The 2023-24 NBA season is only a few months away and we have the predictions for every major individual and team accolade.
As the anticipation builds for yet another thrilling NBA season, basketball enthusiasts, fans, and analysts alike find themselves engrossed in predicting the winners for every award in the 2023-24 NBA season. Last year, we had tight races in almost every award category and it was a memorable season, to say the least.
The 2023-24 NBA season promises to be no different, with a host of established stars and emerging talents ready to make their mark on the court. Alongside the fierce team rivalries, another source of excitement stems from the annual awards that recognize and honor exceptional performances, sportsmanship, and leadership throughout the season.
From Most Valuable Player (MVP) to Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year to Sixth Man of the Year, and the crowning of the NBA champion and Finals MVP, these accolades highlight the multifaceted nature of the game and the diverse skill sets possessed by players across the league.
While these predictions are undoubtedly subject to the unpredictable nature of sports, they offer an intriguing lens through which to view the upcoming season, fostering discussions and debates among fans and experts alike. So, without further ado, here are the predictions for every major award for the upcoming campaign.
Coach Of The Year – Mark Daigneault
Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
There will be many contenders for the Coach of the Year award, but it is likely that Mark Daigneault will end up on top. He has an incredibly talented roster with All-NBA performer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and youngsters including Josh Giddey and returning No. 1 overall pick Chet Holmgren.
With this trio, the Oklahoma City Thunder will be in contention for the playoffs. If the Thunder improve, the reason will be because of their players but also because Daigneault is an exceptionally talented coach.
The 38-year-old has managed to bring out the best out of Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City almost made the playoffs despite the injury to Holmgren. Next season, Oklahoma City will improve significantly and the head coach will benefit from the Coach of the Year award.
Sixth Man Of The Year – Norman Powell
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Norman Powell has been an excellent pickup for the Los Angeles Clippers who have yet to find their groove with Kawhi Leonard once again dealing with injuries and load management in recent seasons.
If Leonard and Paul George get back to full health, Los Angeles will be a problem in terms of competing for the NBA Finals in the West.
Last season, Powell posted 17.0 points per game on 39.7% from three, very solid numbers from a player who also competes well on the defensive side of the floor. If the Clippers get a better record, Powell will compete very strongly in the 6th Man of the Year rankings.
Head coach Ty Lue will understand that Powell is good enough to start, but bringing him off the bench could give the team a significant advantage.
All-Star Game MVP – Luka Doncic
Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
All-Star Games are often a platform for players to exhibit their skills and creativity in a more relaxed and entertaining setting. Luka Doncic’s style of play aligns well with the exhibition nature of the All-Star Game, where flashy passes, deep three-pointers, and highlight-reel plays are celebrated.
Along with that, it is about time that the talented Slovenian won a major award in the NBA. Luka’s propensity to excel in high-pressure situations while maintaining a charismatic and lighthearted demeanor bodes well for standing out in this unique environment.
The player is on a tear in the FIBA World Cup so far, posting 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in his recent game against Georgia. Luka wants to win an award and he will go for the All-Star Game MVP.
In-Season Tournament MVP – Stephen Curry
Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The new in-season tournament is interesting because, as of now, there are mixed reviews across the fanbase and media. The NBA is trying to make the regular seasons more interesting, as teams want to win money, provide themselves a landscape to prove their talents, and actually win an accolade.
Out of all the teams that will be included in the tournament, expect the Golden State Warriors to go for it. The Warriors are a title contender looking to win their fifth championship together following the arrival of Chris Paul this summer.
In order to boost their chemistry back to standard and show why they are four-time champions, Steve Kerr could push the squad to win the in-season tournament.
The star of the show will be none other than Stephen Curry, the best point guard in the world who wants to get back to winning individual awards in an effort to somehow challenge Magic Johnson in the point guard GOAT debate.
Most Improved Player – Mikal Bridges
Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Mikal Bridges became an All-Star in his 27 games with the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 26.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Bridges was an elite perimeter defender with the Phoenix Suns, but his offense was slightly held back due to the presence of offensive players, including Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton.
In Brooklyn, Bridges is the star of the team and he showed what he can do offensively. The swingman can not only shoot from deep but also attack the basket and finish inside.
His confidence grew significantly over the past few seasons because of the deep playoff runs he had in Phoenix and he has a chance to make the first All-Star Team of his career in 2024. Once he does, he will be taking the Most Improved Player award at the end of the year.
Rookie Of The Year – Victor Wembanyama
Credit: Lucas Peltier/USA Today Sports
It doesn’t take a great basketball mind to predict that Victor Wembanyama will end up as the Rookie of the Year following his No. 1 overall selection by the San Antonio Spurs.
The Frenchman is not only a capable offensive player but a terrifyingly talented defender who can block shots, rebound, and challenge most shots at the rim.
However, it won’t be a runaway Rookie of the Year race. Scoot Henderson is a very talented guard with supreme explosiveness and offensive talent, and he could be taking charge of the Portland Trail Blazers if and when Damian Lillard gets traded.
