NBA Most Improved Player Odds 2023-24: Maxey, Thomas, Barnes, & Sengun Odds

NBA Most Improved Player odds are available for the 2023-24 season! See the table below for all of the updated NBA Most Improved Player odds, and continually check back in, as these odds will fluctuate over the next several months. 

NBA Most Improved Player Odds 2023-24

You can find NBA Most Improved Player odds on virtually every major sportsbook in the States. However, our table below makes life easy for you, giving you the best NBA Most Improved Player odds for each player. Take a look at our analysis below, too, and see if you’d like to tail.

NBA Most Improved Player Odds: MIP Ladder

The 2023-24 NBA regular season is up and running, meaning our NBA Most Improved Player Odds Ladder will be updated weekly. Currently, the player with the best NBA Most Improved Player odds is Tyrese Maxey, who has benefitted from James Harden being moved from the Sixers to the Clippers!

*Last Updated: November 27, 2023

1. Tyrese Maxey

• 2023-24 Statistics: 26.4 ppg, 6.8 apg, 4.9 rpg
• Last Ranking: 1
• NBA Most Improved Player Odds:

With James Harden out of the mix, Tyrese Maxey meets all the criteria for a Most Improved Player candidate: talent, opportunity, and usage. Harden requires the ball in his hands to be at his most effective, meaning Maxey often had to take a back seat offensively. Even so, Maxey averaged over 20 points per game last season. So far this season, Maxey has posted close to 26 points, seven assists, and five rebounds per game with exceptional efficiency (46% from the floor and 40% from deep.) Philadelphia has thrived with Maxey at the helm and he currently has a substantial advantage over every other MIP candidate.

2. Scottie Barnes

• 2023-24 Statistics: 19.0 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 5.6 apg
• Last Ranking: 3
• NBA Most Improved Player Odds:

After Fred VanVleet signed with the Houston Rockets, Scottie Barnes was set to see a bit more usage, but this substantial leap in usage and efficiency was far from expected. Barnes has averaged roughly 19 points, nine rebounds, and six assists through the first handful of games on 47% shooting from the field and 38% from deep. Ideally, Barnes will lead the Raptors to a winning record this season, as team success combined with his excellent on-court performance will be a strong combination for his NBA Most Improved Player chances.

3. Alperen Sengun

• 2023-24 Statistics: 20.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 5.6 apg
• Last Ranking: NR
• NBA Most Improved Player Odds:

Usage concerns for Sengun this season have quickly evaportated; his nickname of “Baby Jokic” seems to be coming more true with each passing day. Sengun has been a huge reason that the Houston Rockets have been a competitive team this season and are in the playoff hunt through the first part of the year. Sengun’s footwork, touch, and overall feel for the game are bordering on an elite level that will make him a force for many years to come. He could rival Maxey for the MIP award with a huge second-half of the season.

4. Cam Thomas

• 2023-24 Statistics: 26.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.1 apg
• Last Ranking: 2
• NBA Most Improved Player Odds:

Cam Thomas had a blazing hot start to the 2023-24 regular season, having registered three consecutive games with 30 or more points at the beginning of the year and then dropping 45 points against the Bucks in a narrow loss. Thomas is amongst the best self-creators in the league, despite his youth, but Brooklyn has been hesitant to put him on the floor consistently due to defensive shortcomings. Unfortunately, Thomas suffered an ankle injury that has set his Most Improved Player chances back a bit. There’s still plenty of time to regain ground, though.

5. Jalen Duren

• 2023-24 Statistics: 12.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 3.2 apg
• Last Ranking: 5
• NBA Most Improved Player Odds:

Jalen Duren has already taken a huge leap from his rookie season to this season, averaging close to 15 points and 12 rebounds through the first part of the season. Duren’s athleticism and strength have already made him one of the more reliable centers in the NBA. Like many of the other candidates for the NBA MIP award, Duren will need to help Detroit put together an improved season and has to stay healthy and active from this point on; his window has become tighter since missing seven games early in the year.

NBA Most Improved Player Odds: Preseason/Early Season Favorites

As alluded to above, our NBA Most Improved Player odds favorite to take home the award in the 2023-24 season is Mikal Bridges. Bridges’ offensive output exponentiated after he was moved to Brooklyn, and he should continue that trend this season, especially considering the sample size we have to compare now. See all of our other preseason favorites below, too!

