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NBA Most Improved Player Odds 2024

Last Updated: Nov 7, 2023

The NBA’s Most Improved Player race is always one of the most entertaining to follow throughout the season. This award is generally given to the player who takes that “next step" with his game and becomes an All-Star or better.

Last season, Lauri Markkanen took home the honors after averaging 25.6 points per game in his first year with the Utah Jazz. He scored just 14.8 points per game the season prior, and no other players matched such a significant jump.

Who will follow in Markkanen’s footsteps in 2023-24? See the latest NBA Most Improved Player odds and top picks below.

All NBA lines are current as of Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 3 p.m. ET and courtesy of bet365 Sportsbook.

NBA Most Improved Player Odds 2023-24

Track line movement for NBA Most Improved Player with our odds widget below:

Select NBA Most Improved Player from this odds interface by changing the Winner dropdown to Awards - Regular Season - Most Improved Player.

  • Tyrese Maxey (+230)
  • Cam Thomas (+550)
  • Scottie Barnes (+750)
  • Cade Cunningham (+1600)
  • Anfernee Simons (+2500)
  • Tyler Herro (+2500)
  • Alperen Sengun (+3000)
  • Jalen Duren (+3000)
  • Mikal Bridges (+3000)
  • Shaedon Sharpe (+3000)

All other NBA Most Improved Player candidates have (+3300) odds or longer.

Who Will Win NBA MIP?

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers (+230)

bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit

The James Harden trade opened the door for Tyrese Maxey to take on a more expansive role in Philadelphia, and so far, he’s making the most of it.

Through six games, Maxey is averaging career-high marks in points (25.5), rebounds (4.5), and assists (7.3) while connecting on 50% of his field goal attempts and 44.2% from beyond the arc.

Maxey was already a 20-per-game scorer in 2022-23, but his high assist totals are a new development in his game and a sign that he’s making an All-Star leap. The fact that he’s maintaining his high shooting efficiency on a larger volume of attempts is impressive, too.

As long as Maxey stays healthy and consistent, he’ll be a shoo-in for his first All-Star selection and potentially the NBA Most Improved Player award, making this my NBA bet of the day at (+230).

NBA Most Improved Player Favorites

Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets (+550)

bet365 Sportsbook

Cam Thomas has always been a bucket — it’s just been a matter of opportunity. His minutes have nearly doubled compared to last season through his first seven games, and he’s been just as aggressive with his shot as ever.

After averaging 10.6 points per game in 2022-23, Thomas is up to 28.7 in 2023-24 and taking nearly 22 shots each night. His three-point percentage (33.3%) does leave something to be desired, but Thomas is converting 48.3% of his shots overall, including 62.7% within 10 feet of the basket.

Time will tell if he can sustain this effort, but injuries to Cameron Johnson and Nic Claxton are part of why he’s seen the inflated usage. I’d rather wait to see what his role looks like once they return before investing in his NBA MIP campaign at (+550).

Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors (+750)

bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units

After enduring a slump in his sophomore season, Scottie Barnes appears to be on the rise. The 22-year-old is averaging career-high marks in points (22.6), rebounds (9.9), assists (5.9), and blocks (2.1) while knocking down a blistering 42.1% of his three-point attempts.

It’s difficult to say if all of this is sustainable — Barnes remains a career 30.1% shooter from beyond the arc, after all — but the first seven games have been nothing short of phenomenal.

Barnes is arguably the organization’s most valuable asset, so we can expect the coaching staff to continue putting him in a position to succeed. We may still see some regression, but at this rate, Barnes looks like a lock to be a first-time All-Star in 2023-24.

NBA Most Improved Player Contenders

Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (+1600)

bet365 Sportsbook

Cade Cunningham had a strong rookie season with the Pistons in 2021-22, but his 2022-23 campaign was cut short by season-ending shin surgery. Cunningham was averaging roughly 20/6/6 this past season, showcasing his all-around game and versatility.

He’s bounced back nicely in 2023-24, improving as a scorer and playmaker. His 22.9 points per game are a marginal increase from his career mark of 17.8, although he’s also committing 5.5 turnovers each night, which is much higher than the 3.3 he notched through 12 games in 2022-23.

Cunningham is in a favorable situation with Monty Williams taking over as head coach of the Pistons. Still, he must continue refining his game to become a legitimate candidate in this race.

Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers (+2500)

bet365 Sportsbook

I don’t fully understand why Simons comes in at (+2500) in this race. The sixth-year guard already made a dramatic leap a few years ago, and following his October thumb surgery, he could end up missing more time than is allowed to remain in contention for any of the end-of-season awards.

The expectation was that the Trail Blazers would become Simons’ team in the aftermath of the Damian Lillard trade, but a few other players on the roster — including Shaedon Sharpe — are more poised to break out.

I don’t doubt that Simons could be Portland’s leading scorer by year’s end, but he’s already playing from behind in this race, and we aren’t more than a month into the season.

NBA Most Improved Player Sleepers

Tyler Herro, Miami Heat (+2500)

bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.1 Units

Herro’s statistical improvements may not jump off the page — 20.1 points to 25.3 and 4.2 assists to 5.0 — but his emergence as Miami’s go-to scorer should tell you everything you need to know about his Most Improved Player campaign.

Herro led the Heat in field goal attempts last year, but he’s doing so by a much more comfortable margin in 2023-24. It’s also worth noting that he’s connecting on 41% of his career-high 8.7 three-point attempts per game.

This is Herro’s fifth NBA season, but he’s only 23 years old. There’s a lot to like about what he’s accomplishing so far this season, and it’s enough for me to recommend a small bet at (+2500).

Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons (+3000)

bet365 Sportsbook

I identified Jalen Duren as one of my top fantasy basketball sleepers before the season began, and his hot start has helped validate his status as one of the NBA’s rising stars. Through six appearances, the 19-year-old is averaging 14.3 points and 11.5 rebounds in just 29.8 minutes per game.

Duren’s physicality and efficiency would lead you to believe he’s a seasoned veteran, but he’s still made fewer than 40 career starts. Foul trouble remains a concern, but seeing him outplay opposing bigs like Bam Adebayo is a promising sign.

An All-Star leap seems out of reach in Year 2, but I feel there’s still more to Duren’s game that could be displayed as the season progresses. I wouldn’t make this bet yet, but he’s worth watching.

Author

Garrett Chorpenning

Garrett Chorpenning is the Lead NBA Editor for The Game Day. His previous work includes covering the LA Clippers for Sports Illustrated and FanSided. He graduated from Ball State University in 2021.

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