NBA Swing: Five Awards That Should Be Handed Out

As the 2025-26 NBA season enters its final weeks, the award races are beginning to crystallize, with several honors likely already decided. Aside from the standard hardware, several unofficial awards should be handed out to the most deserving players and teams for their unique efforts this season.

The Underrated Star Award: Kawhi Leonard

No star in the NBA has been more polarizing over the last handful of seasons than Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard. Since joining the Clippers in 2019, Leonard has played 57, 52, 52, 68, 37, and now 51 games and counting. With the Clippers having played 65 games at the time of this writing, Leonard has only missed 14 games and is on pace to exceed the 65-game threshold for only the second time since the 2016-17 season.

In his 51+ games so far this season, Leonard has arguably been one of the most efficient players in the league. He is averaging a career-high 28.3 PPG (8th in the NBA), 6.4 RPG, 3.8 APG, and 2.0 SPG on elite shooting splits of 50% from the field, 38% from three, and 90% from the free-throw line. By staying healthy enough to meet the games-played requirement, Leonard remains eligible for major awards and All-NBA honors. Despite years of injury frustration and the Aspiration scandal looming in the background, Leonard has proven he is still a legitimate number-one option and one of the best players in the world when available.

The Future is Bright Award: Charlotte Hornets

The premier feel-good story of the 2025-26 season has undoubtedly been the Charlotte Hornets. After a sluggish start that saw them enter 2026 at 11-22 and tied for 12th in the Eastern Conference, Charlotte orchestrated a turnaround few predicted. Since the calendar turned to 2026, the Hornets have gone 23-11 and currently sit 10th in the East at 34-33. Their ensemble of young stars is proving why Charlotte has one of the brightest outlooks in the league.

Brandon Miller has continued his rapid ascent in year three, leading the team with 20.7 PPG. While LaMelo Ball has taken a slight statistical back seat in year five, it has clearly been for the betterment of the team’s chemistry. However, the biggest revelation has been the fourth pick of the 2025 draft, Kon Knueppel. Knueppel has emerged as a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, averaging 19.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 3.4 APG. With this core under contract through next season, the expectation is that this momentum will carry into a long-term Brandon Miller extension beyond 2027.

Most Improved Team Award: Los Angeles Clippers

When the 2025-26 season tipped off, no team appeared more disappointing than the Los Angeles Clippers. Following a dismal 6-21 start that left them buried at 13th in the Western Conference, L.A. authored one of the most impressive mid-season recoveries in league history, going 27-11 since that low point. As of now, the Clippers have climbed to 8th in the Conference and are nearly 100% locked in for a play-in spot.

While Kawhi Leonard led the scoring, the roster underwent a massive transformation. James Harden played a significant role before his trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Ivica Zubac was a steadying force prior to being dealt to the Indiana Pacers. Despite many expecting a collapse following the Harden trade in early February, L.A. has remained resilient, going 10-6 since the move. New addition Bennedict Mathurin has been a revelation, averaging 19.4 PPG and a staggering 16.1 RPG in his 13 appearances. In comparison, Darius Garland has provided steady playmaking with 17.8 PPG and 5.8 APG over five games. Given their atrocious start, this bounce-back is a definitive organizational win.

Best New Fit Award: Dillon Brooks with the Phoenix Suns

Since his departure from Memphis in 2023, Dillon Brooks has reinvented himself as a high-impact winner for both the Houston Rockets and now the Phoenix Suns. Many analysts questioned the fit in Phoenix following his trade last summer, but Brooks has been the x-factor in the Suns’ surprising success. In 50 games this season, Brooks is averaging a career-high 20.9 PPG and 3.7 RPG.

Brooks has served as a perfect defensive and scoring complement to Devin Booker while shifting the team’s overall culture. He has earned significant praise from peers and media alike, with legends like Kevin Durant and Charles Barkley publicly acknowledging his impact. Though a broken hand suffered in late February will sideline him for 4–6 weeks, Brooks is expected to return just in time for the postseason. His first year in Phoenix has proven that he is one of the most effective “missing piece” additions in the league.

Comeback Player of the Year: Jayson Tatum & Dejounte Murray

In a season marred by multiple high-profile Achilles injuries, the recovery of Jayson Tatum has been nothing short of miraculous. After suffering the injury in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in May 2025, the Celtics superstar shocked the league by returning to the court in just under 10 months. Through his first three games back, Tatum is averaging 19.7 PPG and 6.7 RPG. While he is still regaining his full conditioning, he has already shown flashes of the All-NBA talent he was prior to the injury.

Sharing this honor is Dejounte Murray, who has navigated a similarly grueling recovery after tearing his Achilles in January 2025. Murray returned to the floor this February and has looked remarkably like his former self. Before the injury, he was averaging 17.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 7.4 APG. In the seven games since his return, he has maintained those standards with 17.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 5.4 APG. Murray’s explosiveness appears intact, marking a successful recovery from one of the most difficult injuries in sports.