Chicago Bulls

Could Nikola Mirotic win Most Improved Player award this season?

Published Aug. 25, 2015 11:10 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Jimmy Butler won the NBA's Most Improved Player award after seeing his scoring average jump almost seven points per game last season. 

Sam Smith of Bulls.com wonders if Nikola Mirotic might be in line for a similar honor this season.

"Nikola Mirotic finished a surprising runnerup in the Rookie of the Year voting last season.

"Could he be ready to make a run at succeeding Jimmy Butler as the Most Improved Player?

"Mirotic, who with Bulls teammate Pau Gasol is playing for the Spanish National team in the Eurobasket tournament to try to qualify for the 2016 Olympics, told Jorge Sierra of the Hoopshype website in Spain that he expects an increased role with the Bulls this season. Given new coach Fred Hoiberg’s desire to create a more open, shooting oriented game, one possibility speculated upon is that Gasol and Mirotic will start together."

It really comes down to just how much of an increased role Mirotic sees. He was largely stellar off the bench for the Bulls all season long, but only started three times and averaged just 20.2 minutes per contest.

(h/t: Bulls.com)

share

Get more from Chicago Bulls Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Chicago Bulls

National Basketball Association