2022-23 NBA Awards Odds: DPOY, Sixth Man & Most Improved

A new NBA season is still some time away, but this is an exciting time for hard-core hoop heads, who have a chance to get some real value from sportsbooks on the best 2022-23 NBA awards odds.

The floodgates have opened, with NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds, Sixth Man of the Year odds and Most Improved Player of the Year odds now available, courtesy of BetOnline Sportsbook.

That’s not all, though, as our basketball betting news also features the prized NBA MVP Award and betting odds and picks for the NBA Rookie of the Year.

The best basketball betting sites have released the latest NBA awards odds for each of these accolades and below we break down the candidates to snag the trophies for the 2022-23 season:

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2022-23 NBA Defensive Player Of The Year Odds

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Odds as of July 15 at BetOnline Sportsbook

Why is Gobert Favored In NBA DPOTY Odds?

To nobody’s surprise, Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert checks in as the +600 chalk in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds. At seven-foot-one, the newly acquired Frenchman is a brick wall in the paint, imposing his presence at will and cementing himself as one of the best defenders of this generation.

“The Stifle Tower” has won the award three times already in his nine-year career, with his most recent NBA DPOTY hardware coming in 2020-21. His defensive skill set and his resume make Gobert an easy favorite, though bettors should note the 30-year-old was a +150 co-favorite (with Draymond Green) to win the award late this past season but was beaten out by Marcus Smart of the Celtics. 

NBA Defensive Player Of The Year: Best Value Pick

Evan Mobley (+1600)

Mobley’s offensive skills nearly carried him to NBA ROTY in 2021-22, but we’re more intrigued by his defensive abilities heading into his sophomore campaign. The seven-footer’s 1.7 blocks per game were fifth best in the NBA and tops among rookies. The 21-year-old also averaged a 107 defensive rating per 100 possessions, tying him with Smart, the eventual Defensive Player of the Year. 

Big men have won DPOTY five out of the last six campaigns, which sets Mobley up nicely. He’ll need to make strides — particularly in rebounding, where he averaged just 8.3 total boards per game — but the path to the award is very clear-cut, giving him sparkling value as a +1600 long shot. 

NBA Defensive Player Of The Year: Best Pick

Marcus Smart (+900)

The defending champ at +900? We’ll hammer those odds.

The 28-year-old has long been considered an upper-echelon defender in the NBA, but he came out of nowhere to steal the NBA Defensive Player of the Year out from under everyone’s noses.

Smart is a notoriously pesky defender, buzzing in opponents’ faces and smothering their scoring chances atop the key. “The Cobra” averaged 1.7 steals per game, seventh in the NBA, and allowed opponents a paltry 7.9 fast-break points per game. He’s a real impact player on D, making him our best bet for this section of the NBA awards odds.

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2022-23 NBA Sixth Man Of The Year Odds

Odds as of July 15 at BetOnline Sportsbook

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Why Is Jordan Poole Favored In Sixth Man Odds?

Poole is a very gifted player on a Golden State Warriors team that is favored to repeat as NBA champion. That’s the baseline for his +300 favorite status.

The 23-year-old was phenomenal in his third NBA season, averaging 18.5 points per game and filling in as a starter while Klay Thompson worked his way back from injury. Once Thompson returned, the Michigan product slid into the Warriors’ sixth-man spot admirably, maintaining a solid scoring clip in his new role. 

He’ll enter 2022-23 as Golden State’s full-time sixth man, which makes him the easy fave in NBA Sixth Man of the Year odds. 

NBA Sixth Man Of The Year Odds: Best Value Pick

Norman Powell (+4000)

Powell lost basically all of 2021-22 due to injury, which is why his spot in the sixth-man section of the NBA awards odds is so low. The 29-year-old played just five games (three off the bench) for the L.A. Clippers, so any support for his stake in the award must come from previous seasons. 

In his six years with the Toronto Raptors (2015-21), “Stormin Norman” came off the bench 233 times, working as an effective scorer. His 1,578 bench points are the fourth most in Raptors history, which tells us he has the experience and the energy to sub in and attack defenses right away. 

+4000 is just too juicy for a guy with Powell’s scoring touch off the bench. 

NBA Sixth Man Odds: Best Pick

Jordan Clarkson (+1000)

Clarkson is the most prototypical sixth man in the entire league right now. Having started just six games since 2017, the 30-year-old is an expert at contributing off the bench and got league-wide acclaim for his efforts by winning the Sixth Man Award in 2020-21. Since then, Clarkson’s kept up his red-hot pace, notably leading the entire NBA with 1,244 points off the bench this past season, edging out 2021-22 Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro. 

The Jazz’s second all-time bench scorer, Clarkson still performed well during a down season in 2021-22, when his field-goal percentage dropped to a career-worst .419 and his three-point shooting fell to .318, his worst mark since his rookie season. Now is an excellent time to buy low on Clarkson, with +1000 odds offering stellar value to do so. 

