NBA Most Improved Ladder, Vol. 4: Evan Mobley Remains On Top

It’s time for a late February update to our Most Improved Player Ladder (read the last one here). At this point of the season, we have a strong idea of which players are in the mix for the award and who will meet the 65-game minimum for award eligibility. 

1) Evan Mobley

Las Vegas odds predict the MIP race will end in a two-man struggle between Cade Cunningham and Norman Powell. Our leader of the list, Evan Mobley, sits a distant fourth in the odds and looks unlikely to win the award. Still, the first-time All-Star would be a deserving winner, given his immense offensive progression, notably as a creator.

Read our full award picks here for more on Mobley’s Most Improved Player candidacy.

2) Tyler Herro

After making his first All-Star team, Herro solidified himself as a legitimate Most Improved Player contender. All of the previous five Most Improved Players made the All-Star Game and Herro was a deserving inclusion. Voters rewarded his career season, averaging career-highs in points (23.9) and assists (5.7) per game, true shooting (61 percent), Estimated Plus-Minus (plus-2.0) and Offensive EPM (plus-3.6).

Herro’s transformation into a more efficient, streamlined version of himself has sustained throughout the season. With a career-high in 3-point frequency (51 percent) and a career-low in long midrange frequency (8 perent), he substituted low-efficiency shots for threes, drives and passes.

Jimmy Butler’s trade to the Golden State Warriors will only continue to open usage for Herro. He’s notched two 40-point games and two 10-plus assist games over the past five contests. A strong finish to the season could help Herro vault himself to the top of the Most Improved Player Ladder and win himself the award.

3) Cade Cunningham

Cunningham looks most likely to win this award in reality, which would be deserved. I thought quite highly of Cunningham’s game last season and feel others have improved more, but it’s hard to deny what he’s accomplished this year. His Detroit Pistons are tied for the NBA’s longest win streak at eight games, led by their ascending superstar in Cunningham.

He’s hitting career-highs in points (25.6) and assists (9.5) per game, true shooting (56 percent) and EPM (plus-3.3). Cunningham finished last season ranked 192nd in EPM (-0.5) and has ballooned up to 23rd this season. His pull-up shooting growth has unlocked his on-ball offense, opening up his intermediate scoring and driving game. Impact metrics aren’t gospel, but Cunningham is clearly one of the NBA’s most impactful initiators this season.

Hi defensive growth boosts his case here as well. He’s defending at a higher level than ever, notching career-highs in block rate (2.1 percent) and Defensive EPM (plus-0.7). He’s a true two-way star and would be a solid MIP winner if he continues trending upward.

4) Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jackson made his second All-Star team this season and looks in line to contend for his second Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Despite his establishment as an NBA star, Jackson’s evolution is as tangible as any other candidate. He’s transformed from a 3-point specialist who struggled inside to a bruising primary creator for one of the NBA’s best teams.

He’s averaging a career-high in scoring (22.9) and has maintained strong efficiency (59.6 percent true shooting), despite his massive usage uptick. Jackson’s Offensive EPM (plus-2.7) is clearly a career-best and a massive jump from last season’s minus-0.3 mark. Ja Morant’s underwhelming season has led the Memphis Grizzlies to rely on Jackson’s offense even more and he’s answered their call.

Memphis’s offense banks on creators like Jackson to score efficiently without the help of ball screens or handoffs. His success within this offense, combined with his defensive prowess, has turned him into one of the league’s best players. 

5) Norman Powell

Powell would mark the first non-All-Star to win this award since Pascal Siakam in 2019, but his candidacy makes sense on the surface. He’s capitalized on the Los Angeles Clippers’ offensive vacuum, hitting career-highs in usage rate (26.8 percent), points per game (24.1) and true shooting (63.3 percent). Offensive EPM views Powell as a top-25 offensive player (plus-3.2), by far the best performance of his career.

It’s often challenging for players who scale up massively in usage to maintain strong efficiency and Powell has done that. Despite a career-high in field goal attempts, Powell is a near-43 percent 3-point shooter on high volume and attempts the most non-corner triples of his career. He does benefit from James Harden’s gravity and playmaking presence, spending 78.4 percent of his time on the court with Harden. 

Criticisms of Powell’s candidacy would emphasize his lack of material growth, pointing to a scorching shotmaking stretch as the main contributor to his improvement. But Powell’s peaking during his age 31 season is undeniably impressive and deserves some recognition.

Honorable Mentions: Christian Braun, Max Christie, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Williams, Ivica Zubac