Aside from an NBA title, the MVP award is the most coveted award among NBA players. Just winning the award once puts a player in a different category than others.
It almost guarantees them a spot in the Hall of Fame. The Miami Heat have had only one player win the award; LeBron James took home the MVP in two consecutive seasons starting in 2012.
If anyone on today’s Heat roster were to win the award, it would be Jimmy Butler. No one contributes to the team’s success more than him. He has been, and will continue to be, the leader of the squad for the foreseeable future.
Is it realistic to say that Jimmy Butler will take home the MVP over the incredible talent across the league? Probably not. However, it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility.
If Butler were to ever win the award, this could be the year he does it. Here is why this could be the year Jimmy Butler has the best chance of being the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
Why Jimmy Butler could win MVP on the Miami Heat this season: No clear favorite to win the award
ESPN recently released their NBA MVP award predictions for next season. Kevin Durant leads the pack, with 45 first-place votes. The second closest is Giannis Antetokoumpo, with 38 votes.
Jimmy Butler did not make the list. Neither did Damian Lillard or Jayson Tatum, whose names have been thrown around the MVP conversation in recent years. The reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic, was ranked outside of the top seven.
Let’s break this list down even further.