2. Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
Putting Kawhi Leonard over LeBron James for an early MVP prediction may seem highly arguable because it is. Leonard has never been a regular-season player, showcased in the postseason behind his two NBA Championships, and two Finals MVP awards.
The 28-year-old has not played in over 70 regular-season games since the 2016-17 season, having created “load management” after a horrendous injury suffered in the playoffs that year. Since then, Leonard has never genuinely been in the MVP conversation because he tended to rest every few games or so, no matter how good he played.
Leonard had the best season of his career this past year, having averaged 26.9 points and 5.0 rebounds, and tied his career-high in rebounds with 7.3 per game. The LA Clippers finished as the 2-seed, just a few games back of the rivaling Los Angeles Lakers, and still, Leonard received no genuine MVP consideration because he only played in 51 out of a possible 64 games.
Health was a big issue for the Clippers all season with the entire team, but how they still managed to finish as the 2-seed is intriguing. When next season starts, Leonard is going to be very well-rested, especially if this season does eventually get canceled.
If Kawhi Leonard can have a career-best season while still nursing a severe injury, what is he capable of doing at full strength? Led by Leonard, the healthy LA Clippers have the potential to take control of the Western Conference next season. If so, Kawhi could potentially earn his first-ever MVP award, the one piece missing from his resume.