projectsiix’s NBA 2024-2025 Season Awards Predictions Preview 

Tonight is the NBA’s opening night, and I couldn’t be more excited to spend the next nine months immersed in NBA content. Life just feels better when basketball is on, and I’m thrilled to have it back. Every team this season brings plenty of intriguing plot points, and I wanted to share my predictions for who will take home some of the major awards, as well as some thoughts on which teams might surprise us as the season progresses. 

Most Valuable Player (MVP) 

Luka Dončić 

Luka is destined to win an MVP at some point in his career, and honestly, no one would be surprised if he ends up with multiple by the time he’s done. This season, though, feels like the perfect time for him to make a serious run at it. It’s not that Luka hasn’t been striving for this award—he’s just coming off his first Finals appearance, where he averaged 29 PPG, 8.8 REB, and 5.6 AST, adding to his already impressive résumé. With five consecutive All-NBA First Team selections and five straight All-Star appearances, Luka is now entering a full season alongside Kyrie Irving, showcasing the potential of a dynamic Mavericks offense with both stars sharing the court. 

The midseason trade last year that brought in PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford was a major boost for the team. Additionally, Derrick Lively’s growth throughout his rookie season was impressive, positioning him as a key piece for the Mavericks moving forward. The offseason acquisition of Klay Thompson was another standout move and could be a game-changer for this unit if Klay can consistently hit from outside, complementing PJ Washington and the other shooters. 

While I’ve focused on how much the Mavericks’ roster has improved, Luka’s MVP case hinges less on his individual stats—which will undoubtedly be incredible—and more on how well his teammates perform and help elevate the team’s overall success. Team success in the regular season will help build the narrative that could finally lead Luka to win the MVP trophy this year, along with his sixth straight All-NBA First Team selection and sixth straight All-Star appearance. 

Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) 

Bam Adebayo 

This year could finally be Bam Adebayo’s time to claim the DPOY award he has pursued for so long. Despite being overlooked in previous seasons, Bam’s versatility as a defender makes him a standout candidate. He can guard positions one through five and excels even as an undersized center. 

With the selection of draft pick Kel’el Ware, if Spoelstra gives him some run time, we may get to see Bam playing some four, enhancing Miami’s perimeter defense. Having just returned from the Olympics, where he showcased his defensive prowess, Bam will be in the spotlight this

season. If the Heat can secure a top-four finish in the Eastern Conference, his case for DPOY will only strengthen. 

Rookie of the Year (ROTY) 

Reed Sheppard 

This past draft was certainly lackluster compared to last year’s, which featured generational talent Victor Wembanyama entering the league alongside standout players like Brandon Miller and Jaime Jaquez Jr. However, the standout of this year’s class is none other than former Kentucky Wildcat Reed Sheppard, who, in my opinion, appears to be the most NBA-ready player of this class. While he may be undersized compared to other guards in the league, he compensates with his strong two-way play. Reed is expected to be an excellent shooter from the start once he finds his footing within the Houston Rockets’ rotation. 

Finding a role for him may be challenging early in the season due to the established presence of players like veteran Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green, who recently signed a three-year, $106 million extension and is entering his fourth season, eager to solidify his place as one of the league’s top shooting guards. However, Reed’s college efficiency speaks for itself—he was one of the most productive players in the country last year, shooting an impressive 53% from inside the arc and 52% from beyond the three-point line. 

I expect Reed Sheppard’s development to accelerate as the season progresses, likely around midseason, when he may prove too valuable to keep on the bench in close games. He possesses two of the most critical skills in the game: elite shooting and smart defense. Beyond his shooting ability, Reed excels defensively, particularly on the perimeter and in help situations, where he averaged 2.4 steals per game, ranking among the top 8 in college basketball last year. He should be hitting the court sooner rather than later, helping Houston win games and make a strong playoff push by the end of the season—emerging as a key contributor to one of the league’s most promising young teams. 

Most Improved Player (MIP) 

Evan Mobley 

Evan Mobley is entering his fourth year after signing a massive five-year max contract extension worth $224 million, which could increase to as much as $269 million with incentives tied to end-of-season awards and All-NBA honors. Despite being limited to just 50 games last season, Mobley was a top-three finalist for Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY). Over his first three seasons, he has shown flashes of his immense potential, and with more consistent playing time and growth, he has a strong chance to make significant strides this year. 

Mobley has also been playing outside his traditional center position due to the presence of Jarrett Allen, who, while a defensive powerhouse, is somewhat limited offensively compared to Evan’s ability to play both inside and out. Last season, Evan shot a subpar 37% from three, a number he’ll be looking to improve upon this year.

Having Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell as your backcourt doesn’t necessarily scream “elite defense,” but with Evan and Jarrett anchoring the paint, the Cavaliers have the potential to be a top defensive team—at least on paper. This group has shown flashes of brilliance, and if they can stay healthy throughout the season, the Cavs should see significant improvement. 

For Mobley, this season represents an opportunity for a breakout year. His versatility on defense and continued development on offense could propel him into the conversation as one of the best frontcourt players in the Eastern Conference. Expect Mobley and the Cavaliers to take a big step forward this season. 

