NBA Awards Watch: The 6th Man Wasteland

Most Improved Player

1. Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls – After a bit of a swoon in the middle of the season, Jimmy Butler just completed a fantastic month of February. The 25-year-old swingman shot 47.7% from the field and 45.8% from three in 9 games, and that bump in efficiency has been huge in stabilizing his season-long numbers. Last season brought real question marks about Butler’s ability to thrive as an offensive player, but the 2014-2015 campaign has marked his transformation into a two-way monster. Unfortunately, Butler will be sidelined for several weeks as a result of an elbow injury, and as such, that could certainly affect his status in this particular race.
2. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors – This post lands in an awkward place for Thompson, as he is coming off arguably the worst game of his season on Monday night during a loss to Brooklyn. That 3-for-17 performance does not diminish his season-long contributions, however, as Thompson has transformed from a virtually one-dimensional shooter offensively to someone who can firmly state an argument as an elite offensive guard. Thompson was already a good player prior to the 2014-2015 season, but making the jump to All-Star level is another way of being noticed here.
3. Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz – The Jazz are still a season or two away from relevance, but Hayward has established himself as a cornerstone piece. At 24 years old, he is averaging career-bests in scoring (19.5 points per game) and true shooting (57.0%) and that level of efficiency is doubly impressive considering that Hayward is posting his highest career usage rate. Quin Snyder’s arrival has certainly helped, but Gordon Hayward is a top-tier wing option in the league and most people haven’t noticed.

Next: 6th Man of the Year