NBA MVP Ladder

NBA teams are finishing up their preseason slate as the regular season tip-off begins on Tuesday. With the regular season quickly approaching, it’s time for the first MVP Ladder of the season.

The ladder will be updated weekly, with game performance, winning and injuries all potential factors that could help or hurt a player in these rankings.

Three honorable mentions will be given before diving into the top five MVP candidates. No games being played essentially means this specific edition is a preseason prediction.

Without further ado, here is the preseason top-five MVP candidate watchlist.

5. Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers

The reigning MVP suffered yet another early playoff exit to end what was the best regular season of his career.

However, despite his incredible regular season, Embiid once again disappeared in the final two games of the playoff series against the Celtics as the Sixers watched a 3-2 series lead disappear.

Embiid is aware of his importance to the team, especially with a James Harden trade seemingly imminent. He could potentially be the sole star after Harden’s off-the-court actions have lowered his trade value.

A Harden trade could allow Embiid to have even better numbers than last year when he led the league in scoring with 33.1 points per game.

However, a team’s record is typically the biggest factor in the MVP race, and while fellow Eastern Conference teams such as the Celtics and Bucks made huge moves in the offseason, the Sixers are losing their other star.

Barring a statistically historical season from Embiid, a repeat does not seem to be in the cards.

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Milwaukee Bucks

For a player who is only 28, Antetokounmpo already has a stacked resume.

The two-time MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Finals MVP, seven-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA member will come into this season hungry to win after the Bucks' shocking first-round exit to the Miami Heat in last year’s playoffs.

The addition of superstar PG Damian Lillard via trade will only give Antetokounmpo more space to drive and use his physicality in the paint. The main thing that could hurt Antetokounmpo’s MVP candidacy is Lillard’s usage rate.

Lillard's elite ability to create shots will help the Bucks' offense in the half-court, while Antetokounmpo’s athleticism is more suited for transition opportunities. Lillard might end up being used more than Antetokounmpo in terms of running the offense, which might hurt his numbers, and as a result, his chances at getting a third MVP.

Still, Antetokounmpo will continue to be one of the most impactful two-way players in the league, and the Bucks should be one of the best regular season teams once again after earning the top seed in the East last season.

3. Jayson Tatum, SF, Boston Celtics

Tatum has improved every year going into his seventh year in the league and is surrounded by arguably the best Celtics team since his rookie season. The offseason additions of two more all-star caliber players in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday more than compensate for the players they lost during the offseason (Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, the Time Lord Robert Williams, etc.)

The Celtics also have Jaylen Brown at their disposal, who is coming off the best season of his career and earned the most expensive contract in NBA history in the offseason.

The winning aspect should not be an issue for the Celtics, as they and the Bucks are widely expected to be the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.

The issue with Tatum’s MVP candidacy, similar to Antetokounmpo's, is that there may be too many mouths to feed on a vaunted Celtics team. Holiday and Porzingis will want their scoring chances, and Jaylen Brown still needs his touches.

Too much talent on one team typically leads to a worse statistical season for the star players, as they rightly prioritize winning a championship.

Tatum will enjoy the opportunity to chase a ring but may have to temporarily sacrifice potential individual accolades.

However, as one of the best scoring wings in the league and at just 19 years old (he’s actually 25, but still young and just entering his prime), Tatum will contend for MVP this season and for years to come.

2. Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets

Arguably the best player in the league, Jokic is coming off his and Denver’s first NBA championship and a relaxing Summer in Serbia with his beloved horses.

However, his off-the-court hobbies and an apparent disinterest in the NBA should not allow his unprecedented skill set to be overlooked.

The NBA has never seen a seven-footer with the playmaking ability that Jokic possesses. Every night, he represents a unique challenge to opposing teams on how to defend a center who can back players down in the post, stretch the floor from the three, and run the offense in the same way a point guard would.

With the Nuggets retaining all their core pieces from last season's championship team, Jokic should once again be the first scoring and playmaking option of a contending team.

It’s very difficult to not put Jokic as the preseason MVP ladder leader, as no one would be shocked to see him take his third MVP award home this season.

However, a statistically historic season can win a player the MVP award even if their team is not one of the top ones in the league, as we saw with Russell Westbrook in 2016. There is one player who could put up numbers unheard of who currently occupies the first spot.

1. Luka Doncic, SF, Dallas Mavericks

Doncic and the Mavs were very disappointed to miss the playoffs last season after mortgaging their future by trading for Kyrie Irving near the trade deadline last season.

Their biggest issue was on the defensive side, specifically with rim protection. Dwight Powell or Maxi Kleber at the center position does not exactly strike fear in slashers and big men.

However, the addition of Derrick Lively in the draft is a step in the right direction to address that problem. After ending the NCAA season in the top 10 nationally in blocks per game with Duke, Lively should immediately be the best rim protector on the Mavs roster.

He won’t offer much on the offensive end aside from being the roll man in pick-and-rolls and the recipient of lobs from Doncic and Irving.

That’s the thing. No one aside from Irving is expected to play a huge role in the Dallas offense, which is Doncic’s strength. He can do it all. Doncic ended last season second in the league in points per game with 32.4 and sixth in the league with assists with eight a game while displaying elite shotmaking and shot creation for both him and his teammates.

The offense should be running through him or Irving whenever they’re on the floor.

Doncic is only 24 years old and has gotten First Team All-NBA every year of his career aside from his rookie season.

With him and Irving assuming nearly the entire team’s offensive responsibilities, Doncic could improve his already gaudy stats and will be the favorite for MVP as long as Dallas can get back in the playoffs.

Honorable Mentions

Devin Booker, SG, Phoenix Suns

Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans Pelicans

Anthony Edwards, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves

Alex Perez is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email app5877@psu.edu.