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Utah Jazz: Four Jazzmen who could contend for Most Improved Player Award in ’18-19

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 2: Dante Exum #11 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz are seen during a preseason game. (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 2: Dante Exum #11 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz are seen during a preseason game. (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – JULY 2: Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz enjoys the game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2018 Utah Summer League on July 2, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – JULY 2: Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz enjoys the game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2018 Utah Summer League on July 2, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

Donovan Mitchell

He was snubbed from the Rookie of the Year Award, but could Donovan Mitchell run it back by winning the Most Improved Player Award in 2018-19?

I know what you’re probably thinking. How could this kid get much better from what he already did in his rookie season? It’s true that, in most cases, the Most Improved Player Award goes to someone who slightly underperformed the year prior, then explodes onto the scene the next year. Given that Mitchell already exploded onto the scene as a rookie, some might say that the bar he’s already set for himself is too high for him to be a valid MIP candidate.

But let’s just say he undergoes massive improvements this summer and somehow manages to blow even last year’s scintillating performances out of the water? Since Mitchell is so established already, his winning MIP would have to mean that he rose his game to a mind-blowing kind of level. That may seem unlikely, but how many times has this kid already proven us wrong?

https://twitter.com/JazzJargon/status/1014714776432177153

There’s no doubt in my mind that with his attitude and work ethic, he’s going to work his tail off this summer to improve the areas in his game that need work. He’ll come back a better player next season and we’ll see him slowly but surely whittle away at his weaknesses.

And if he’s able to improve dramatically in some of those areas, such as upping his shooting efficiency, putting up a new scoring average and building off his already impressive passing ability to increase his assists, why couldn’t he be in the conversation for Most Improved Player?

Since his baseline is already so high, if Mitchell puts up a Most Improved Player-caliber year, it likely means he’s a Western Conference All-Star, is shooting over 45 percent from the field and close to 40 percent from deep, and is averaging somewhere between 22 and 25 points per game.

That’s an extremely tall order and may not ultimately be realistic for just his second year. But if it does turn out that way, then there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be receiving heavy consideration for a Most Improved Player Award bid.

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