Off the bench, Malik Monk is the Kings’ energizer. He enters the game and makes himself known right away. Monk can take over a game when necessary, is a fearless scorer from almost anywhere on the floor, and has improved greatly this season as a facilitator.
He currently leads the club in blocks, is fourth among the Kings’ scorers with 14.6 points, and shares the team lead in assists per game (5.3) with De’Aaron Fox.
He entered the Sixth Man of the Year competition the previous season and is currently among the league’s best bench players. He is back among the front-runners after coming in fifth in the final vote behind Norman Powell, Bobby Portis Jr., Immanuel Quickley, and Malcolm Brogdon.
Let’s examine the six players vying with him for the prize.
1. Tim Hardaway Jr.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is currently mostly playing off the bench for the Dallas Mavericks after starting 45 games in the previous campaign. With 17.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on average this season, he is among the league’s top bench scorers.
Since the Mavericks are now in the PlayIn rather than the playoff picture, they are not quite as good as they would likely want to be. But they may be performing even worse without Hardaway Jr.
Due to Luka Doncic’s massive usage rate and Kyrie Irving’s limited playing time this season, the Mavericks have been lacking about 25 points per game for a significant portion of the campaign.
As the team’s third-leading scorer after Irving and Doncic, Hardaway Jr. is the only player who might be able to assist Doncic in compensating for Irving’s output while he is on the bench. The only other Mavericks player averaging double digits is Derrick Jones Jr., hence the other members of the supporting cast don’t really contribute much.
Hardaway Jr. has scored at least thirty points in three games this year alone, including a 41-point effort in a 125-120 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. He is the most productive bench player in this group in terms of scoring, and most bookmakers now have him as the favourite to take home the prize. Naturally, this does not imply that Hardaway Jr. is the only candidate with a strong case.
2. Naz Reid
In the NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves may boast the finest big-man rotation. Naz Reid is starting for the Timberwolves off the bench, but he could be a starter for many teams in the league.
With an average of 12.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 41.5 percent three-point shooting, he is poised for his finest career campaign. Nor are those just meaningless figures. In a tough Western Conference, the Timberwolves are the second seed.
The team’s main players, Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Edwards, and Karl-Anthony Towns, are undoubtedly the greater stars and leaders, but Reid is equally significant. Due to his distinct skill set, he can play off the bench without significantly sacrificing size, shooting, or scoring potential, making him a great fit next to any starting big.
Reid is the fourth-leading scorer for the Timberwolves and one of three players who shoots above 40 percent from three on average. He has played a major role in their achievement, and the pace at which his club is succeeding will undoubtedly support him.
But just one center—Montrezl Harrell—has taken home the Sixth Man of the Year title in the previous ten seasons. The fact that the other winners are all shooting guards indicates a clear predilection for that position.
3. Caris LeVert
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a lot of young skill and star power with Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. They changed the supporting cast after last season’s devastating first-round playoff exit, and they were ready for another great regular season.
That appeared to be in risk when Mobley and Garland both went down with significant injuries. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers won and are presently ranked second in the East. With an average of 15.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, LeVert plays a significant role in that.
Throughout the season, he has been a fairly regular scorer, which has been important for the squad when important players have been sidelined due to injuries. LeVert also frequently had to step in as the Cavaliers’ backup ball handler.
Mitchell had to take over as the starting point guard after Garland and Ty Jerome were ruled out, leaving Craig Porter as the sole available backup. LeVert filled in, aiding in the playmaking and making multiple contributions to the team’s accomplishments.
4. Bogdan Bogdanovic
Bogdan Bogdanovic, a former Sacramento King, is doing quite well in Atlanta. He is averaging 17.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 steals while playing for the Hawks off the bench.
He attempts the second-most three-pointers and is the team’s third-leading scorer. Bogdanovic is a skilled scorer and sniper, so the Hawks rely on him to provide some fire and strong energy off the bench.
He hasn’t let me down yet. He scored between 10 and 24 points in all but one of the games in January. By now, February is beginning to resemble each other a lot, and Bogdanovic’s name is well-established in the Sixth Man of the Year competition.
Although his stats meet the qualifications, the Hawks’ record can work against him. With a 22-28 record, Atlanta presently possesses the final Play in position in the Eastern Conference.
Their backcourt combination of Dejounte Murray and Trae Young isn’t working out, and their defense is atrocious. Although Bogdanovic is scoring a lot, his efforts don’t always translate into victories.
5. Jordan Clarkson
It was expected that the Utah Jazz would be among the worst teams in the NBA after dismantling the club and trading for Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Mike Conley. Rather, they showed some genuine promise in 2022 and got off to a fast start.
They are currently qualified for the Play in Tournament and are seated in tenth place in the Western Conference, ahead of the Spurs, the Rockets, the Warriors, the Grizzlies, and the Trail Blazers. A major contributor to that is Jordan Clarkson.
He performed incredibly well coming off the bench in 2021, earning the title of Sixth Man of the Year. He was a starter when the team parted ways with its All-Stars and did well in that capacity as well. Currently, he is averaging 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, readjusting to his bench role.
He leads the Jazz in assists and is tied with Collin Sexton for the second-highest point total per game on the roster. Although the Jazz aren’t winning by a tremendous margin, they aren’t at the basement of the Western Conference either, and Clarkson’s stats are unquestionably impressive.
6. Norman Powell
Norman Powell is once again putting up a strong fight for the Sixth Man of the Year title, having concluded the previous season as one of the leading contenders. His average of 13.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1 assist makes him an indispensable member of the Clippers.
He is their fourth-leading scorer off the bench, behind only James Harden, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard. Because of his scoring, the Clippers can rest their players knowing that the offence will continue to function well.
The Clippers’ success is mostly due to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George’s availability, but Powell is a crucial component as well. Record matters in this discussion, and Powell’s case is helped by the Clippers’ current third-place standing in the Western Conference.
