We're only 16 games into the NBA season but there are already some sure-fire candidates for the MVP award. For instance, LeBron James is killing it on the Los Angeles Lakers while James Harden continues to score at a ridiculous pace. Last night, the NBA on TNT crew decided to discuss the key moving parts in the MVP race and Charles Barkley brought up four names. James, Harden, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Donic.
Shaq went off saying the question was stupid and simply too early to tell but in the end, he acquiesced and ended up giving his answer. Unsurprisingly, Shaq decided to side with the plight of the big man and dubbed Giannis as the early candidate for MVP. Kenny Smith ended up saying LeBron although Shaq immediately disagreed.
This conversation is certainly an interesting one to have although Shaq is correct when he says it's simply too early to tell. There is plenty of basketball left to be played and there are some players who could end up making a big splash down the stretch. Meanwhile, Giannis, Harden, James, and Doncic are all at risk of injury or simply falling off. Despite this, these four are certainly a solid group to start the season.
If you were to bet on the MVP race, who would you be choosing?