MVP is released, 380 million contract is born, James sets an unprecedented record, and the suspense of the best lineup is revealed

[Peak Moment of Basketball] The new generation of kings ascended the throne, and the league pattern ushered in a drastic change. On May 22, the NBA officially announced the most valuable personal honor of this year - the most valuable player award for the regular season. Oklahoma City Thunder star Shea Gilgers-Alexander won the championship with an overwhelming advantage. This honor not only marks the entry of a new era in the transfer of power in the league, but will also trigger far-reaching changes in the salary system and team building.

The gene awakening of the Thunder Dynasty, the new generation has completed its inheritance

As Alexander wins the Morris Podolov Trophy, the glorious history of this Northwest Powerhouse adds another highlight. Since Kevin Durant started the Thunder MVP prologue in 2014 and Russell Westbrook continued to write the legend in 2017, Alexander has become the third superstar in team history to win this honor. It is worth noting that the Canadian defender's top position has enabled the Thunder to surpass traditional powerhouses such as the Warriors and Spurs, becoming the team with the largest number of MVPs in active service.

After the award results were announced, the league immediately launched a butterfly effect: a team in the Pacific Division that once exchanged future stars for their combat power became the focus of public opinion once again. The heavy deal involving multiple potential rookies and draft picks back then seems to be one of the most controversial operations in the league in the past decade. Alexander's super maximum salary renewal clause of up to $380 million was automatically activated, which completely rewrites the league's salary record, with a total contract amount increasing by nearly $50 million from the previous record held by Jason Tatum.

International player domination continues, and data madman writes an alternative history

The competition for this year's MVP is showing a clear bipolar trend. Although Nikola Jokic, the core of the Denver Nuggets, ranked second with a slight disadvantage, he created a special historical node - becoming the third player in the league history to average triple-double per game but miss the MVP. This slightly bitter record was previously only maintained by legendary point guards Oscar Robertson and Westbrook, and Robertson won the MVP honor in a non-triple double season. The voting results also reveal the acceleration of the alliance's internationalization process. Since James Harden in 2018, the MVP awards have been won by non-American athletes for seven consecutive sessions. Among the top ten voting elections in this year, international players occupy six seats, forming a comprehensive suppression of local new stars. What is remarkable is that Stephen Curry and Harden, the representatives of the 2009 Golden Generation, were still favored by voters in their 15th season of their career, and received 2 and 1 points respectively.

The generations alternate undercurrents, and the draft reorder has caused deep thoughts

The results of this year's voting unexpectedly became the touchstone of the quality of the 2021 draft: No. 1 pick Cad Cunningham became the only player to enter the list with 12 votes, while Evan Mobley, a tiny 1 point. In sharp contrast, Jaylen Green, the originally highly anticipated second-tier star, failed to receive any vote support, which made the Houston Rockets' choice again questioned the public. LeBron James, who is over 40 years old, continues to refresh his cognitive boundaries, setting two historical records with 16 points: he became the oldest player to win MVP votes at the age of 40, and became the first evergreen in the league to win votes in 20 different seasons. This achievement even surpassed the 17-season record held by "Tian Gou" Kareem, demonstrating his competitive state across the times.

The best lineup pattern begins to emerge, and the position revolution has far-reaching impact

As the MVP's belongings settled, the outline of the best lineup this season has gradually become clear. Industry insiders analyzed and predicted that Alexander, Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jason Tatum and Donovan Mitchell may form the first team, and this combination has both data dominance and team record support. The second team may be crowded with defenders, and backcourt stars such as Stephen Curry and Jaylen Brunson may be selected together with Anthony Edwards, Cunningham and James.

It is worth noting that the alliance's reform to lift location restrictions is profoundly affecting voting orientation. Although official encouragement of position blurred selection, most voters still follow traditional lineup thinking, which may lead to frontcourt players such as Evan Mobley, the best defensive player, gaining an advantage in the second team selection. Although James Harden is likely to be shortlisted for the third lineup, his organizational skills and team record will become the focus of debate.

This value revaluation that spans generations not only reshapes the league's power map, but also lays the groundwork for the upcoming offseason. When the new generation of superstars begin to take over the stage and traditional powers face the choice of reconstruction, the exciting chapters of the NBA are turning a new page