Sorting out the hardware is tougher than ever
Westbrook-Harden argument is just one head-scratcher confounding voters this week
Ballots arrived electronically this week for the NBA’s annual post-season awards, and minds likely started churning all over North America.
This could very well be the year with more close and contentious selections than ever, coming in a year when the league will hand out its hardware at an awards ceremony broadcast from New York in June. Not only are there worthy candidates in every category but the reasons the eligible voters will take one over another will be fascinating to learn.
The closest votes are likely to be for the highest-profile awards — most valuable player, coach of the year and rookie of the year.
Will Russell Westbrook’s attempt to be the first player to average a triple double since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 trump James Harden’s consistent brilliance for a team with a better record? And wither Kawai Leonard, of the 60-plus win San Antonio Spurs, or LeBron James, who remains the most physically dominant player in the game?
If the Miami Heat,11-30 at one time this season, make the playoffs, will the job Erik Spoelstra has done as a coach beat out that of Houston’s Mike D’Antoni, Milwaukee’s Jason Kidd or Washington’s Scott Brooks?
For the limited minutes he played in only 31 games, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid was undeniably the best rookie, but does limited participation not only in the season but individual games count against him? And if it does, can he even be on a three-person ballot with the likes of Milwaukee’s Malcolm Brogdon, Phoenix’s Marquese Chriss or Embiid’s Sixers teammate, Dario Saric?
Votes have to be cast by 11:59 p.m. next Friday, before the playoffs begin the next afternoon.
The winners will be announced at a June 26 ceremony, instead of being parceled out during the playoffs as in past years.
The league has also changed its voting panel this year because there could be significant financial implications for some players. Team broadcast employees are no longer invited by the league to cast ballots, solely to avoid any appearance of favouritism or conflict of interest that could skew some ballots and cost worthy players.
There used to be 125 votes for each award split between local markets and national reporters and broadcasters. The league has sent out ballots to 100 media members this season who will have votes in each category.
The Star has votes in each of the categories.
Under terms of the new CBA, players with eight or nine years experi- ence who are named to all-NBA teams are eligible for significantly larger contracts with their own teams than if they were to leave.
For instance, if Indiana’s Paul George makes an all-NBA team this year, he could sign an extension with the Pacers worth about $200 million.
If he doesn’t and leaves in the summer of 2018, he could only max out a deal worth about $125 million from another team.
So while the race for the three main awards should be among the closest ever, the all-NBA voting might be the most important for individual players.