As great as Henderson is, Wembanyama is the best rookie in the league and he will take him the Rookie of the Year trophy if he can stay healthy throughout the season.
Defensive Player Of The Year – Anthony Davis
Credit: Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports
At the end of last season, Anthony Davis was finally back to his best on both ends of the floor. The Los Angeles Lakers struggled to start the year but picked it up and pushed for the Western Conference Finals at the end of the year.
Davis became a two-way All-Star again, averaging 25.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game but also posting 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game. The big man is showing how dominant he can be on defense, using his physical gifts and timing to swat shots and protect the rim.
Hopefully, Davis can continue showing what made him an MVP candidate a few years ago. While he might not win the MVP award, he has a chance to actually win his first Defensive Player of the Year trophy.
There is no excuse for Davis to not win the award because he has better athleticism than the likes of Rudy Gobert and Jaren Jackson Jr., along with the experience to know how to impact the defensive side of the game.
It is time for Davis to stay healthy and put effort into dominating on defense because the award is his to lose if he does.
Most Valuable Player – Nikola Jokic
Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Nikola Jokic is a two-time MVP award winner and while he should have won it last year, it can be argued that Joel Embiid was the deserving MVP in the 2021-22 season.
Regardless, the Serbian won the Finals MVP trophy last year and that means far more than any other accolade. In the 2023-24 season, it is hard to see any player posting better all-around numbers than the pass-first center, who has changed the game with his abilities.
The Denver Nuggets will be in the mix for their second-straight championship, and Jokic can put up triple-double numbers around the likes of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. once again.
After posting 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game, Jokic will likely hover around those numbers in 2024. There will be stiff competition from Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the Serbian might get the job done for the third time.
Eastern Conference MVP – Jayson Tatum
Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The Eastern Conference will be an exciting aspect of the upcoming season. There are a host of contenders, including the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat, battling it out for the top spot.
Out of these three teams, it is likely that the Boston Celtics will take the top seed and also make it to the NBA Finals.
The Celtics added former All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis this summer and the Big Three of him along with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will be difficult to handle on both ends of the court. Boston won 57 games last year and could win a few more this season.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics will take on the Miami Heat by most predictions and the Greens will end up on top.
As the best player on the team, Tatum will have himself a comeback performance following last year’s disappointing exit and earn the Eastern Conference MVP as he makes his second Finals appearance.
Western Conference MVP – Kevin Durant
Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
The Western Conference will also be stacked with talent as the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors will be vying for the top spot to make the NBA Finals. Out of all the teams, Phoenix has the most talent in the starting lineup.
The Suns and Nuggets will likely meet in the Western Conference Finals as the Lakers, Warriors, and Clippers are all dealing with health issues and age will be a factor as the grind of the season weighs on them.
The Suns added All-Star Bradley Beal to their trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton which creates a dominant starting lineup. In the end, the Suns might get the edge over Jokic and the Nuggets because of their unstoppable scoring prowess.
It won’t be easy to deal with the defending champions, as their defense won’t be elite, but they might be able to outscore Denver and there are some doubts about Jokic’s focus, considering how much partying he has been doing this summer in Serbia.
NBA Champion – Phoenix Suns
Credit: Fadeaway World
According to our predictions, the NBA Finals will be set between the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns. This series will likely last six games, but the Suns will end up as the winner.
The Suns have had a 55-year drought since being founded as an expansion team in 1968 despite having some of the best players ever compete for their franchise. Charles Barkley was the NBA’s MVP in 1993 and he was the most dominant player for most of the regular season, but could not defeat Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the Finals.
The Steve Nash days were also exciting, but they competed in the Western Conference run by the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs and never made the Finals.
Phoenix finally managed to make the NBA Finals again in 2021 thanks to the acquisition of Chris Paul but fell to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. This time, Phoenix has three legitimate superstar players offensively and a new head coach in Frank Vogel who is no-nonsense.
There will be enough talent this year for Phoenix to overcome Boston’s defense and expect Kevin Durant to specifically have himself a comeback campaign following last season’s second-round exit. Durant was not at his best, only averaging 45.3% from the field and 22.2% from three.
If the Suns win the championship, it will prove that the all-in nature of their acquisitions proved to be successful. It will be a shame for the Celtics to suffer another disappointing playoff exit, but the Suns might have too much firepower.
Finals MVP – Kevin Durant
Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
With Phoenix being the predicted NBA champion, Kevin Durant will be the Finals MVP. Devin Booker had himself a ridiculous postseason last year, averaging 33.7 points per game on 58.5% shooting from the field, 50.8% from three, and 86.6% from the free-throw line.
As great as Booker will likely be in 2024, Kevin Durant is the star of the show and will capture the Finals MVP if the Phoenix Suns end up defeating the Eastern Conference champs in the Finals. This would be a spectacular achievement for Durant who has yet to win since leaving Golden State.
While there will still be those critics who will point out that Durant needed a superteam to win a title for the third time, it will at least prove that the superstar could win without Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Steve Kerr beside him. Durant needs this championship and Finals MVP more than anyone else in Phoenix and time will tell if he can get it done.
