NBA Awards Predictions: Predicting 2018-19 NBA Awards

Most Improved Player of the Year

Prediction: Markelle Fultz - Guard, Philadelphia 76ers

Will he be able to shoot?

2017-18 stats: 7.1 PPG, 3.8 APG, 3.1 RPG

Why will he win?

Markelle Fultz had the weirdest rookie year. He was the number one overall pick and was the consensus best player of his class leading up to the draft. Quickly the criticism came when Fultz did not play games and his shot wasn't falling. His shooting form looked completely different in the NBA than in college, and it was painful to watch.

Rumours started circulating about whether Fultz had an injury or maybe he was just not a good NBA player. This summer, he's been working with one of the best shooting coaches in the league. The progress of Fultz has been publicized as he aims to regain the form he was expected to have coming into the NBA. His numbers were awful considering he was a number one pick, which is why it should be easier to improve upon it. If he is working very hard on his shot this summer, he should have no trouble silencing the critics and justifying the 76ers' selection.

Why he won't win?

Fultz still hasn't proven himself in the NBA and there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding his play. If everything goes well this summer and he adjusts then he could be an All-Star. However, there is a chance this dream may not happen. He is also the third option on his team, which means he won't get the ball as much as he needs to put up the eye-dropping stats to get the award.

Other candidates

Malik Monk - Guard, Charlotte Hornets

Monk will need to score to push the Hornets into the playoffs

Why he will win

Another player who had a dreadful rookie campaign who will look to make the jump in his second season. Monk will forever be known as the shooting guard selected ahead of future star Donovan Mitchell. Some have already labelled him a bust, but it's too early. In the last 6 games of the season, he found his groove and averaged around 20 points and close to 4 assists a game. If he can sustain that 6 game stretch for an 82 game season, then he should be a quality second option for a team contending for the playoffs next year. Newly hired coach, James Borrego, has publicly said he plans on using Monk more in his coaching plans.

Why he won't win

Again we can't overlook his season struggles for the other 76 games of the season. Monk may have ended on fire, but there have been many players who have had stretches of good games but could never sustain that level of success. Monk will have a lot to prove and overcome this coming season, and hopefully, the pressure won't get to him.

D'Angelo Russell - Guard, Brooklyn Nets

Can Russell stay healthy?

Why he will win

Russell has become one of those young players that everyone is waiting to break out and put big numbers because of the flashes of talent he has shown. Russell is the face of the Nets' organization right now, and he was injured early last season that caused his numbers to drop after being superb early in the year. He is talented and if he can stay healthy, then he could be an All-Star level talent in the Eastern Conference with big numbers.

Why he won't win

He needs to stay healthy. Russell hasn't been able to sustain his stretches of good games for an entire season. So if the pattern repeats again this year then all the hype and expectations that have been set for him since he was drafted will disappear and he may no longer be a focal point for his team. He's still young so he could need a few more seasons to be established. All these factors, mainly the health, will be the reasons why Russell potentially can't win the 2018-19 Most Improved Player of the Year Award.