Went from 4th string center that people wanted to cut to starter on a 2-seed, improved every facet of his game, and doubled his stats in every category.

It’s all about box score stats, going from 5 points to 10 in double the mins is not as impressive to people even if impact can be high

MIP is always whoever improves their main stats most

He’s hasn’t improved that much. Last year he averaged 5 and 4. His per 36 last season was 13 and 10 with 2 blocks. This season he’s averaging 10 and 8 with just a shade over 1 block in 25 minutes. His fg% and ft% have also both went down. The numbers are pretty much identical, he’s just playing more.

And yes numbers aren’t everything and yes his positional defense and other things might’ve slightly improved, but he’s right where he belongs on this list.

MPJ is/was on a max contract. Kind of stupid

Yeah i feel like Queta and Rollins fit more into the spirit of the award. Those guys went from non rotation players to legitimate players in one year. Most of these other guys were lottery picks and/or already shown flashes

I mean he didn’t come out of nowhere, he was the next center up after a team lost their top 2. Most improved shouldn’t necessarily just be the same as a big spike in minutes due to turnover.

He has improved but it’s mostly just a vacuum of minutes left behind.

For added context

Duren went from 11.8ppg to 18.7ppg with a 5.7% increase in playing time - 26.1mpg to 27.6mpg. Points per 100 went from 21.7 to 32.7.

NAW went from 9.4pgg to 20.0ppg with a 31.6% increase in playing time - 25.3mpg to 33.3mpg. Points per 100 went from 18.4 to 28.3.

This where I struggle with MIP. What is improvement versus simply opportunity. Nothing about NAW’s game really changed other than him taking more shots from what I have seen.

Honestly NAW this year has been a crazy elevation. I thought he was an elite defender and was likely going to be one of those great 3 and D guys for a nice career. He’s definitely taken a step past that this season.

Averaging the same percentages at significantly higher usage is very difficult. Glad NAW is doing well with the Hawks, will always root for him.

Rollins went from 6 to 17

His percentages are the same, he’s asked to shoot more in that system. His defense has taken a hit this year with the uptick in offense.

Sure it does

Since these apparently are based on some kind of Vegas odds (OP didn’t provide a link), they probably already have the foresight that he will miss too many games to qualify due to his hamstring issues.

Dude is a fucking dawg. Got me watching Utah games lol

Exactly my thought

As long as he meets the game requirement, he should run with the award

He had a pretty good year last year too

Jalen Johnson did look pretty ascendant before the injury but to take it one way, so did Dyson Daniels; and to take it another way, Duren had some great stretches last year too.

For JJ to come back and show it was no fluke and take the additional strides in his game to become such an A+ player, he belongs in that conversation. He’s arguably the best player on the list, his overall improvement over the past two years is the highest, it’s just a debate on when he demonstrated it.

Deni I’d say mostly has the same argument, he went off during silly season last year but nobody really expected him to do what he did this year.

With these awards it’s always a question of how you rate the development between nobody and starter vs starter and star and the shades between. If Rollins, NAW or Gillespie next year progressed at the same rate they did this year- like say added ~5 ppg and a countable amount of rebounds and assists I think they would be looked at for the award again.

He’s not eligible because of games missed due to the injury.

Gillespie has done much more this season other than get a green light.

I don’t disagree with your points. I think mine would be Jalen Duren but I’m biased maybe because I just really like his game and I think he’s become an absolute elite center in the league.

Deni has completely changed the way he played.

My vote would be for Jalen Johnson or NAW based on the eye test

Is Jalen Johnson not the poster child for getting more of a green light than previous years, coupled with a significant decline defensively?

I think that also applies to NAW but still would love for him to get it.

MPJ definitely not though so dumb.

Nah. Players absolutely can regress with increased responsibility. The more you see…the more warts can show up.

Jackson Hayes is a prime example. He’s definitely better since becoming a Laker…but he still shouldn’t be getting anymore minutes than he’s receiving.

That’s what happens when you have $76 million in salary riding the bench for a significant chunk of the season.

Their longest win streak since 2015, 5 games over .500, traded their 2 “best” (on paper) players - 1.5 games out of 6th and 2.5 from 5th.

They are a much better team now than they were to start the year or the last 3

Probably something to do with his assists per 100 going from 6.6 to 10.7, and his points per 100 going from 24.8 to 30.7.

Am I misremembering or wasn’t he already pretty damn good last year.

Isn’t that just understood having more minutes and being in year 2?

Yeah Buzi Vert is worth mentioning

Had a $200 bonus bet on him at +330 and that’s going to lose now :(

Not eligible because of games played.

I’m not sure they give MIP to players whose ppg progression looks like 18.4 -> 14.3 -> 12.7 -> 14.0 -> 20.9.

Also, he’ll be ineligible because of games played.

Based on other replies, I think he’s missed too many games to qualify. Also, just from looking at his stats, it appears he didn’t necessarily have a huge jump in production this season but more of a steady increase over his past few.

He’s averaging 24ppg after averaging 20ppg last season so probably not. Other players have much bigger increases in both raw ppg and per 100.

Spurs reddit fans consider he snubbed for all star game

Should be the exact opposite - very young players shouldn’t be included because obviously they’re going to improve as they learn the league.

I disagree about the years of experience requirement but I agree that Porter shouldn’t be on here.

Not sure why Reaves should win “easily”. He was already a 20ppg scorer last season and he’s competing against players like Duren who have made a significant leap.