[McMenamin] JJ Reddick says that the MIP award has lost it’s spirit: “‘Just call it the high draft pick that’s on a max contract and now is an all star’. Just call it that. Whoever’s that guy because that’s what it has become”

40 comments

  2. If a guy like Dyson Daniels can’t win MIP over Cade Cunningham then the award is broken

  5. JJ’s got a point. The MIP award was originally about players who genuinely outworked expectations think Jordan Clarkson, Pascal Siakam, or even someone like Jeremy Lin (if he’d had a full season). But lately, it’s become a formality for lottery picks who finally live up to their draft status after a couple of years.

  12. I wonder how good of a record Redick is going to have to have for his name to be spelled right on here.

  13. Norm, Dyson, Reaves, Braun, Herro, arguably even Mobley deserve it more than Cade. Cade deserves All-NBA no doubt but he was great last year too. However, with Detroit on course (have they already done it?) to have the biggest win differential between two back-to-back seasons it does make a little bit of sense despite it not being the same roster.

  15. I agree 10000% here. You shouldn’t be eligible for MIP as a first round draft pick on a rookie contract. Certainly not as a lottery pick.

    It should be for guys who come out of nowhere or unexpectedly take leaps after looking like they had peaked. Lauri in year 6 was a good winner. Randle year 7.

    Cade winning this year is a joke. He’s merely exhibiting naturally expected progression out of a #1 overall pick.

    Dyson Daniels is a less impactful example of the same problem too. Year 3 #8 pick.

    Tyler Herro is a strong candidate for a real winner this year IMO. Year 6 and looked like he had totally plateaued for the last 3 years, but found another gear this season and has kept the Heat afloat.

  16. One way you can fix the award is by making players ineligible for it in their first *N* years in the leaguge, say 4-5. That way you can differentiate between natural career progression and an actual unexpected bounce. Not perfect of course, but still much better than a “young all star” award which it has now become.

  17. Even a lot of us Pistons fans think it’s pretty lame for Cade to win it. But don’t get me wrong, I’ll still be happy if he does lol

  18. Award has been whack ever since Jordan Poole was snubbed of it in 2022. Definitely deserved it back then.

  21. I get the award’s been all over the place from early on, but I really do think lottery drafted players shouldn’t be eligible for at least 5 seasons.

  22. Zuhac, Norman Powell, Dyson Daniel’s all made leaps.

    If these guys don’t get votes, I’m not even asking for a W they just need votes. Then this award is a sham

  23. JJ is restoring the feeling of head coaches actually saying something to the media

  24. When Ryan Anderson won it in 2012, I remember people pointing out the only differences in his stats were MPG and FGA. He played more minutes and his stats extrapolated accordingly. There was no difference in his game whatsoever. People like Jeff Teague, Nikola Pekovic, and Goran Dragić all had major leaps in their game that season.

    Even Monta Ellis winning in 07 over Kevin Martin still rubs me the wrong way.

    Siakam is honestly the last guy who actually deserved the title of “Most improved”. Everyone else since has fit JJ’s description

  25. We can acknowledge Cade and still not give him this award. That man has come a long way but a lot of that is also down to the media not paying attention to Detroit until recently. He’s been on this trajectory for a while now.

  26. Cade winning MIP would essentially be a Most Improved Team award. Should definitely go to someone else.

  28. Serious question who is that in the cap standing next to him snickering at all his answers 🤣

  29. I would obviously be glad if Cade won it, but I think it should be JB winning COTY if anything. It wasn’t just cade that improved: it was the entire team and organization, and JB is one of the biggest reasons why.

  30. Typically, I would agree, but based on this sub’s deranged assessment of Cade before this season, he definitely deserves it. Y’all were literally calling him a bust.

    So if a guy goes from being a “bust” to All-NBA, then yeah, he’s MIP.

  38. At this point the MIP is like “second teir MVP.” It’s guys who aren’t at the MVP level but are still a major star on their team.

  39. Add a “breakout player of the year” or something, I don’t know.

    I also hate how MIP might also be “largest increase in usage/touches because the roster is now different” player of the year lol

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