Mikal Bridges 

Bridges is the most obvious choice to bring home the Most Improved Player award in the 2023-24 season. There are a ton of reasons why this is the case.

First, Bridges is the most durable player in the league, often considered the “Iron Man” of the NBA; he has not missed a single game in his career. Availability is crucial when it comes to these individual awards, and being available more than another player with similar output can absolutely be the deciding factor.

Additionally, few players have taken such a massive leap as Bridges did when he got moved from the Suns to the Nets; he went from averaging 17 points to 26 points on similar efficiency. Between both teams, Bridges posted 20 points per game, but we should easily expect him to average 26 or more this season as the roster has not changed much.

Bridges has solidified himself as the clear-cut No. 1 option for this team, and as long as voters don’t fatigue from having already seen glimpses of his ascension towards the end of the 2022-23 season, he has incredibly favorable NBA Most Improved Player odds.

Shaedon Sharpe 

Sharpe currently has the 11th-best NBA Most Improved Player odds at +2200 (July 2023). There are a few reasons why I like Sharpe in this spot: upside, opportunity, growth, and untapped offensive potential.

Sharpe spent most of his rookie season buried at the end of the bench, with Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons taking the majority of shots and playing most minutes for the Trail Blazers’ backcourt. However, Lillard requested a trade in July and has likely played his last game for Portland, while Simons could also be moved before the beginning of the 2023-24 season. Jusuf Nurkic could also be a part of a Lillard trade if it helps the Blazers get off his contract.

Even if Simons stays, Sharpe should be a starter for the Blazers this season at the three, and could potentially log 25-30 minutes per game. If Portland opts to move both Simons and Lillard, then its backcourt will feature Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe; they will command a high usage and their progression as players will be a priority. This would give Sharpe the offensive upside and opportunity to be a MIP contender.

As far as Sharpe’s untapped offensive potential is concerned, look no further than the last ten games of the 2022-23 regular season; he averaged roughly 24 points on a 46/38/77 shooting split. Additionally, Sharpe pulled down six rebounds and dished out four assists in that span. Shaedon accomplished those numbers in that impressive stretch as just a 19 year old. If Lillard and Simons get moved, this immediately becomes a value play; it may be worth pulling the trigger now in case Portland opts to do just that.

Jalen Williams

In all seriousness, how many players were more impressive than Jalen Williams after the All-Star break? Williams exploded onto the NBA Rookie of the Year scene after a relatively slow start to his first regular season campaign, averaging roughly 19 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals on a 55/43/88 shooting split. Those are not too far off from being All-Star-caliber numbers if maintained over an entire season.

Unfortunately, this late-season push was not enough to upend Paolo Banchero’s firm positioning; however, he sure did make the Rookie of the Year race enjoyable. 

What makes Williams so intriguing as a young player is his versatility; he stands at 6-foot-6, with nearly a 7-foot-3 wingspan, and can play three different positions on the floor. With some added bulk and muscle this off-season, Oklahoma City could even consider deploying Jalen at the four throughout the season, depending on certain matchups and potential lineup advantages. 

Williams’ overall usage and offensive role should increase this season after what he showed during his rookie campaign. This should take a bit of pressure off of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and allow the Thunder to have a more free-flowing offense that is unpredictable to defend.

Ultimately, it is not out of the realm of possibility that Williams makes another considerable leap in year two and averages over 20 points per game on a talented, youthful Thunder squad; they might even be a top-five or six seed in the Western Conference if things go as planned. That jump year over year warrants serious Most Improved Player consideration, and it seems more and more likely as the days pass that this leap could be possible for him. Check out his NBA Most Improved Player odds now before he heats up!

Devin Vassell

The Victor Wembanyama hype has left many people forgetting about the Spurs’ other top player, Devin Vassell. Injuries derailed Vassell’s 2022-23 campaign, but he was putting up huge numbers before they took over, posting roughly 19 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game on a 44/39/78 shooting split.

Sure, many people could argue that Vassell was the best player on a bad team, but his highlights show a different story. Vassell is an exceptionally tough shot-maker, and the attention that defenses were giving him last season was indicative of the respect they had (and still have) for him as a scorer. Imagine a world where the Spurs actually have a serviceable offense with more spacing.

