If you're looking for debates about this year's MVP race or the Sixth Man trophy, you can probably find 1 or 2 or 20,000 other threads about it. But this is the only place where we're set to debate something else: every thing else in between.

Here would be my picks for each, but feel free to disagree and nominate your own below:

THE "MVP" aka the 1st MAN AWARD

Whether you prefer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Nikola Jokic, you can save that discussion for other threads.

THE "ROBIN" aka the 2nd MAN AWARD

Who has the best second banana in the NBA this season? There are several high profile names. In terms of clear-cut "Robins", you can debate Jaylen Brown (22.4 PPG), Jalen Williams (21.3 PPG), or Damian Lillard (24.9 PPG). Depending on how you view Cleveland's pecking order, either Donovan Mitchell or Evan Mobley would be in the mix as well.

Personally, I'm casting my banana at the feet of New York's Karl-Anthony Towns. The team and offense still runs through Jalen Brunson (who has the most FGA, most points, most assists, etc), but KAT has been absolutely lights out in his Robin role. As usual, he's shining as a scorer (averaging 24.3 PPG on 42.4% from deep), but he's also been great on the glass this year, grabbing 12.8 rebounds a game.

THE "HARRY LIME" aka the 3rd MAN AWARD

Parsing out who is "2nd" or "3rd" is a delicate science. Once again, you can debate Cleveland's order and potentially consider Darius Garland (20.6 PPG) or Jarrett Allen here. New York's in the mix once again — with either Mikal Bridges or OG Anunoby (and their matching 17.8 PPG). Indiana's Myles Turner also deserves a mention, averaging 15.4 points and 1.9 blocks per game.

Instead, we're going to veer out to the west coast and tip the hat to Austin Reaves. He's averaging 20.1 points and 5.8 assists. Better still, he's been a clear "third banana" all season long, first behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and then behind LBJ and Luka Doncic. The James + Doncic pairing hasn't played together enough to merit a "Robin" award this season, but surely one of the two will be a top contender for that next year.

THE "RINGO STARR" aka the 4th MAN AWARD

The trickle down effect continues, where we'll have to consider the Cavs and Knicks starters. I'd probably view Jarrett Allen and OG Anunoby as their respective "Ringos" this year. If you think Aaron Gordon has been the 4th star in Denver then he absolutely merits consideration as well.

Joining them in consideration will be a darkhorse in the the Clippers' Ivica Zubac, who falls fourth in the pecking order behind Kawhi Leonard (when healthy), James Harden, and Norman Powell. But quietly, Zubac has been awesome this season, averaging 16.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks as he holds down the paint. Those raw stats are slightly better than Jarrett Allen, but I'm going to defer to the Cavs' center here out of respect for the 60+ win record. As with namesake Ringo Starr, the 4th Man Award should factor in team success.

THE "SUPER-GLUE GUY" aka the 5th MAN AWARD

Winning should mean a lot here as well, which is why you can make an argument for Isaiah Hartenstein (if he even qualifies as being this low in the pecking order). Denver SG Christian Braun is a clearer 5th man — and has stepped up to the tune of 15.2 points per game.

Still, the spirit of this award feels right up the alley for the Knicks' Josh Hart. He's 5th on his team in terms of scoring and field goal attempts, but has an oversized impact on the game. He's averaging 13.8 points, 9.5 rebounds (!), and 5.8 assists the year, playing his role with maximum effort and efficiency.

THE SIXTH MAN AWARD

This exists, and thus, we will ignore it.

ONE MORE FOR FUN, THE 7th MAN AWARD

There are strict qualifications for the Sixth Man trophy: that is, the player has to log more games off the bench than in the starting lineup. The criteria for our "Seventh Man" trophy will be the same — only that his starts and minutes have to be fewer than at least one other reserve on the team.

Even by those standards, there are a lot of great options for this award: from Tari Eason (behind Amen Thompson), Donte DiVincenzo (behind Naz Reid), Sam Hauser (behind Payton Pritchard), or either Alex Caruso or Isaiah Joe (behind Aaron Wiggins)

But given that he qualifies for this by our rules, the Cavs' Ty Jerome can run off with this award. He tends to sub in at the same time as DeAndre Hunter, but Jerome has started fewer games and averaged fewer minutes overall. In fact, Jerome's only averaging 19.7 minutes this year. Clearly, he's made the most out of those opportunities: averaging 12.2 points on stellar shooting splits (51-43-87).

At one time, Ty Jerome's future in the NBA was a question mark. And today…? He's an award winner. Congrats to Jerome and all our winners!

