NBA predictions: MVP picks, odds, best bets for 2023-24 season

The most prominent award in any NBA season is the Most Valuable Player honor, which is usually given to the best player on a winning team. There are some exceptions to the rule but it’s very rare to see a player win the MVP award without winning much on the court. Here’s a look at the MVP market for the 2023-24 NBA season on DraftKings Sportsbook.

MVP of the Year 2023-24 odds

The favorite: Nikola Jokic (+450)

After winning two MVPs in a row, Jokic missed out on a three-peat thanks to Joel Embiid. The Nuggets big man enters this season as the favorite after winning the Finals and Finals MVP honor at the end of the 2022-23 year. This offense should be highly efficient once again, but will Denver has the same fortunes on the injury front? If not, Jokic could be a lone ranger far too often to contend for this award.

Other contenders

Luka Doncic: +500

Last season was supposed to be the one Doncic ascended to the top of the NBA with a MVP trophy. Things didn’t quite work out that way, and the addition of Kyrie Irving might not be the best fix. If the Doncic-Irving pairing doesn’t click, the Mavericks are going to once again be looking at the play-in tournament or worse. In addition to that on-court concerns, Doncic has not been able to stay healthy. He doesn’t have the tag of being injury-prone, but he hasn’t played more than 66 games since his rookie season. 65 is the minimum threshold to be considered for awards, so Doncic is closer to that line than many might expect.

Giannis Antetokounmpo: +550

The Greek Freak got one of the biggest prizes of the offseason when the Bucks traded for Damian Lillard. That addition should help Antetokounmpo on the court offensively, since defenses cannot key in on him as much without getting exposed. The numbers will be there, but will Lillard take too much production away from Antetokounmpo in this particular race?

Joel Embiid: +650

Embiid has managed to stay relatively healthy in each of the last two seasons, but he’s still played in under 70 games both times. The injury threshold is definitely going to be a concern for the reigning MVP. The Sixers are also going through a bit of a rough phase with James Harden’s trade request looming. When Ben Simmons went through the same ordeal, that didn’t stop Embiid from putting up MVP-like numbers. We’ll see if he can once again carry this team while it attempts to find a solution in a championship window.

Best bet: Nikola Jokic (+450)

Playing games matters and there’s a lot of concern on the injury front at the top of this odds table. Doncic, Embiid, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry have all missed games over the last two seasons. Jokic and Antetokounmpo are the most sure bets, and one of those players doesn’t have to worry about integrating with a sidekick. Take the Nuggets big man to get another MVP award.