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

Dante Exum

Of all the players on this list, Dante Exum is the one that I believe has the greatest chance of earning the Most Improved Player Award. Not only does he have a great shot at winning it, but based on his NBA career thus far, I feel that it should be one of his absolute focuses and goals.

When Exum was selected 5th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, there were high hopes that he could turn into a superstar. He quickly found his way into Utah’s starting lineup in his rookie season based on his defensive prowess alone. Unfortunately, a torn ACL robbed him of his second season, and what would have been his third season was a rocky one where he was largely playing behind then backup point guard Shelvin Mack.

From there, 2017-18 looked to be the year that Exum would finally break out and shine. Dennis Lindsey and Quin Snyder had issued him a challenge going into the season and, based on his play in Summer League and preseason, he appeared absolutely up to the task. But we all know what happened from there. Exum was robbed of almost the entire season yet again as he went down with a shoulder injury in a preseason game against the Phoenix Suns.

Those unfamiliar with Exum or the Jazz are already calling him a bust. Many who saw the three-year, $33 million contract he just earned are laughing and mocking the Jazz for overpaying a guy who has yet to prove a thing.

But the Jazz are still high on him and believe in what he can become. His injuries, particularly last year’s, were more bad luck than anything, so presumably he should be able to stay healthy if fortune will finally stay on his side. If he does, he figures to have a much bigger role on this Jazz team on both ends of the floor.

He’s already an impressive defender and he has offensive skills that could turn him into a star player. If he can put it all together, he could very well develop into an absolute stud. Exum has all the makings of an ideal MIP candidate. He’s underperformed thus far in his career, so expectations for him from a national standpoint aren’t very high.

Since that bar is so low, if he can bounce back and turn in a stellar year, seemingly out of nowhere to uninformed viewers, he would fit the Most Improved Player mold to a tee. Exum has never averaged double-figure scoring and his shooting has left something to be desired. If he improves in all those areas, though, he’s going to catch several fans and opponents off guard.

As Exum looks to make a healthy comeback in 2018-19 following a full offseason of work, winning the Most Improved Player Award should be one of his main goals.

Next: Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell heals scars of last year’s Independence Day

The cool thing about the MIP Award is that the person who wins it is usually a guy that no one sees coming. Take last year’s winner Victor Oladipo, for example. Oladipo was largely mocked as mere breadcrumbs compared to Paul George who he was traded for. Instead, Oladipo morphed into an absolute star and took the award home in a landslide.

Aside from Mitchell, these other three players have the potential of “coming out of nowhere” to transform from a role player into a much-improved star. However, it’s entirely possible that other Jazzmen that neither myself nor anyone else can foresee, could do the same thing.

The Utah Jazz are bound to undergo major improvements this offseason, and as such, it will be exhilarating to see who, if any, of their players find themselves in the running for Most Improved Player.