The NBA Sixth Man of the Year award has long celebrated the league's most impactful players coming off the bench, traditionally honoring high-scoring phenoms like Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams. Between them, they clinched the trophy six times, with prolific bench scorers consistently dominating the voting landscape over the years. Yet, recent trends suggest that the criteria for this prestigious honor are evolving, reflecting the changing dynamics of the game.
Changing Criteria
Historically, half of the past 20 winners were the season's leading bench scorers, a testament to the value placed on points production off the bench. However, the 2022-23 season marked a departure from this pattern when Malcolm Brogdon secured the award despite finishing fifth in bench scoring. This shift underscores a broader perspective in evaluating candidates, potentially prioritizing overall impact over raw scoring numbers.
Further challenging traditional norms, Naz Reid emerged as the Sixth Man of the Year despite ranking 12th in scoring among players who appeared off the bench at least 30 times. Reid’s win highlights a move towards recognizing versatile contributions over sheer point production. He became only the third center in NBA history to claim the title, following in the footsteps of Montrezl Harrell and Lamar Odom, who achieved this feat in the last two decades.
Intangibles Matter
Reid’s success signifies a broader appreciation for the intangible aspects of a player’s game. A commentator noted, "For Reid to win again, you're relying on either Rudy Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns to get injured again, for Reid to thrive again, and for the field to be as weak or weaker than it was a year ago." This statement underscores the unpredictability and circumstantial factors that often influence the race for the Sixth Man award.
Josh Hart’s journey further exemplifies the changing landscape. Despite averaging nearly 40 minutes per game from February until the conclusion of the season and an impressive 46.4 minutes per game in New York's first nine playoff matches, Hart's versatility and contribution across different roles have sparked debate about his optimum position. Hart himself humorously tweeted, "Ultimately, I just think there are too many mouths to feed in New York." Reflecting on his adaptability, he added, "I’m a 1-4, not a center,” reacting to the news of Mitchell Robinson’s impending absence. As his teammates and opponents have noticed, "Tom Thibodeau is just going to make him do center things because Tom Thibodeau makes him do everything."
Predictions and Odds
Looking towards the next season, betting odds feature familiar and new faces in the mix for the award. Malik Monk, with odds of +575, leads the pack, closely followed by Naz Reid at +700 and Grayson Allen at +1000. These odds reflect the evolving criteria and the broadening scope of what it means to be an impactful sixth man in today's NBA.
Among the Mavericks, Jaden Hardy is another rising star to watch. Earning critical playoff minutes in just his second year, Hardy’s growing presence mirrors Tim Hardaway Jr.'s historical performance, where he has consistently attracted Sixth Man votes in Dallas. These young talents reflect the league’s rich pipeline of bench players poised to make significant impacts.
Through the lens of shifting voting patterns and an evolving understanding of player impact, it’s clear that the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award is adapting to the league’s dynamic changes. Recognizing versatile contributions and the broader impact of players, beyond scoring, signifies a more holistic approach to honoring the league's best bench players.