Luol Deng’s push for 2010 Most Improved Player
It’s too easy to start rolling out predictions and watch lists two weeks into the season. Unlike football, where two weeks means you’ve only played two games, two weeks of the NBA translates to almost 10 games, a good enough sample for most to gauge how a guy is going to play for the next 7-8 months. That’s why Steve Nash, Carmelo and Kobe are already running an MVP race, Brandon Jennings is running away with R.O.Y., and Ron Artest and LeBron are vying for Defensive Player of the Year.
So if he isn’t already on the ballot, here’s my early vote for Luol Deng as the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
During Chicago’s 4-2 start, which includes wins over Cleveland and San Antonio, Deng has been the team’s best all-around player. Averaging 16.7 points and 10.0 rebounds, he’s been more consistent than Derrick Rose, more efficient than John Salmons, drawn tougher defensive assignments than Joakim Noah, and he’s been healthier and more explosive than Tyrus Thomas.
In the Spurs game, Deng held Richard Jefferson to nine points (3-9 FG); against the Cavs he gave up 25 to LeBron, but Deng’s defense on the game’s decisive play forced LBJ into a turnover. There was also the Milwaukee game, where Deng posted 24 points and 20 rebounds at small forward, and the Miami game, where he dropped 26 points.
His fast start this season has been a stark contrast from last season, when Deng was arguably the most disappointing player in the League.
When the Bulls signed Deng to a six-year, $71 million deal in the summer of 2008, it was with the idea that he’d be a cornerstone for the franchise alongside Rose and the big-man tandem of Noah and Thomas. But while those three helped turn Chicago’s fortunes around and get them to the playoffs, Deng was mostly injured and largely ineffective when he did play. The low point was a national TV game against the Lakers in November, when the NBA TV studio crew made him a running punchline. From the next day’s Smack:
Gary Payton and Ahmad Rashad were KILLING Luol Deng all night in the NBA TV studio. Ahmad kept saying stuff to the effect of, “He’s there, but we don’t see him,” and GP wrote Deng off altogether, saying he “won’t show up all year.” GP got on Deng for not diversifying his game since he entered the League, and guessed that he’s in a funk since Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon are taking all the shine …
Thing is, before a leg injury ended his season in March, Deng’s numbers actually weren’t far off from what he’s done his whole career; putting up 14 points and six boards per game while shooting 44% from the field. So maybe it was more a case of the expectations being too high immediately following the contract, and constant comparisons to Gordon, who a lot of Chicago fans and analysts felt should have been the one the Bulls took care of in free agency.
Over this offseason, Deng added a few pounds of muscle and basically lived at Chicago’s practice facility. He said he was determined to show last season was a fluke, and that he deserved the money he got. Today, Deng’s impact on both ends of the floor — his slashing game on offense complemented by his favorite baseline jumper, his rebounding and defense — is what the Bulls signed up for in the first place.
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November 10th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
TL says:
Can’t really be most improved if he was already expected to be this good and then didn’t live up to the $$$. Most improved has to come out of no where without expectations…
November 10th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Irishballer says:
two words: Trevor Ariza
November 10th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
brunson says:
I don’t understand why everyone goes ape shit whenever Lebron gets a block from behind. They’re nice but, hell Josh Smith has been doin it his whole career and gets no love. And you say Lebron is gonna fight for defensive player of the year?? Get outta here…
November 10th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Kermit The Washington says:
Didn’t y’all just say a few days ago that Deng’s 2007 playoff outing “looks like it was just a fluke”? I could’ve sworn y’all just said that…
November 10th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Austin Burton says:
@Kermit — I didn’t say that. I can’t speak for anyone else here.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Frodo T. Baggins says:
I like how Deng said he would let his game do the talking…and it has
November 10th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
kevin says:
@brunson I hear u man. Lebron is so over rated defensively! How does he even get close to defensive player of the year? Because he blocks shots? Wade averaged more steals and blocks than prince james last year n he got no love! Artest or dwight 4 dpoy
November 10th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Maynard says:
The guy had a stress fracture in his shin, after previous ankle, hamstring and wrist injuries, and people acted like he forgot how to play.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Rizwan says:
I’m thinking Jason Richardson deserves a mention if he continues his great run. Steve Nash has been crazy good, even as a Suns fan I didnt expect them to be 7-1 after checking that schedule when it came out. Last year, they may have lost that 76ers game last night.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Celts Fan says:
@kevin – I thought Wade was 2nd Team All Defense last year, wasn’t he? That’s pretty legit…
Can we make a rule where you’re not eligible for Comeback Player of the Year if you make over $10M unless there’s Grant Hill-level injuries and time missed? Just cuz Deng’s finally living up to the contract doesn’t mean he should be CPOY. Nice to see him fully healthy again but come on w/ that shit. You know who fits who missed basically 2 straight years? Gil. He’s the CPOY if he stays healthy.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
flavur says:
Lebron James should not be in the running for DPOY just because he makes highlight blocks doesn’t mean he is a great defensive player I mean he doesn’t guard the best player on the other team unless it’s Kobe or D-Wade or Carmelo
November 10th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
wiz says:
Chris douglas-roberts has to get some consideration, we already knew deng could hoop, we just aint seen him in awhile.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Kermit The Washington says:
I gotcha Austin. On some “the views reflected in this blog are not necessarily a reflection of the views of the DimeMag staff or any of its subsidiaries”. LOL my bad
November 10th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Austin Burton says:
Exactly. I get a lot of “Well, didn’t you guys say this?” when it’s something Gerald, Aron or myself wrote individually. Like I told somebody earlier, we don’t all think with the same brain.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Yeah i dont think he should be eligible since he was already playing like that PRE-injury.. Hes just back to being the major force he was.. I remember when Chicago didnt want to let him go in a deal for kobe..
THANK GOD FOR SMALL FAVORS lol
And Lebron will win some award this year.. Only because the NBA is going to fight tooth and nail to keep him relevant.. cuz he damn sure wont be around come June..
But back to MIP i think his teammate Noah might take it if he can continue to drop solid #’s like he did the other night.. who wouldve thought Noah would be good?? Ariza?? it aint hard to score 20 when u JACKIN.. and i mean hes JACKIN lol
November 10th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Ariza shot SIX 3’s in the FIRST QUARTER of that Warriors game lol
And it mightve been more by the time the quarter was over..
November 10th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Rizwan says:
@ Austin
Maybe you should do the thinking for Gerald, some of his articles have been awful. Grammar mistakes, and I think there were some factual errors as well.
November 10th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
Yeah agree with people saying he was already this player so it’s not really an improvment. Why you think homie getting paid like a welfair line Russ Simmons.
November 10th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
LakeShow84 says:
@ Rizwan
Nah Gerald is coo.. he aint too biased which is all you want from good journalism nowadays..
Katz on the other hand.. Where he been?? last time i heard from him he was trying to actually say he liked Kobes and the Lakers..
@ ARON
Aye hows the Celtics record in November looking??
November 10th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
ScoGo says:
The Assassin did a nice job on Carmello tonight and gave the Bullies some rare first quarter high-percentage shooting with that ice cold jumper and a little hustle lay in. It would be bigger news if not for the Tim Donaghy Show. After the game was over and the Bulls scored more points than the Nuggets, the refs plucked two points from the home team and gifted the visitors a complimentary “W.” There must have been something in the 11th hour Referee contract that allows the zebras to call the close ones any way they want to cover their bets.