The Per Sources’ 2019-20 NBA Season predictions roll on. I enlisted in other Per Sources writers for this one. We’ll be making predictions for who’ll win each major NBA award. From Most Valuable Player to Coach of the Year, we give you guys an insight as to who’ll take home the hardware and why. Let’s dive into our pre-season 2019-20 NBA awards predictions.
Most Valuable Player
Yaw Bonsu – Stephen Curry, Warriors
I don’t have to keep repeating myself over and over again. When Stephen Curry is without Kevin Durant, he does wonders on the basketball court. He’s a back-to-back MVP winner which includes being the first unanimous selection in league history. Without Kevin Durant, Curry will simply have the ball in his hands more. And, with Klay Thompson out until the least the All-Star break, that only helps Curry’s case more.
Things like load management can’t be associated with Curry if he’s going to win his third MVP award. I believe Curry is a top-five player in the game that flourishes when he’s the number one guy. Kevin Durant was the better player, but it’s always been Curry’s team. Curry should be the number one choice in everyone’s eyes, and he’s certainly mine.
Matt Spirio – Stephen Curry, Warriors
The last time we saw Steph Curry without Kevin Durant he was the league MVP averaging 30.1 PPG on 50/45/91 shooting while leading the Warriors to 73 wins. Obviously that’s a once in a lifetime season, but there’s a lot of things going in Curry’s favor.
Klay Thompson is going to be out for the foreseeable future, providing Curry with even more shots and offensive responsibility for the first half of the season. Draymond Green and D’Angelo Russell will keep them afloat in the West enough for people to not knock Curry for poor team success. Voter fatigue should hurt candidates like Giannis and Harden, and if Curry can manage to keep the Warriors within the same range they’ve been in for the past three seasons, people may finally start to appreciate what once made him the most dangerous player on the planet.
Colby Stoez – Stephen Curry, Warriors
In the four games that Kevin Durant missed last regular season, Steph Curry played more than 10 minutes in three of them. Those instances saw Curry score 30 PPG while taking 25.3 shots a night, but where he really flipped was in the postseason. When KD went down with a calf injury in Game 5 against Houston that caused him to miss 10 games, the pressure was dumped onto Steph to lead the Warriors to their fifth straight Finals. I’d say he handled the pressure pretty well.
Stephen Curry is a lock for the 2019-20 NBA MVP. Kevin Durant’s departure will open up many more opportunities on the offensive end, and Steph will surely take advantage of them. They’ll need him more than ever this season. When Steph plays well, the Warriors win. When Steph puts up 30 points a night, the Warriors dominate. Don’t expect this season to be any different than the pre-KD days. Stephen Curry will be this year’s MVP, and there’s no doubt about it.
Aiden Hawkins – Stephen Curry, Warriors
For the first time since 2016, Wardell Stephen Curry is the first option in the Warriors’ offense. With Klay Thompson out until at least the All-Star break and Kevin Durant gone, Steph now has the green light to shoot 25+ times a game. We’re getting a glimpse into what he’s capable of this preseason. He dropped 40 points on 60% shooting from 3PT against the Timberwolves. Though this is the only preseason, it’s good to see Curry having performances like this.
His usage rate has declined every season since 2016 (his last MVP season). With his second option being D’Angelo Russell, Curry’s usage rate may be historic. He’s in his prime and the lone sharpshooter on the Warriors (sorry Dlo). So, a majority of the Warriors 3PTs will be taken by Curry.
Defensive Player of the Year
Yaw Bonsu – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo deservingly won this award a season ago. Not only did he win MVP because of how dominating he looked on the offensive end, but he solidified it by what he did on the defensive end. Giannis is easily on his way, if not already, to becoming the league’s most dominant player.
I understand that the easy choice may be Rudy Gobert because of his defensive prowess over the last couple of seasons. However, if anyone can outdo him, it’s the reigning MVP. In my eyes, Giannis can handle almost any matchup and will, in fact, improve on the defensive end this season. I had him as the league’s defensive player award winner last year. The same holds true for this season.
Matt Spirio – Paul George, Clippers
There were a few candidates in mind here, but on paper, no one looks scarier on defense than the Clippers. Between Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Patrick Beverley, and Montrezl Harrell, the team has a number of bodies to throw at every team they face. Among them, George and Leonard are the most versatile, and George seems like a more logical pick.
Last season, George finished third in voting behind Rudy Gobert (another tempting selection) and Giannis but ahead of Kawhi Leonard. He led the league in steals, which could easily happen again and would help him pass the eye-test amongst voters. What could push him over the edge to finally win the award is if he takes some pressure off of Kawhi. Then he can focus on the offensive end and lock down some of the game’s best stars while being a part of the game’s best defense.
Colby Stoez – Kawhi Leonard, Clippers
Kawhi Leonard missed 22 games last year due to “load management”, but he still proved to the league that he’s the best defender in the world. The Klaw finished sixth in DPOY voting, and had he not missed games, he would’ve finished much higher. It was obvious that Leonard was still suffering from his prior injury, but this season he’ll be back and better than ever.
