Most Improved Player
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made the leap to superstardom. He will finish top-five on several MVP ballots. OKC has an average team age of 22.8 and yet here they are, the 10th seed in the West and a couple wins away from an improbable (but fully possible) postseason berth. The Thunder are on the precipice of contention earlier than any of us could have anticipated and it starts with Gilgeous-Alexander’s unique two-way dominance on the perimeter.
2. Lauri Markkanen, Jazz
Lauri Markkanen went from an excellent floor-spacer and complementary scorer in Cleveland to one of the league’s most potent three-level, go-to scorers in Utah. Were it not for injuries and a trade deadline tank, the Jazz might’ve made the postseason. Markkanen’s rapid development as a face-up scorer and off-ball weapon made him a worthy challenger to SGA in this category.
3. Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers
Games played will hurt Tyrese Haliburton’s case, but the Pacers’ rebuild is well ahead of schedule because of Haliburton’s steep arc of improvement. Before his midseason injury, Haliburton had the Pacers teetering on the brink of the postseason picture. His otherworldly playmaking acumen and greatly improved scoring arsenal should make Haliburton a perennial All-Star for years to come.
Honorable mention: Jalen Brunson, Knicks