Top Candidates for the 2015 NBA Most Improved Player so Far

The 2015 NBA Most Improved Player Award won't be easily earned, because it's fiercely pursued by a pack of talented candidates.

It's awe-inspiring to see the development and breakout performances of these competitors. A couple of the league's finest two-way wings are near the top of our MIP rankings, but a trio of rangy shot-blockers and emerging post players are giving them a run for the trophy.

Our ranking of the candidates is based on their statistical improvement—both in traditional and advanced metrics—but it also accounts for tangible skill upgrades that pass the eye test.

We're giving more credit to those who went from "good" to "great" than those who went from "not-so-good" to "good." However, some players made massive leaps from being non-factors to rotational cogs, so we couldn't ignore them.

Who are the most deserving candidates for the coveted hardware?

2013-14: 15.4 MPG, 5.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 44% FG, 25% 3PT, 50% TS, 10.7 PER

2014-15: 28.1 MPG, 11.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 52% FG, 34% 3PT, 56% TS, 14.6 PER

Key Skill Improvements: Back-to-basket scoring, offensive rebounding, deep post defense, three-point shooting

Up until 2015, we had only seen intermittent stretches of production and glimpses of potential from Houston Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas.

With his playing time and touches nearly doubling this season, the Lithuanian has been given a great chance to grow as a key contributor. He has grabbed the opportunity and regularly showcases a multidimensional skill set.

Equipped with an even stronger set of low-post moves and more efficient three-point shooting, the 7-footer filled in admirably during Terrence Jones' absence. And now that the Rockets announced Dwight Howard's knee issues will sideline him for at least four weeks, Houston will lean on D-Mo even more.

The third-year pro is working hard to find better shots on every possession, and his isolation game is much better this year.

In 2013-14, Motiejunas was assisted on 71 percent of his close-range buckets, notching an effective field-goal mark of 55 percent, per 82games.com. This season, he's been assisted on 55 percent of those attempts, and his EFG mark near the rim is 60 percent.

While his rebounding production hasn't soared, his interior defense has noticeably tightened. Motiejunas is holding foes to 52 percent shooting within six feet of the tin, a substantial improvement over last season's 59 percent.

2013-14: 7.8 MPG, 3.9 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.2 APG, 46% FG, 27% 3PT, 13.1 PER

2014-15: 23.3 MPG, 13.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.2 APG, 49% FG, 41% 3PT, 19.9 PER

Key Skill Improvements: Three-point shooting, finishing around the rim, passing, free-throw shooting

Talk about turning things around quickly.

Shabazz Muhammad's rookie stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves were sluggish, underwhelming and discouraging. It seemed like he had all of the qualities of a classic draft bust.

But a trip to the D-League and an offseason conditioning regimen turned him into a useful wing for Minny in 2015. He entered the season with a new motor and a knack for scoring the rock.

Before his oblique injury shelved him on Jan. 10, Muhammad was mowing down Western Conference challengers at will. His powerful post-up attack and refurbished perimeter stroke supplied Flip Saunders with a dangerous inside-out wing.

Eric in Madison of Canis Hoopus lauded Muhammad's breakout efforts:

Muhammad has played better than I ever expected. He's scoring in volume and with pretty good efficiency. He's relentless looking for his offense and has forced his way into more minutes...He's clearly improving as we go, adding some things to the arsenal. Figuring out how to score from the right block as well as the left. Improving his cutting.

Muhammad's game is miles from playoff-ready, because he must continue to hone his handles and adapt on the defensive side of the court. However, it should be uplifting for Wolves fans to witness his sophomore impact and newfound value.

2013-14: 9.6 MPG, 2.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 0.9 BPG, 49% FG, 49% FT, 12.9 PER

2014-15: 21.7 MPG, 6.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.1 BPG, 64% FG, 65% FT, 21.8 PER 

Key Skill Improvements: Free-throw shooting, offensive assertiveness, defensive timing

Although Rudy Gobert is still several notches below his ceiling, the towering 22-year-old French import has obliterated expectations and become a key cog for the Utah Jazz in year two.

Forget about his season averages. Those don't reflect the uptick in playing time he's received recently. In January, Gobert averaged 9.4 points and 9.0 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per contest.

