NBA 6th Man of the Year (6MOTY) Rankings 2024-25: Top 5 candidates after Week 9 ft. Malik Beasley
The 2024-25 NBA Sixth Man of the Year (6MOTY) race experienced a considerable shake-up over the past week.
One of the top candidates, Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner, suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee. Meanwhile, Houston Rockets defensive wing Amen Thompson was narrowly bumped out of the top five after several strong performances from his top competitors.
Additionally, the NBA's leading bench scorer continued wreaking havoc offensively, ascending to the forefront of the race after weeks of ranking second.
On that note, here are the top five 6MOTY candidates after Week 9.
Top 5 2024-25 NBA 6th Man of the Year (6MOTY) candidates after Week 9
#5 Santi Aldama
Big man Santi Aldama continues to find ways to contribute on both ends for the Memphis Grizzlies' league-best bench scoring unit (49.3 points per game). That includes tallying a team-high 21 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, two steals and five 3-pointers during Thursday's 144-93 blowout home win against the Golden State Warriors.
Through 29 games, including 18 off the bench, Aldama is averaging 13.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.8 3-pointers per game, shooting 50.8%.
#4 Malik Beasley
Detroit Pistons shooting guard Malik Beasley has quietly been one of the league's top snipers this year, ranking second in total triples (111). He has made five-plus 3s in five of his last six games, scoring 23-plus points in four of those contests.
Across 29 outings, including 21 off the pine, he is averaging 16.4 ppg and 3.8 3pg, shooting 42.9% and 41.3% from beyond the arc.
#3 Bobby Portis
Big man Bobby Portis has come on strong for the Milwaukee Bucks after a slow start, providing efficient scoring and rebounding. During Saturday's 112-101 home win over the Washington Wizards, he thrived in a spot start. The 2021 NBA champion tallied a season-high 34 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and six triples, shooting 66.7%.
Over 26 appearances, including 24 off the bench, Portis is averaging 13.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 0.7 spg, 0.6 bpg and 1.4 3pg, shooting 49.0% and 40.0% from outside.
#2 Payton Pritchard
Boston Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard has been the 6MOTY frontrunner most of the season. However, he slides to second in this week's rankings after three straight subpar shooting efforts. Most recently, the reigning NBA champion recorded six points on 28.6% shooting during Saturday's 123-98 road win over the Chicago Bulls.
However, Pritchard's 6MOTY case is still bolstered by Boston's strong record (22-6) and his impressive season-long shooting, scoring and playmaking numbers.
Through 28 games, Pritchard is averaging 16.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.0 spg and 3.8 3pg, shooting 47.8% and 43.1% from deep.
#1 De'Andre Hunter
Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter continues to build on his career season, scoring 20-plus points in nine of his last 11 contests. He has established himself as the clear-cut leader of Atlanta's second unit, providing consistent three-level scoring.
Across 18 outings, including 16 off the pine, Hunter is averaging 20.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.7 spg and 2.7 3pg, shooting 48.8% and 44.1% from long distance.
If he maintains his elite scoring output, awards voters will likely face difficulty overlooking his 6MOTY case.
For last week's 6MOTY rankings, click here.