NBA.com GM Survey Predicts LeBron James to Win Fifth Kia NBA MVP Award; 13-Time NBA All-Star Tops a Survey-Best Seven Categories

NBA.com GM Survey Predicts LeBron James to Win Fifth Kia NBA MVP Award; 13-Time NBA All-Star Tops a Survey-Best Seven Categories Wednesday, October 4, 2017

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Golden State Warriors Tabbed to Win Third NBA Title in Four Years

Oklahoma City Thunder Recognized for Best Overall Offseason Moves by NBA GMs;

Thunder Forward Paul George Selected Most Impactful Player Acquisition

NBA General Managers - based on the results of this year's NBA.com GM survey - predict Cleveland's LeBron James (50%) to win his fifth Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Including MVP, the 13-time NBA All-Star topped a survey-best seven categories - Best Small Forward (61%), Best Leader (43%), Most Versatile (55%), Best Basketball IQ (64%), Best Passer (36%) and Player Who Forces the Most Coaches Adjustments (48%).

Additionally, general managers predicted the Golden State Warriors (category-record 93% of the vote) to win this year's NBA Championship, while the Warriors (97%) and Cleveland Cavaliers (86%) are tabbed to meet for a fourth straight NBA Finals.

Golden State's Kevin Durant (29%) - the 2013-14 Kia NBA MVP - finished second in the MVP voting, followed by San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard (11%), Houston's James Harden (7%) and two-time Warriors MVP Stephen Curry (4%).

Following one of the NBA's most exciting and active summers, 43% of NBA GM's recognized the Oklahoma City Thunder as having made the Best Overall Moves this offseason, followed by the Boston Celtics (25%), Minnesota Timberwolves (14%) and Houston Rockets (11%).

Oklahoma City's Paul George (59%) was identified as the Most Impactful Offseason Acquisition, followed by Minnesota's Jimmy Butler (17%), Houston's Chris Paul (10%) and Boston's Kyrie Irving (7%).

The Celtics-Cavaliers trade (45%) was selected the Most Surprising Offseason Move, while the Denver Nuggets' signing of Paul Millsap (24%) was voted Most Underrated Offseason Acquisition.

Minnesota's rising star Karl-Anthony Towns (29%) was recognized as the league's Best Center (28%) while also earning the title of Most Likely to Have a Breakout Season (21%). The third-year player also repeated as category leader for Player GMs Would Start a Franchise With, earning 29% of the vote.

San Antonio Spurs coach, Gregg Popovich netted three categories - Best Coach (82%), Best Manager of People (62%) and Best Defensive Schemes (41%). San Antonio's Leonard repeated as Best Defensive Player (62%) and Best Perimeter Defender (72%).

Leonard, Golden State's Draymond Green and Oklahoma City's Steven Adams split the Toughest Player category, each earning 14% of the vote.

Additional noteworthy 2017-18 NBA.com GM Survey results include:

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City - Most Athletic (62%)

Lonzo Ball, L.A. Lakers - Kia NBA Rookie of the Year (62%)

John Wall, Washington - Fastest with the Ball (48%)

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee - Top International Player (69%)

Rudy Gobert, Utah - Best Interior Defender (66%)

Dennis Smith, Jr., Dallas - Biggest NBA Draft Steal (37%)

Anthony Davis, New Orleans - Best Power Forward (41%)

NBA.com once again surveyed the league's general managers to gather their responses on the best teams, players, coaches, offseason moves and more prior to the 2017-18 NBA season. The general managers were not allowed to vote for their own team or personnel. The complete results of the survey - compiled by John Schuhmann - are available at www.nba.com/gmsurvey/2017.

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