Memphis Grizzlies: Best candidates for 2018-19 NBA awards

MVP: Mike Conley

Despite an injury-riddled 2018-19 season, Mike Conley had previously established himself as one of the most underrated point guards in the game. Always known for his defensive chops, Conley averaged a career-high 20.5 points per game in 2017 — his last healthy season — to go along with 6.3 assists.

Each summer, it seems as though Conley adds a new layer to his game, and with roughly a year away from the court, it’ll be interesting to see what will come next and if it could possibly elevate his status even more.

MVPs generally have better numbers than what Conley put up in his best season. Even if the improvements show up in the box score, Memphis will have to win a lot more than 22 games to justify his value to the team.

Given the state of the Western Conference, Conley will certainly have the chance to prove himself against the elites at his position, but with a supporting cast not up to par with the best of the best, the Grizzlies will have a tough time even making the playoffs, let alone having one of their players contend for MVP.