Kurt Helin
First Team
- G: Russell Westbrook, Thunder
- G: James Harden, Rockets
- F: Kawhi Leonard, Spurs
- F: LeBron James, Cavaliers
- C: Anthony Davis, Pelicans
Second Team
- G: Chris Paul, Clippers
- G: Stephen Curry, Warriors
- F: Kevin Durant, Warriors
- F: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
- C: Rudy Gobert, Jazz
Third Team
- G: Isaiah Thomas, Celtics
- G: John Wall, Wizards
- F: Draymond Green, Warriors
- F: Jimmy Butler, Bulls
- C: DeAndre Jordan, Clippers
The first team to me was fairly obvious — and Anthony Davis played more than 60 percent of his minutes this season at center, he defends opposing centers, he is a center (next year that may be different). It was very difficult to leave Paul George, Klay Thompson, and DeMarcus Cousins off these lists, but for me Jordan, Wall, and Butler had slightly better seasons.
Note: Helin has an official ballot this year.
Dan Feldman
First team
- G: Russell Westbrook, Thunder
- G: James Harden, Rockets
- F: LeBron James, Cavaliers
- F: Kawhi Leonard, Spurs
- C: Rudy Gobert, Jazz
Second team
- G: Stephen Curry, Warriors
- G: Isaiah Thomas, Celtics
- F: Jimmy Butler, Bulls
- F: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
- C: Anthony Davis, Pelicans
Third team
- G: Chris Paul, Clippers
- G: John Wall, Wizards
- F: Draymond Green, Warriors
- F: Kevin Durant, Warriors
- C: DeMarcus Cousins, Pelicans
There were three tough calls:
Rudy Gobert’s stout defense and underrated offense just outpaced Anthony Davis’ do-it-all game for first-team center.
Kevin Durant might have won MVP if he stayed healthy. Gordon Hayward played very well and a lot more. I gave the third-team forward spot to Durant.
DeMarcus Cousins edged a deep field for third-team center that also included Nikola Jokic, DeAndre Jordan, Karl-Anthony Towns and Marc Gasol.
Dane Carbaugh
First team
- G: James Harden, Rockets
- G: Russell Westbrook, Thunder
- F: Kawhi Leonard, Spurs
- F: LeBron James, Cavaliers
- C: Rudy Gobert, Jazz
Second team
- G: Stephen Curry, Warriors
- G: Isaiah Thomas, Celtics
- F: Kevin Durant, Warriors
- F: Draymond Green, Warriors
- C: Anthony Davis, Pelicans
Third team
- G: John Wall, Wizards
- G: DeMar DeRozan, Raptors
- F: Paul George, Pacers
- F: Jimmy Butler, Bulls
- C: Marc Gasol, Grizzlies
Picking these teams is a near impossible task that is sure to satisfy nobody. The first team is a little easier thanks to it being stocked with the top MVP candidates, but as we move on down the list it’s hard to compare both positional issues alongside with value and contextual leaps in production by player. I think a particular sticking point to me was putting John Wall on the second team. He had such a great season and outside of James Harden and Russell Westbrook, he was the most consistently fun guard to watch this year. All these players are right, but the order could be debated for months. Maybe by then we will have settled on an MVP.