Between the two years that Kawhi won DPOY, he averaged 2 SPG and 0.9 BPG. Last season, while playing at 75%, he averaged 1.8 SPG and 0.4 BPG. Now, he’ll be the best defender on the best defensive team in the NBA. Surrounded by Paul George and Patrick Beverley, both top-10 defensive players in the league, Leonard won’t have as much stress on him defensively. Becoming less focused on helping those around him, Leonard’s personal defensive stats will skyrocket. He’ll once again prove that he’s the best in the world. Leonard will win his third Defensive Player of the Year Award this season.
Aiden Hawkins – Zion Williamson, Pelicans
*Caution Extremely Hot Take*
I’m all in on the Zion hype train. After seeing Williamson play against NBA talent, I’m fully convinced that he has the ability to hold his own this season. I don’t believe Zion will be a 25+ PPG scorer, but I do think he can be an elite defender. It’s the best aspect of Williamson’s game. At Duke, Zion ranked top-10 in both steals and blocks per game within the ACC.
With the combination of elite athleticism and great instincts, Zion can easily win DPOY this year. It’ll be difficult to hold off guys like Rudy Gobert and Draymond Green, but Zion’s defensive versatility will eventually separate him from his competition.
Sixth Man of the Year
Yaw Bonsu – Lou Williams, Clippers
This is the most obvious decision, considering no other player has come close to what Williams has done. He’s a sixth man that plays starter minutes. I understand the doubts against a three-peat, as Williams may have the ball in his hands less, but he’s not Steph Curry. Lou Williams, no matter how many stars realistically come to Los Angeles, will still be the player trusted to carry the bench unit. As he begins another season with a drastically improved Clippers team, I expect him to flourish once more. It feels like the game will be easier with Leonard and George with him.
Matt Spirio – Spencer Dinwiddie, Nets
It’s very enticing to pick Lou Williams to win his third straight Sixth Man of the Year Award, but with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in town, he won’t be leaned on to score as much as he used to be. Spencer Dinwiddie, on the other hand, is going to be a vital part of the Nets while Kevin Durant is sidelined with an injury.
Dinwiddie was the second-leading scorer for the Nets behind D’Angelo Russell last season, at 16.8 PPG, and that could very easily be the case again, just behind Kyrie Irving this time. He’s really only coming off the bench because the Nets have Irving and Joe Harris (47% on 3PTs in 2018-19). This leaves Dinwiddie to be a spark off the bench as a ball handler. He played the third-most minutes for Brooklyn last season. This will probably be the case again, and I expect him to close out more games than he starts.
Colby Stoesz – Domantas Sabonis, Pacers
Domantas Sabonis finished second last year in Sixth Man voting, but with the Clippers landing both George and Leonard, Lou Williams should no longer be a threat for the award. That leaves the door wide open, and depending on how Indiana uses him, it should be Sabonis’ for the taking.
Sabonis put up over 14 points and 9 rebounds on 24.8 MPG last season, so it’s obvious why Indiana wants to integrate him into the starting lineup beside Turner. The 23-year old center has shown rapid improvements, and he’ll only continue to hone his skills as he ages. If Sabonis starts this season, he’ll be ruled ineligible for the award. If the Pacers’ plan fails, and Sabonis remains on the bench this season, he’ll be an easy pick for the 6MOTY.
Aiden Hawkins – Lou Williams, Clippers
Sixth Man like Lou Will…
You already know who’s taking home this award. Williams is the all-time leading scorer off the bench and has shown no signs of slowing down. He’s tied with Jamal Crawford for the most 6MOTY awards of all-time, and if you know Lou Will, you know he wants that record. He’s going to be motivated to get this award and break the tie with Crawford to solidify himself as the best bench player ever.
Most Improved Player
Yaw Bonsu – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Some may consider this a bold pick. I consider it a smart one. There’s a reason why when Paul George was traded out of Oklahoma City, they wanted Gilgeous-Alexander in the transaction. The young point guard averaged 10.8 points and 3.3 assists which are reasonable numbers for the rookie. However, I pick him to win this honor because he’ll be handling a heavier load with the Thunder. He has all the tools to be an All-Star type point guard at some point in his career. With Chris Paul as a teammate to lean on, I believe Gilgeous-Alexander can take a big step as an overall guard.
Matt Spirio – Jayson Tatum, Celtics
After becoming the go-to-guy for the Celtics in the 2018 postseason, everyone was calling for a breakout sophomore season, and Tatum himself was hoping to become the next Paul Pierce. During his second year, Tatum failed to greatly build upon his promising first season, putting his growth in a temporary state of limbo. I think we all might’ve just been a year early on the youngster, who’s now entering year three.
