@NicLarsonGB's NBA Season Awards Picks

Fall is in the air, and the NBA season is right around the corner, making it a great time to “predict” how the season will go and who will win what awards. So without further ado, here is my award list for the 2022-2023 NBA season.

Fresh off picking up the same hardware last year, Herro was just rewarded with a new four-year $130 million contract. Still a focal point of the offense, the Heat love the instant offense he provides. Herro should continue to see over 30 minutes per game as well as have the green light shooting that propelled him to north of 20 points a game off the bench.

Sixth Man of the Year Pick: Tyler Herro +1500 on Fanduel

This is a tricky one. What would the voters compare his “improved” to. Is it the MVP flashes we saw his first two seasons, or is it the most recent out of shape injured Zion that is fresh in peoples minds? I’ll take my chances with the latter. If he can return to any resemblance of the 2021-2022 season where he averaged 27 points and 7.2 rebounds a game, I like these odds.

Most Improved Player Pick: Zion Williamson +1700 on Fanduel

The Greek Freak only knows one way to play the game. ALL OUT. Coming off a season where he finished sixth in the voting, averaging 1.4 blocks and 1.1 steals per game, I look for Giannis to continue playing more minutes at center in order to preserve Brook Lopez’s health. This will allow him to be the free safety on defense, helping off other bigs while also protecting the rim.

Defensive Player of the Year Pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo +1000 on DraftKings

When looking at options for this award I kept coming back to usage and opportunities. With the Chet Holmgren hype dying down due to his season ending injury, Banchero, the number 1 overall pick, was the obvious choice. At the center of this young Magic nucleus, Paolo is going to have every opportunity in to fill up the stat sheet on what should be a fun team to watch.

Rookie of the Year Pick: Paolo Banchero +210 on Caesars

This is the obvious next big step for Luka to take, becoming the third consecutive international born player to win MVP. Since James Harden in the 2018-2019 season, there have only been two players that have won this award, Giannis and Jokić each twice. Luka’s game features exactly what Giannis and Jokić showcased to secure these MVPs, flirting with a 30 point per game triple double every time he touches the court. Voters are certainly looking for some new blood in this award, and if Luca comes into the season in shape and can remain healthy, I can see him hoisting the trophy come June.

Most Valuable Player Pick: Luka Doncic +450 on Fanduel