5. Jimmy Butler

Why He’s Close To The MVP Conversation:

When you’re the best player on a major market team like the Chicago Bulls, your exploits are going to be amplified — especially in the first season after the departure of a former franchise player like Derrick Rose, with Da Bulls off to a surprising 13-10 start.

That’s not to say he’s undeserving of being included in the conversation though. Averaging 25.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game, Butler is the catalyst behind the league’s 12th ranked offense and ninth ranked defense, and with Dwyane Wade joining the mix, they have the power of narrative on their side.

If the Bulls can somehow climb into the top three in the Eastern Conference standings and Butler strings together more 30- or 40-point performances, his two-way play should garner up some legitimate MVP chatter.

Why He Won’t Win It:

On the more realistic side, as surprising as the Bulls have been early on, they’re still only on pace for a 46-win season. Since 1985, only one player — Michael Jordan in 1988 — has won the MVP Award playing for a team that didn’t secure a top-two seed, and in that year, his team finished third.

The Bulls might not find enough team success to hoist Butler into the conversation, and as good as his 26-7-4 stat line is, it won’t be enough to separate him from the rest of the pack.

Stars playing for non-top-two seeds have to put up MASSIVE numbers to garner MVP talk, like Russell Westbrook averaging a triple-double or James Harden putting up a 28-12-8 stat line. Butler is a great two-way player for a surprisingly good team, but it’d take a lot to go right for him to legitimately challenge for the award.