As we enter NBA award season, don’t expect JJ Redick to begin campaigning for his players. After Wednesday's Lakers practice, he displayed an energy and enthusiasm he rarely has, speaking with the media about many of the awards.
First, he questioned how all NBA players can accurately vote for the best teammate, and then he congratulated Dorian Finney-Smith on his Sportsman of the Year nomination. However, he left his best and spiciest take for the Most Improved Award (MIP).
“I hate that award because they fail to define it,” Redick said. “And I think the spirit of it has been taken out of wax. I don’t like that award. Just call it the high draft pick that is on a max contract and now is an All-Star. Just call it that award. Who’s that guy? Because that’s what it’s become...I don’t think that’s the spirit of the award.”
Redick is a great coach, was very successful as a player and a media member, and could have a career as a comedian if he so desired, given how he could come up with such a killer off-the-cuff lines to roast the Most Improved Award. Calling it the ‘high draft pick that is on a max contract and now is an All-Star’ is hilarious, and true.
Here are the last five MIP Award winners:
2024 Tyrese Maxey
2023 Lauri Markkanen
2022 Ja Morant
2021 Julius Randle
2020 Brandon Ingram
What do they have in common? All of them, minus Tyrese Maxey, were drafted No. 7 or higher, and each player has made at least one All-Star appearance.
Considering they were generally high draft picks who were supposed to be stars and all became that, can they really be the most improved players in the NBA? Didn't they just take time to reach the level we all thought they’d get to?
The award should go to a player reaching expectations the general population never assumed would be possible for said athlete.
This year, the odds indicate Cade Cunningham is the favorite to win MIP, and again, he’s a player who was drafted No. 1 in 2021 and was named an All-Star this season. Isn’t he just reaching the expectations that come with being the first pick?
Meanwhile, Austin Reaves is having a career year and is an interesting case for MIP. Redick was done with the conversation and didn’t even want to explain why he was a good candidate, saying making the case would be a ‘moot point.’
Safe to say Redick is putting all of his energy into the Lakers making the playoffs and isn’t interested in NBA Award conversations. If he gets more questions about it, get your popcorn ready because he’s likely going to have another entertaining response.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at@ECreates88or on Bluesky at@ecreates88.bsky.social.