The NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award was given to a fresh face in 2022-23, as Joel Embiid earned the recognition for his phenomenal season. The seven-footer led the league in scoring and dominated down the stretch to pull away from reigning MVP Nikola Jokić.
With the 2023-24 NBA season in our sights, it’s time to consider next year’s MVP. Will it go to another first-time winner? Or will Jokić ride his historic postseason into a third MVP award?
Here’s an early look at the latest 2023-24 NBA MVP odds.
NBA 2023-24 MVP Award Betting Odds
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Caesars Sportsbook provides NBA lines for the 2024 NBA MVP, which are current as of Tuesday, September 5, at 11 a.m. ET.
- Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets (+375)
- Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks (+500)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (+550)
- Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers (+850)
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics (+900)
- Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns (+1300)
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (+1400)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (+1500)
- Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns (+1800)
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers (+2200)
Who Will Win NBA MVP?
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets (+375)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Jokić finished second in MVP voting this past season, and although this is a regular-season award, it’s hard not to think that his standing as the odds-on favorite was influenced by what the big man accomplished in the playoffs.
Even still, Jokić is a worthy choice to be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2024. The 28-year-old is doing things hardly any other player has accomplished, let alone among centers. Giving him the highest praise still feels like sh0rt-selling.
The Nuggets figure to be just as outstanding in 2023-24 as they were last year, and with Jokić serving as the team’s — and the league’s — clear-cut best player, it’ll take a monumental effort from another top candidate to keep him from returning to the throne, making this my NBA bet of the day.
NBA MVP Award Favorites
Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks (+500)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
Dončić has been one of the league’s top MVP candidates for several years, and he was among the most popular choices before the 2022-23 season. The 24-year-old continues to break new ground, and it’s likely only a matter of time before he’s awarded the honor.
Dončić set career-high marks in scoring (32.4 points), steals (1.4), and field goal percentage (49.6%) in his fifth NBA season, and he managed all of that while still averaging an additional 8.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game.
The MVP has often gone to the most outstanding player on the league’s best team, but there are certainly more than a few exceptions to that rule. Whether Dončić’s Mavericks can exceed expectations in 2023-24 is one thing, but it’s hard to ignore what he’s doing statistically on a nightly basis.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (+550)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
Antetokounmpo has the honor of being the NBA’s best two-way player, and it’s not close. The Greek Freak has five All-Defensive selections and a Defensive Player of the Year Award to his name, and this past season, he averaged a career-high 31.1 points per game.
Part of what makes him so dominant is his efficiency. Among players who scored at least 30 points per game in 2022-23, Antetokounmpo averaged the fewest minutes by a considerable margin. He also notched an additional 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists each night.
Antetokounmpo remains the top dog in Milwaukee, and after an early exit in the playoffs, he’ll be motivated to turn in another successful season. Antetokounmpo is as good a bet as you can make as long as he stays healthy.
NBA MVP Award Contenders
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers (+850)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.25 Units
The reigning NBA MVP comes in at the fourth-shortest odds to earn the award in 2024, which feels like an oversight. Embiid’s efficiency could take a dip with James Harden‘s departure looming, but it wouldn’t shock me to see him lead the league in scoring once again.
Part of that has to do with Philadelphia’s coaching change. Nick Nurse has shown a tendency to give his best players heavy play in the regular season, as evidenced by Pascal Siakam leading the NBA in minutes per game at 37.9 and 37.4, respectively, over the past two years.
The competition is as stiff as ever, but the path is there for Embiid to earn his second consecutive MVP.
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics (+900)
Tatum is another player who turned in a career year in 2022-23, averaging 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. At just 25 years old, there’s still room for him to improve, too.
With that said, it’s hard to envision Tatum taking the kind of leap necessary for him to outpace Jokić and others in this race. He’s much more of an all-around player now than he was even a few years ago, but he’s not been historically great in the same way that others have.
- See where Tatum’s Celtics stand in the latest 2024 NBA Finals odds.
His fourth-place finish this past season isn’t a ceiling — I could certainly see Tatum winning an MVP at some point in his NBA career — but this won’t be his year.
NBA MVP Award Sleepers
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (+1400)
Injuries and the Warriors’ somewhat embarrassing regular season were two things that kept Curry from winning his third MVP in 2022-23. Golden State snuck into the back half of the playoff bracket on account of its woeful road record, while Curry appeared in just 56 games.
The numbers, however, were still there. Curry put in 29.4 points per game on .493/.427/.915 shooting splits and logged his highest effective field goal percentage (61.4%) since the 2017-18 season.
Assuming Curry can operate with that same level of efficiency next season is a bold claim — he’ll be 36 by the end of the regular season — but if his Warriors can win even a handful more games in 2023-24, he could easily rise up the board.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (+1500)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.25 Units
Gilgeous-Alexander made a huge splash in his fifth NBA season, averaging a career-high 31.4 points to go along with 5.5 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and a block per game. The 24-year-old was one of just six players to average at least 30 points per game, earning him First-Team All-NBA honors.
It’s safe to say that SGA has earned respect around the league, with Caesars listing him well above the likes of LeBron James to win the 2024 NBA MVP award.
His usage figures will decrease a bit this coming season with 2022 No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren making his debut, but there’s no mistaking that this is Gilgeous-Alexander’s team. If he can keep turning in consistent 30-point performances, he’ll be one name to keep an eye on.
