ESPN Panel Names Jokic Best Player; Thunder Heavy Favorites, Cash Joins Amazon Prime
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An informal survey of 20 NBA coaches, executives and scouts conducted by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps gave Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic 19 of 20 votes for the league’s current best player. Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic collected the lone remaining ballot.
The same group offered a more divided outlook for the 2025-26 Most Valuable Player race. Jokic received seven votes, followed by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with five, Doncic with four, San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama with two, and one vote apiece for Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards.
Looking further ahead, respondents overwhelmingly projected Wembanyama (16 votes) to be the NBA’s top player in 2030 and tabbed Duke commit Cooper Flagg (19 votes) as the favorite for 2025-26 Rookie of the Year.
The panel split on LeBron James’ status when the 2026-27 season begins: seven expect him to remain with the Lakers, five predict retirement and eight foresee him joining a different franchise.
Participants rated the Atlanta Hawks as having the league’s best offseason (seven votes) and the New Orleans Pelicans as having the worst (nine votes). For the 2026 championship, 18 of 20 voters chose the Thunder to repeat, while two backed the Nuggets.
Cash heads to Amazon Prime Video
Former WNBA star and longtime NBA executive Swin Cash, dismissed by the Pelicans in April, will serve as a front-office insider on Amazon Prime Video’s NBA studio coverage for the 2025-26 campaign, then transition to studio analyst duties for the company’s WNBA broadcasts, The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch reported.
Affordable free agents still on the board
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report highlighted center Thomas Bryant, forward Precious Achiuwa, guard Alec Burks and guard Delon Wright as veteran free agents who could provide value to any roster as training camps approach.
Over/under win totals worth watching
The Athletic’s John Hollinger identified the Thunder (62.5 wins), Los Angeles Clippers (48.5), Golden State Warriors (45.5), Chicago Bulls (32.5) and Utah Jazz (18.5) as the league’s best opportunities to beat the win projections set by oddsmakers for 2025-26.
Source: Hoops Rumors
