PHOENIX, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 20: Devin Booker #1 and Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on October 20, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Nuggets defeated the Suns 110-98, Why doesn’t Devin Booker have an MVP case this season?. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
I saw this tweet about Devin Booker this week, and it got me thinking…
The clear answer is no, Devin Booker is not the MVP this year. Right now, Booker is averaging 25.9 points and 4.9 assists, so the slight bump that a 28/8 average would get him isn’t enough to put him into the conversation. MVP is an individual award, and individual statistics remain the deciding factor, especially in recent years.
But still, the Phoenix Suns are by far the best team in the league, with Booker as their key piece. To many people, that’s what makes an MVP. So the question remains:
Why doesn’t Devin Booker have an MVP Case?
Everyone has their own personal definition of MVP. And personally, I don’t think Booker has a case this season. There are both fair and unfair reasons for that, though.
One argument I’ve seen spouted by Suns fans is that the franchise is the reason he’s not being considered. ‘Were he putting up 26 and 5 and leading, say, the Lakers to the best record in the NBA, he’d be an easy MVP winner,’ is a common sentiment I’ve seen. But I’m not buying that argument, personally.
The last five MVPs came from Denver, Milwaukee, Houston, Oklahoma City, and Golden State – not exactly historic basketball powerhouses (though Golden State has certainly become one in recent NBA history). In fact, since 2000, the Suns have had an MVP more times than the Lakers, Knicks, Bulls, 76ers, and Celtics- the classic big market teams.
Taking a league-wide look, no NBA team has more than two MVPs since 2000, meaning the Suns are tied for first. Clearly, a deserving Phoenix Sun would take home the award with no issue.
But though I disagree with that argument, I do agree with Suns fans that Booker doesn’t get the credit he is due for the Suns’ success. Still, I think there are plenty of fair reasons he’s not being considered as an MVP candidate.
March 20, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>The clear answer is no, Devin Booker is not the MVP this year. Right now, Booker is averaging 25.9 points and 4.9 assists, so the slight bump that a 28/8 average would get him isn’t enough to put him into the conversation. MVP is an individual award, and individual statistics remain the deciding factor, especially in recent years.</p>
<p>But still, the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/devin-booker-mvp-case/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/phoenix-suns/">Phoenix Suns are by far the best team in the league, with Booker as their key piece. To many people, that’s what makes an MVP. So the question remains:</p>
<h2>Why doesn’t Devin Booker have an MVP Case?</h2>
<p>Everyone has their own personal definition of MVP. And personally, I don’t think Booker has a case this season. There are both fair and unfair reasons for that, though.</p>
<p>One argument I’ve seen spouted by Suns fans is that the franchise is the reason he’s not being considered. ‘Were he putting up 26 and 5 and leading, say, the Lakers to the best record in the NBA, he’d be an easy MVP winner,’ is a common sentiment I’ve seen. But I’m not buying that argument, personally.</p>
<p>The last five MVPs came from Denver, Milwaukee, Houston, Oklahoma City, and Golden State – not exactly historic basketball powerhouses (though Golden State has certainly become one in recent NBA history). In fact, since 2000, the Suns have had an MVP more times than the Lakers, Knicks, Bulls, 76ers, and Celtics- the classic big market teams.</p>
<p>Taking a league-wide look, no NBA team has more than two MVPs since 2000, meaning the Suns are tied for first. Clearly, a deserving Phoenix Sun would take home the award with no issue.</p>
<p>But though I disagree with that argument, I do agree with Suns fans that Booker doesn’t get the credit he is due for the Suns’ success. Still, I think there are plenty of fair reasons he’s not being considered as an MVP candidate.</p>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-443344" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/devin-booker-mvp-case/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1385889611.jpeg" alt="Devin Booker, MVP" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1385889611.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1385889611-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MARCH 15: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns stands on the court during the third quarter of an NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on March 15, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>The first is that his case – being the best player on the best team – hasn’t been a compelling one for the last several MVP awards. Three of the last five MVPs have played on the team that finished with the NBA’s best record – a majority, yes, but a number indicating that being on the best team is not a prerequisite for the award.</p>
