Toronto Raptors: Best candidates for 2018-19 NBA awards

Most Improved Player: Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam‘s sophomore season can be viewed through the prism of several different lenses.

On one hand, his primary counting stats all rose from his rookie season. He averaged 7.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.

On the other hand, he actually started a surprising 38 games during his rookie season, a number that slipped to a meager five contests in the succeeding season, despite the fact that he played in all but one regular-season game.

Still, he’s a prime candidate to make a leap during Year 3. His contributions went up across the board last season, including his shooting numbers. He’s still not a 3-point shooter, but he improved to 22 percent from beyond the arc, showing that he’s trying.

Additionally, there should be more opportunity coming his way. With Jakob Poeltl now in San Antonio, Siakam will be expected to play a bigger role in the frontcourt, perhaps as a versatile substitute for both Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas.