The expectations for the Sixth Man of the Year winner are rising. Three of the highest scoring averages ever by a non-starter have come in the last five years and each of those players has won the award.
Tyler Herro won in 2021/2022 after he averaged 20.7 PPG for the No. 1 seed Heat. In 2018 and 2019, Lou Williams averaged better than 20 PPG for the Clippers and earned the trophy.
Oddly enough, five of the last 10 winners have played for the Clippers. Los Angeles doesn’t have any players that figure to contend for the award this season. There is, however, a clear favorite.
Golden State’s Jordan Poole stands atop the field with Herro a few steps behind. Those two are well ahead of the rest, and the odds lengthen rather quickly as you scroll down the candidates at SI Sportsbook.
So will Poole become the first player in franchise history to win Sixth Man of the Year? Will Herro go back-to-back like Williams did? Will a long shot beat those two out for the hardware?
2022/2023 6th Man of the Year Odds
Jordan Poole +450
Tyler Herro +650
Christian Wood +1000
Malcolm Brogdon +1100
Jordan Clarkson +1400
Anfernee Simons +1400
NahShon Hyland +1500
Spencer Dinwiddie +1800
Cameron Johnson +1800
Kelly Oubre Jr. +2200
Bogdan Bogdanovic +2500
Brandon Clarke +2500
Bobby Portis +2800
Derrick White +3000
Immanuel Quickley +3000
Bet on the NBA 6th Man of the Year Award at SI Sportsbook
The Favorite
Jordan Poole, Golden State Warriors: +450
It feels like Poole has a leg up on the competition in the Sixth Man of the Year field and the odds certainly reflect that. Poole was a full-time starter for the defending champs for more than half the season and he also started a handful of games during the playoff run. With Klay Thompson out for most of the year, the third-year guard was relied on to play 30 minutes per game, the third-most on the team, and he excelled in that expanded role.
Poole upped his scoring average from 12.5 PPG to 18.5 last season and improved his field-goal, three-point and free-throw percentages, all on higher volume. When Thompson returned to the starting lineup for the Warriors, Poole became coach Steve Kerr’s first substitute off the bench. The minutes Steph Curry, Thompson and Poole played together—the Poole Party, if you will—were proof of concept that this trio, with their limitless range, can share the floor with ease.
As long as Poole doesn’t end up starting too many games this will be his award to lose. It’s fair to project Poole for close to 20 PPG and his role as a member of the closing lineup on one of the best teams in basketball will only add to what should be a strong case.
Value Bet
Nashon Hyland, Denver Nuggets: +1500
Hyland had a strong rookie season as the backup to Monte Morris. Denver’s late first-round pick averaged 10.1 PPG, added a handful of rebounds and assists and shot the three ball relatively well on his way to an All-Rookie team. Hyland did all this with relatively limited playing time. His 19.9 minutes per game were the lowest of any of the All-Rookie nominees.
In his second season, Hyland is in line for an expanded role behind Jamal Murray. Denver’s starting point guard is set to return after he missed the entire 2021-2022 season due to a torn ACL and Hyland will be spotting him as he works his way back. That’s an important role on a team that projects to be one of the Western Conference’s best and is in need of depth after it was torn apart by injuries last season.
Slotting into a role well matters for the Sixth Man race, but gaudy stats sure help garner votes, so Hyland will need a sizable scoring bump to compete with the likes of Poole and Herro. On a team with Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola Jokic, it’s unlikely Hyland is a 20 PPG scorer, but he could get up above 15 PPG and grow as a passer and rebounder to beat out Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown for the all-important fifth spot in the closing lineup.
Long Shot
Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks: +2800
Portis wants this. He said as much on Twitter in early September when asked what his goal for the coming season was. “6th man,” he replied. Well, alright. The Bucks surely know how important Portis is to their goal of getting back to the summit as they signed him to a four-year, $49-million deal in the offseason.
With Brook Lopez out for most of the year, Portis was forced to start 59 games at center for Milwaukee last season. In just under 30 minutes per game, he flirted with a double-double (14.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG) and upped his scoring and rebounding numbers for the second season in a row. With Lopez healthy, Portis will be relegated to Mike Budenholzer’s first option off the bench and he’ll continue to be a key cog for the Bucks.
Portis played more minutes per game last season than Lopez has since the 2017-18 season. Even coming off the bench, the younger more versatile option is likely to be just as involved as he was a season ago. Portis isn’t a player who requires the offense to run through him to get his—he cleans up the boards and hits threes when the opportunity arises. Montrezl Harrell won Sixth Man of the Year in 2020 with averages of 18.6 PPG and 7.1 RPG; Portis could be within spitting distance of those averages this season.
BET: Jordan Poole, Golden State Warriors: +450
When it’s all said and done, Poole is going to average in the range of 20 PPG, for a team that will win at least 50 games. He’s an ascending star for Golden State and gets to share the floor with the greatest shooter of all time. His outstanding performance in the playoffs was just a preview of what’s to come this season.
Get fantasy and betting analysis in your inbox by signing up for the Winners Club newsletter
Check the Latest Odds from SI Sportsbook
More Betting, Fantasy and NBA:
• NBA Coach of the Year Betting Primer
• NBA Championship Odds
• Week 5 QB Rankings
• NBA Top Players: 10-1
