Is it time for NBA to add "Offensive Player of the Year" to the list of awards?

[SCdac]

Either in addition to MVP or in place of it?

It's not a new suggestion but given the direction of the league I don't think many people would be bothered (it exists in NFL already). One could fairly easily argue MVP is/has become predominantly an offensive award, where the recipient's offense is always better than their defense, sometimes way better.

Most MVP's average 22+ ppg. In Nash's case about a decade ago he was an elite playmaker and shooter (offensively elite, if not a volume scorer). Over .95% of MVP's since 1955 have averaged at least 2 assists a game, and in the last 10 seasons MVP's average exactly 7.3 assists a game (basically an amount of assists no big man will average today).

Also, if it didn't replace MVP I'd guess than an Offensive Player of the Year award might actually improve MVP criteria and bring defense back into the focus of MVP discussion..

thoughts?

[PsychoBe]

it's called the scoring title

[UK2K]

Im with it.

Give Cousins OPOTY.

[sd3035]

it's called the scoring title

hard to argue with that

[RightTwoCensor]

Usually the best offensive player wins the MVP.

Durant
Lebron
Rose
Kobe
Nash
Shaq
Iverson
...

[SCdac]

it's called the scoring title

While I agree scoring the most is quite the accomplishment, it's not really considered an "award", is it?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/

[UK2K]

it's called the scoring title
Offense isn't just scoring though.

[ralph_i_el]

it's called the scoring title
The best offensive player RARELY wins the scoring title

[Spurs5Rings2014]

The best offensive player RARELY wins the scoring title

Magic Johnson.

:applause:

[ImKobe]

Well, since we do have "Defensive Player Of The Year", why not?

Question is, why hasn't this been done sooner?

[ArbitraryWater]

LeBron would have gotten the OPOTY since 2008, taking into account offensive impact, scoring, efficiency, playmaking, passing... last year perhaps KD, his scoring was just too dominant.

I always wanted an OPOTY and offensive team, since the same exists for defense. Thing is, actual reason why it exists for defense, is for those players not to be overlooked. But I disagree when someone says All-NBA is usually just offense, its not, they look at one as a whole.

[ImKobe]

LeBron would have gotten the OPOTY since 2008, taking into account offensive impact, scoring, efficiency, playmaking, passing... last year perhaps KD, his scoring was just too dominant.

Chris Paul.


07-08 - 21 ppg 12 apg 56 double-doubles
08-09 - 23 ppg 11 apg, 50 double-doubles

[dannywpt]

I feel like this award would heavily favorite guards as assists would be used as a key measurement outside scoring in order to seperate it from a scoring title.

[Harison]

NBA already has scoring and assists titles, does OP suggest to remove them and instead use "offensive player"? Otherwise if you just add it to current system, it wouldnt make any sense.

[SCdac]

scoring titles, block titles, win-share titles, free throws made titles... I think these are statistical achievements... not awards... at least that's the way I see it, idk

[ArbitraryWater]

Chris Paul.


07-08 - 21 ppg 12 apg 56 double-doubles
08-09 - 23 ppg 11 apg, 50 double-doubles

also good choices..


I feel like this award would heavily favorite guards as assists would be used as a key measurement outside scoring in order to seperate it from a scoring title.

also true.


scoring titles, block titles, win-share titles, free throws made titles... I think these are statistical achievements... not awards... at least that's the way I see it, idk

yep, especially since the scoring title is just the ppg title, one aspect of scoring, the volume one, ignoring the efficiency aspect.

[Spurs5Rings2014]

yep, especially since the scoring title is just the ppg title, one aspect of scoring, the volume one, ignoring the efficiency aspect.

Efficiency title.

:applause:

[Harison]

PER title :lol

[RepMe]

MVP is already pretty damn close to Offensive Player of the Year. Probably half of the years the MVP would get that award as well. Feels a bit redundant.

[ArbitraryWater]

MVP is already pretty damn close to Offensive Player of the Year. Probably half of the years the MVP would get that award as well. Feels a bit redundant.

Nah... MVP pretty obviously takes players as a whole. Tell me if they were to account for defense, which years would change?

None.. well besides the famous controversial ones, such as Iverson/Nash/Rose, which never had anything to do with ignoring defense, though.

It's just individual offense >> individual defense.

[SCdac]

MVP is already pretty damn close to Offensive Player of the Year. Probably half of the years the MVP would get that award as well. Feels a bit redundant.

I think that's the whole point, and maybe some would like to see it change.

One could argue guys like Duncan and Shaq deserved more MVPs (without going into detail about which seasons), even Dwight Howard people complain and moan about not winning it in 2011.

Had players like Iverson and Rose been more eligible/appropriate for Offensive player of the year (not saying they weren't MVP candidates, but just postulating), it might make MVP more of a discussion of "who has the best combo of offense and defense?" than it is now...

Sure a player could win both awards (MVP and OPOTY), like if I'm not mistaken happens in NFL some times, but they could also be different.

[SugarHill]

The best offensive player RARELY wins the scoring title

00 - Shaq - best offensive player
01 - Iverson - Shaq was still the best
02 - Iverson - Shaq was still the best
03 - T-Mac - best offensive player
04 - T-Mac - weird year with no real best
05 - Iverson - Nash was best
06 - Kobe - best offensive player
07 - Kobe - best offensive player
08 - LeBron - his case is as high as anyone
09 - Wade - his case is as high as anyone
10 - Durant - his case is as high as anyone
11 - Durant - his case is as high as anyone
12 - Durant - his case is as high as anyone
13 - Melo - Durant was the best offensive player
14 - Durant - Durant was the best offensive player
15 - Westbrook - Curry was the best offensive player

It's usually the best offensive player or a player that is absolutely in the mix that wins the scoring title, at least in recent times. Before 00, you start seeing Jordan years and he was definitely the best offensive player when he won his scoring titles. I do think the MVP and an OPoTY should be separate but of course it can cannibalize the meaning of an MVP if it exists.