Reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the favorite to claim the award again in 2025/26, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, who recently conducted his second MVP straw poll. The Thunder guard was the only player to appear on all 100 ballots and accumulated 930 points.
Injuries to top players have significantly impacted the MVP race this season, Bontemps writes, as multiple contenders for the award may not qualify due to the 65-game rule. Despite being sidelined with an abdominal strain, Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t in imminent danger of not meeting that threshold — he’ll likely have 10 total missed games when he’s reevaluated later this week.
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic remains in second place (700 points), but the gap between the two players has grown since Bontemps’ initial poll in December. That’s largely because the three-time MVP missed 15 games because of a knee injury and can’t have more than two additional absences without becoming ineligible for major postseason awards.
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (382 points) and Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama (242 points) were the only other players to receive first-place votes. Lakers guard Luka Doncic (177 points) rounds out the top five of Bontemps’ poll.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- How much would the No. 1 overall pick in the loaded 2026 NBA draft be worth if it were available in an auction? Brian Windhorst of ESPN briefly discussed that topic on the Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to RealGM). “I was talking to a league executive today and he said to me, this is after Darryn Peterson had 23 points in 18 minutes and after we’ve seen some other top guys have big time games over the last four or five days,” Windhorst said. “… I had an executive tell me that the No. 1 pick this year is worth $100 million. If you gave the opportunity to buy that pick, teams would pay $100 million for it. Keep that in mind when the Jazz were fined $500,000.”
- Although Peterson’s sporadic for Kansas this season has undoubtedly been frustrating for him, the school, and its fans, his health issues are unlikely to have much of an effect on the 19-year-old guard’s standing as a top prospect in the 2026 draft class, per Brendan Marks and Justin Williams of The Athletic. “He’s elite, elite, elite,” one NBA scout told The Athletic. “When he’s fully healthy, the shot-making is on another level. … When it comes down to it, man, if you’ve seen this guy play in high school, and you saw those matchups, like, Darryn is the guy. For sure.”
- Hall of Famer Pau Gasol has been selected by Olympic athletes to represent them on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) board through the 2028 summer games in Los Angeles, according to The Associated Press.
Most overrated player in a long time. Take away his forearm push offs and flopping and he’s an above average NBA guard.
Anyone been watching the Spurs and Pistons for the last month?
That might be the stupidest thing to ever fall down Windhorst’s last chin. Any team willing to give up 100 million for a draft pick is A.) incredibly ignorant of how the draft and player development works and B.) is a made up organization in this guys head.
If the draft is really that loaded with talent, then 1.01 is far less valuable than it would be if there were only 1 potential superstar. A blind monkey with 2 left hands could come to that conclusion. There has been a major shift in how blatantly misleading these talking heads get to be. ESPN might actually worse for the NBA than anything Adam Silver has control over.
They think you’re stupid and unwilling to think for yourself. And unfortunately, it seems they get more correct every day.
Yep windy just makes stuff up all the time. The guy just wants a reaction.
“If you gave the opportunity to buy that pick, teams would pay $100 million for it.“ buy being a key word where
Say you’re the Pacers
You had a terrible season you have potentially the number 2 pick and have Tyrese Haliburton returning
Would you not buy the first overall pick for 100 mill? I assume you can spread the money sent over 5-10 years
I’d do that in a heart beat
Say kings get first overall
I’d definitely send them 100 mill over 5 years to add 20 mill to their cap space in order to take Boozer 1 and Dybansta 2 to pair with Zubac and Haliburton
All you’re out is 20 mill in cap space not draft picks not players id take a gamble on that
You’re misunderstanding the argument. The choice isn’t “first overall pick or no pick”, it’s “first overall pick or third/fourth pick”.
Given how deep the draft is, there’s no way that’s worth $100M
How much would the No. 1 overall pick in the loaded 2026 NBA draft be worth if it were available in an auction?
That was the question
Teams already buy draft rights to player for cash
Idk if there’s a cap on how much you can buy draft picks for but seems that’s what’s being asked: a team has the rights and is auctioning it off to the highest payer no limits
“‘If you gave the opportunity to buy that pick, teams would pay $100 million for it. Keep that in mind when the Jazz were fined $500,000.'”
This is referring to the Utah’s choice to tank for a higher draft pick; not to somehow obtain a pick from scratch
That only makes sense if you sell it and get 100 mill. If your goal is to acquire the first overall pick with intent to sell it to the highest bidder for financial reasons yeah a 500,00 fine makes sense
You get nothing if you keep it and draft a player.
Only if you read them and follow them.
I trust my own eyes. And I can search all the info I need. To get to the truth. All real fans can.