The Celtics have gotten a lot younger in their depth this offseason, and suddenly Tatum is going to be looked at as more of a leader than a developing prospect. He’s having to grow up quickly and should be the second-option behind Kemba Walker. If he can grow into a 20+ PPG scorer, while continuing the Boston basketball tradition, he’d be an enticing candidate to win Most Improved Player.
Colby Stoesz – OG Anunoby, Raptors
OG Anunoby lost his starting spot with the arrival of Kawhi Leonard in Toronto last season. Despite this, he averaged more PPG, RPG, and BPG than his rookie season. While the improvements weren’t staggering, Anunoby still showed his tremendous potential with his demotion to the bench. This season might just be his breakout year.
Toronto’s player development has been outstanding over the past decade. From DeMar DeRozan, to now Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet, the Raptors have homegrown multiple All-Star caliber players recently. Most of these now-elite players weren’t lottery picks or even draft picks at all. OG Anunoby won’t be an exception. This year could be his first NBA season fully healthy, and the starting spot will likely be his. It won’t be hard to improve on 7 PPG, and should his explosiveness from college return, OG will pick up Toronto’s second Most Improved Player award in a row.
Aiden Hawkins – Lonzo Ball, Pelicans
Believe it or not, Lonzo Ball isn’t a bust. Though he hasn’t been “better than Steph Curry”, Lonzo has still been a solid NBA player. He’s yet to average 10+ PPG, but he’s also yet to play more than 60 games in a season. The Lakers also never had Zo play an absurd amount of minutes. He’d usually hover around 20-25 per game.
Now in New Orleans, he’s the lead guard. He may not be playing 40+ minutes per game, but he’ll be out there for a majority of the game. With Zion Williamson and Jrue Holiday running with him on the break, expect Lonzo’s assist numbers to skyrocket. He also has changed his shooting form, something he’s been trying to do since entering the league. This preseason he’s shooting 78% from the FT line and 40% from 3PT, a massive improvement from last season.
Lonzo is also poised for an all-defensive season. He is regarded as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, and if he remains healthy he will make an all-defensive team this season.
Rookie of the Year
Yaw Bonsu – Zion Williamson, Pelicans
Zion Williamson has all of the tools to be not a star but a superstar in this league. The fact that people are actually discussing Williamson being an All-Star in the Western Conference especially is just insane. I was someone who tried to slow the boat down on all of the hype surrounding Williamson, and I still am. However, if you consider all factors, it might just be a blowout. Williamson has all the hype in the world. Can he prove fans/analysts right? I think so.
Matt Spirio – Zion Williamson, Pelicans
Sometimes it’s more fun to be contrarian and say that you’re the guy who went against the grain if things happen to go your way. This isn’t one of those times. There really has been no indication that the Zion hype train is going to stop anytime soon.
Williamson averaged 22.6 points and 8.9 total rebounds, while also being the Blue Devil’s top defender last season. He was the National Player of the Year. And, according to who you ask, he led his team, as a freshman, to the Elite Eight. Not only will Zion win the Rookie of the Year Award (which isn’t going to be close), he could be on his way to becoming just the fifth rookie in the past 25 years to make the All-Star Game. On top of that, he could seal the deal by quickly turning the Pelicans around and bringing them back to the playoffs.
Colby Stoesz – Zion Williamson, Pelicans
Zion leads all rookies in PPG with 23.3 and has also managed to grab 6.5 RPG in the preseason. He’s played the most total minutes of all first-year players, which hasn’t dampened his stats in the slightest. Williamson has shown his prowess in the paint with most of his field goals coming as layups or dunks. Because of this, his efficiency is through the roof. Zion is shooting 71.4% from the field, leading all rookies with at least 5.1 shots per game. He’s been unstoppable.
Williamson will need to develop his jump-shot if he wants to succeed in this league. As an undersized forward/center, Zion will struggle against the elite paint defenders. That being said, this preseason has shown that his game translates to the NBA, and I’m confident he’ll dominate smaller/less-skilled paint defenders. The rookie class has been pretty lackluster this preseason, so Zion should be able to grab Rookie of the Year as long as his health cooperates.
Aiden Hawkins – Zion Williamson, Pelicans
If you asked me two months ago “who’ll win ROY”, I wouldn’t have said Zion Williamson. But, this preseason has really shown me a lot. Zion isn’t just a one-trick pony. He can handle the ball on the perimeter, dominate in the paint, back-down any defender, and hit jump-shots. Though his playmaking needs to be refined a bit, the rest of his game is already at an above-average level, if not elite.
Considering he’s the only rookie that’ll be serviceable on both sides of the ball, Zion has the award on lock. Even if Ja Morant has a 20 and 10 season, Zion’s 16 PPG, 8 RPG, 3 APG, 2 BPG, and 1.5 SPG will outweigh Morant’s output.
Did the staff of Per Sources get it right? Is there someone who was predicted that simply doesn’t fit your liking? Let us know your picks for the NBA’s award winners this season.