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2022-23 NBA Most Improved Player Of The Year Odds

Odds as of July 15 at Betonic Sportsbook

Why Is Haliburton Favored In The Most Improved Player Odds?

Dealt by the Sacramento Kings to the Indiana Pacers at the trade deadline, Haliburton has gradually improved through his first two seasons in the league. Our NBA sites have noticed the 22-year-old’s growth, which is why he’s pegged as the +1000 chalk in the 2022-23 Most Improved Player odds.

The Iowa State product looked fantastic in his final 26 games with the Pacers, averaging 17.5 points and 9.6 assists, both career-high marks. As an explosive guard with laser-like dime-dishing abilities, Haliburton sets the bar for all other breakout candidates.

MIP Odds: Best Value Pick

Zion Williamson (+2500)

After not playing a single minute in 2021-22, there’s nowhere to go but up for one of the most hyped prospects in NBA history. 

In his last full season (2020-21), the six-foot-six forward decimated the competition, using his athleticism to crash the glass and averaging 27.5 points per game, the eighth-best total in the NBA.

We all know the name and the potential, leaving health as the biggest concern. If Zion dodges the injury bug next season and executes to his capabilities, it’d be the steal of the century to grab him at a laughably valuable +2500. 

MIP Odds: Best Pick

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+1800)

For years, the Toronto native has been on the cusp of the NBA’s elite group of players. We think this is the year he finally blossoms into a full-blown NBA superstar.

The 24-year-old is an all-around contributor on the floor, scoring buckets, setting up teammates and chipping in on the glass. His defense also took notable strides in 2021-22, while his length and athleticism offer plenty of room to grow as he learns to play a more cerebral style against opponents on the perimeter.

The floor is there, meaning if Gilgeous-Alexander tightens up his three-point shooting (.300 last season) and continues his slippery, shot-creating tactics on offense, then +1800 might be the best odds we’ll see all year.

2022-23 NBA Coach Of The Year Odds

Odds as of July 15 at BetOnline Sportsbook

Why Is Ime Udoka Favored In NBA Coach Of The Year Odds?

In Udoka’s first season as an NBA head coach, his Boston Celtics had a fantastic campaign. The longtime assistant guided the C’s to a 51-31 regular-season record and a trip to the NBA Finals, where his squad lost out to Golden State in six games. 

Known for his intense, outspoken style when managing players, the 44-year-old finished fourth in 2021-22 Coach of the Year voting, receiving one first-place vote. Udoka bolstered his reputation as a bench boss, which is why he’s pegged as the top candidate in the 2022-23 Coach of the Year odds.  

NBA Coach Of The Year Odds: Best Value Pick

Nick Nurse (+1600)

The 2019-20 Coach of the Year, Nurse commands a Raptors squad that is brimming with young talent. The emergence of 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes flung Toronto from the playoff fringes into a respectable contender in the Eastern Conference.

Nurse is an underrated tactician with an established knack for defensive scheming. He’s bound to have something up his sleeve next season, which makes it worth taking a risk on his Coach of the Year status at +1600. 

NBA Coach Of The Year Odds: Best Bet

Jason Kidd (+1000)

Since retiring from his playing days, Kidd has bounced around as a bench boss, moving from the Brooklyn Nets to the Milwaukee Bucks before getting fired and doing some time as an assistant. Now, ahead of his second full season with the Dallas Mavericks, the 49-year-old looks ready for his first prestigious Coach of the Year accolade.

Bet On Coach Of The Year Here!

Kidd’s Mavs bullied their way to the NBA Western Conference final this spring, with their head coach utilizing his background as a player and pushing superstar Luka Doncic to perform. With Doncic as the co-favorite in the 2022-23 NBA MVP odds, there’s a lot to like about Kidd’s chances at +1000. 

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How To Read NBA Awards Odds

When you go to any sportsbook, you’ll see prop odds for the various NBA awards listed like so:

Sixth Man Odds

Generally, favorites are represented by the minus sign (-), whereas underdogs are shown by the plus sign (+). In this case, the player with the lowest odds is the front-runner and the rest are dogs.

If you were to bet $100 on Poole, you’d get a payout of $400 – you get your $100 back along with your winnings of $300. That same $100 on Clarkson would give you $1,100 – your original money is returned coupled with your prize of $1,000. Bets on underdogs are riskier, which is why they come with greater rewards.

Make an NBA Prop Bet Here!

To find out what you’d win based on your bet amount and the odds offered at the betting site, check out our Odds Calculator.

What Is An NBA Prop Bet?

This is a wager on the occurrence or non-occurrence of a specific player or team milestones that may not directly relate to the outcome of a certain game. The prop bet here is on odds to win different NBA awards. These are set by oddsmakers early but you’ll notice that the lines move as the season progresses. A coach could be a lock for Coach of the Year in December only to see his odds shift as his team underperforms in February. We suggest jumping on odds you like when you see them to get the most value out of your bets.