NBA GMs: Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic is league’s best center but not an MVP candidate

Nikola Jokic has established himself arsenic the NBA’s champion center, but don’t look for him to repetition arsenic the regular season’s astir invaluable player, according to a survey of the league’s wide managers by NBA.com.

Jokic, 26, received 63% of the votes for the champion halfway successful the NBA for the 2nd consecutive year, good up of Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid (23%). However, for the MVP prediction, the Nuggets halfway didn’t garner immoderate votes. Nets guardant Kevin Durant (37%) was a flimsy favourite implicit Dallas’ Luka Doncic (33%).

Jokic besides tied with Lakers guardant LeBron James astatine 33% for the league’s champion passer. He besides received votes for the subordinate who forces opposing coaches to marque the astir adjustments, the subordinate who GMs would commencement a franchise around, the champion planetary player, the champion leader, who GMs would privation to instrumentality a changeable with the crippled connected the enactment and the subordinate with the champion hoops IQ.

Denver guardant Michael Porter Jr. finished 3rd with 10% among players poised for a breakout season, down Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. (17%) and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards (13%). Porter was tied arsenic the favourite successful the class past twelvemonth with Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

As for the Nuggets, the squad is ranked 4th successful the Western Conference with 11% of the full ranked votes, down the Lakers (34%), Jazz (26%) and Suns (19%). Denver is besides tied for 5th for astir amusive squad to ticker (Nets are No. 1) and 2nd for champion home-court vantage (Jazz is No. 1).

Michael Malone received votes for manager who runs the champion offense. Guard Facundo Campazzo besides received votes for the league’s champion passer.