NBA Awards Rankings: New No. 1 in Sixth Man of the Year race

Where is Jamal Crawford when you need him?

The NBA Sixth Man of the Year race feels especially complicated in 2024. There are still a few classic bench scorers to satisfy the average voter, but several top candidates are presently stuck in an uncomfortable limbo between starting and, well, not starting.

Take Austin Reaves, for example. The Los Angeles Lakers moved him to the bench a few weeks into the season and he flourished individually. That is, until yesterday, when Reaves was planted back in the starting five. Alex Caruso was a frontrunner for the Chicago Bulls until he moved to the starting lineup. But, with Zach LaVine's imminent return, he could soon move back to the bench. Is he still the sixth man, stepping up in the absence of a fallen starter? Or has he started too many games (18 of 30)? Probably the latter, but it doesn't feel right.

We can also point to Immanuel Quickley, who was arguably the frontrunner until a few days ago, when he was traded to the Toronto Raptors. He is going to start in Toronto. He would probably win the award — or come close — if the season ended today. But, it doesn't, and he is a full-time starter now.

Duncan Robinson and Jaimie Jaquez Jr. in Miami also fit into this strange category. Both are clearly bench players when the whole roster is healthy, but Miami hasn't been healthy. Robinson has 16 starts under his belt. Jaquez has 10. It's a difficult equation to work out.

But, we are going to do our very best. Let's say Quickley is exempt as a regular starter in Toronto. Caruso is, for now, also exempt since he has started over half his team's games. But... that could change next time these rankings come around.

Updated NBA Sixth Man of the Year power rankings

Honorable mentions: Cole Anthony, Norman Powell, Tim Hardaway Jr., Al Horford, Russell Westbrook, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Bennedict Mathurin, Caris LeVert

The Minnesota Timberwolves are clinging to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. After last season's relative disappointment, we have watched Tim Connelly's vision finally be realized. It's fair to have reservations about Minnesota as a top-tier contender in the West, but with the traditional powerhouses on the decline, Minny looks very much like a team to be reckoned with.

That starting lineup is one of the NBA's best. Anthony Edwards is a proper all-world star at this point. Rudy Gobert is the league's most impactful defender. Jaden McDaniels fits everywhere on defense. Karl-Anthony Towns is the West's most dynamic scoring big outside of Denver. Mike Conley, even in his old age, is the consummate point guard. But, today we give credit to Naz Reid, the rare big with a legitimate Sixth Man of the Year case.

Reid does what most sixth men candidates do — he scores in bunches. For the season, Reid is averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists on .498/.397/.913 splits in 22.2 minutes. Minnesota makes a point to find Ried minutes, despite the extreme frontcourt depth on the roster. He is a unique offensive weapon at the five (or four) spot. Reid is comfortable legging it out in transition and attacking downhill with rollicking, at times overwhelming power.

He doesn't notch a ton of assists, but Reid's three-level repertoire allows Chris Finch to use him all over the floor. Reid will locate cutters from the elbow. He can face up or post up with great success, and the 3s are falling at the highest clip of his career. Reid brings a competitive edge to Minnesota's second unit, too. He's an important part of that team.