6. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Jamal Murray‘s opportunities for a breakout season might be more limited than some of the candidates on this list because he’ll be playing with Nikola Jokic and Gary Harris. However, on the Denver Nuggets‘ offensive totem pole, only the Joker sits ahead of this third-year guard.
Murray technically plays point guard, but he’s a lightning rod on the offensive end because of his go-to scoring potential. In just his second season last year, the 21-year-old averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from downtown.
The question is not if, but when Murray will assume the mantle as one of the league’s most dynamic scorers. Maybe it takes another year, but he seems poised to make the jump to the 20 points per game threshold in one of the league’s best offenses. Throw in steadily improving playmaking as he adjusts to the 1-spot and he could be in the running for Most Improved Player.