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Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam vs D’Angelo Russell for Most Improved Player

By Mark Birdsell

TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 24: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors is awarded the NBA Community Assist Award before the game against the Charlotte Hornets on March 24, 2019 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 24: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors is awarded the NBA Community Assist Award before the game against the Charlotte Hornets on March 24, 2019 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors – Pascal Siakam (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

There are a number of contenders for this year’s Most Improved Player Award. However, the main battle appears to be between D’Angelo Russell and Pascal Siakam. Who’s improved more this season?

The playoffs are fast approaching. The Toronto Raptors regular ends on April 9th, the NBA as a whole on April 10th.  This also means that NBA award season is upon us.

The NBA no longer announces regular season awards during the playoffs. Instead, viewers will have to wait until late June for the third annual NBA Awards Ceremony. Last season’ winners included James Harden (Most Valuable Player), Rudy Gobert (Defensive Player of the Year) and Ben Simmons (Rookie of the Year).

One of the more underrated awards is Most Improved Player. Victor Oladipo was named MIP in 2018 following his breakout campaign with the Indiana Pacers. Other former winners include Tracy McGrady, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Most Improved Player award is given to the player that has shown the most progress during the regular season. This award is typically given to a third or fourth-year player that has significantly elevated his game.

Despite winning the award in 2013, George’s name has been thrown out as a potential candidate this season. Before a recent shoulder injury, George had been playing at an MVP level. However, it seems odd to give the award to someone who is a six-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA Third Team member.

A few other players that have heard their named mentioned. Those players include Zach LaVine, De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield.

Coming out of UCLA LaVine was viewed as an inefficient scorer, but a supreme athlete. He won back-to-back Slam Dunk Contests in 2015 and 2016. However, LaVine has turned himself into a more complete player. This season for the Chicago Bulls, LaVine has averaged career highs in scoring (23.7), rebounding (4.7) and assists (4.5).

Even though LaVine has experienced individual success, the Bulls continue to struggle as a team. The Bulls will miss the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons. LaVine feels like the prototypical good stats/bad team type of player. As such, he is unlikely to come away with the award.

Fox and Hield make up one of the more promising young backcourts in the entire Association. Fox has bounced back after a disappointing rookie season, averaging 17.6 points, 7.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

However, this should not come as much of a surprise. Fox was a McDonald’s All-American and the co-MVP of the 2016 Jordan Brand Classic. The Sacramento Kings selected him fifth overall in last year’s draft. Players of Fox’s pedigree are expected to take a leap during their second season.

Hield has a better case than his teammate. Hield struggled during his rookie season with the New Orleans Pelicans. He was traded midway through the season as part of a package for DeMarcus Cousins.

Baxter Holmes of ESPN famously reported that Kings’ owner, Vivek Ranadive thinks that Hield has Steph Curry potential. Everyone laughed at Ranadive when this report came out, but the Kings may get the last laugh.

This season, Hield is leading the Kings in scoring at 20.9 points. He is also shooting 42.7 percent from three-point range on 7.9 attempts per game. Hield will likely never be on the same level as Curry, but he has become a key member of the Kings’ young core.

The problem for Hield when it comes to the Most Improved Player Award is that he has largely been overshadowed by Fox this season.

The two main contenders for this year’s Most Improved Player Award are D’Angelo Russell and Pascal Siakam.

Zach Lowe, Richard Jefferson, and McGrady debated their respective cases recently on The Jump. Lowe, not surprisingly came down on the side of Siakam. Those who follow Lowe will remember that he closed the Siakam bandwagon back in November. Jefferson and McGrady both picked Russell for the award.

So who deserves it more? There is a case for each of them.

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