Jimmy Butler had a four-year, $44 million extension offer on the table last October, but he passed on it and gambled on himself. Boy, did that gamble pay off. The 6-foot-7 swingman hit jackpot by elevating his play to All-Star status in his contract year and is now bound to sign a maximum deal.

A two-way player like there's few in the NBA, Butler saw his scoring average surge from 13.1 ppg to 20 ppg, becoming the team's top offensive weapon while remaining a defensive stalwart for Tom Thibodeau's squad.

Draymond Green's and Hassan Whiteside's growth as NBA players was noteworthy too, but Butler was still the runaway No. 1 pick for Most Improved Player by HoopsHype readers.