The NBA has MVP trophies for just about everything at this point: regular season, Finals, NBA Cup, Conference Finals, All-Star... The one award still missing from the collection is a Playoffs MVP, something the ABA actually handed out back in its day, by the way.If such an honor existed today, these would be our Top 15 candidates to win it, with how deep each player's team is expected to go in the postseason factored heavily into the equation.1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)2025-26 stats: 31.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 55.3 FG%, 38.6 3PT%Global Rating ranking: 1st overall (26.79)With the Thunder prohibitive favorites to repeat as champions and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander putting together one of the best guard campaigns (according to many metrics) in NBA history, this was an obvious choice.The Canadian guard is coming off a playoff run that saw him earn Finals MVP and lead OKC to a championship, though his numbers did take a bit of a dip from the regular season, as SGA shot just 46.2 percent from the floor and 28.3 percent from three in the 2024-25 postseason, albeit while putting up 29.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.7 steals over 23 contests.It'll be interesting to see if Gilgeous-Alexander can avoid a similar dip in efficiency this postseason.

We expect him to, though, which would explain his place in this ranking.2. Nikola Jokic (Denver)2025-26 stats: 27.7 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 10.7 apg, 1.4 spg, 56.9 FG%, 83.1 FT%Global Rating ranking: 2nd overall (25.81)Unlike in their championship season (Denver's 2022-23 title run was statistically the fifth easiest in all NBA history, based on opponent win percentage), the Nuggets have a very tough path ahead of them in the playoffs if they are going to win a title this year. Denver is set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round, and if it were to pass that huge test, it would then potentially have to face the San Antonio Spurs and Thunder to make the Finals.Even so, the one thing going for Nikola Jokic is that he's an even more dominant player today than he was when Denver last won a title.

This season, Jokic became the first player to lead the league in nightly rebounds and assists in the same campaign.During Denver's last title run, Jokic put up a 30/13.5/9.5 stat line while shooting 54.8 percent from the floor and 46.1 percent from three. If he's able to repeat that, or perform even better, the Nuggets might be a dark-horse title contender.3. Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio)2025-26 stats: 25.0 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 3.1 bpg, 51.2 FG%, 34.9 3PT%Global Rating ranking: 6th overall (21.20)Former No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama just put up a legitimate MVP-caliber campaign.

And he did it without having been ridden too hard by San Antonio, as the French big man played just 1,866 minutes all season (29.2 per night). For comparison's sake, Gilgeous-Alexander played 2,259 minutes this season... and he was merely 45th league-wide in total minutes played in 2025-26.So, although on one hand, Wembanyama will be fresh heading into the postseason, the other side of the coin is that there is now a legitimate question as to whether he can sustain several weeks in a row of heavy workload in a playoff environment.If the answer is yes, the Spurs might have the second-best odds of winning a title this year, behind only the Thunder.It'll also be interesting to see how Wembanyama's game acclimates to the playoffs.

Defenders are allowed to be rougher in postseason settings, which could make it more difficult for the 7-footer to get to his spots on offense and get off good looks. Defensively, he should dominate as usual, likewise, with his finishing around the rim. But his perimeter game on offense could suffer a bit in the playoffs, as defenders won't let him craftily dribble and get to where he wants to go in the midrange to get off shots.4.

Cade Cunningham (Detroit)2025-26 stats: 23.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 9.9 apg, 1.4 spg, 46.1 FG%, 81.2 FT%Global Rating ranking: 18th overall (18.13)Recovering from a scary issue with a collapsed lung, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham has played in just three games since mid-March. And he hasn't quite looked like himself to this point, as the former Oklahoma State standout averaged just 11.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 10.3 assists on 44.4 percent shooting in his final three games of 2025-26.That obviously is hugely concerning if you are a Detroit fan, as the Pistons will likely only go as far as Cunningham, the team's best offensive option by a mile, can take them.

Luckily for Detroit, the team will face either an inexperienced Charlotte Hornets team in the first round or a fractured Orlando Magic squad, both of whom will have played two high-intensity games prior to even getting to the first-round matchup against the Pistons.That should give Cunningham time to round into his All-NBA form and look more like himself for what will undoubtedly be a tougher second-round matchup.5. Anthony Edwards (Minnesota)2025-26 sta