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Edwards leads all rookies in minutes, with about 800 more than Ball. He may unseat Ball, the presumptive favorite all season, and that would not be some sort of travesty.

But Ball has made positive contributions to a team with real stakes since day one. He has been the better shooter, playmaker, and rebounder. His statistical edge in everything but raw points and minutes is overwhelming. Given some baseline threshold of availability, I don’t prioritize minutes quite as much in the “of year” awards as in MVP.

Ball wins here, but it’s close. Haliburton is an easy choice at No. 3.