I agree. Sure, in isolation, the first pick might be worth that much if nobody else gets any draft picks. But here, Windhorst is essentially arguing that it’s worth $100 million just to have a better chance to move up in draft positioning. And as you rightly pointed out, the depth of this class makes that look like a pretty dubious decision.
The only 2 instances in recent NBA history where the first pick was worth that much was with LeBron and Wemby
@Washington
The GM isn’t saying teams would literally pay $100M cash for the pick. Here’s what the statement actually means:
The Value Calculation:
When you draft a player #1 overall, you get them on a rookie scale contract – roughly $12M per year for 4 years, then restricted free agency. You’re paying approximately $50-60M total over those first 4 years.
But if that player performs like a #1 pick should – think Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey level talent – and you had to acquire that same production at market value in free agency, you’d be paying $30-40M per year. Over 4 years, that’s $120-160M.
The $100M figure represents the DISCOUNT you get by drafting elite talent versus buying it on the open market.
Here’s the math:
Draft cost: ~$50M over 4 years (rookie contract)
Market cost: ~$150M over 4 years (max free agent)
Savings/Value created: ~$100M
This is why teams tank. This is why the #1 pick is so valuable. You’re not just getting a player – you’re getting a potential superstar at 30-40 cents on the dollar for half a decade.
The GM wasn’t saying “I’d write a $100M check for the pick.” He was saying “The financial advantage of having a top-tier talent on a rookie contract versus paying them market rate is worth roughly $100 million over the life of the deal.”
This value calculation works on a sliding scale for every pick in the draft.
The same principle applies to picks 2, 3, 4, and beyond – just adjust the value based on expected production versus rookie contract cost. The gap narrows as you go down, but the concept remains: you’re acquiring talent at a massive discount compared to free agency rates.
Ask yourself the question: What’s the open market replacement value of the player you can get if you owned the #1 overall pick?
The #2 overall pick might be of equal value if you think the two players are interchangeable in their abilities. In draft classes where the top 2-3 prospects are considered comparable, the financial arbitrage value is essentially identical – you’re getting the same caliber player at the same rookie-scale discount.
And here’s the kicker: superstars all earn roughly the same max money regardless of draft position. Luka Dončić (pick #3), Nikola Jokić (pick #41), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (pick #15) all make approximately the same $50M+ per year now. But the teams that drafted them paid rookie-scale pennies for years of MVP-level production.
That’s the entire game. Draft value isn’t about the pick number – it’s about the financial arbitrage between rookie contracts and market-rate superstar salaries.
This is basic NBA economics. If you didn’t understand this, you don’t understand how front offices think about draft capital and roster construction.
No Windhorst idea has ever been this complex. Don’t assign your critical thinking onto someone who’s just trying to fill time
Windy is a blowhard. No good GM would pay 100 million for the 1st pick and if they would they should be fired in the spot.
How can a player who doesn’t play D. Be in the MVP conversation. In a 2Way sport. All political bs.
This is why most fans don’t even understand basketball. “OneWay Wonder”
Peterson is a great talent. Has the size and game to be special. I don’t know him personally so I can’t speak to his character. He doesn’t look like a hungry player to me. Cade didn’t either. But I am skeptical about him. Paying for a pick is Media pimping for attention. Bunch of bs.
#1 pick imo will depend heavily on which team gets it. Sterling should look out for Nets lols. They need it more than anyone. Plus the #1 pick may not be best player in draft.
Wash — Dybantsa or Peterson
Pacers — Dybantsa
Nets — Dybantsa
Kings — Boozer
Jazz — Dybantsa, Peterson
Those three should be top three picks.
“How can a player who doesn’t play D. Be in the MVP conversation?”
You’re right, I’m still astounded that Jalen Brunson finished 5th in MVP voting the season before last.
Luka has 7 inches and 40 lbs on Jalen. And Jalen leads NBA in taking charge calks. He took one on KD to win the game last night lol. Tell me when has Luka EVER EVER ….. WON a game on a DEFENSIVE play …. WHEN 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱🥱
@Knick
Joker has 3 mvps. Curry and Nash have 2. Harden, Rose and AI each have 1. Was that a serious question bro? None of those guys were known for being defense oriented players. NBA has always valued elite permanent players on playoff contenders for MVP consideration.
Serious question. Fact anyone has to explain what a 2way sport means . Is telling all you need.
AI Six r team was one of best D teams in L. So is Curry s, and Rose. Joker dude do you watch him. Do you know what a center does on D. Only Harden is similar to Luka. And he plays more D than he does.
Luka isn’t only a bad defender. He chooses not to play D. Cause he is above it. He argues with refs more than trying to play D. The guy us an EMBARRASSMENT to the sport ……..
$100 million Silver yells. Does that mean the draft is happening behind closed doors again.