Lauri Markkanen, an All-Star forward for the Utah Jazz who has played for three different organizations over the past three seasons, was awarded the NBA’s Most Improved Player on Monday night.

In addition to shooting 49.9% from the field, he also averaged 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.

The George Mikan Trophy was given to Markkanen after he got 430 points overall and 69 first-place votes. He outran guard Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks (four, 91) and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (24, 289), who came in second and third, respectively.

The largest gain in the league was made by Markkanen, who increased his scoring average from 2021–22 by 10.87 points. His career highs in points per game, assists per game, field goal %, and 3-pointers made (200) all came during this period.

After recording 15 such games throughout the course of his first five seasons combined, he posted 16 games with 30 or more points.

On June 22, 2017, the Chicago Bulls acquired the 25-year-old Markkanen in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. On August 28, 2021, a three-team transaction included the 7-foot forward from Chicago, who was acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In the trade that brought Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland, the Cavaliers sent him to Utah on September 3, 2022. He was the first player from Finland to play in the NBA this season and was an All-Star.

The yearly accolade, which was given out for the first time in the 1985–86 season, is given to a player who is on the rise and has significantly improved from the preceding season or seasons. Ja Morant, a guard with the Memphis Grizzlies, was the champion last year.

Kawhi Leonard is still sidelined for Game 5 against the Suns for the Clippers.

Kawhi Leonard, a forward for the Clippers, will not participate in Tuesday’s Game 5 of Los Angeles’ first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Phoenix Suns because of a knee injury.

In the Clippers’ best-of-seven series, which they are now down 3 to 1, Leonard has already missed the last two games. Paul George, a fellow great forward for Los Angeles who has been sidelined since March 21 due to a knee injury, will also be absent.

The incident reminds us of the injury Leonard sustained in the 2021 playoffs, which necessitated him missing the Clippers’ final eight games. Leonard had to undergo ACL surgery, which prevented him from playing in the whole 2021–22 season, and Los Angeles ultimately lost to the Suns.

Leonard and George will presumably be replaced by Marcus Morris, Eric Gordon, and Norman Powell in larger roles this time around.

Leonard had a regular season scoring average of 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 52 games (50 starts).