Can Steph be MVP candidate after Olympics heroics? It’s complicated originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
There wasn’t a more valuable basketball player on the planet this summer than Steph Curry for his legendary performance to first propel Team USA to the gold medal game of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics in staving off an upset of epic proportions, and then to capture gold on the game’s greatest heat check of all time.
Curry’s value to the Warriors and basketball as a whole at 36 years old couldn’t be more evident.
What he did wearing a No. 4 Team USA jersey also doesn’t have him recognized as an NBA MVP candidate back in his No. 30 Golden State jersey at all as the offseason wraps up. Let’s first make a clear distinction: There’s a major difference between being seen as a top-10 player in the NBA and a top-10 MVP candidate. Curry undoubtedly still is a top-10 player in the least. This is a regular-season award, and there are a handful of factors in Curry’s way.
Age is the most obvious. The oldest player to win the award was Karl Malone at 35 in 1999, and he only had to play 49 games because of the lockout. Only one player 30 or older since the turn of the millennium has been named MVP. That was Steve Nash at 30 and 31 when he captured the hardware in consecutive years all the way back in 2005 and 2006.
Discounting Curry as a MVP candidate isn’t so much a slight to him, but more so how the outside world sees the Warriors after falling down to the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference and failing to make the playoffs. In the chance the Warriors are a top-four team in the West, or possibly even a top-six team to avoid the play-in tournament, Curry will find himself right back in the MVP race.
Until then, these players – a list that doesn’t include the reigning Finals MVP, the ascension of Victor Wembanyama, the return of Ja Morant and more – could get in his way.
Tier 1: Last Season’s Finalists
Nikola Jokić, C, Denver Nuggets: Generally seen as the best player in the world, the only thing that stopped Jokić from becoming only the fourth three-peat MVP in history two seasons ago was finishing second to Joel Embiid. The Joker then followed that by being the ninth three-time MVP winner in history last season, nearly averaging a triple-double. Jokić over the last four seasons, finishing with three MVP awards and one runner-up, has averaged 26.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game while having shooting splits of 58.8/36.4/82.8.
At 29 years old, Jokić is in his prime and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. The Nuggets were upset by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs, and then lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency. Jokić might have to do more than ever to stave off his Western Conference competitors as he’s primed for another MVP run.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder: The best player on the best team in the Western Conference. That usually is a recipe for adding an MVP trophy to the mantle. For SGA, it meant coming second to Jokić a season ago.
But the Thunder should be even better this season after adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein, and Gilgeous-Alexander has developed into nothing short of a superstar. In the past two seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander has finished fifth and second in MVP voting. The MVP case is an obvious one for the 26-year-old.
Luka Dončić, G, Dallas Mavericks: Ever since winning Rookie of the Year in 2019, Dončić has been a preseason MVP favorite. And every year since then, he has come close while still coming up short. Dončić in the past five seasons has finished fourth, sixth, fifth, eighth and third in MVP voting.
The Mavs reached the conference finals for the second time in three years last season, and were Western Conference champions for the first time since winning it all in 2011. Dončić has a secondary star in Kyrie Irving and now has another offensive weapon with the addition of Klay Thompson. The already historically great offensive player will take home an MVP one day, and it might come this upcoming season.
Tier 2: Repeat Winners
Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers: The only obstacle in Jokić’s way of winning three straight MVPs appeared on his way to winning a second straight before his campaign was cut short for an extended period. Through Jan. 30, Embiid had played in 34 of the 76ers’ 46 games and was averaging 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists. He only played five more regular-season games.
Health has been, and always will be, the main concern for Embiid. When he plays, however, Embiid is nothing short of dominant. Embiid has played eight seasons and only has hit the NBA’s new 65-game threshold to be eligible for major awards twice, playing 68 games in 2021-22 and 66 in 2022-23. The addition of Paul George and the star ascension of Tyrese Maxey should have him set up for another MVP run, if healthy.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Milwaukee Bucks: After winning back-to-back MVPs in 2019 and 2020, Antetokounmpo has finished in the top four of MVP voting in four straight years. He averaged a career-high 6.5 assists per game last season while putting up over 30 points for the second straight year, and 10 or more rebounds for the seventh straight season. All while the Bucks’ season was seen as a complete disappointment.
Another coaching controversy isn’t expected in Milwaukee. The second year of Giannis and Damian Lillard should be better than the first. The reality is, if the Bucks reach their expectations then Antetokounmpo will be in MVP talks yet again.
Tier 3: Highlight Hero
Anthony Edwards, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves: Nobody will be surprised by the Timberwolves this season, and Edwards is ready to invite every challenge that’s thrown his way. Everything is in his favor to be the next face of the league. The shoes. The attitude. The talent. The highlights. It’s all there for Ant, and don’t be surprised if he goes and takes it.
Coming off a summer after following every move of his idol Kevin Durant and winning gold alongside him on Team USA has Edwards primed for another leap forward at only 23 years old. Edwards doesn’t take nights off, instead finding himself setting social media and shows ablaze from his athleticism and ability to meet the moment. The fact that he has areas to grow his game is a positive, and Edwards undoubtedly will be an MVP candidate for years to come.
Tier 4: Bing Bong!
Jalen Brunson, PG, New York Knicks: Far from his days playing a background role in Dallas, Brunson has grown into an absolute star in the Big Apple. He quite literally has improved every single year of his NBA career, and if that trajectory continues, there’s no reason he can’t be a true MVP candidate.
The ‘Nova Knicks’ added Mikal Bridges to complete their mission of college buddies making Spike Lee and Action Bronson the happiest people on Earth, and a full season of OG Anunoby could have the Knicks competing for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Even with Bridges and Anunoby, Brunson, who averaged career-highs of 28.7 points and 6.7 assists, will hold all the power of the Knicks’ offense. Tom Thibodeau coaches every game like it’s the fourth overtime of Game 7 in the NBA Finals, which will only serve as a boost to Brunson’s MVP case.
Tier 5: Two Sides of Team USA
Devin Booker, SG, Phoenix Suns: Steve Kerr called Booker the unsung MVP of Team USA’s run to winning gold, and it was easy to see why. Booker knocked down shots, dove for loose balls and did all the dirty work necessary to complete the task at hand. He made his second All-NBA team last season, a year in which Booker was playing out of position.
The addition of point guard Tyus Jones should do wonders for Booker. Though Booker has improved as a playmaker, having a true point guard like Jones should allow him to continue hitting shots at an elite level. If the Suns take a leap forward and Booker builds off his Team USA performance, he should make major noise in the MVP conversation.
Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics: What Booker was for Team USA, Tatum was the opposite. Tatum wasn’t trusted, was largely relegated to the bench and couldn’t make shots when given chances. Now comes the revenge tour for the defending champion.
Being the best player on the best team didn’t work to Tatum’s advantage last season when it came to MVP voting, finishing sixth behind Jokić, Gilgeous-Alexander, Dončić, Antetokounmpo and Brunson. Then it was his teammate, Jaylen Brown, who won Eastern Conference Finals MVP and Finals MVP. There’s always a narrative to the game’s top award, and the story already is building for Tatum if the Celtics have another dominant regular season.
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