The NBA announced that Lauri Markkanen has won the 2023 Most Improved Player Award.
The 2022-23 Kia NBA Most Improved Player is... Lauri Markkanen!#KiaMIP#NBAAwards@Kia pic.twitter.com/d41McU0Ras
— NBA (@NBA) April 24, 2023
Markkanen joined the Utah Jazz as part of the blockbuster trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Markkanen was intriguing but had mostly been viewed as a distressed asset that, if the Jazz were lucky, might turn into something more.
Well, he blew expectations out of the water.