Phoenix Suns: Midseason Team Awards
MVP: Eric Bledsoe
Honorable Mentions: Goran Dragic, Markieff Morris
There’s no wrong answer here, but there’s definitely one that is more right than the others. Last season, there’s no question who the MVP of the Suns was. Goran Dragic led a team that missed Bledsoe for half the season to 48 wins, earning the Most Improved Player of the Year Award and Third Team All-NBA honors in the process.
This season, though the Dragon leads Phoenix in scoring at 16.7 points per game, Bledsoe isn’t far behind (16.4 PPG) and he also has a well-rounded stat line of 6.0 assists (team leader), 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals (team leader) per game.
Bledsoe is also one of 10 players to record a triple-double this season and is tied for second in the league with two triple-doubles. No other Suns player has one.
If we had multiple voters casting votes, this probably wouldn’t be unanimous. Bledsoe’s penchant for turnovers (3.0 per game) is particularly noticeable when he goes flying down the lane at full speed, draws the help defense, and then jumps to throw an out-of-control pass that either sails out of bounds of floats into the hands of a waiting defender.
However, Bledsoe has been this team’s best and most well-rounded player halfway through the season, especially when you factor in that stifling bulldog defense he plays when he’s locked in. Even though the jump-passing gets old, when you take a look at the sum of his game, Bledsoe has been, without question, this team’s MVP halfway through the season.