Analytics MVP 4.0: Who are the best players based on advanced analytics and impact metrics?

As part of a series at HoopsHype, we are examining who should win the NBA MVP award based on what we can learn from advanced analytics.

For this survey, each impact metric was included because it was considered among the most trustworthy by NBA executives when asked by HoopsHype during this past offseason.

The metrics pulled included Daily Plus-Minus (DPM), Estimated Plus-Minus (EPM), LEBRON (BBall-Index), RAPTOR (FiveThirtyEight), Player Efficiency Rating (Basketball-Reference), Box Plus-Minus (Basketball-Reference). We also added the alternative model of Box Plus-Minus from Backpicks.com as well as the newest impact metric, Daily-Updated Rating of Individual Performance (DRIP).

For the first time thus far, ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus (RPM) was also included.

Coley Cleary

Because all of these metrics (except PER) are graded on a per-100 possession scale, we adjusted for playing time by multiplying their impact contribution on each metric by the percentage of possible minutes they have played for their team so far this season.

As with the official vote, the top player received 10 points, the second received seven points, the third received five points, the fourth received three points, and the fifth player received one point. If a player finished outside of the Top 5, they didn’t receive any votes from that measurement.

Only players that made the Top 5 on least one of these nine metrics were included in our rankings below. Some of the most notable omissions include Kevin Durant, Rudy Gobert, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, Donovan Mitchell, Jimmy Butler, Fred VanVleet, James Harden, and Ja Morant.

To see who is performing the best based on HoopsHype’s Global Rating, click here. All stats are accurate as of March 27, 2022.