During the regular 2018-19 regular season, reigning MVP James Harden averaged 36.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game. That also included shooting 44.2 percent from the floor, 36.8 field goal percent from 3-point range and 87.9 percent from the free throw line.
All were all career-highs, according to Basketball-Reference.
His closest competition for the MVP award is Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, which included shooting 57.8 field goal percent from the floor per game, which were also career highs per Basketball-Reference.
If the league were to pick this year’s MVP award winner strictly based on the aforementioned stats, Harden has the edge over Giannis.
The Bucks were the number one seed in the Eastern Conference with a league-best record of 60-22. They’ve also reached the Eastern Conference Finals, whereas the Rockets finished fourth in the Western Conference (53-29) and have already been eliminated from the playoffs.
During a phone conversation with Basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas last week, he was asked that same question.
“From the regular season, I thought Harden had another great season, and he did things that another hasn’t done in a while. Giannis also had a great regular season, but from a winning standpoint, I always go with the winner. This is not a knock on the season that Harden had, but what Giannis did from a winning standpoint to me he would get my vote. It would only be by a very slim margin because you can make an argument for of them and they could be Co-MVPs, but if I had to pick just one, I would have to give it to Giannis this year,” said Thomas.
Former Rocket guard Bonzi Wells also believes the same.
“It is right there, as I think about what Giannis did in a small market like Milwaukee. To win 60 games I would give him a little bit of an edge over James because James is a volume shooter. He will get his numbers for a volume shooter, but for an efficient guy like Giannis and what he means to his team. I would probably give it to him for the balance of the league, but they are both very well deserving. If you could go co-MVPs I don’t think anyone would be mad,” said Wells to RocketsWire.
Some would say the Western Conference is stronger and Giannis has a slight advantage over Harden in the winning department. So, with that being said what would happen if the Bucks and the Rockets traded Harden for Giannis?
Per ESPN’s Trade Machine:
a trade of Antetokounmpo, D.J.Wilson, and Donte DiVincenzo in exchange for Harden would subtract ten wins for Milwaukee and add a win for the Rockets. Another trade scenario involves Giannis and Tony Snell heading to Houston in exchange for Harden and Nene. The Bucks wins would decrease by seven and the Rockets would not be affected at all.
