Detroit Pistons: Best candidates for 2018-19 NBA awards

Most Improved Player: Reggie Jackson

Reggie Jackson was on the brink of stardom two years ago.

In his first full season as a starting point guard in the league, Jackson helped lead the Pistons to the 2016 NBA Playoffs, averaging 18.8 points and 6.2 assists per game. In the postseason, he averaged 14.3 points, 9.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game in a first round series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in which almost every game was competitive.

After that, however, injuries took their toll. Jackson missed a lot of the next two seasons; he played in 52 games in 2016-17, and just 45 games last season. The Pistons missed the playoffs both times, while Jackson and the team fell off the radar of mainstream relevancy.

This season, if Jackson can stay healthy, things are falling into place for him to make a mainstream comeback.

The Pistons’ new head coach, Dwane Casey, helped mold Kyle Lowry into a four-time All-Star point guard in Toronto. Casey also worked with Gary Payton and Jason Kidd during previous stops as an assistant coach.

Detroit has two All-Stars in the frontcourt — Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin — who can emphatically finish what Jackson starts. The team has shooters that can spread the floor and create driving lanes for Jackson, whose biggest strength is breaking down defenses and getting into the paint. It has a coach known for guard-oriented offense.

Should the Pistons improve significantly as a team, and Jackson has a big hand in that, he’ll be a solid candidate for Most Improved Player.

Odds: Decent