NBA Awards Watch: Jimmy Butler Grabs Headlines

Most Improved Player

1. Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls – This is an absolute no-brainer. Butler has transformed himself from a solid defensive stopper into a legitimate star in a matter of months. Just last season, the 25-year-old Butler failed to crack 40% shooting from the field (39.7%) or 30% from beyond the arc (28.3%), and that submarined his efficiency to the point where he was a clear negative on the offensive end. That has shifted violently this season, to the point where he is posting a 60.5% true shooting figure through 29 games, and with a defensive mindset that remains steadfast, a player averaging 22.2 points per game is closer to superstar than also-ran. In the grand scheme, this might be the easiest award nod of them all.
2. Jonas Valanciunas, Toronto Raptors – Toronto’s big man does not attract a great deal of attention, but that should change if he continues this level of performance. The raw numbers (12.4 points, 8.8 rebounds per game) won’t blow you away, but the 22-year-old center is posting a true shooting percentage over 60% while anchoring Toronto’s defense, and his peripherals have all greatly improved from his sophomore campaign. Because his game is not flashy, Valanciunas won’t be joining any list of “stars”, but at 22 years old, he plays like a veteran.
3. Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz – Much like Valanciunas, Favors is simply coming into his own with the pedigree to match. The 23-year-old big man has posted career-bests in true shooting (57.8%) and scoring (15.6 points per game) while cutting down drastically on turnovers and visibly improving on the defensive end. The big knock on Favors to this point was that he operated as a player who was fully reliant on strength and athleticism, and while he still utilizes those positives to his advantage, there is real development and polish being attributed to his game.

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