Well, they should have it now that Victor Wembanyama will step into the starting lineup and suck defenses into the paint, freeing Vassell up to get better looks on and off the ball. Wemby’s gravity alone could help Vassell get cleaner catch-and-shoot looks, as well as create improved spacing on the floor, which will allow him to operate more effectively in isolation situations.

From his rookie season, when he averaged just five points per game, to last season (nearly 19 ppg), he has drastically improved in every facet, but especially as a playmaker and as a ball-handler in the pick-and-roll. Additional improvements in these departments and a healthy season could result in Vassell being another long-shot Most Improved Player winner.

+4000 odds is insane value for a player who has already proven he can be a No. 1 option on a team and should have cleaner looks and an expanded role; he just needs to stay healthy.

Tyrese Maxey

What are the chances that we see Tyrese Maxey take another massive step forward in his fourth year in the NBA? Pretty likely, to say the least.

Maxey could be in a position to swallow a substantial amount of James Harden’s usage should he be traded before the beginning of the 2023-24 regular season. Harden and Daryl Morey have had a falling out over the past several months, and there is no indication that their relationship can be repaired.

If Harden is traded, Maxey will instantaneously be promoted to Joel Embiid’s sidekick, which can be a statistically rewarding position to be in. Maxey is fresh off a season where he averaged 20.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game on an uber-efficient 48/43/85 shooting split. Obviously, his rebounding and assist numbers could be drastically improved, but there is evidence that he can do just that.

Between November 18th, 2022, and the end of the regular season, Tyrese Maxey played in eight games without Harden. In those games, Maxey averaged an astounding 28 points, five assists, and four rebounds on 55% shooting from the field and 50% from behind the arc. Further, his usage rate of 28.2% in those eight games, as opposed to 24.1% during the entire 2022-23 regular season, is drastically higher.

Maxey has a terrific shot at winning the NBA Most Improved Player award, assuming that James Harden is traded to a different team. Keep an eye over the next month leading up to the regular season to see if that happens; if it does, pull the trigger on Maxey’s NBA Most Improved Player odds.

Nikola Jovic 

Here is the longshot of all longshots: Nikola Jovic to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award for the 2023-24 season. Jovic has impressed in the limited time that we have seen him, whether in the Summer League (2022 and 2023) or the FIBA World Cup, in which he averaged over 10 points, three rebounds, and three assists per game.

Jovic played an integral role for the Serbian team that finished second in the FIBA World Cup, shooting at an incredible clip of nearly 57% from the field, 42% from deep, and 77% from the charity stripe in roughly 24 minutes per game.

Besides the obvious growth in his game that is visible to even the most casual basketball fan, there is another factor that makes this play gain viability: Miami has lost a lot of its talent and depth from last season. The Heat completed a sign-and-trade for Max Strus and lost Gabe Vincent in free agency.

Now, Jovic will back up Kevin Love at the power forward position to start the season, but it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see him take over Love’s spot at some point during the 2023-24 campaign. Love is 35 years old and not quite the same player he was a handful of years ago. He is fresh off playing in 20 regular season games with Miami, in which he averaged 7.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in 20 minutes per game for Miami on a rough 39/30/86 shooting split.

If Love’s efficiency drops any more, then he would be best utilized in a back up role for the Heat, similar to Kyle Lowry eventually backing up Gabe Vincent last season. Jovic should be one of the more impactful offensive players for Miami as long as he gets minutes, and his averages of 5.5 points and 2.1 rebounds will be easy to eclipse.

NBA Most Improved Player Odds: Players To Avoid

As with every individual award odds page, we will highlight players to avoid betting on due to injury history, situation, opportunity, and more. Take a look at our NBA Most Improved Player Odds: Players To Avoid section below to see our least favorite MIP candidates for the 2023-24 campaign!

Cade Cunningham 

Cade Cunningham (and his betting backers) have a lot working against them as far as Cade’s NBA Most Improved Player odds are concerned. For one, it will be difficult for award voters to truly determine how much better Cunningham is than he was last season, as he only played 12 games before suffering a season-ending injury.

During that span, Cunningham averaged roughly 20 points, six rebounds, and six assists; however, his efficiency was quite poor, even for a player in just his second NBA season.

Additionally, as Cade is eased back into the swing of things, it is unlikely that he will boast the volume that he had at the beginning of the 2022-23 season—the reason is simple: roster improvement. Jaden Ivey has a year under his belt being utilized as a secondary (and, occasionally, primary) scorer for Detroit, while Bojan Bogdanovic is still on the roster.

