The NBA regular season might be finished. Heck, the entire NBA season might be finished. Even if play resumes with regular-season games, there’d likely be an abridged finish before the playoffs (which will also likely be shortened).
So, we’re making our 2019-20 award picks now. If the regular season somehow lasts long enough to reconsider our choices, we’ll do that. But here are our selections on the assumption the regular season is over.
Kurt Helin
1. Luka Doncic, Mavericks
2. Brandon Ingram, Pelicans
3. Devonte’ Graham, Hornets
I was slow to come around to the idea of Luka Doncic going from Rookie of the Year to MIP. For this award, I tend to lean towards guys who have not reached their potential then make a leap to All-Star status (Brandon Ingram) or guys who come out of nowhere to play a big role (Devonte’ Graham). However, when you break this down, not only did Doncic make just a big a leap as them statistically, he made the hardest leap in the league, from good to franchise-cornerstone, elite player. It was very difficult to leave Bam Adebayo and Pascal Siakam off this list, this was a deep and deserving MIP class.
Dan Feldman
1. Luka Doncic, Mavericks
2. Devonte’ Graham, Hornets
3. Brandon Ingram, Pelicans
I don’t care he’s in his second year. I don’t care he was drafted highly. I don’t care some believe this was “supposed to” happen. Luka Doncic went from good for a rookie to great for anyone – an amazing jump duplicated by only LeBron James.
That narrowly outpaced Devonte’ Graham, who came out of nowhere for the Hornets. He was out of the rotation last season. This season, he was on the outskirts of the All-Star discussion.
Brandon Ingram made huge strides as a shooter and in his all-around game – just in time to get paid.
This was an absurdly deep year for Most Improved Player. Trae Young followed Doncic’s arc, though hitting lower levels last season and this season with the Hawks. Duncan Robinson spent last of most season in the minor league then became a helpful starter on a good Heat team. Donte DiVincenzo went from bad to good, giving the Bucks a much-needed boost at shooting guard. A Young-Robinson-DiVincenzo ballot would be completely reasonable in many seasons.
Special shoutout to Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, who doesn’t deserve this annual award but keeps making year-over-year improvements that – in aggregate – are incredible.
I haven’t even gotten to Heat big Bam Adebayo, who didn’t make Rising Stars his first two seasons then became an All-Star his third season. He suffers from being solid the previous two years, even though he became more impactful as a versatile defender and broke out as a passing weapon.
Again, the depth of this field is preposterous.
Keith Smith
1. Devonte’ Graham, Hornets
2. Brandon Ingram, Pelicans
3. Bam Adebayo, Heat
It’s usually considered bad form to give Most Improved Player to a second-year player. NBA players are expected to make a major jump from their first to second years. However, Devonte’ Graham came out of nowhere. As a part-time rotation player as a rookie, Graham averaged 4.7 points on 28.1 percent 3-point shooting and 2.6 assists per game. As a surprising starter in his sophomore campaign, Graham shot 37.3 percent from behind the arc and averaged 18.2 points and 7.5 assists per game. The Hornets weren’t good, but they were better than most thought, as they were on a 29-win pace. Graham was a big part of that.
Brandon Ingram was the centerpiece of the Anthony Davis’ trade for the Pelicans and he showed why. Ingram made the All-Star team for the first time and upped his scoring output to 24.3 points per game. He hit 38.7 percent from downtown on a career-high 6.3 three-point attempts per game. Ingram also improved his rebounding up to 6.3 boards per night, while also dishing out a career-best 4.3 assists per game.
Bam Adebayo was a first-time All-Star in 2020, as he flashed an improved all-around game. Adebayo was mostly a defender and rebounder in his first two NBA seasons. As a third-year player, he became a full-time starter and showed his box score stuffing chops. Adebayo averaged career-highs across the board with 16.2 points, 10.5 rebound, 5.1 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. He also shot 56.7 percent from the field and played in all 65 of Miami’s games.