<p>Further, the MVP cases for those three winners on the league’s best teams (Harden in ’18 and Giannis in ’19 and ’20) are strengthened much more by their individual statistical performances than their team records.</p>
<p>In 2018, Harden led the league in scoring with 30.4 points and finished third in the league with 8.8 assists. In 2019, Giannis was third in the league with 27.7 points, sixth in the league with 12.5 rebounds, and tenth in blocks with 1.5 per game. In 2020, Giannis was fifth with 29.5 points, second with 13.6 rebounds – oh, and he was the Defensive Player of the Year.</p>
<p>Looking at each of the last five MVPs, you could entirely disregard their team record and still make a strong argument that they were the best player in the NBA that season. That’s just not the case with Booker this year.</p>
<p>Booker is 10th in points, not far behind likely MVP Nikola Jokic. But in terms of counting stats, Booker’s MVP case ends there – he’s 36th in assists, 77th in rebounds, 30th in steals, and 99th in blocks. Booker is an improved defender this season, and certainly underrated in that facet of his game, but he’s certainly no DPOY.</p>
<p>The advanced stats don’t do him many favors either. Per Basketball-Reference, Booker is 21st in Value over Replacement Player, 25th in Box Plus-Minus, and 26th in Win Shares. If you were wondering where MVP frontrunners Jokic, Giannis, and Embiid rank in those advanced stats – they rank 1, 2, and 3, respectively, in all three.</p>
<p>Booker is simply not having an MVP season, statistically speaking. And unfortunately for Suns fans, “best player on the best team” just isn’t a good enough MVP case. The last MVP who it could be argued won with that case is probably Steph Curry in 2015 – but he was also 6th in the NBA in points and assists, as well as first by a mile in three-pointers made.</p>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-443345" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/devin-booker-mvp-case/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1360117310.jpeg" alt="Devin Booker, MVP" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1360117310.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1360117310-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">PHOENIX, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 19: Chris Paul #3 and Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on December 19, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Hornets 137-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>With all of that said, I do understand the gripes that Phoenix fans have about this award.</p>
<p>For starters, Suns coach Monty Williams was robbed of the Coach of the Year award by the Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau last year – and I understand the concern that they’re being big-timed by the big markets again.</p>
<p>Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan garnered MVP buzz earlier this season while having a comparable statistical season to Booker for a worse team in a bigger market.</p>
<p>The truth is, Devin Booker does not get his due. Booker has been the Suns’ best player this season. Because of Chris Paul’s brilliance and the Suns’ fantastic depth, he isn’t considered to be as important – but where would Giannis be without Middleton and Holiday? Where would Jokic be without – uh – Aaron Gordon?</p>
<p>Jokes aside, it will take more for Booker to be a contender for MVP. But what exactly would it take?</p>
<p>For one, Booker will need a large statistical bump. Given that scoring is his best skill, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/devin-booker-mvp-case/"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pan_1zX0RPE%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener">and he is incredible at it</a>, Booker would likely need to lead the league in points to get a real MVP case going.</p>
<p>Probably a bigger factor, though, is that he’ll have to show he can do it without CP3. Though Booker is the Suns’ best player, Chris Paul is a no-doubt Hall of Famer, and the respect Paul earns from his legendary career is enough to make NBA fans question who the lead dog of the Suns is.</p>
<p>An MVP candidate needs to be the best player on his team without question before people start discussing if they’re the best player in the league. And as long as Chris Paul is around, people will have questions.</p>
<p>Though I think Booker is far from the MVP this season, I do agree that it’s unfair he hasn’t gotten much of a look for the award, especially considering the buzz for players like DeMar DeRozan.</p>
<p>And though I don’t think it’s fair, Booker will probably have to lead the Suns without Chris Paul before he enters the conversation.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="NBA MVP Ladder Week 22" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/16/nba-mvp-ladder-week-22/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/devin-booker-mvp-case/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/16/nba-mvp-ladder-week-22/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> NBA MVP Ladder Week 22 </a> </div>
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