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4. Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum hasn't missed a beat to begin the season. With 27.5 points per game, nine rebounds, and a steal per game, it's hard not to like Tatum's MVP odds. We still are so early in the season, but with a 7-2 record, Tatum fits the bill of a future MVP.

Through nine games, Tatum leads the Boston Celtics in three of the five major categories. Points, rebounds, and steals. Even if it's early, it's clear that Tatum's effect on the Celtics is positive. In fact, the Celtics' struggles this season have come when Tatum is on the bench. This is a characteristic of a winning player.

With Tatum's partner in crime, Jaylen Brown struggling to begin the season, it's been a need for Tatum's great play. Tatum has had an effective field goal percentage of 52 percent. Additionally, he shoots almost 40 percent from behind the arc.

Tatum has a long way to go before he reaches the echelon of an Embiid or Jokic, but if he finishes with a better record than those two, then he very well could make a strong case for MVP. Tatum, by far has the least impressive numbers on this list, but he does hold the argument for a winning team.

With the Celtics projected to win the East, this could carry Tatum's MVP debate. Through nine games, a 7-2 record lives up to expectations, which is why he lands at number four in this rendition of MVP rankings.