Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic will likely end up being ineligible to win MVP this season due to the 65-game rule. Even if Doncic, who has played 64 games this season, becomes eligible via the Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge, it is unlikely that he will win the award despite having a fabulous season. As for why that’s the case, former NBA player Channing Frye had an explanation on Channing’s Mailbag.
“I think Luka obviously, before his injury, was in that conversation,” Frye said. “I think Luka is having a MVP-level offensive year. But you can’t be one in scoring and less than top 100 in defense. That drop off is wild. Like [Nikola] Jokic, he is so amazing for not being athletic, but he’s trying. He’s trying… As much as he plays, you don’t ever go for the most part, ‘Ooh, they’re going at him like that.’ They don’t really. I mean, they do, but they don’t… The game plan isn’t go at this dude all game.
“The game plan is go at Luka all game,” Frye added. “Now, has he gotten better? For sure.”
Frye was responding to a fan asking whether the national media’s reasoning for not having Doncic as the clear-cut MVP favorite is justified, when players who don’t play defense have won it in the past. Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic, who has won three MVPs, is often the example that gets brought up.
Frye believes the difference between the two is that Jokic actually tries on defense and doesn’t get targeted as often as Doncic. He did acknowledge, though, that the Slovenian has fared better on that end lately.
Doncic is never going to be a lockdown defender, but he had been playing solid defense before he went down with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2. He wasn’t anywhere near as bad as he has been in the past, but that reputation isn’t easy to shake off.
Another factor working against Doncic, who is currently rehabbing in Europe, is just how good Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder have been. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game for a team that has a league-best 64-16 record.
Doncic, meanwhile, is averaging 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the 51-29 Lakers. His numbers are better than Gilgeous-Alexander’s, but there is a big difference in team record. Add in the fact that the Canadian is rightfully regarded as a good defender, and you see why he is the clear favorite to win MVP for the second year in a row.
Channing Frye Called Luka Doncic One Of The Five Worst Defenders In The NBA
While one can accuse Frye of certain biases or whatnot, the one thing he cannot be accused of is inconsistency. Back in January, he said Doncic cannot be first or second in MVP voting because he is one of the five worst defenders in the NBA.
“I don’t think you should be first or second in MVP vote if you’re top-five worst defender in the NBA,” Frye said. “I just don’t think so. He is statistically a top-five worst defender in the NBA. Yes, every sentence that you guys said, said offensively. We are talking about complete players… Yes, he is stratosphere offensively. He is timeless and amazing, and we’ll be talking about his offensive game for the rest of basketball.
“He does not put that much energy into the defensive end,” Frye continued. “Until he’s not top-10 worst defender in NBA, I don’t have him as one or two. I just don’t respect that part… I think he’s amazing. I think he can do it. He chooses not to for the offensive side. So, just give me a little bit more effort on the defensive side, and then yes, give him the nod. But I just can’t. He’s just playing offense.
He’s not a quarterback,” Frye added. “He’s a basketball player.”
Frye hadn’t hopped on the Doncic train in the past and isn’t going to now either. The 27-year-old will need to play some pretty good defense next season to win him over.