38 comments

  2. Is “Second Man” supposed to be second best offensive player? Second highest usage? Or second best player?

    Zubac has been the Clippers’ second best player — at worst — this year. White has been much better than Brown as the Celtics second best player. And I can’t really see an argument for Reaves over any of Mobley/Mitchell/Garland for third best player.

  3. Idk what’s in the water today but we’ve had some really interesting and thought-provoking posts on r/nba in the past few hours

    Cool stuff. I’d like to throw Norm Powell’s name in the ring for the 3rd man award

  5. Good post only thing I disagree with is that Josh Hart isn’t the 5th man on his team. The 5th man is Mikal Bridges.

  6. Ty Jerome mentioned

    Personally as good and underrated as Allen is, I’d probably swap him out with Zubac for fourth and either Mobley or Garland over Reaves at third. Really interesting post

  9. I would like to toss Jaden McDaniels name out there for best 4th man. Especially if you are weighting the close to the season the way voters tend to.

    He is having a career year in points, rebounding and assists, he still takes on the opponents best offensive perimeter player every single night but has been more active on the other end of the floor.

    For a large stretch of the season he was the Wolves 2nd best player with Randle and Gobert injured, and he 100% rose to the challenge. His offense has evolved beyond “stand in the corner and shoot” to having him drive and hit midrange shots, and both his offensive and defensive rebound numbers soared.

  12. Derrick white has to be up there for 3rd best player, 16 – 5 – 5 on 60+% ts and all defensive performance. AR and DG have slightly better offensive numbers but to get that production from one of the best defensive guards in the league is incredible

  13. I think Mobley ran away with #2 this year, unless you want to call him the #1.

    Derrick White should win #4 (putting KP #3).

  17. 3rd man of the year for me is KP and 7th is Horford.

    What those two are doing in their roles is electric.

  19. I really feel like Derrick White should be included here, as either the best 3rd or 4th man, but I’m not quite sure what the criteria is to get on any of these lists.

  20. As a long time Blazers fan I always think Batum was one of the all time great 5th mans. When he was young he would take the toughest defensive assignment 1-3. A good and willing passer, capable of getting to the bucket if a crease opens, knocks down open shots, doesn’t really need touches to get in the groove. Of course Camara might be an even better 5th man, and you got to put Iggy up there too.

  21. Hartenstein is an INCREDIBLE super-glue guy. The offense is just so much sharper when he’s on the floor (particularly when Shai is off)—and he battles in the post on defense. (Didn’t hit the threshold for awards though, if you’re taking that into consideration.)

  23. Does LeBron qualify for the Robin award? Luka is undoubtedly the best player on the Lakers, but LeBron has probably been the most important over the whole year.

    If he qualifies, I’d say LeBron is the easy Robin pick this year.

  29. Ya this is an interesting one. I think the Nuggets have arguments for 4th and 5th with MPJ and Braun. You can also argue AG or MPJ for 3rd/4th in pecking order on the team but I’d edge Gordon ahead at 3rd, putting MPJ up there with a solid 18/7 on 50/40/76 shooting. Braun obv killing it this year among the 5th men, 2nd in the league in FB points, 15/5 on 57% shooting

  31. simmons is punching the air at not coming up with this bit, great stuff

    iHart v Hart is an interesting one for fifth guy – at times this year iHart was definitely way up the pecking order just due to guys being out, and we use him as an offensive hub a ton since he’s so good at that DHO action (and we don’t really have a traditional backup PG). i’d put forward a different name on the OKC side: Lu Dort. Numbers don’t leap off the page (10.2/4.2/1.6 on 43.7/41.1/75.0 in 29.3 MPG) but he has been an absolute wrecking ball defensively while shooting the highest percentage from deep out of any of the rotation (admittedly by a tiny fraction).

  35. Garland and Allen both deserve these awards, no offense to Lakers and Knicks players. To be 61-15 with Mitchell and Mobley as your top two players really shows how fucking good Garland and Allen have been.

  36. I very much agree with AR for 3rd man. He has shown time and time again this season he is always capable of being the next man up. Foul baiting is one thing.. but his crossovers have been killer the last few months. So fun to watch.

  37. 2nd man award: Lebron (honorable mentions: KAT, Jalen Williams, Franz, Mobley, Jimmy Butler, JJJ, Dame, Kyrie)

    3rd man award: Austin Reaves (honorable mentions: Draymond, Derrick White, Garland, Mikal Bridges, Advija, Trey Murphy, PJ Washington)

    4th man award: Hartenstein (honorable mentions: Malik Monk, OG, Amen, Jarett Allen, Zubac, Mcdaniels, Tingus Pingus)

    5th man award Josh Hart (honorable mentions: Braun, Dort, Horford)

    7th man award: Scottie Pippen Jr. (Kennard plays more MPG) (honorable mentions: Tari Eason, Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace)

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