Schro or Trez? Who was the dominant reserve player this season? Dennis Schroder (Oklahoma City Thunder) or Montrezl Harrell (Los Angeles Clippers) are the favorites to win the 2020 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Either Schroder or Harrell will dethrone Lou Williams (LA Clippers), who won the NBA Sixth Man two seasons in a row and three times since 2015.
The German-born Schroder benefited from Billy Donovan’s three-guard offense during the Thunder’s rebuilding year after they parted ways with All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Schroder averages 19.0 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game. He also logs 31 minutes per game, which is impressive for a bench player.
2020 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Odds
Dennis Schroder (OKC Thunder) +125
Montrezl Harrell (LA Clippers) +175
Lou Williams (LA Clippers) +200
Schroder played in relative obscurity as a starter with the Atlanta Hawks. He even quietly posted 19.4 points per game in 2017-18. In the last two seasons, Schroder evolved into a role player off the bench. This season, his offensive boost off the bench propelled the Thunder into playoff contention in what should’ve been a rebuilding season.
Williams averages 18.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 29.3 minutes per game off the bench for the Clippers.
Harrell averages 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench for the Clips. He’s ranked #15 overall in the NBA with a 23.17 PER rating.
Early Sixth Man Favorites: Williams, Dinwiddie
Reigning “Sixth Man of the Year,” Lou Williams, came into the 2019-20 NBA season as the favorite to win the award for a third season in a row and his fourth total.
Doc Rivers tapped Williams to start with Paul George injured at the start of the season and Kawhi Leonard resting due to load management. Williams averaged 22.6 points per game two seasons ago. Last season, Williams averaged 20.0 points off the bench.
This season, Williams’ numbers dipped to 18.7 ppg. He wasn’t even the best player on the bench for the Clippers this season, with Rivers bringing Montrezl Harrell off the bench as well. Harrell is also in contention for NBA Most Improved Player.
If the NBA could award the best 1-2 punch off the bench this season, it would be Harrell and Williams. Both of them playing on the same team hurts their chances to win the Sixth Man Award, which makes Schroder the overall favorite at +125 odds, according to BetOnline.
When Kyrie Irving snubbed the New York Knicks to play for the Brooklyn Nets, backup point guard Spencer Dinwiddie also became one of the favorites to win Sixth Man of the Year. Irving missed significant time with various injuries, including a shoulder impingement. When rest didn’t solve his shoulder problem, the Nets shut him down for the season and he underwent shoulder surgery. Dinwiddie found himself in the starting lineup whenever Irving didn’t play.
Then, Dinwiddie’s name surfaced in trade rumors. The Brooklyn Nets are interested in acquiring Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards. The Nets would throw Dinwiddie in as part of a direct deal with the Wizards. Or, they could ship him to the Los Angeles Lakers as a part of a multi-team trade with the Lakers, Wizards, and Nets.