Considering how raw he was as a predraft prospect, Gobert has looked quite competent mixing it up with the NBA's top post players. The rebounding production has always been there, but he's playing more comfortably in Quin Snyder's system, finding quality shots around the rim while collaborating more smoothly with teammates.

The stats back it up: Gobert's true shooting percentage bounced from 51 percent to 66 percent between his rookie and sophomore campaigns, and his assist-to-turnover ratio went from 0.3 to 0.9.

The young center's rim protection has also advanced. Gobert uses his enormous 7'8.5" wingspan to deter and send back shots from all angles, but he's doing so with 1.4 fewer fouls per 36 minutes than 2013-14.

The Jazz are a completely different defensive club when he's on the floor. Per 82games.com, they hold opponents to 105.5 points per 100 possessions when he's in action, and they surrender 113.7 when he's on the bench.

2013-14: 35.2 MPG, 20.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 2.8 BPG, 52% FG, 79% FT, 26.5 PER

2014-15: 36.0 MPG, 24.6 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.8 BPG, 55% FG, 82% FT, 32.0 PER

Key Skill Improvements: Mid-range shooting, isolation scoring, defensive positioning

Anthony Davis has improved markedly on his 2013-14 sophomore campaign. That's saying something, because he dropped 20-plus points and 10 boards per night last year.

It's not easy for most players to up the ante after such a productive season, but Davis is uncommonly gifted. The 21-year-old prodigy's career trajectory is still catapulting upward.

Davis is a more dangerous jump-shooter than ever before, and both his catch-and-shoot (44 percent) and pull-up numbers (45 percent) illustrate that. Not only has he polished his shooting mechanics, he's also shown confidence by shooting in rhythm instead of pausing.

BBallBreakdown's Matthew Way explains, "One of the most impressive parts about Davis’ jump shot is not just its improved accuracy, but his increased willingness and readiness to take the shot. Rather than hesitate and allow defenders to close, Davis is nearly always ready to shoot when called upon."

His interior scoring touch has also improved. On non-dunks close to the basket, his effective field-goal percentage swelled from 57 percent in 2013-14 to 65 percent this season, per 82games.com.

The upgrade parade isn't over; refined defensive discipline and positioning has yielded a better block-to-foul ratio. Davis leads the league in rejections, but he only commits 2.2 fouls per game, which is absurd.

2013-14: 21.9 MPG, 6.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, 41% FG, 33% 3PT, 0.7 3PM

2014-15: 31.7 MPG, 11.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 43% FG, 34% 3PT, 1.4 3PM

Key Skill Improvements: Ball-handling, passing, scoring touch, defending without fouling

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is arguably the most valuable role player in the entire league.

After two seasons of steady development and rock-solid contributions off the Dubs bench, he made a huge step into the starting lineup in year three. He's now an essential component of the Western Conference's top squad, demonstrating improved efficiency in all phases of the game.

He's getting more three-pointers, thanks in part to the Splash Brothers' ascent to superstardom. Green is using his smarts and improved quickness to defend effectively without fouling (3.7 fouls per 36 minutes compared to 5.6 his rookie year). And he's also a more potent driver and passer.

Green doesn't settle for mid-range shots much anymore, evidenced by Grantland's Kirk Goldsberry. He's able to create for a teammate or find a favorable shot near the rim via cutting or slashing. On attempts within 10 feet from the rim, Green's field-goal percentage improved from 48 percent in 2013-14 to 56 percent in 2015.

Sure, playing alongside otherworldly shooters in Steve Kerr's system has helped Green's numbers. But you're making a mistake if you think his MIP candidacy is overrated due to his environment.

Green is clearly a better all-around player this year, and the Warriors wouldn't be perched atop the Western Conference standings without him.

2013-14: 35.4 MPG, 18.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 44% FG, 42% 3PT, 1.8 FTM

2014-15: 32.4 MPG, 22.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.9 APG, 48% FG, 45% 3PT, 3.2 FTM

Key Skill Improvements: Creating off the dribble, three-point accuracy, defending without fouling

Over the summer, the Golden State Warriors had a chance to acquire Kevin Love, but they would have had to part ways with rising shooting guard Klay Thompson.

