Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the finalists for the Most Valuable Player award. ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Tim Bontemps take a closer look at the contenders and reveal the results of a straw poll. Jokic is the clear favorite to win the award for the third time, while Lowe gives Doncic the edge for second place due to his superior play-making.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- Speaking of the MVP race, the league will announce the winner on Wednesday night, according to NBA Communications (Twitter link). The Rookie of the Year award will be announced on Monday and the Defensive Player of the Year will be revealed on Tuesday. Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert, respectively, are the favorites for those two awards.
- Former NBA forward Will Barton has joined Cangrejeros de Santurce, a Puerto Rican team, according to Sportando. Bardon also had short stints wih CSKA Moscow and Granada this season. Barton played a total of 56 games for Washington and Toronto last season.
- In the aftermath of Jontay Porter getting banned from the NBA for gambling-related offenses related to prop bets, the NBA and its partner sportsbooks are discussing changes to combat similar occurrences in the future, David Purdum of ESPN reports. Among the changes that have been discussed is prohibiting betting on players with two-way contracts. There have also been discussions on not allowing bets on the “under” on a player prop, though there are concerns that restricting wagers could push bettors into the unregulated betting market.
- Charles Barkley stated on the Dan Patrick Show (Twitter link) that if TNT loses its NBA broadcasting rights, he’ll become a free agent. He’s unsure about “Inside the NBA” moving to another network because host Ernie Johnson said he wouldn’t leave Turner Sports. The NBA is in serious negotiations with NBC, Amazon and ESPN/ABC to split up the broadcasting rights, which could leave TNT out of the picture.
Damn shame if TNT loses out.
Shaq would probably work on his many businesses.
Kenny probably works in basketball since he had interviews before.
I don’t think Chuck would want to work anywhere else, he already talks bad about ESPN “Talent” besides Wilbon.
TNT losing out though should not mean NBA TV is done right? They share talent.
Barkley had preliminary talks with Liv Golf before his extension with Turner.
NBATV would actually be a really interesting host for Inside.
NBC is always the best.
NBC
Bob Costas has won 28 Emmy Awards,
calling 12 Olympics, and covering multiple World Series, Super Bowls and NBA Finals.
Anyone who isn’t at the very least disappointed that Inside would come off the air is a weirdo. I’d argue they hate the culture of the NBA.
TNT is the one. Show is still good.
Chuck will go work on some Golf show.
Kenny will stay doing something on TV to do with the NBA
Shaq already has tons on with his many business, his family, his DJing and whatever else celeb appearances he wants to do
It’ll just be Ernie who stays with the network
Watching the playoffs, I wonder how Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell aren’t up for MVP.
Mitchell’s not eligible because he missed too many games. Brunson’s not up for it because of media narratives.
It is a final 3 so who are you taking out? Brunson was considered he just didn’t make final 3.