2022-23 Phoenix Suns Team Awards: MVP, Most Improved and More
The Phoenix Suns wrapped up the final game of the regular season Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Clippers, and now is a good time to reflect on the season that was.
Season awards will be handed out for the Suns' MVP, Defensive player of the year, best signing, best acquisition, sixth man of the year, and the Dan Majerle Hustle award.
Most Valuable Player: Devin Booker
This one was an easy call, as the Suns went 34-19 in the 53 games he was in the lineup this season. Concurrently, the team went just 11-17 without him. The value he brings to the team is difficult to argue against, and no one with a high volume of games played has a compelling argument.
Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Okogie
Once again a fairly easy call, Okogie was called upon to pick up Mikal Bridges' responsibilities on the defensive side, and has done an admirable job in that role. He fights through screens with ferocity, uses his strength to leverage opponents into difficult shots, and is extremely intelligent when it comes to reading the entire floor. The main downside to Okogie on defense is that he isn't as lanky as some other great defenders, but the effort and ability are still there nonetheless.
Best Signing: Josh Okogie
The competition for best signing is between Okogie, Damion Lee, Bismack Biyombo, Terrence Ross, and Jock Landale. While all of the aforementioned players have brought various degrees of value, Okogie has risen above the others due to his constant effort on both sides of the ball. He has proven to be a valuable fifth man in the starting lineup and likely will be re-upped by Phoenix this summer.
Best Acquisition: Kevin Durant
This one is a no-brainer, as Durant became the best player ever acquired by a team in the middle of a season. He is one of the 15 best players to ever play the game, possibly the best scorer ever, and adds a dimension of two-way superstardom to the Suns that's rarely seen.
Sixth Man of the Year: Cam Payne
The Suns bench has been often criticized for not being dependable enough, and Payne certainly can be inconsistent, but at the end of the day he has consistently been a spark plug for this team over the span of multiple seasons. Payne is a fierce slasher and willing facilitator, making him effective even when the jumper isn't there. He also did an admirable job filling in for Chris Paul during Paul's month long absence. Number 15 gets the nod here.
Dan Majerle Hustle Award: Torrey Craig
Okogie already was awarded the official Hustle award, but Craig deserves some recognition as well. Craig did a more than respectable job filling the "Crowder" role for the first half of the season, and has continued to find ways to impact games even after his offensive slump that began around the all-star break. He is consistently crashing the glass on both ends, making hustle plays that lead to Suns' advantages, and playing a general selfless brand of basketball. Craig gets the nod over Okogie and Biyombo.