At the time, it seemed somewhat gutsy to hang on to Thompson and forego the allure of Love. Now it looks like a brilliant non-move, because the Dubs' shooting guard has become a full-blown star while carving up opponents for the West's top outfit.

He's generating more points per minute as a scorer and passer; per 36 minutes, his points jumped from 18.7 to 25.1, and his assists increased from 2.3 to 3.3. A critical catalyst for this production is his fine-tuned ball-handling skills. His timely, assertive drives pair with his heightened three-point accuracy to make him a lethal sidekick to Stephen Curry.

Equally valuable is Thompson's defensive progress. He was already a top-tier wing defender before this season, and he's even more stifling in 2015.

Opponents are hitting just 38 percent of their shots against him, a number stingier than his 41 percent mark last year (which was a great number, by the way). Foes are shooting 5.2 percentage points worse against him than the rest of their defenders.

2011-12*: 6.1 MPG, 1.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 44% FG, 42% FT, 16.2 PER

2014-15: 19.2 MPG, 9.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 65% FG, 55% FT, 29.0 PER

Key Skill Improvements: Offensive patience, touch around the rim, mid-range shooting

Like the helpless Matt Barnes here, we're all along for the ride on this seemingly unstoppable Hassan Whiteside locomotive. A 24-point, 20-rebound outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves is his latest fireworks display during this breakout season.

His journey is well-documented. He went from Sacramento to the D-League, flipped back and forth between Lebanon and China twice and then found his way back to the D-League in the fall of 2014. Since the Miami Heat unearthed him in late November, he's been a low-post nightmare for opponents.

Whiteside sharpened his footwork, timing and feel for the game during his roundabout path back to the NBA, and the Heat are fortunate beneficiaries. 

His per-36 minute numbers are eye-popping: 18.4 points, 15.6 rebounds and 4.6 blocks. The big (see: towering) fella uses his ridiculous 7'7" wingspan and strong, agile frame to alter countless shots and score over opponents.

He told B/R's Ethan Skolnick that his greatest growth as a player has come with his patience on offense, since "the shot-blocking had been there for a long time." He added, "I just learned it from repetition overseas. When you're the main option on a team, you see a lot of double-teams. I just kind of got used to it."

Over the previous four years, he played a total of 19 NBA games. Now it looks as though the Association is not only a permanent home but a place where he'll become a bona fide star.

*Prior to this season, 2011-12 was his most recent NBA season (18 games).

2013-14: 38.7 MPG, 13.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 40% FG, 29% 3PT, 3.9 FTM

2014-15: 39.8 MPG, 20.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 3.2 APG, 46% FG, 33% 3PT, 6.3 FTM

Key Skill Improvements: Jump-shooting, isolation creativity and assertiveness

Jimmy Butler didn't just find the doorway to the All-Star party. He demolished it and put the league on notice.

Thanks to an upgraded offensive skill set, the Chicago Bulls swingman can now bombard opponents on both ends of the floor. His upper-echelon defense is complemented by an array of jumpers, drives and post-ups.

From mid-range and the perimeter, he has significantly improved his shooting off the dribble and on spot-up tries. Butler's effective field-goal percentage on pull-up jumpers spiked from 32 percent in 2013-14 to 40 percent in 2015, while his catch-and-shoot numbers climbed from 46 percent to 52 percent.

Arguably more impressive and valuable is Butler's ball-handling development. He looks much more confident, fluid and assertive while creating and driving, and the result is more high-percentage buckets, trips to the free-throw line and assists.

These refinements have turned Butler into a whole new beast, as Rob Mahoney of Sports Illustrated notes:

Butler is a player transformed. In a blink he’s become a go-to scorer capable of getting his against top wing defenders, whereas the Butler of a year ago seemed to be a wholly complementary sort. The cutting, curling, defending and rebounding are all still there. Butler simply rounded out his game with a refined skill that’s difficult to cultivate quickly: shot creation.

It's rare to see someone make such gains in one season, and Butler's wallet will be the beneficiary. Despite his January decline and the breakout efforts of other contenders, Butler is hanging on to the lead in the Most Improved Player race.

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all stats come from Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com and are current heading into Feb. 4's games.

Dan O'Brien covers the NBA and NBA draft for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @DanielO_BR