Draymond Green isn’t buying into the idea that Luka Doncic still has a long MVP runway ahead of him.
With the Los Angeles Lakers opening their first season without LeBron James on Wednesday night and Doncic taking center stage as the team’s lead star, Green offered a blunt take on the guard’s award chances. Speaking to Taylor Rooks on his podcast, Green said, "Luka will never win an MVP in the NBA. This is the last possible year he can win it,"
Green pointed to the way voters tend to react once a player has already established a massive statistical baseline. In his view, even a season filled with huge numbers - including an average of 34 points per game - may not be enough to move the needle anymore. He said the same dynamic applies to the Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum because of the "fatigue" that can come with players who are expected to post eye-popping stat lines every night.
Tatum opened his season on Tuesday afternoon and finished with 13 points, 11 assists and four rebounds in a loss to the Detroit Pistons. Paul George led the way for the other side with 38 points, knocking down 12 of 21 shots and seven 3-pointers.
Doncic, though, has already put himself in the MVP conversation. Last season, he averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 47.6% from the field, then finished fourth in the voting with zero first-place votes and 250 total points.
The top of the ballot was ruled by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who collected 83 first-place votes and 939 total points in winning the award for his second straight season. Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs also drew first-place votes, a reminder of just how crowded the race has become.
For Doncic, this season is another chance to steer the Lakers and make his case in a loaded field. Whether that is enough to break through the voter fatigue Green described is the question hanging over him now.
The Warriors and Lakers play at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
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