Who has the most to prove on your team?

[Hawk Eye]

This is just another fun thread I created to get us all ready and excited for the upcoming NBA season

So the question is, who has the most to prove from your team for the 2014-2015 NBA season? Please list only 1 player from the roster of your favorite team. You also need to state why they have the most to prove and ect. To get the ball rolling I will start the thread off.

***ATLANTA HAWKS***

Al Horford

I've toggled back and forth between Schroeder, Teague, and Horford for a number of reasons. Ultimately I had to go with Horford.

Al Horford is our star. He's one of the top 10 bigs in the NBA and he's a very good 2 way player. The reason I chose Horford is because of his injury problems. Horford only played 29 games last season but in those games his stats were pretty dang good (18.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.6 APG). The guy has been plagued with these freak injuries for the last 3 seasons. Horford MUST make his all star return this season and prove his career isn't over yet. He is the glue to our team. Everyone around him improved significantly this year don't have to believe if Horford can stay healthy this season then this squad will turn some heads. However, if he goes down to injury again then I have to believe our long term plans will move forward without him. So all in all, Horford has the most to prove on the Atlanta Hawks this season.

[DK-All Day]

It's obviously Rondo for the Celtics.

Rondo, when healthy is a triple-double machine and plays like the all star he is. Unfortunately, Rondo has been on the sidelines for most of the past two seasons and his recent broken hand all but confirmed that teams will not be pursuing Rondo unless it comes at a absurdly cheap price.

If Rondo proves that he's back to his All Stat caliber self, he could be looking at a near max contract in 2015 from Boston or another team.

[Texas Chuck]

Dallas has a lot of guys. Monta has to prove he can do it again. Dirk has to prove he's still got it after his playoff performance and being a year older. Tyson has to prove he can still be an elite defensive anchor. Parsons has to live up to his contract.

I guess its probably Parsons just because of the money he got, but I wouldn't argue if someone else thought it was one of the other 3.

[Kings2013]

I'd say McLemore. He was terrible and it was very disconcerting his first year after being a highly touted prospect. Now we are still relying on him to be a rotational player. Kid did improve in some aspects of the game in summer league, so I really hope he lives up to the natural talent some believe he has.

[Laimbeer]

Jennings, with Smith a close second. Jennings at least didn't have to play out of position.

[Domejandro]

Ricky Rubio has the most to prove. He has a big contract coming up, and he has to show that he can shoot straight. He had an ACL tear a couple of years ago, but people are very impatient about his arrival to stardom. Plus, as I said, contract year.

In addition, Shabazz Muhammad has a lot to prove. People will be shocked at what he brings to the table this year, he is possibly the best offensive rebounder at his size since Barkley (though not nearly as good). Very weird player, but he has been working out with an insane trainer.

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(Kinda awkward to post my own thread, but here is what he is doing)

https://twitter.com/ShabazzMuhammad/sta ... 97/photo/1
Here is an updated picture.

Of course Bennett has to prove he can even be a rotation player this year. If he does that, then he will go on from there.

Wiggins just has to be pretty darn good, and show flashes of stardom so only idiots will be angry with the trade.

[jbk1234]

Kyrie. He has to prove that he's capable of deferring and facilitating now that Love and LBJ are on the team.

[Zion Wembanyama]

Eric Gordon.

[JDR720]

Stephenson

[djthesonicsfan]

Great question. A lot of notSonics have a lot to prove. Throughout the organization. Presti has blazed a new grow your own path to NBA roster building. Which, by definition, creates "you gotta prove it" situations for pretty much all the young players. Anyway, despite a few excellent seasons the team has yet to win a championship. Until they do critics of Presti and his system won't be silenced. And the rumors of Durant potentially jumping ship will continue to grow.

Despite his players' loyalty and a number of division and conference titles, few if any think Brooks is a top tier coach. Maybe that's not fair. Brooks has won and kept the loyalty of his players. No easy task for an NBA coach. However, Brooks hasn't won a championship despite fantastic talent, the offense simplistically relies on isolation play way too much, lineups (Perkins) are stubbornly adhered to despite match up issues and talented kids (Lamb, PJ3) haven't been allocated enough legit playing time to develop their talent. So clearly Brooks has to up his game this next season. And I'm sure none of this is news to him.

However, the notSonic with the most to prove is Lamb. He's got all the talent in the world but so far hasn't consistently delivered on the court. There can be no more "young guy" excuses. Butler and Fisher are gone. This season Lamb's got a great opportunity to claim the starting SG job and contribute significantly to a championship run. But he's going to have to defend as well as shoot otherwise he won't win over Brooks or his teammates. Lamb's failure to accomplish that would give the starting spot to Roberson or Jackson by default and both of those guys would better help the team in a reserve role.

[HartfordWhalers]

In addition, Shabazz Muhammad has a lot to prove. People will be shocked at what he brings to the table this year, he is possibly the best offensive rebounder since Barkley.

Wouldn't this statement be better not made? I mean, he was outside the top 100 in the league in offensive rebounds per possession or offensive rebound rate just last year.

I guess I just don;t think the word possibly means what you think.

[Gomagic44]

For the magic, I would say this year is most important for Tobias Harris. It will determine whether he is an allstar or merely good. Also, this year will determine whether or not Andrew Nicholson is a serviceable role player or doesn't belong in the league.


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[jakeKCMO816]

Dion and Tristian. Both better really step up and fill their role if they want to get an big extension.

[HartfordWhalers]

For Philly, Nerlens Noel health and playing pf perhaps.

[Hawk Eye]

For Philly, Nerlens Noel health and playing pf perhaps.

Yes I was thinking this would be the obvious choice as well for Philly. If Noel plays really well at PF then I can't wait to see yalls front court of Embiid/Noel. Should be dominant in years to come if both can stay healthy

[HornetJail]

I'd say Kemba, whether he gets an extension or not. He needs to separate himself from the rest of the upper-middle pack of point guards and justify the money he is bound to receive. The shooting percentages have to come up, and even though he made a substantial improvement at being a legit floor general, he still needs a little more work there. I highly doubt we'd replace him even if he didn't show much improvement, but either way, he's got to prove he can be the floor general for a team that eventually wants to contend.

[loserX]

Clearly it's Gordon of the Max Contract.

To a lesser extent, most of our young players have to prove what they can do...Corbin was clearly holding their development back, but can they show they belong now that they have a new coach*, a new system, and fewer excuses?

(*Speaking of, