The NBA landscape looks a lot different after an offseason that featured LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard leaving Los Angeles for the Eastern Conference and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade from Milwaukee to Miami.
Here’s The Denver Gazette’s best bet to win each of the end-of-season awards:
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Most Valuable Player — Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
San Antonio’s extraterrestrial talent is the favorite to win his first MVP for good reason.
The award has become a mix of numbers and narrative, and Wembanyama is going to check both boxes. The 22-year-old put the rest of the league on notice by leading the Spurs past the defending champion Thunder in the Western Conference Finals before coming up short of the championship.
A motivated Wembanyama is a scary sight for the association, and he’s going to make enough one-of-one plays that bolster the narrative.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is going to face the same heightened standards Nikola Jokic dealt with after winning consecutive MVP awards, and a healthier season from Jalen Williams will make it harder to replicate the same numbers. The Nuggets will need to keep up with the Thunder or Spurs combined with more career numbers for Jokic to have a real shot at a fourth. The same goes for the Lakers and Luka Doncic if the Slovenian wants to win his first.
It’s all lining up for Wembanyama to make his claim as the world’s best.
Defensive Player of the Year — Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
It’s rare for any player to be an odds-on favorite for any individual award at the beginning of the season, but Wembanyama is -330 on FanDuel to win a second consecutive DPoY.
The award typically favors big men, and the 7-foot-4 center is in a class of his own when it comes to rim protection, altering shots or deterring drivers from even attempting a shot around the rim.
Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren (+1000), Detroit’s Ausar Thompson (+2500), while Miami’s Bam Adebayo, Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, and Toronto’s Scottie Barnes are all +3500.
Wembanyama wins this one unless he doesn’t hit the games played threshold, and nobody is rooting for that.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer (27) plays in the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
Rookie of the Year — Cam Boozer, Grizzlies
Caleb Wilson’s going to have the opportunity to put up the best numbers of a talent-rich rookie class, but the Bulls are going to be among the league’s worst teams.
Washington’s AJ Dybantsa and Utah’s Darryn Peterson, the first two picks, are going to have their numbers limited by playing on deeper rosters that are ready to take a step toward competitiveness.
Cam Boozer’s situation is right in the middle. The former Duke star was always among the most NBA-ready prospects in the class. While his ceiling might not be as high as the other top-four picks, he’s ready to contribute across the board on both ends. That’s going to lead to balanced and meaningful numbers on a team that’s going to give him plenty of responsibility and room to figure out his game.
If the top four aren’t as strong as it looks and Golden State surprises, Yaxel Lendeborg could become a surprise contender, but Boozer is in the best situation to be the third RotY in franchise history, joining Pau Gasol and Ja Morant.
Sixth Man of the Year — Payton Pritchard, Celtics
The biggest roadblock in Pritchard’s path to a second 6MotY award could be too many starts, which was the case last season. In Boston’s preseason dress rehearsal, Joe Mazzulla started Derrick White, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Jordan Walsh and Mitchell Robinson. There’s no real point guard in that lineup, which should provide plenty of opportunity for Pritchard to have another efficient season as a scorer and facilitator.
Ajay Mitchell is another strong contender, but his numbers will take a hit with Jared McCain also more than capable of producing off Oklahoma City’s bench.
If DeMar DeRozan wants to give Denver a finalist for a second straight season, the adjustment period has to be expedited for DeRozan, a career starter and the rest of Denver’s redesigned second unit. Those looking for an interesting flyer should look at Ja Morant, who’s apparently going to come off Portland’s bench behind Damian Lillard.
Most Improved Player — Naz Reid, Hornets
Defining the award is one of the challenges that comes with predicting a winner. In the past, it’s often gone to players who have made the leap from good player to star thanks to increased opportunity.
Reid fits the mold after being traded from Minnesota, where he came off the bench, to Charlotte where he’s going to be a starter and top option alongside Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. Reid’s a versatile talent capable of scoring at multiple levels and will certainly have his 26 minutes per game climb over the 30-minute threshold.
Miller is another popular candidate, as is second-year Spurs guard Dylan Harper, but Reid’s increased role should lead to a bunch of new career highs in his first season in Charlotte.
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives past Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) in the first half Feb. 25 in Denver. (The Associated Press)
Clutch Player of the Year — Jamal Murray, Nuggets
One thing that seems certain is the Nuggets are going to play in a lot of close games.
Denver’s in the mix of teams that is simultaneously capable of keeping it close against the league’s elite squads and playing down to the competition against lesser squads. Jokic being a willing passer and Murray being a tough shot maker with the game on the line are two more certainties. That’s a good combination for Murray, who’s coming off the best regular season of his career.
New York’s Jalen Brunson (+800), Gilgeous-Alexander (+850), Doncic (+1000), Jokic (+1000) and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards (+1000) all have better odds than Murray’s +1500, but scared money doesn’t make money.
Coach of the Year — Darko Rajakovic, Raptors
Don’t be surprised if the Raptors keep pace with the Knicks, 76ers and Heat atop the Eastern Conference.
If that’s the case, Rajakovic will get plenty of love in his fourth season leading the Raptors. Having Kawhi Leonard will certainly help. Toronto’s defense should give Rajakovic plenty of wiggle room, while Leonard’s steady scoring will take some pressure off Barnes and Immanuel Quickley.
Indiana’s Rick Carlisle and Miami’s Erik Spoelstra are other obvious choices, but their decorated résumés might end up working against them, while Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault and San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson face massive expectations for their respective squads.
Executive of the Year — Tim Connelly, Timberwolves
It should come as no surprise to those around Denver that Connelly made a big swing this offseason.
The Timberwolves traded away both of the power forwards that were in last season’s rotation. Julius Randle got shipped to Brooklyn in a salary-shedding move, while Reid was sent to Charlotte for LaMelo Ball. The Ball-Edwards backcourt is volatile, but it has the potential to really work. Add in the underappreciated signing of Jonathan Kuminga to replace Reid and Randle, and Connelly’s case is off to a strong start.
If it goes poorly, Connelly’s job could be in jeopardy and Philadelphia’s Mike Gansey or Miami’s Pat Riley is the likely winner. If the former Nuggets’ exec gets his big bet right, as he has in the past, an end-of-season award could be his reward.