NBA Odds: Can Jordan Poole Win The Most Improved Player Award? – originally posted on Sportslens.com
The start of the 2023-24 NBA season is right around the corner, and there are plenty of new faces in new places. The recent transactions are fresh on our minds, with Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Deandre Ayton all finding new homes within the last month or so. There was a flurry of action earlier in the off-season process as well, a point in which Jordan Poole was traded away from the Golden State Warriors.
Can Jordan Poole Win NBA MIP Award?
“Playing the game I love at the highest level, my family is taken care of, my basketball legacy is taken care of with the ring… This is probably the first time in my life I’ll play basketball with no pressure.”
Jordan Poole on his new opportunity with the Wizards
(via… pic.twitter.com/WMjP0ohVPj
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 22, 2023
Poole enters a new situation in Washington and should be the clear #1 scoring option for the Wizards throughout the season. He could end up being option 1B behind Kyle Kuzma, who is the only other player in Washington’s starting lineup that averaged more than 11 points last season.
The increased work load could mean big things for Poole and his statistical output. Over the last two seasons, Poole averaged 19.5 points per game for the Warriors, getting those numbers while playing behind the likes of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. He will undoubtedly see an increase in his touches and opportunities while playing for the Wizards, and we could see a numbers’ explosion from Poole if all goes well.
Could it be enough for him to be considered for the Most Improved Player in the NBA?
Bridges Is The Leader, But At Good Value?
Odds For NBA Most Improved Player 2023-2024 (Via BetMGM):
Mikal Bridges +1000
Cade Cunningham +1200
Tyrese Maxey +1300
Austin Reaves +1300
Jordan Poole +1400
Scottie Barnes +1600For a limited time only, use our BetMGM link to get up to $1,500 back in bonus bets when you bet on… pic.twitter.com/L08WhkyMuS
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 16, 2023
As it stands today, Poole is tied with Scottie Barnes for the third-shortest odds of any player to win the award. Their designation sits at +1200, a respectable number that makes Poole neither a favorite nor a long shot. The leader, Mikal Bridges, sits at +800 while Cade Cunningham is at +1000.
It would take a serious increase in statistical production for Poole to be in the conversation, though the same can be said for the players that have shorter odds. The people who vote for the NBA MIP award look for an increase in the box scores, typically reserved for a player who jumps from averaging 12 points per game to averaging 22. Poole was already above the 20-point threshold last year, and Bridges was all the way up at 26.
Guys like Keegan Murray (+5000) or Walker Kessler (+2500) who averaged less than 15 points last year, could be the better value bets available on the board.
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