Kendrick Perkins warns Tyrese Maxey of Jalen Brunson coming for Most Improved Player award: "On his a** like back pockets"

Philadelphia 76ers first-time All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey has been the NBA’s 2023-24 Most Improved Player award favorite for most of the season. However, according to ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins, Maxey is not a lock to secure the trophy, as another first-time All-Star is right on his tail.

On Monday, Perkins took to X/Twitter to chime in on this year’s MIP race. The former NBA champion noted that Maxey remains the favorite. However, he added that New York Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson is a close second.

“Maxey has the slight edge right now for winning Most Improved, but he better finish strong because Jalen Brunson is on his a** like back pockets!!! Carry the hell on,” Perkins tweeted.

Maxey and Brunson are both in the middle of career-best seasons. However, while Maxey is the MIP betting favorite at -200 odds on FanDuel, Brunson isn’t listed among the top contenders for the award.

Additionally, he’s not even the top-ranked Jalen, with the OKC Thunder’s Jalen Williams and the Atlanta Hawks’ Jalen Johnson both having better odds.

Brunson’s exclusion from the MIP betting odds likely has to do with him having put up similar star-caliber stats last season. Meanwhile, several other players have experienced notable statistical jumps since last year.

As for Maxey’s biggest MIP competitor, that is widely considered to be Chicago Bulls rising star guard Coby White, who has FanDuel’s second-best odds (+380).

White has increased his scoring average (19.5 points per game) by nearly 10 points since last season (9.7 ppg). However, he has done so on a losing Bulls team (27-30, ninth in the Eastern Conference).

Meanwhile, Maxey’s increased production has come while contributing to a competitive Sixers squad (33-24, fifth in the East). Hence, his improvement, combined with his winning impact, has led many to predict him to win MIP.

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Comparing Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brunson’s production this season

As for Tyrese Maxey’s stats, he is averaging 25.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.0 3-pointers per game on 44.8% shooting through 52 games.

In contrast, he averaged 20.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.5 apg, 0.8 spg and 2.7 3pg on 48.1% shooting over 60 games last season. So, he has experienced a notable increase in scoring and assists in his first year as the Sixers’ primary guard.

Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson is averaging 27.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.7 apg, 1.0 spg and 2.7 3pg on 47.8% shooting through 55 games.

That is in line with his production last year when he averaged 24.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 6.2 apg, 0.9 spg and 2.0 3pg on 49.1% shooting over 68 games.

Thus, despite his strong season, contrary to Kendrick Perkins’ opinion, Brunson likely won’t factor into the 2024 MIP race.

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