This roster is substantially better, at least in terms of high-upside, talented youth. In addition to Bogdanovic and Ivey shouldering some of the offensive weight, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Joe Harris, Monte Morris, and Marvin Bagley III will chip in, too.

Even if Cunningham improves on his short-lived 20/6/6 line from his dozen games last season, the voters might opt to go in a different direction simply because the award’s meaning could otherwise get lost in the weeds. Does it make sense for a player who missed virtually the entire past year to win the award over other candidates who will inevitably have more tangible numbers and growth to compare year-over-year? Probably not.

Evan Mobley 

If your interest in betting on Evan Mobley is strictly geared toward throwing a bit down on his NBA DPOY odds, then that makes enough sense; however, betting on Evan Mobley to win the Most Improved Player award is hardly advised.

For one, Mobley’s ceiling as a player is limited as long as Jarrett Allen is involved. Allen often clogs the lane, as he has no game outside of ten feet, and relies on offensive rebounding and defensive rim protection to have an impact. This forces Mobley to work out of the mid-range and on the perimeter more than he is comfortable doing.

Mobley’s tantalizing physical tools have enamored fans and front offices for the first two years of his NBA career, but what is the actual likelihood that he improves substantially enough on the offensive end of the floor to be considered for this award? To put it simply, it is not very likely.

From his rookie season to year two, Mobley improved his points per game by just over one point and his rebounds per game by just shy of one rebound; Mobley’s field goal percentage was the most considerable change, as it increased from 50.8% to 55.4%. The increase in efficiency is a positive, but his three-point shot continued to be non-existent, and the mechanics are not nearly as promising as Mobley “truthers” want you to believe.

As a matter of fact, Mobley shot just 20% outside of the restricted area in the playoffs. Additionally, his field goal percentage on catch-and-shoot threes last season, along with his stable long mid-range shooting percentage, ranked amongst the worst out of all power forwards in the league, per Bball-Index’s Headshot Plot tool.

For Mobley to win this award, Allen would absolutely have to be traded early on in the season, which is not likely, as the Cavs are looking to “run it back,” with a mostly similar roster. Additionally, Mobley would have to drastically improve his shooting and shot creation skills, which is not going to happen this quickly in his young career.

NBA Most Improved Player Odds: Key Factors

A player’s opportunity for an increased role and offensive usage within an organization, as well as their ceiling, progression, and their respective team’s success from one year to the next, are all key factors when it comes to betting on a player’s NBA Most Improved Player odds.

It takes more than just an increase in statistics, as several recent winners have taken their teams from the bottom of the barrel to the top of the conference (think Ja Morant in the 2021–22 season.)

Often, players who win this award have a combination of the aforementioned factors, and it isn’t always cut and dry. Many people in the 2021-22 season believed that Jordan Poole or Desmond Bane was more deserving than Morant, as Ja was clearly destined to be a superstar.

Unexpectedness can also be an element that propels certain players above others, similar to Julius Randle in the 2020-21 season. While that didn’t impact Morant winning the award the following season, he did have the added bonus of taking his team from a fringe playoff team to the No. 2 seed in a tough Western Conference. 

NBA Most Improved Player Odds: Past Winners

Many former NBA MIP award winners have turned into superstars later in their careers. For instance, players like Tracy McGrady, Ja Morant, Kevin Love, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zach Randolph, Gilbert Arenas, Jermaine O’Neal, Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Pascal Siakam, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, and C.J. McCollum are just a few that catapulted from Most Improved Players to All-Stars.

Lauri Markkanen has technically joined that group as he won the 2022-23 NBA Most Improved Player award and also made the All-Star team. He is well-positioned to have many more All-Star seasons on this young Utah Jazz team.

NBA Most Improved Player Odds: Conclusion

The NBA’s Most Improved Player award is a tough one to gauge, as many players who have ended up winning the award were not preseason favorites. Even the brightest basketball minds don’t always correctly choose the player that winds up winning Most Improved Player; there are a ton of factors involved, with a little bit of luck mixed in with them.

Take a look at the Lineups YouTube channel in order to stay up-to-date on other NBA-related information, and check out some of our other NBA futures odds pages, including NBA MVP Odds, NBA Rookie of the Year Odds, NBA Sixth Man of the Year Odds, and NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds.

NBA Most Improved Player Odds FAQ

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