NBA Players: 5 Early predictions for Sixth Man of the Year

#4 Fred VanVleet - Toronto Raptors

Fred VanVleet is likely to be rewarded with a bigger role after impressing during the 2019 NBA Finals

While Kawhi Leonard stole all the headlines during the Toronto Raptors' title-winning run, Fred VanVleet's breakout postseason also played a major factor. Most notably in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, VanVleet finished with 22 points from the bench as he helped steer the Raptors to a first championship.

VanVleet's regular-season performances were also the best of his career, although his tally of 11.0 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game leave him with considerable room to improve during the upcoming 19-20 season.

While some fans have called for VanVleet to start, the 25-year-old will spend at least one more season playing as Kyle Lowry's backup. However, VanVleet could near 30 minutes per contest, and his prominent role from the bench will provide him with the platform to compete for the award.