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NBA Awards Watch: Week 1

By Ben Nadeau

May 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry with the 2014-2015 NBA Most Valuable Player trophy at the Oakland Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
May 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry with the 2014-2015 NBA Most Valuable Player trophy at the Oakland Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 21, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Phoenix won 99-87. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Phoenix won 99-87. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports /

Most Improved Player

1. Eric Bledsoe, Phoenix Suns
OK, you will have to deal with this pick for now as it took every shred of power, decency, and journalistic integrity not to put Eric Bledsoe into the MVP conversation. See, he’s even over there under honorable mentions. Anyways, Bledsoe is the next NBA star to be a walking, talking triple double, you can bank on that.

Last year was difficult for the slew of Phoenix point guards, as the three-headed dragon of Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas, and Bledsoe didn’t work out the way they had hoped. Even with the addition of Brandon Knight at the deadline, this truly seems like it’s Bledsoe’s team for now.

He might not end up having the improvement in team record that Gordon Hayward and Giannis Antetokounmpo will likely have, but would it surprise anybody to see Bledsoe on the Western Conference All-Stars?

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Remember how everybody and their grandmother got obsessed with Giannis Antetokounmpo and his long arms, fierce dunks, and crazy, adorable antics? What about when Antetokounmpo started to let Dark Giannis seep into his basketballing soul?

Although he’s suspended for Wednesday night’s opener against the New York Knicks for his shove on Mike Dunleavy during Game 6 of the Bucks-Bulls series last April, this type of intensity is something that Antetokounmpo has needed since he entered the league in 2013.

Antetokounmpo saw an increase in every major statistical category last season, but people are still waiting for him to put it altogether, which is a terribly scary thought. This is absolutely the hottest take you’ll see all week, but it’s clear that Antetokounmpo could revolutionize modern basketball — it’s just taking a while to do it.

3. Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz
Once he cut his hair, everything changed. Gordon Hayward, now in his sixth (!!) season in the NBA, is a budding star. Even with that ferocious Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert frontcourt duo, this Utah Jazz team will only go as far as Hayward takes them.

Hayward saw his points per game increase from 16 to 19 in 2014-15, good for sixteenth in the league, surrounded on leaderboard by Nikola Vucevic. Kyle Lowry, and Monta Ellis. If he can jump into the 23-plus points per game conversation, near where Blake Griffin, Klay Thompson, and DeMarcus Cousins are, then Hayward will have a mighty shout at Most Improved Player.

He’s become the bona fide leader in Utah, but can he strive for something even higher?

Honorable Mentions: Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics; Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers; Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks; Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves; Nerlens Noel, Philadelphia 76ers; Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz.

Next: The Right Pick