Monty Williams is the front-runner to become Coach of the Year for this season after an incredible season with the Phoenix Suns. The reigning Western Conference Champions rebounded from their Finals loss with a franchise-best 63 wins this season and are head and shoulders above the rest of the league.
Due to the Suns’ success, many have been calling for their star guard Devin Booker to get MVP consideration. Booker is averaging 26.7 points with 5.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists but hasn’t been talked about as MVP over the three-headed race between Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid.
Booker’s MVP case has been diminished by people remarking on Chris Paul’s impact on the team, with Paul being in the MVP conversations last season for sparking the Suns’ turnaround. Coach Monty doesn’t understand why playing with Paul is hurting Booker’s case when James Harden won MVP in 2018 with Paul as a teammate.
Suns coach Monty Williams on Devin Booker not getting enough MVP consideration: "How many guys with his numbers and our record weren’t the MVP? I’ve heard in Book’s case it’s because he plays with Chris. That’s kind of silly because Harden won one playing with Chris."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 7, 2022
Williams is being consistent with the larger theories on how MVP should be decided. However, a race that usually becomes a popularity contest doesn’t have an exact metric every year. Last year’s Utah Jazz was the best team in the league, but neither Donovan Mitchell nor Rudy Gobert was even remotely included in the MVP conversation.
The fact that players like Jokic have been keeping their teams well above .500 despite roster injuries is going to be more attractive. There are many players who can feel like they are being snubbed from this race, like Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum who were the stars of their teams having late-season revivals.
While it doesn’t look like Booker will be earning MVP honors, he is truly coming into his prime. A Finals MVP is more valuable than a regular-season MVP, and Booker has a genuine shot at winning the former this season, provided the Suns can carry their momentum back to the NBA Finals and win.