Sixth Man of the Year (6MOY) 

Bennedict Mathurin 

This selection for me comes down to Bennedict Mathurin, who is coming off a challenging second year in which lingering injuries limited him to just 59 games. These setbacks, along with inconsistent minutes, prevented him from finding a stable role within the Indiana Pacers’ rotation, and he was sidelined during the Pacers’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Heading into his third season, Mathurin is eager to establish himself as one of the great young players in the league. He’s already demonstrated his offensive prowess as both a playmaker and a scorer, showing the potential to become a dynamic 3-level scorer moving forward. 

Players like Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith seem to be staying in the starting lineup as secondary contributors for stars Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, with Mathurin being the odd man out. However, that may not be the perfect role for him at this time, considering I’d like to see him take on some major responsibility on the offensive end as the main option leading 

the second unit and potentially getting opportunities as a spot starter when players get injured throughout the season. Additionally, it comes down to two candidates for this award being on the same team—Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid—more than likely canceling each other out of contention for the 6MOY award this upcoming season. 

Coach of the Year (COY) 

Joe Mazzulla 

As much as it pains me to say it, the Boston Celtics are the defending champions. I can’t take anything away from this Celtics group, as they finally got over the mountain and secured their first chip since 2008. However, there still seems to be a sentiment around the league and in the media suggesting that their route to the finals was subpar and easy, with several teams along the way being injury-ridden and coming off an Olympic run where both of their young stars felt “disrespected.” For example, Jayson Tatum didn’t get any run in the Olympics, and Jaylen Brown wasn’t selected for the team, despite coming off a finals run where he earned the Finals MVP title while three of his Celtics teammates were on the final roster for Team USA. 

This team suddenly found motivation after getting over the hump and will try to prove everyone wrong once again, aiming to be among the best in both conferences and make another run at the finals. They were the best team in the league last year and took home hardware to prove it.

With this newfound motivation to improve and show out, there’s no doubt this team should significantly enhance their performance and stay the course for another shot at the championship next season. Joe proved to be a formidable coach this past year and should once again demonstrate why he’s among the top coaches in the league, leading one of the most talented and decorated rosters. He should also aim to maintain the best record in the league to take home the COY award and solidify his status as one of the top head coaches in the NBA. 

Final Thoughts 

I’m stoked to finally have the NBA back in our lives! Every year, there seems to be a great amount of optimism surrounding the league, with teams getting better every offseason and surprising everyone on NBA Twitter with massive moves. The excitement around the league seems to grow each year, and I can’t wait to dive into the grind of the season and see all these new rosters get familiarized with one another. Here’s to hoping for an injury-free season where everyone can showcase their best efforts! 

New York seems to be back on the map, with Jalen Brunson proving to be a legitimate MVP candidate going forward, along with newcomers Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges helping the Knicks take the next step. Meanwhile, Philly appears to have had the perfect offseason, acquiring Paul George and agreeing to extensions with former MVP Joel Embiid and future superstar Tyrese Maxey, along with other role players to complement their newfound Big Three in the City of Brotherly Love. 

The Miami Heat are running it back with the same group as last year, hoping for an injury-free year and banking on Jimmy Butler being extra motivated after last season didn’t go as planned. He seems to be looking for a contract extension, while Bam Adebayo showcased this summer that he may have another step to take, potentially placing him among the elite frontcourt players in the NBA. 

Giannis and company are gearing up with the additions of role players like Taurean Prince, Delon Wright, and Gary Trent Jr. to fill out what the Milwaukee Bucks organization hopes will be an NBA Finals-caliber rotation. 

In the West, the Dallas Mavericks are, of course, striving for another run at the finals, acquiring splash brother Klay Thompson and a 3-and-D player in Naji Marshall to replace Derrick Jones Jr. ‘s production from last year. We all know the Denver Nuggets won’t be an easy out, as they 

have the best player in the league in Nikola Jokic. With the offseason acquisition of Russell Westbrook, they hope to bring some tenacity and a fresh dynamic on the court, potentially showcasing something new that this group hasn’t demonstrated in previous seasons. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves, led by Anthony Edwards, are coming back with a vengeance, hoping to make a title run. They made a huge change with the KAT trade to New York, bringing Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo into the fold and aiming to improve on last year’s performance. They’re looking to move past their painful loss in the conference finals to the Mavs, where Derrick Jones Jr. and PJ Washington seemingly turned into Steph Curry and wouldn’t miss from the outside. This time around, they hope to come out on the other side.

Phoenix is entering another year with the duo of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, now under new head coach Mike Budenholzer, who hopes to stir up the offense. After a year of experimenting without a true point guard, they acquired Tyus Jones in the offseason, who shoots 40% from three. They’ll also be hoping for a healthy season from Bradley Beal, but again, as I said, “hopefully.” 

Lots of teams this year are hoping to strike gold in June, but only one can be successful in that venture. I guess we’ll just have to see who remains on top by the end of it.

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