Most Improved Player: Jake Layman
Well, this one was obvious. Jake Layman has burst onto the Trail Blazers scene after starting for an injured Harkless at the outset of the season. He provided a welcomed boost with his scoring and defensive effort. Since, fans and media members alike are calling for him to receive more and more playing time.
It’s been a year of firsts for Layman. He has appeared in more than 35 games during a season for the first time in his career. He’s reached career-highs in points (24), assists (4), and rebounds (11).
Moreover, it’s the first time he is creating an identity for himself on the floor. He came out in preseason aggressively looking for his shot and moving to his spots with confidence. As the season’s worn on, he’s become a major source of the Blazers’ energy on both sides of the floor. And because of his rim-rattling, sky-walking alley-oop jams off backdoor cuts, it’s the first time Rip City fans have tweeted #FearTheTurtle with such excitement.
Who says a turtle doesn't have hops?! No one tell Jake Layman pic.twitter.com/hm3z9YYcF8
— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) January 15, 2019
No doubt, Layman needs to show he can be a consistent contributor to play important minutes down the line. But as he continues to gain more experience, it’s seeming more like Layman can do that.
Runner-up: Meyers Leonard
Oh, the roller coaster ride that is Meyers Leonard‘s career.
He has put up better raw numbers in the past, but coming off an abysmal year last season, his reemergence into a productive player makes him deserving to be the runner-up for this award.
Leonard is putting up more points (5.8), rebounds (4.1), and assists (1.2) than he has in three years while shooting a career-best percentage from deep at .446. This year, he also owns the best box plus-minus (+1.7) and value over replacement player (0.6) numbers of his career.
There will always be issues with Leonard: his hesitation to shoot threes unless they’re wide open; his lack of defensive impact despite being over seven feet tall; the $22.1 million left on his contract.
But this year, he has become a solid rotational player who the club can depend on to hit his open looks, rebound occasionally, and throw down an angry jam to get the Moda Center riled up.