{"id":404051,"date":"2026-01-13T03:36:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T03:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/404051\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T03:36:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T03:36:08","slug":"nuggets-executives-gilgeous-alexander-headline-mid-season-award-picks-nba-insider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/404051\/","title":{"rendered":"Nuggets executives, Gilgeous-Alexander headline mid-season award picks | NBA Insider"},"content":{"rendered":"

Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room:<\/p>\n

NBA Insider<\/p>\n

The midway point of the NBA season is here.<\/p>\n

The Nuggets play their 41st game of the season Wednesday in Dallas. Every other team will reach the milestone at some point this week or next. Here is The Denver Gazette\u2019s hypothetical awards ballot at the midway point:<\/p>\n

Most Valuable Player<\/p>\n

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder<\/p>\n

This is a one-man race as long as Nikola Jokic doesn\u2019t hit the 65-game threshold and \u201cSGA\u201d stays healthy. The numbers are slightly down across the board for Oklahoma City\u2019s superstar, but he\u2019s still averaging an efficient 31.9 points, 6.4 assists, 4.5 assists and 1.4 steals for the best team in the league. Gilgeous-Alexander has played in 38 of Oklahoma City\u2019s first 40 games. Detroit\u2019s Cade Cunningham is our runner up with Lakers guard Luka Doncic coming in third.<\/p>\n

Defensive Player of the Year<\/p>\n

Victor Wembanyama, Spurs<\/p>\n

Health cost Wembanyama the award last year and is threatening to do the same this year. He\u2019s played in 25 of San Antonio\u2019s 39 games with nine of those appearances coming off the bench, as he\u2019s battled calf and knee injuries. If he can stay on the court and continue to play more minutes, he\u2019s going to build on his averages of 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and one steal per game. San Antonio\u2019s defense, currently with the third-best defensive rating, will also continue to improve. That will be enough to create separation from Oklahoma City\u2019s Chet Holmgren and Minnesota\u2019s Rudy Gobert in an award race that\u2019s typically dominated by big men.<\/p>\n

\"\"Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) shoots over San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo\/Robert F. Bukaty)<\/p>\n

Rookie of the Year<\/p>\n

Cooper Flagg, Mavericks<\/p>\n

The no-brainer No. 1 pick from last year\u2019s draft didn\u2019t exactly look the part to start the season, but he\u2019s hitting his stride now. Flagg averaged 23.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists last month, including an eye-opening 33-point, nine-rebound, nine-assist performance in a win over the Nuggets. Philadelphia\u2019s VJ Edgecombe gets our second spot for his production on a team that\u2019s trending toward the playoffs, while Charlotte\u2019s Kon Knueppel and Pelicans center Derik Queen are in a battle for third.<\/p>\n

Most Improved Player<\/p>\n

Jalen Johnson, Hawks<\/p>\n

This is a two-man race between Johnson and Portland\u2019s Deni Avdija. Avdija\u2019s case is stronger on a pure numbers perspective, as his points per game have jumped from 16.9 to 26.1, but his scoring efficiency has dropped. Johnson\u2019s leap \u2014 18.9 points per game to 23.7 \u2014 is smaller by comparison, but the efficiency has improved, including a nearly six percentage point improvement from 3-point range. He\u2019s also averaging 10.3 rebounds and 8.2 assists. Johnson\u2019s numbers will continue to improve with more opportunity after the Trae Young trade. Utah\u2019s Keyonte George narrowly edges out Brooklyn\u2019s Michael Porter Jr. for our final spot.<\/p>\n

Sixth Man of the Year<\/p>\n

Jaime Jaquez Jr., Heat<\/p>\n

The 24-year-old is putting together the most impactful season of any reserve. Not only is he averaging 15.9 points on 53% shooting from the field; he\u2019s also grabbing 5.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists. Minnesota\u2019s Naz Reid is Jaquez\u2019s biggest competition, but Reid\u2019s 6.3 rebounds are the only major statical category where he edges out Jaquez. Orlando\u2019s Anthony Black gets our third spot.<\/p>\n

\"\"Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. pushes down the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo\/Kyle Phillips)<\/p>\n

Clutch Player<\/p>\n

Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder<\/p>\n

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging a league-leading 7.9 points in clutch games, which the NBA defines as any game within five points in the final 5 minutes. The Thunder are 11-4 in such games. Jokic is averaging 6.2 points in such circumstances, but Denver\u2019s just 5-8 in clutch games. Minnesota\u2019s Anthony Edwards gets our second spot for shooting 70.7% in the clutch with Cunningham coming in third.<\/p>\n

