NBA Announces Finalists For Most Improved Player Award

Now that the NBA regular season is over, the focus has shifted entirely onto the playoffs, where anticipation is starting to mount as to who will be the team hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy when all is said and done. But another aspect of the postseason that creates anticipation is when the winners of the major regular season awards are announced. This week, finalists for those awards have started to be revealed, including the three finalists for the Most Improved Player. For this season, Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons, Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers, and Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks are up for the award.

Each of these players has made their case as to why they deserve to be in consideration. But yet, only one of them can take home the award in the end. Let’s take a deeper look at the three candidates and what each of them has done to get to this point.

Cade Cunningham

Slowly but surely, Cunningham has evolved into a star and has improved every season since the start of his career back in 2021. But this season has been a true season of improvement for Cunningham, who has helped the Pistons go from first to worst. A year after they finished 14-68 and as one of the league’s worst teams, Cunningham has averaged a career-high of 26.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 9.1 assists en route to helping the Pistons go 44-38 and return to the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2019.

An All-Star for the first time this season, Cunningham’s career season not only deservedly has him as the most likely favorite for the award, but he has confirmed the notion that he will be looked at as the face of the Pistons’ franchise for years to come.

Ivica Zubac

When the Clippers lost Paul George in free agency and had Kawhi Leonard miss a bunch of time, expectations for the Clippers were questioned this season. Doubts were cast as to whether having an aging James Harden as your lone healthy superstar could get the job done. But thanks in large part to Zubac’s emergence, the Clippers are in the NBA Playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the West.

Averaging a double-double of 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds for the first time in his career- improving exponentially on his 11.7 points and 9.2 rebounds from a season ago, Zubac has cemented himself as the Clippers’ center of the future. He could potentially be a foundational piece to build around with Harden nearing retirement age.

Dyson Daniels

Daniels may have been the biggest surprise in the NBA this season. Also named a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year Award, Daniels has burst onto the scene and has become a legitimate star in Atlanta to complement Trae Young.

Averaging 5.8 points and 2.7 assists last season, Daniels was then traded to the Atlanta Hawks, which has ended up being the perfect fit for him. This season, he averaged 14.1 points and was a staple in the starting lineup night in and night out. Despite the Hawks missing the playoffs, the franchise can go into next season knowing that they can rely on Daniels to be a key piece for years to come.

Final thoughts

The NBA’s Most Improved Player Award may not be taken as seriously as the other awards, but no doubt winning the award means a bunch. Every player who was named a finalist has become an integral part of their team after years of doubt and is now well on their way to having a successful NBA career. While only one will win the award, all three have now cemented their status as high-caliber NBA players.