taking a stand. Think of me as Cameron Frye, and this award is my dad and his stupid car. This award blows. No, seriously. This award is finding who scored the most points off the bench. That’s it. One google search and everybody’s done.
There’s no consideration for defense, passing, or the numerous other nuances of basketball. Nope. Every year it goes to some one-sided player like Jordan Clarkson or Jamal Crawford.
Don’t get me wrong. Coming off the bench and performing well is an art. It’s an underappreciated part of the game. But what ever happened to the Bill Walton’s off the world? In 1986, Walton won the award with this stat line;
7.6 points ~ 6.8 rebounds ~ 2.1 assists ~ 1.3 blocks ~ 19.3 minutes
Guess what? Walton played his role, and he played it to a T. That 1986 Celtics team is one of the greatest the league has ever seen. Walton impacted the game in other ways than just scoring. I wish the award was weighted differently.
In the future, seasons from guys like Brandon Clarke, Josh Hart, and De’Anthony Melton will be ignored. Why? Well, because they aren’t scoring 20 points a night. It’s stupid, I know. And that’s why I will never predict this award. Never. At least until it changes.
Coach of the Year: Taylor Jenkins (Memphis)
The Memphis Grizzlies are the NBA’s latest hot thing. They’re the new kids on the block. The team on the rise. Whatever term you want to use, the Memphis Grizzlies are here…and they’re here to stay. Their massive rebuilding project started three years ago when they drafted Ja Morant. I don’t think anybody expected them to be contenders this fast.
A big reason for their rapid ascension has been Taylor Jenkins. Jenkins is one of the best young coaches in the league. While he doesn’t get the notoriety of other top coaches, he’s one of the best in the league. Not only has he managed to keep a young team hungry and disciplined, he’s not pigeonholing them.
Jenkins hasn’t forced this roster to do anything. The Grizzlies are the most unique team in the league…and it works. Not many coaches would play as fast and pound the offensive glass as much as the Grizzlies do.
Think of Jenkins as a preschool teacher. He’s not actually there to teach you anything. He’s just making sure the fingerpainting doesn’t get out of hand. And he’s done a fantastic job. After winning 56 games last season, Memphis is in line to continue ascending.
The 38-year-old rising star on the sidelines deserves a lot of credit for that.
Under The Radar Award: Brandon Ingram (New Orleans)
Remember Brandon Ingram? After his exile from Los Angeles, he’s been largely ignored in New Orleans. We talked about his All-Star and Most Improved campaign in 2020, sure, sure. But, the Zion Williamson saga beats the gangly, 6’8″ forward who can do it all offensively. That’s not even sarcasm.
Ingram is quiet and goes about his business. His quotes aren’t going to be the next morning’s top news. He just puts his head down and works. There’s nothing wrong with that, obviously, but it’s easy to forget how good he was in the playoffs last season;
27.0 points ~ 6.2 rebounds ~ 6.2 assists ~ 58% TS ~ 1st Playoff Series Ever
Ingram notched three thirty-point performances against the Suns, including a 37-spot in a game two road victory. Even I forgot how good he played down the stretch for the Pelicans. He just gets lost in the sauce of drama.
New Orleans has rapidly ascended to become a team with one of the brightest futures in the league. While everybody is focused on Zion and his future, why can’t we give Brandon Ingram some love? He’s going to play like an All-Star again in 2023.
And, perhaps most importantly, he’s the playoff killer this team needs to go far. For the Pelicans to achieve their goals, they’ll need the ever underrated Ingram. Maybe then, the collective basketball community can appreciate him a little more.
Milton Waddams Award: Dwane Casey (Detroit)
For those of you not aware of Office Space lore, let me catch you up to speed. Milton Waddams, portrayed brilliantly by Stephen Root, is a stammering, stumbling, bumbling, and weird office worker. Everybody walks over him and ignores him. As it turns out, he had been fired five years ago. It’s just that nobody bothered to tell him.
(Oh. And he burned down an entire office because of a Stapler and threatened to do the same to a beach resort, but let’s not go there.)
(Joanna needs to wear more flair)
Anyway, let’s take that concept to the NBA. Who has been overstaying their welcome as a coach/front office member. And I think I’ve found the perfect answer. Dwane Casey.
Not only does he house the weirdest way to spell “Dwayne, but” he’s also been unexceptional as a coach. You may know him from his past endeavors as the leader of the “Lebronto” era in Toronto. For the past three seasons, he’s housed a 34.4% winning percentage in Detroit.
I don’t know why Detroit hasn’t found a new coach, a coach that fits their rebuilding identity. Go back to Taylor Jenkins. He fits perfectly with that Memphis team, and look at where they are now. Casey was brought in to save the Griffin-Drummond tandem.
Now that they’re rebuilding, I don’t know why the Pistons haven’t sought out more exciting candidates. A veteran coach isn’t necessarily bad for a rebuilding team, but there are so many new coaching options to choose from. I just don’t get why they’re settling for Casey when they could realistically have anybody they want.
You’re An Idiot Award: Ime Udoka (Boston)
Let’s talk about the Ime Udoka situation. Udoka had a relationship with a female on the Celtics coaching staff. In response to this, the Celtics suspended Udoka for a year. The Celtics went to the Finals in Udoka’s first season, if you remember.
Everybody was outraged, but for the wrong reasons. I was mad because this punishment seemed harsh compared to the NBA’s botched Sarver investigation “punishments.” But, after thinking about it for a while, I’ve come to sound realizations.
- “Consensual Relationship”
When Shams first tweeted about this situation, he used the phrase “consensual relationship.” This phrase was likely used by Udoka’s team or even the Celtics themselves. I don’t think anything horrifying happened, but not something as black and white as “consensual.” We don’t have all the details right now, and until we do, we can’t just assume this was consensual. That would be stupid and irresponsible.
- Acceptance
Another thing about this situation that was weird was Udoka’s acceptance of it. And I’m not just talking about his official statement about it. Those are supposed to be bland and filled with cliches. I just feel like he never said, “this is being blown out of proportions,” or “that’s not what it was.” No. He just kind of took it, which makes me believe that my first problem holds more water. There’s definitely something we’re missing right now.
This is dumb
More than anything, however, it’s just stupid. The Celtics were primed to be contenders for a while. Udoka turned this team around and changed their outlook. Now, all of that momentum is more or less lost. Will the locker room ever be the same if Udoka returns? Will Udoka even return, period?
This is such an avoidable situation, but Udoka used poor judgment. Hopefully, we learn more about this situation, but the details are scarce. Whatever the future holds for Ime and Celtics, I think we can agree on one thing.
He’s an idiot
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