Coach of the Year<\/p>\n

Jordan Ott, Suns<\/p>\n

If Phoenix can hold onto a top-six spot in the Western Conference, the award should be Ott\u2019s. Things didn\u2019t start well for the first-year head coach, as the Suns started 1-4, but they\u2019re 8-2 in their last 10 to climb into the playoff picture. Cleveland\u2019s relative struggles without Ott as an assistant also help his case. San Antonio\u2019s Mitch Johnson and Detroit\u2019s JB Bickerstaff, the favorite to win the award at the midway point, come in second and third, respectively.<\/p>\n

\"\"Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott shouts instructions to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin)<\/p>\n

Executive of the Year<\/p>\n

Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace, Nuggets<\/p>\n

Denver\u2019s new executives inherited a sticky salary situation but created some flexibility by trading Michael Porter Jr. and a first-round pick to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson. That trade hasn\u2019t aged terribly well thanks to some early inconsistency from Johnon and a more recent injury, but Tenzer and Wallace used that flexibility to swap Dario Saric for Jonas Valanciunas. The addition of Tim Hardaway Jr. on a veteran minimum contract has been one of the more valuable offseason signings. Atlanta\u2019s Onsi Saleh should also get some recognition after trading down in the draft to acquire what will almost certainly be the Pelicans\u2019 first-round pick this season, which is on pace to be a top pick, and signing Nickeil Alexander-Walker.<\/p>\n

What I\u2019m Thinking<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t an easy call, but the Nuggets and Christian Braun made the right one to press pause on his comeback.<\/p>\n

The 24-year-old missed nearly two months with an ankle sprain and didn\u2019t look like himself in the three games he played after returning before he was held out of Sunday\u2019s win over the Bucks. He also won\u2019t play against New Orleans on Tuesday, the first night of a back-to-back set that includes Wednesday\u2019s game in Dallas.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was really uncomfortable last game,\u201d Nuggets coach David Adelman said Sunday. \u201cHe came in today with the intent to play, went through his warmup, and we had an honest conversation about it. It just didn\u2019t make sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) and Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/p>\n

Braun totaled eight points on 3 for 14 shooting against the Nets, Celtics and Hawks before the decision was made to hold him out of the win over the Bucks. Denver\u2019s headed to New Orleans with Nikola Jokic, Cam Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas also ruled out. Jamal Murray, who missed a second consecutive game Sunday, is questionable. Aaron Gordon and Spencer Jones are probable to play against the Pelicans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to revisit this stuff every day,\u201d Adelman said. \u201cThis is going to be a process for all these guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

What They\u2019re Saying<\/p>\n

Peyton Watson shared a message on X after winning his first Western Conference player of the week award by averaging 24.5 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals while shooting 50% from the field and 70% on 3-pointers as the shorthanded Nuggets went 3-1 last week.<\/p>\n

\u201cPressure is a privilege,\u201d Watson posted in all caps.<\/p>\n

\"\"Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) drives past Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/p>\n

The Nuggets coach admitted to blowing past the number of minutes he hoped to play Aaron Gordon on Sunday. He thought Doc Rivers did the same with Giannis Antetokounmpo.<\/p>\n

\u201cI followed suit,\u201d Adelman said. \u201cDoc\u2019s going to be in the Hall of Fame someday, so I figured if he can break the minute-restriction rules, I can, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

What I\u2019m Following<\/p>\n

Kings guard Dennis Schroder was suspended for three games after attempting to hit Luka Doncic following the teams\u2019 game on Dec. 28. A courtside microphone picked up Doncic telling Schroder he should\u2019ve accepted an $82 million contract from the Lakers years ago. Schroder bet on himself and settled for a much lesser contract.<\/p>\n

The Bulls and Heat will have to play four games in five nights after condensation forced their game in Chicago last week to be postponed. The two teams will play against each other three consecutive times.<\/p>\n

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown was fined $35,000 for criticizing the officials after Boston\u2019s loss to San Antonio on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Gobert will miss Minnesota\u2019s game against in Milwaukee on Tuesday after accumulating his sixth flagrant foul point of the season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room: NBA…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":404052,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[355,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-404051","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-nba","9":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=404051"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404051\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/404052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=404051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=404051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=404051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}