League MVP: KAT
- Has to be KAT here. He’s been surrounded by waiver guys and cast offs, yet has turned this franchise around in one season. Elite numbers to go with it.
DPOY: Kristaps Porzingis
- You can argue that I’m biased here, and maybe you’re right. I can’t dig through all the box scores and truly evaluate a players defensive worth. What I can evaluate is the elite rim protection that KP provides. League leader in blocks (3.9) while adding a steal per game to boot.
ROY: Walker Kessler
- Only 15 games under his belt as he spent the first half of the season in the D-League, but he is the real deal. Huge numbers in production and even managed to lead this team to their first win upon his arrival. Splits look rough as a number one option on a team with few other choices, but his turnovers are more than manageable at this point in his career
6th MOY: Chris Gradnigo
- Another perhaps biased choice, but yet another tough award to evaluate without a ton of direct information. Point blank, the Rockets are 27-2 since Grads has arrived. That’s 2013 Nick Foles numbers (27 TD/2 INT)! He does a little bit of everything at the backup 3/4 spots and is extremely efficient inside the 3 Pt Line. Huge addition!
Most Improved: Payton Pritchard
- This one is tough, which is why I added it to the question late. I was originally leaning Trae Young, and also could have easily went Harding or Herro, but PP had been unleashed. PP is benefitting just like Harding and Trae from actually being given the keys to the franchise. His numbers are crazy good and seems like he learned quite a bit from his former teammate, Marko Guduric. Can’t go wrong with many answers for this one.