I know it seems like a silly question right ? I mean most valuable should mean just that, which player holds the most VALUE ? Not whose the best player in the league, Kobe right now, not whose the best player on the best team, K.G., and definitely not whose the been the best player over the years to never win it, Kobe again. However you define MVP please limit it to this year, career achievements means nothing when discussing THIS years MVP.

Now defining ” value ” is where it gets a little tricky. If it’s simply which teams record would suffer the most if said player was removed/replaced by an average player at his position than it’s Lebron. Without Lebron the New York Cavs of Cleveland (c) Max Kellerman, would make the Heat look like a powerhouse, the Cavs would be lucky to win 10 games without Lebron. However wheres the ” value ” in finishing in 4th place in the Eastern Conference ? 4th place really ? The Magic are 5 games better than the Lebron’s thats not gangster, even if he is all by his lonely. Again having the best record means nothing to me but being on one of the elite teams does and theres more ” value ” in finishing at the top of the West than 4th in the East. Also having the most ” value ” means turning a couple other teammates into All-Stars, it’s not Lebron’s fault there is zero talent around him but it is what it is.

Now before I continue, for the record I can not ignore Kevin Garnet. He absolutely deserves to be in this conversation as he has been nothing short of amazing. You have to love the class and respect he shows for the game and the other players every time he speaks but he does have Ray Allen and Paul Pierce on his team. Not to mention what is possibly the greatest collection of role players ever assembled. K.G. deserves all types of recognition and respect ( and I think he gets his just due ) but he is not the single Most Valuable Player in the league. ( Hell they went 8-2 without him, would they have the best record in the league without him, no but 8-2 come one this Celtics team is much more than just K.G. )

In my humble opinion this discussion begins and ends with Chris Paul. Everyone expected Lebron and his minions to be around where they are or better. Everyone expected Kobe to to make the playoffs even before Gasol got there but raise your hand if you thought the Hornets would definitely makes the playoffs let alone be at or near the top seed in the most competitive conference ever ? Now people in the Lebron camp will argue that Chris Paul has some All-Star caliber teammates, but who made them into All-Stars ? When did they become All-Stars ? Listen I have been watching David West since he was at Xavier and expected big things from him once he went to the league but he was criminally underachieving until Chris Paul opened up the floor for him and made him THAT much better. This time last year the only time you heard Tyson Chandler’s name was as the punchline to a joke, now he geniunely scares people. Peja has always been a great shooter but he was lost in mediocrity without a star for defenses to collapse on and then find him the second he is open. Lebron is a great player no doubt, he is just a more consistent jump shot and the desire to play D on at least the majority of plays away from being the best if not the best ever, especially if he adds a low post game. However for everything he does do he doesn’t raise the level of play of his teammates like Paul does. Lebron’s teammates are no better with or without him. The MVP makes his teammates better all around players, Lebron still wins by basically just playing 1 on 5, which is a whole different type of amazing/ridiculous it’s just not what defines MVP.