2019 NBA Most Improved Player Odds: Siakam Listed as Heavy Favorite Over Russell & Fox

• The NBA Awards are June 24th
• Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors saw the biggest improvement in his offensive numbers this season
• Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox could be worth a look as a long shot who also made big strides this season
  

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There are wagers and then there are investments.  This proposition falls into the second category which, despite the high price tag, makes it extremely valuable.

2019 NBA Most Improved Player Odds

*Odds taken 05/21/19

There isn’t a lot of nuance to this award. Who improved the most? Personally I’d be fine letting a computer give us the answer but for now it’s one of the awards that’s voted on and we might as well all take advantage. The price tag to bet on Pascal Siakam is aggressive for sure but don’t be scared off by the -1600 price, he’s the surefire winner here.

This is more than basketball for Pascal Siakam.#Raptors pic.twitter.com/vgjIG4cEpu

— Raptors Nation (@RaptorsNationCP) May 21, 2019

Siakam Deserving of Most Improved Player Award

Let’s take a deep dive into the numbers. Last season Siakam averaged 7.3 points per game to go with 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists, middling numbers to say the least.

Last season Siakam averaged 7.3 points per game to go with 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

This year he improved in each of those categories in a big way. He finished the regular season with 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. The numbers not only show a tremendous improvement but they give Raptors fans hope they have a new star to cheer for even if Kawhi Leonard leaves in free agency.

✅LeBron James
✅Kobe Bryant
✅Kawhi Leonard

These 3 players have the highest PPG average in NBA history through the first 15 playoff games. pic.twitter.com/5sx9oMFsiR

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 21, 2019

Compare his improvement to his biggest threat for the award according to the odds, D’Angelo Russell. The Brooklyn Nets guard averaged 21.1 points per game this year, but he had 15.5 last season. An improvement yes, but not nearly as big of one as Siakam’s. He improved his assist total by 1.8 dimes per games and saw his rebounding numbers stay exactly the same. He might get more shine in a bigger NBA market, but the numbers give no indication he’s more deserving of the award than Siakam.

Could Fox Steal the Award?

If you want to put money on this award but the price on Siakam has you gun shy, you could consider a long shot wager on Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox. He’s actually much more deserving of the award than Russell after improving from 11.6 points per game to 17.3 points per game.  He also improved his assist total by 2.9 dimes per game and his rebound total increased by one board per game as well.

“If that surprises you, then that’s you.” ?

? @swipathefox announced as MIP finalist ? » https://t.co/cWBMZkbmMs pic.twitter.com/lBpFjee4jl

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) May 18, 2019

I still believe Siakam is most deserving, but at +5000 it’s not totally out of the question that Fox surprises and steals the award.  He had a great season and also showed some big time improvement and most importantly, could net you a big payday without needing to put down much capital.

Pick: Pascal Siakam (-1600)