The MVP race for the 2024-25 NBA season is already in murky waters. Several players have been performing at an MVP level at the start of the season, so it’s certainly not an easy task to select the frontrunners of the contest. But NBA analyst Richard Jefferson’s attempt to do so was met with vehement rejection.
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RJ, who had Stephen Curry and Anthony Davis over Nikola Jokic in the race, failed to win the approval of his fellow ESPN analyst, Kendrick Perkins, who thought the Joker should have a clear pathway to his third straight MVP win.
Perkins joined the Road Trippin’ Podcast alongside Jefferson and Channing Frye to discuss the NBA action this week. A few minutes into the episode, the crew began to discuss the current MVP ladder and things soon got a little bit heated. Jefferson said,
“Steph, in my opinion, should be much higher on that list. I think AD is the most valuable player to his team and having the best season like outside of his norm. We’ve seen him raise his level. That, to me, is MVP. How have you raised your level from the prior season, whether it’s team dominance or individual stat numbers?”
Despite Jokic’s career season, RJ favored Curry and Davis over the Serbian star because of how they have elevated their game and their teams as well. Frye, on the other hand, agreed with the former Cavaliers star that Jokic shouldn’t be in the mix because his team is sixth on the list
Perkins sat in silence during Jefferson’s explanation and completely shut down his claim when it was his turn to speak.
“It is Jokic, Jokic, Jokic,” Perkins exclaimed profusely. “You talk about what Jokic and his team is right now, they’re in the sixth spot. [Without him] they would be a lottery team.”
The 2008 NBA Champion refuted the claims made by Jefferson by declaring that Jokic’s value to the Nuggets exceeds any other player’s value to their team. The comment from the 14-year NBA veteran may seem hyperbolic but isn’t far from the truth.
The Nuggets don’t have a legitimate All-Star performer in the team to assist the Serbian. Therefore, the Joker is pretty much single-handedly carrying Denver in a league filled with teams crammed with stars.
Big Perk’s bid for Jokic was embraced with applause from the podcast crew. This is because of how far the ESPN analyst has come from saying in 2023 that Jokic is only topping the MVP race because of his skin color.
But let’s have a look at the MVP ladder right now.
Analyzing the MVP race
Everyone that has elevated Jokic and Davis as the frontrunners for the award is justified in their actions. Their performance and impact can’t be questioned.
Denver is a completely different team with Jokic on the court compared to him off the court. The three-time MVP is leading the league in point differential at a ridiculous +30. His expected wins while on the court is +60. The Nuggets are one of the NBA’s best with Jokic on the floor. However, without him, they are indeed the team Perkins suggests they would be.
On the other hand, Davis is undoubtedly having his greatest season as an NBA player. The 6-foot-10 big man is averaging a career-high in points at 29.2 points per game. In addition to his uptick in the scoring department, AD is the head of the Lakers engine, leading the team to be the fourth-ranked offense in the NBA.
There is still plenty of time left in the season, so either player could create a gap from the other. However, as of today, Jokic is following his MVP season with the best statistical season of his career. It’s hard to ignore the dominance he’s showcasing on a nightly basis. He’s already one of the greatest players of all time, but a fourth MVP will open new conversations to be had.
