2. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Over the course of NBA history, there have been many times when the NBA MVP award has gone to the best player on the best team. While there have been some exclusions to that unspoken run in NBA MVP voting, the winner of this award has generally played for great teams. That's why it would be shocking if Donovan Mitchell didn't emerge as a legit candidate to win the NBA MVP award this season if the Cleveland Cavaliers continue to play at a high level. At least so far this season, the Cavs have been the best team in the league.
If the Cavs finish as a No. 1 or 2 seed in the Eastern Conference standings, which appears as if it's likely going to be the case, Mitchell is going to get some serious consideration to win the award. And unlike some of the other players on this list, Mitchell has the pedigree that it will take to earn votes. Mitchell is a well-known name and has paid his dues with huge performances in the NBA Playoffs before. If there isn't another big-name superstar who runs away with the award, Mitchell could very well win the MVP this year.
Why Mitchell's MVP bid may fall short
There's absolutely a way in which Mitchell could lose ground as one of the favorites to win the award. In the past, Mitchell has struggled with injuries. There's a chance that an injury during the second half of the season could completely derail his MVP campaign. I get this is somewhat of a cop-out. You can probably use this excuse for every team. Of course, injuries could derail any player on this list. However, the last time Mitchell played 70 games in a season, it was the 2018-19 NBA campaign, and the global pandemic hadn't taken place.
There's a history there for Mitchell and I'm sure the Cavs won't want to run him into the ground just for the top seed in the East. I may be wrong but there's a chance Cleveland takes a less aggressive approach to preserve health as we inch closer toward the end of the season. Another sign to keep an eye on is if Cleveland begins to struggle and begins to fall down the standings in the East. Mitchell isn't even having a career year; it's Cleveland's performance this season that has vaulted him into the NBA MVP race.