The online sportsbook Bovada released its 2016-17 NBA MVP odds this week (all seen below), and has Russell Westbrook as a startling 2/1 favorite to win the award. Westbrook will no doubt blow up the stat sheet every night for a team that will probably fit somewhere between the five through eight spots in the West. But history tells us that the explosive point guard could have a hard time bringing home the trophy.
A logical reference point for what Westbrook and the Thunder could look like this year is the mostly Durant-less 2014-15 season. Factor in a Serge Ibaka for Victor Oladipo swap (which is a bit of a downgrade based on win shares), a full season of Enes Kanter compared to 50 games less of Reggie Jackson, along with a new coach and an improved Steven Adams, and it’s reasonable to hypothesize the 2016-17 Thunder will have similar success to the 55-game sample without Durant two years ago.