Kevin Durant is 6th in MVP odds after leading the Phoenix Suns to a 7-1 start that included the best defense of his Suns tenure and several clutch baskets.
Could he really win the award?
On today’s episode, we break down Durant’s case. His box score numbers are right up there with the rest of his prime, and he certainly has the highlight moments to put him in the early spotlight.
As for the narrative, Durant may have his detractors in the NBA world. But a 36-year-old putting together his best season since a major injury, pulling a team out of the mud and back into championship contention is a heck of a story.
The issue may come from how little Durant has to do for the Suns to win. Not only does he play alongside two other All-Stars in Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, but new head coach Mike Budenholzer has installed a system that helps the Suns win games even without their stars dominating every night. Already this season, Durant has games of just 18 and 21 points — both wins.
Ahead of him in the odds, players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic lead teams that figure to be of a similar caliber as the Suns. What might put them ahead of Durant is that each of them carries far more responsibility for their teams. Those three players are “heliocentric” guys whose No. 2 options are not as consistently great as Booker.
Those factors could work against Durant, but if he keeps piling up numbers, moments and wins, he will be in the conversation all season long.
