Just because a player may not start doesn't mean they don't have the talent to start. Bench depth is essential to any championship contender, which is why the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award is one of the most important end-of-season accolades.
There has been an emphasis put on bench scoring in recent years, as various playoff contending teams have had key contributors who would have started for other organizations come off the bench and lead their second unit. Just last season, Malcolm Brogdon joined the Boston Celtics and came off the bench in all 67 games he played in after being a starter for the Indiana Pacers the previous three years. Brogdon went on to win the 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year award and ended up helping the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
While this award should go to the player who makes the biggest impact coming off the bench for his team, the long-standing trend has been for the award to be given to the player who leads the league in bench scoring.
In fact, 10 of the previous 17 Sixth Man of the Year recipients led all players in total bench points scored. Brogdon was an exception to this, as he ranked third in bench points last season behind Malik Monk and Bennedict Mathurin.
This upcoming season, quite a few notable names figure to be their team's “sixth man,” including those who even received real consideration for the award last year.
Throughout the course of the NBA preseason, ClutchPoints conducted a poll featuring media members from around the country, some of whom are official voters the league uses to determine the winner of their end-of-season awards. Some cover the league at-large, while others cover individual teams. Nonetheless, each media member was asked a variety of questions pertaining to the playoffs, NBA Finals, and individual player awards and accolades.
ClutchPoints' Full NBA Preseason Media Poll
Most Valuable Player | Rookie of the Year | Most Improved Player| Coach of the Year
Sixth Man of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | NBA Finals/Playoffs/season predictions
Most likely to be a first-time All-Star
Nine different players received consideration, but there was a heavy consensus answer that the media believed will be this season's Sixth Man of the Year. Known for coming off the bench in recent years, this young guard is entering the final year of his contract and even finished second in the actual voting last season.
Below are the results from the voting that took place for 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
ClutchPoints' 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Media Poll results
- Immanuel Quickley (New York Knicks) – 36%
- Malik Monk (Sacramento Kings) – 16%
- Derrick White (Boston Celtics) – 12%
T-4. Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), Norman Powell (Los Angeles Clippers), Chris Paul (Golden State Warriors) – 8%
Also receiving votes: Eric Gordon (Phoenix Suns), Grayson Allen (Phoenix Suns), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Atlanta Hawks)
How the Knicks utilize Immanuel Quickley
Every season he has been with the New York Knicks, Immanuel Quickley has grown as an all-around offensive weapon. From three-point shooting to scoring off the dribble to creating opportunities for his teammates, Quickley is the perfect change-of-pace point guard for the Knicks to have behind Jalen Brunson.
Last season, Quickley came off the bench in 60 of the 81 games he played in, averaging 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 37.0 percent from three-point range in those games. His 735 total bench points ranked seventh in the NBA during the 2022-23 season.
A primary ball handler with a quick first step, Quickley may wind up seeing his role change a lot during the 2023-24 season. Along with Quentin Grimes taking on a larger role as the team's starting shooting guard, New York will also embark on the new season with Josh Hart and Donte Divincenzo being focal points.
Hart's arrival a season ago didn't cut into Quickley's time off the bench too much, but DiVincenzo figures to be a part of the main rotation. His role on the bench and ability to initiate the offense could lead to less playing time for Quickley. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau recently talked about the impact the young guard has made, claiming that Quickley is one of his favorite players.
“I love Quick, everything about him,” Thibodeau stated, via SNY. “The best part is that he's serious and loves the gym, loves to play. He's always working on something. You couldn't ask for anything more… Basketball is very, very important to him.”
As far as Sixth Man of the Year goes, NBA media members do not seem too concerned, as the Knicks' fourth-year guard received 36 percent of the vote, leaving a wide gap between him and both Malik Monk and Derrick White.
If he has the confidence of his head coach, Quickley is going to see a lot of minutes on the court. Coach Thibs made it clear that his young guard is a focal point, which is why he will once again be an important part of the Knicks' potential success.
Other Sixth Man of the Year candidates
Immanuel Quickley is not the only candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award entering the 2023-24 season, as there are plenty of other talented players who will prove to be essential parts of their team's nightly rotations off the bench.
When looking at other names, we should look no further than Malik Monk from the Sacramento Kings. Last season was a magical year for the Kings, as they ended their 16-season playoff drought and cemented themselves as real threats in the Western Conference. Sacramento's depth is what makes them special, and Monk had a breakout season in his first season with the organization.
In 77 games, all of which he came off the bench, Monk averaged 13.5 points and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 35.9 percent from three-point range. He led all players in the league with 1,041 total bench points.
Monk received 16 percent of the media votes in the preseason poll for Sixth Man of the Year.
Bobby Portis was another popular name behind Quickley, with the Milwaukee Bucks big man receiving 8 percent of the vote. Portis finished third in the Sixth Man of the Year voting this past year and was one of the most impactful bench players given he almost averaged a double-double for the season. Portis is a beloved member of his team and is a perfect example of what it means to play your role outside of the starting lineup in this league.
Portis received the same percentage of the vote as Norman Powell and Chris Paul.
Perhaps the most interesting player who received consideration for this award was Boston Celtics guard Derrick White. The Celtics find themselves in an interesting spot not necessarily from a contending standpoint in the Eastern Conference, but a rotational standpoint.
The team moved on from Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart this season, which initially signaled that White would be Boston's starting point guard entering the 2023-24 season. The Celtics then added veteran Jrue Holiday, meaning that head coach Joe Mazzulla has a decision to make regarding his starting lineup.
Maybe the C's will start both Holiday and White in the backcourt, moving veteran big man Al Horford to the bench. However, they could also look to have a larger, lengthier starting lineup with Horford playing alongside Kristaps Porzingis in the frontcourt, pushing either Holiday or White to the bench.
It would be a little surprising if the Celtics moved White out of his starting spot from a season ago to the bench. From shooting a career-high three-point percentage to being named to the All-Defensive Team, White has proven his worth to the Celtics.
If he does in fact come off the bench, though, he will undoubtedly be one of the favorites for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
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