In the NBA Awards market, it’s a two-player race to determine the 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Payton Pritchard from the Boston Celtics is the betting favorite to win the NBA’s award for the top bench player at -125 odds according to BetMGM. Malik Beasley from the Detroit Pistons is +125 odds as the second favorite on the awards board.
2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Odds
Payton Pritchard (Celtics) -125
Malik Beasley (Pistons) +125
De’Andre Hunter (Cavs) +900
Naz Reid (Timberwolves) +2000
Ty Jerome (Cavs) +3000
Russell Westbrook (Nuggets) +6000
De’Andre Hunter, who was traded to the Cleveland Cavs at the deadline, is third overall at +900 odds. Other long shots currently on the board include Naz Reid from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ty Jermone from the Cavs, and Russell Westbrook from the Denver Nuggets.
The Favorite: Payton Pritchard -125
The defending champion Celtics had a deep bench last season, which is one of the reasons why they won the championship. Pritchard was a valuable member of the Celtics’ second unit last year because he could play either guard position as a point guard or shooter.
In his fifth season with the Celtics, Pritchard has undertaken a bigger role this year. He’s the Celtics’ top scorer off the bench, and the fifth-best scorer overall.
Pritchard leads the Celtics with most games played and the durable combo guard has missed just one contest. He averages a career-high of 13.9 points per game, which is 4.3 ppg better than last season. He’s also posting career numbers in rebounds (3.7), assists (3.4), and minutes played (27.9),
Pritchard is also shooting a career-high 47.2 percent from the floor and 41.6 percent from 3-point range. Only Jayson Tatum (10.1) and Derrick White (8.8) attempt more treys per game than Pritchard (7.7), but he’s the team’s most accurate high-volume sniper.
When the season began, Pritchard was a long shot to win Sixth Man of the Year at +4000 odds. He moved into the top spot as the betting favorite shortly before the All-Star break. Right now, you can back him at -125 odds.
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Value Bet: Malik Beasley +125
The Pistons are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now, which is why Beasley is getting a lot of attention in the awards market. The Pistons are fighting the Bucks and Indiana Pacers for the #4 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Beasley was not even included on the preseason awards board. Oddsmakers and experts overlooked the journeyman shooting guard, who was suiting up for his sixth team in nine seasons. He’s been traded three times since 2020 and was a part of the Rudy Gobert blockbuster deal. After struggling as a reserve with the Denver Nuggets to start his career, he found his groove with the Minnesota Timberwolves before they traded him to the Utah Jazz.
Beasley averaged 11.3 ppg as a starter with the Milwaukee Bucks last season, but he signed with the Pistons in the offseason. They were looking for a veteran guard to provide some leadership considering the young Pistons had an up-and-coming backcourt with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
When Ivey sustained a fractured leg earlier in the season, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff moved Tim Hardaway Jr. to shooting guard role, and Ausar Tompson was promoted to the starter at small forward. Bickerstaff wanted to keep Beasley in his role as the sixth man as the anchor of the second unit.
The reliable Beasley leads the team in appearances and has not missed a game this season. Beasley is the Pistons’ second-leading scorer at 16.6 ppg, which is his highest average since he was a starter with the Timberwolves back in 2019-20. He’s also the best perimeter shooter on the Pistons averaging 42.2 percent from 3-point range.
The Pistons’ recent surge has a lot to do with Beasley, who averaged 18.4 ppg and shot 48 percent from 3-point land in February. His odds have seen the biggest jump and he’s the biggest threat to challenge Pritchard for Sixth Man of the Year. You can back Beasley to win at +125 odds.
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Cavs Second Unit: Hunter and Jerome
Two members of the Cleveland Cavs are in contention for Sixth Man of the Year due to a trade deadline acquisition. The Atlanta Hawks shipped small forward De’Andre Hunter to the Cavs last month and he reunited with former college teammate Ty Jerome. Hunter and Jerome won a national championship for Virginia in 2019, and now they’re NBA title contenders with the Cavs.
As the sixth man with the Hawks, Hunter averaged 19.0 ppg. He’s still adjusting to his new team, but only averaging 14.9 ppg with the Cavs. You can back Hunter at +860 odds to win Sixth Man of the Year, but don’t expect him to get many votes considering he’s vying with a teammate. He would’ve had a better chance to win the award if he remained with the Hawks.
After a slow start, head coach Kenny Atkinson has given Jerome more playing time and responsibility. The shooting guard is playing for this fourth team in six seasons but finally emerged as a valuable scoring option off the bench. Jerome is posting a career-high 12.1 ppg while shooting 51.1% from the field and 44.1 percent from beyond the arc. Jerome is an extremely long shot to win Sixth Man of the Year at +3500 odds.
Long Shot: Naz Reid
Naz Reid was one of the preseason favorites to win Sixth Man of the Year at +1000 odds. He’s currently fourth on the awards board at BetMGM, but his chances are slim considering that the Minnesota Timberwolves are not having as good of a season as the other candidates on teams like the Celtics, Cavs, and even the Pistons. The Timberwolves are currently in seventh place in the Western Conference and most likely headed to a Play-In Tournament.
Reid is an excellent defender and one of the highly regarded two-way players. When he’s on the court at the same time as Rudy Gobert, they make up one of the best frontline duos in the league. The versatile Reid has filled in as a spot starter when Gobert and Julius Randle missed games due to injuries.
Reid averages 14.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, which marks a career-high for the sixth-year center. He’s the third-best scorer and rebounder on the Timberwolves. Reid is a long shot to win Sixth Man at +2000 odds.
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