NBA SOTY Power Rankings 2023-24: Top 5 candidates ft. Tim Hardaway Jr. after Week 4
The NBA Sixth Man of The Year award is usually given to the player who had the most outstanding regular season coming off the bench. This year is not any different, as early contenders continue to showcase their prowess in providing what their team needs from the second unit. Following Week 4 of NBA basketball, a number of candidates have gained an advantage in the recent power rankings.
There have been some obvious standouts this season, but there have also been some underdogs that have included their names in the mix. The NBA 2023-24 regular season still has a number of games to go before the winner of the award is finalized. In that span, the power rankings remain fluid but are still a great indicator of where the current candidates are.
With that said, this article will take a look at the top five candidates in the latest NBA Sixth Man of The Year Power Rankings following Week 4, as per Sports Betting Dime.
Top five candidates for the NBA SOTY 2023-24: Power rankings after Week 4
5) Russell Westbrook (Odds: +1000)
Listed in the fifth spot is Russell Westbrook, who is averaging 29.2 minutes per game. Westbrook reportedly requested to come off the bench for the team's fluidity from the starters down to the second unit, as per Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes. Following this move last Friday, the LA Clippers have now won two straight ball games with Westbrook being the leader of the second unit.
In the 12 games that he has played this season, Russell Westbrook is putting up 13.2 points (44.3% shooting, including 30.8% from 3-point range), 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.
4) Cam Thomas (+950)
Moving to fourth on the NBA SOTY list is Cam Thomas from the Brooklyn Nets. The numbers speak for themselves, as Thomas is having a career year in Brooklyn. Through eight games, he is averaging 26.9 points (47.9% shooting, including 32.1% from 3-point range) and 3.8 rebounds per game.
However, a setback in his SOTY campaign might come from his recent left ankle sprain, which he continues to recover from. The injury was sustained back on Nov. 8 against the LA Clippers.
3) Austin Reaves (+900)
Next up on the NBA SOTY Power Rankings is Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves. Following his four-year $56 million max contract extension with the team, Reaves is putting up 13.4 points (45.1% shooting, including 35.7% from 3-point range), 5.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.
With more responsibilities as a scorer and facilitator for the team, Austin Reaves has more than stepped up to the occasion with his recent outings for the team.
2) Immanuel Quickley (+430)
Listed second on the power rankings is New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley. In the 14 games that he has played, he is averaging 15.4 points (44.6% shooting, including 34.7% from 3-point range), 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Quickley has been a consistent contributor for the Knicks team ever since he arrived on the team in the 2020-21 season. This 2023-24 season is no different, as his shooting efficiency remains intact.
1) Tim Hardaway Jr. (+310)
Lastly, Tim Hardaway Jr. gets the top spot on the NBA SOTY Power Rankings. He is averaging 18.2 points (44.1% shooting, including 40.5% from 3-point range) and 3.6 rebounds per game.
The scoring average is there but the obvious standout is the shooting efficiency from beyond the arc. What makes it even more impressive is that Hardaway Jr. is doing that while averaging the most number of 3-point attempts in his whole career at 9.0.