NBA MVP odds released without mention of Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks aren’t expected to set the NBA world ablaze this season, even if there is young talent and draft assets to get excited about in the future. The majority of the (mostly negative) attention surrounding the team’s 2017-2018 outlook has been focused on team-based results but, earlier this week, the good folks at Bovada.lv released their full NBA MVP odds for the upcoming season.

While it wasn’t a surprise, one takeaway was that the Hawks were not represented with a player in the mix. The online bookmaker included nearly 40 names with odds (full list below) but Atlanta was one of just nine teams that did not place a member of the roster on the list.

Some of the teams omitted were not surprises, headlined by the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings. However, the Utah Jazz (with Rudy Gobert on the roster) being left off was a surprise and the same goes for the Los Angeles Lakers (simply from a hype perspective) and the Phoenix Suns (Devin Booker?).

Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague and Dwight Howard were all included, though, which is certainly a surprise when it comes to two former Hawks. Teague’s reference is perhaps the most startling, if only because there are three players (Karl-Anthony Towns, Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins) with a more likely path to this level of prominence. As for Howard, he remains a big-time personality but, at his current level of play, MVP talk is out the window.

The vast majority of players on this list have no tangible chance to win the MVP award but, as you may expect, those figures are listed with long odds to entice action. At the end of the day, this is not an important factor for the Atlanta Hawks but it is mid-August and, well, it’s borderline interesting.

Here is the full list, headlined by reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook:

Russell Westbrook (OKC) - 7/2

Kevin Durant (GS) - 9/2

Kawhi Leonard (SAN) - 13/2

LeBron James (CLE) - 15/2

James Harden (HOU) - 8/1

Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) - 17/2

Stephen Curry (GS) - 11/1

Anthony Davis (NOP) - 16/1

Paul George (OKC) - 25/1

Chris Paul (HOU) - 25/1

Isaiah Thomas (BOS) - 25/1

DeMarcus Cousins (NOP) - 33/1

Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) - 33/1

John Wall (WAS) - 33/1

Blake Griffin (LAC) - 40/1

Nikola Jokic (DEN) - 40/1

DeMar Derozan (TOR) - 50/1

Joel Embiid (PHI) - 50/1

Kyrie Irving (CLE) - 50/1

Damian Lillard (POR) - 50/1

Draymond Green (GS) - 60/1

Ben Simmons (PHI) - 66/1

Gordon Hayward (BOS) - 70/1

Carmelo Anthony (NYK) - 75/1

Jimmy Butler (MIN) - 75/1

Andrew Wiggins (MIN) - 75/1

Kevin Love (CLE) - 100/1

Kyle Lowry (TOR) - 100/1

Kristaps Porzingis (NYK) - 100/1

Marc Gasol (MEM) - 150/1

Paul Millsap (DEN) - 150/1

Kemba Walker (CHA) - 150/1

Bradley Beal (WAS) - 200/1

Mike Conley (MEM) - 200/1

Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) - 250/1

Andre Drummond (DET) - 250/1

Dwight Howard (CHA) - 250/1

Jeff Teague (MIN) - 250/1

Hassan Whiteside (MIA) - 250/1