Who was the NBA’s Most Improved Player this season?
By Ben Ladner
6. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Statistically, Young’s case for Most Improved Player might be the strongest in the league. The 21-year-old added over 10 points to his scoring average, boosted his assist numbers, and reduced his turnover rate, all while carrying one of the heaviest offensive loads in the league for a lottery-bound team. He meaningfully improved his 3-point percentage on some of the most difficult attempts in the NBA, and his overall efficiency climbed from below-average to elite. Young improved his shooting from virtually every area on the floor — including the foul line, where he took more than nine shots per game — while sharpening his floater and stepback 3 into some of the most dangerous weapons in the league. Few passers are as creative or adept as Young, who finished second in assists per game despite playing on the league’s worst 3-point shooting team.
Everything about Young’s game was more refined. His handle, shot selection, conditioning, and command of the game were all stronger compared to his rookie year. The greatest flaw of his Most Improved candidacy (aside from a fellow 2018 draftee’s ascent) is on defense, where Young, already one of the worst defenders in the league, made little effort to improve. On the occasional night, he might battle over screens, fervently chase shooters around screens, or play pest away from the ball, but Young did not commit to that side of the ball consistently. Arguably the least physical defender in the NBA, Young provided close to no ball pressure, even when he made the effort to slide his feet. He often gave up when switched onto bigger players in the post and got hung up on screens far too often.
Given his size and limited lateral mobility, Young will likely never be a quality defender, and playing with the worst defensive center rotation in the NBA for most of the season did little to mask his own shortcomings. With better players around him, Young’s offensive brilliance will outweigh his defensive weaknesses. But at some point, he’ll need to put in the requisite effort on that end of the floor, and that point did not come this season.