Two Suns Picked to Win Awards in SI Season Preview
The 2022-23 NBA regular season is here, and the Phoenix Suns are again expected to have a strong roster to contend in the Western Conference come playoff time.
The Suns have fared well in the regular season in recent memory, winning a league-best 64 games last year.
Despite Jae Crowder's pending departure, the Suns look to return majority of their core which has sprouted success in the Valley.
Monty Williams, the reigning winner of the league's Coach of the Year award, was the only member of the team to bring home hardware last year.
Devin Booker finished fourth in MVP voting, while Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson weren't far behind in the running for Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year, respectively.
This season provides a new opportunity for players around the league to prove themselves once again, and in Sports Illustrated's NBA award predictions, two Suns are able to do that.
Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges Picked to Win NBA Awards in SI Season Preview
Cam Johnson, Most Improved Player
Howard Beck: "Fun fact: Before the NBA created this category (for the 1985-86 season), the league instead named a 'Comeback Player of the Year.' Not-so-fun fact: The league abolished that award after just six years, in part because it was often won by a player “coming back” from drug or alcohol issues. Fun addendum: Though the league offers no guidance for most awards, it does specify that 'most improved' is intended for an “up-and-coming” player—and specifically not for a player making a comeback.
"So about that: We could really use the Comeback Player category again, especially this season, as we welcome back Kawhi Leonard, Zion Williamson, Ben Simmons, John Wall, Jamal Murray, James Wiseman and Jonathan Isaac—all of whom missed the entirety of last season. Add Damian Lillard (who missed the final four months), Anthony Davis (who played just 40 games) and Michael Porter Jr. (who played only nine games), and you have a seriously robust and star-studded pool of candidates.
"But for now, we’re stuck with 'most improved,' which might be the silliest of all the awards to predict in October, since it’s literally predicated on what a player hasn’t done until now. At least when we’re guessing MVP or DPOY, there’s a track record to go on. Ah, well. If we’re guessing blindly, let's guess Cam Johnson, whose development has been so impressive that the Suns elevated him to starter at the expense of alienating Jae Crowder. Johnson will get more chances to shine as a rising two-way star, for a team that has a shot at contending, and that’s a solid formula to win MIP.
Other players who were picked: Tyrese Haliburton (2x), Precious Achiuwa (2x), Tyrese Maxey (3x), Scottie Barnes, Anthony Edwards
Mikal Bridges, Defensive Player of the Year
Kyle Wood: "Bridges was a defensive ace for Phoenix last season and he earned a second-place finish in DPOY voting for his play. If the Suns end up trading Jae Crowder, even more responsibility will fall to Bridges, who's tasked with defending opposing teams' top wing scorers each game. As the sport shifts further outside, it only makes sense to reward the best perimeter defenders. And it should matter, especially in today's game, that Bridges—literally and metaphorically—has never taken a night off."
Other players who were picked: Rudy Gobert (5x), Bam Adebayo (2x), Ben Simmons, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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