2024 NBA Assists Leader Odds, Favorites and Predictions

The 2023-24 NBA assist leader betting odds favor Tyrese Haliburton, but multiple other contenders have a solid chance of delivering in the upcoming season. It’s going to be a tough race, but I can help by analyzing the favorites and answering the most pressing questions.

Can James Harden go back-to-back as the NBA assists leader? Will Tyrese Haliburton or Trae Young claim the single season assist title for the first time? I share my thoughts on the main favorites and a few sleepers, before sharing my 2024 NBA assist leader predictions.

I want to begin by studying and comparing the main favorites for this season’s NBA assist leader. Haliburton, Young, Harden, and Nikola Jokic are the players that you should seriously consider before you place any bets.

Last year’s NBA assist leader was James Harden. It was also the second time in his career that he led the NBA in this statistical category. Can he do it again? Let’s go through the big guns to find out!

• Age: 23
• Team: Indiana Pacers
• 2022-23 Assists Per Game: 10.4

In 2022-23, Tyrese Haliburton took a major step forward in his development. In his third NBA season, he set career-highs in points per game (20.7) and free throw percentage (87.1%). Haliburton was also among the best passers in the entire league.

Haliburton’s contributions for Indiana were very apparent last season. In 2022-23, during his first full season with the Pacers, the team won 35 games. This was a huge improvement from 2021-22 (Indiana won only 25 games, having also ended the season by losing 10 in a row).

Does Haliburton deserve to be the main favorite to lead the NBA in assists? The simple answer is yes, but the odds are way too short for my liking.

• Age: 25
• Team: Atlanta Hawks
• 2022-23 Assists Per Game: 10.2

Trae Young was one of just three players to average over 10 assists per game in 2022-23. He also led Atlanta to a playoff appearance after the team won 41 games during the regular season. Young has averaged 9.3 assists per game for his entire career.

In terms of offensive production on the court, Young is among the best in the NBA. He fills up the stat sheet every year and is a true difference-maker for Atlanta. In five NBA seasons, Young has averaged 25.5 points per game, which is pretty phenomenal.

Young can score a lot of points, but he’s also an all-around dynamic playmaker. I expect him to rack up a ton of assists once again. The Hawks also made several roster changes prior to the season, so the point guard will have plenty of weapons to work with.

• Age: 34
• Team: Philadelphia 76ers
• 2022-23 Assists Per Game: 10.7

James Harden, a former NBA MVP, is another top contender to lead the NBA in assists. He still plays at a high level, after averaging 21.0 points and 1.2 steals per game in 2022-23. He’s not the primary focus on offense anymore, but he’s still an efficient player.

However, I have major doubts about Harden leading the NBA in assists this season because the relationship between him and the 76ers organization appears to be fractured. Harden recently said that things are beyond repair, although he’s still training and preparing for the season.

This isn’t the first time that Harden has expressed frustration with an NBA team. He forced his way out of Houston a few years ago in a trade that sent him to Brooklyn. It was reported that Harden believed the Rockets were no longer a contender and wanted to leave.

Harden’s future with the 76ers is uncertain at the moment. He’s in an ongoing dispute with the team’s upper management, which isn’t going away. I would avoid betting on Harden until there’s more stability with his situation.

• Age: 28
• Team: Denver Nuggets
• 2022-23 Assists Per Game: 9.8

Nikola Jokic just won an NBA championship, and his team is in a great position to claim another title. The two-time MVP also posted massive numbers during his eighth NBA season. He set a career-high in assists (9.8) while averaging 24.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.

Jokic is one of the best all-around players in the NBA and a contender for pretty much every team and individual honor. The guy’s an excellent passer, and his frontcourt playmaking abilities are phenomenal. Jokic is also surrounded by talented players, including Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., so he has more than enough guys to find with his insane passes.

The Serbian big man is the focal point of Denver’s offense, which is why it wouldn’t surprise me if he led the NBA in assists. The Nuggets didn’t make major changes to the roster either from last season. Jokic will have the same role and the same level of production from 2022-23.

I think there’s a strong possibility that Jokic will post a new career-high in assists this season. His vision of the court is incredible, and he’s got a lot of chemistry with the playmakers around him in Denver. I think Jokic will put together another stellar season, so look out for him.

I also recommend that you consider targeting a few sleepers. There have only been five different NBA assist leaders since 2011-12. I think there’s a good chance that a player could claim the title for the first time in 2024.

• Luka Doncic (+2000). The price on Doncic leading the NBA in assists is pretty enticing. He finished ninth among all players last season when he averaged 8.0 assists per game, but I expect more passing from him in 2023-24.
• LeBron James (+6500). James was the NBA assist leader once in his career and is still good enough to do it again. He’s a future Hall of Famer who just finished his 20th NBA season averaging 9 points and 6.8 assists per game. LeBron will have plenty to work with after the Lakers revamped their roster in the last two windows.
• Damian Lillard (+2500). Not enough people are talking about Lillard as a legitimate contender to lead the NBA in assists. He also joined Milwaukee during the offseason, which I believe will galvanize him.

I’m picking Trae Young with my final 2024 NBA assists leader prediction. He’s been on the cusp of leading the NBA in assists for several years. I think now’s the time that Young also takes his game to a whole new level and the odds for him are fantastic too, compared to the other favorites.

I wouldn’t pick Harden because his situation in Philadelphia looks pretty shaky. Haliburton is an incredible playmaker and facilitator on offense. However, Young is the superior player and available at +420, which is a really good price.

I also wrote about other NBA futures and betting markets for the upcoming season. Make sure that you check out our content before you determine your predictions!

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