We are witnessing a seismic shift in the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award voting, reflecting the evolving criteria with the changing dynamics of the game. Traditionally, players like Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams dominated this award by consistently delivering prolific scoring performances off the bench. Between them, Crawford and Williams have collectively clinched the award six times, setting a high bar for what it means to be the league’s top substitute player.
Historically, leading bench scorers have often found favor with voters. In fact, half of the past 20 winners were the season's most prominent scorers off the bench. However, recent seasons have shown a departure from this norm, underscoring the nuance and complexity in defining a team's most valuable asset off the bench.
A vivid example of this shift came to light during the 2022-23 NBA season when Malcolm Brogdon clinched the Sixth Man of the Year award, despite not leading bench scorers—finishing fifth in this category. This deviation suggests a broader evaluation metric encompassing overall impact on the game beyond sheer points tally.
The following season only deepened the trend when Naz Reid won the award. Reid quietly carved his niche, ranking 12th in scoring among players who came off the bench at least 30 times. His success story is emblematic of the evolving perception of the award, emphasizing versatility, energy, and effectiveness in critical game moments over traditional scoring metrics. Notably, Reid's achievement places him in an exclusive club, as he becomes only the third center in NBA history to earn this accolade, joining Montrezl Harrell and Lamar Odom, who claimed the honor in the past two decades.
The Changing Guard
The discourse around Reid's win brings to light the other influential elements at play. One analyst mentioned, "For Reid to win again, you're relying on either Rudy Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns to get injured again, for Reid to thrive again, and for the field to be as weak or weaker than it was a year ago." This observation underscores the tenuous nature of a Sixth Man's impact, particularly in Reid's case, being contingent on the availability of premier players like Gobert and Towns.
On the New York Knicks front, Josh Hart presents a fascinating narrative. Hart clocked impressive playtime, averaging just below 40 minutes per game from February 1st through the end of last season, and further extending his contribution with 46.4 minutes per game in New York's first nine playoff games. Hart's dedication and multifaceted role have not gone unnoticed. Reflecting on his burgeoning position, Hart humorously tweeted, "I am a 1-4, not a center," in response to the announcement that Mitchell Robinson would not be starting the season. This sentiment echoes a prevailing joke about how Knicks' head coach Tom Thibodeau assigns roles: "Tom Thibodeau is just going to make him do center things because Tom Thibodeau makes him do everything."
A New Playing Field
The betting odds for the upcoming season reflect the competitive spirit and unpredictability surrounding this award. Malik Monk comes in with odds of +575, indicating a strong likelihood in the eyes of bettors. Meanwhile, Naz Reid holds odds of +700, showcasing faith in his sustained performance. Grayson Allen, a player with growing clout, stands with odds of +1000, ready to establish his claim as a leading sixth man candidate.
Moreover, the Dallas Mavericks' rotation hints at intriguing possibilities. Young talent Jaden Hardy, who earned valuable playoff minutes in only his second year, exemplifies the team's investment in nurturing bench strength. Tim Hardaway Jr., a seasoned player with a history of gaining Sixth Man votes in Dallas, adds depth and experience to the Mavericks' bench, making them a team to watch in the Sixth Man conversation.
The evolving criteria for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award underscore a broader trend in basketball: success and value are no longer tied solely to conventional metrics like points per game. The narrative increasingly values diverse contributions, reflective of players' versatility, playmaking ability, and defensive prowess. Whether through Brogdon's comprehensive game impact, Reid's situational effectiveness, or Hart’s multifaceted role, it is clear that the Sixth Man of the Year award is embracing a new, richly layered definition of excellence. As the 2023-24 NBA season unfolds, fans and analysts alike will be keenly observing how these evolving metrics play out in the quest for bench supremacy.