4. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Season stats: 27.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 7.1 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.7 bpg, 52% fg, 36% 3 pt, 68% ft
Team record: 23-21 (8th in West)
Just because LeBron hasn’t won an NBA MVP award since 2013, doesn’t mean that he hasn’t been playing at an MVP level. In fact, if you removed “voter fatigue” from the MVP voting process, James would likely be sitting on six of these MVP awards.
However, voter fatigue is a real thing and because of that, LeBron likely won’t win the award this year unless he turns into playoff LeBron a few months early.
But even though he’s sitting out with a groin injury at the moment, James is still proving his immense value to his team. When he has played, the Los Angeles Lakers are 20-14. Since going down with this injury, they are 3-7. Also, LeBron’s former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers have gone from a 50-32 record last season with the King to a 9-35 record this season without him.
LeBron’s presence and value are felt almost as much when he doesn’t play as when he does.
In order for him to win his fifth NBA MVP award, tying the one and only MJ, he’s going to have to lead this young Lakers squad on a run once he returns from injury while playing at playoff LeBron level, much like he did last year with an inferior Cleveland squad.