RJ Barrett Is a Dark Horse Candidate for Most Improved Player Award

New York Knicks third-year wing RJ Barrett turned some heads last season by improving his 3-point percentage from 32.0 percent to 40.1 percent in just one season. 

Barrett took a major leap in his second season, posting 17.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 44.1 percent from the floor. He helped lead the Knicks to the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, and he’s picked up right where he left off in the start of the 2021-22 season. 

I’ve been extremely impressed with Barrett’s confidence in his jumper this season, and he made some major shots for the Knicks to beat the New Orleans Pelicans over the weekend. 

If Barrett can be a threat as a shooter, not just a slasher, but off the dribble, he could take the leap into a 20.0 points per game scorer and potentially earn an All-Star nod in the Eastern Conference if the Knicks continue to stay hot after starting the season 5-2. 

Is that a little too optimistic? Maybe, but the numbers are going to be there for Barrett if he continues to play as well as he has to start this season. 

The Duke University product has also taken on a bigger role as a defender, helping hold Jayson Tatum to a 7-for-30 night in the team's season opener and drawing the toughest defensive assignments for the Knicks with Reggie Bullock now in Dallas.

Barrett is now up to 18.6 points per game on the season while shooting 51.1 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. It’s worth noting that Jimmy Butler took a similar leap as a player under Tom Thibodeau, going from the NBA’s Most Improved Player in the 2014-15 season to a bonafide superstar thereafter. 

That may be the best-case scenario for Barrett and the Knicks, but there’s no doubting that he's’ undervalued in WynnBET’s Most Improved Player award odds. Barrett sits at +6000, which is miles behind the top contenders for the award. 

Latest Odds to Win the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award

• Ja Morant: +500
• Miles Bridges: +600
• Tyler Herro: +1400
• Jordan Poole: +1400
• Anthony Edwards: +2000
• OG Anunoby: +2000
• Michael Porter Jr.: +2000
• LaMelo Ball: +2500
• Jaylen Brown: +2500
• Kevin Porter Jr.: +2500
• Dejounte Murray: +3000
• Jaren Jackson Jr.: +3000
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: +3000
• Keldon Johnson: +3500
• Lonzo Ball: +4000
• Christian Wood: +4000
• Darius Garland: +4000
• Mikal Bridges: +5000
• Kyle Kuzma: +5000
• Derrick White: +5000
• RJ Barrett: +6000

Barrett is going to have to continue to shoot at a high percentage and increase his points per game, but he’s already shown from Year 1 to Year 2 that he is capable of making a major leap in production. 

If you’re looking for a dark horse in this market, Barrett would be my pick, as he’s on a playoff-caliber team and has already started to make the move in improving his numbers. 

The Knicks had last year’s MIP in Julius Randle, and if Barrett starts to show he’s the 1B to Randle’s 1A for the majority of the season, there’s a chance the award will remain in the New York locker room.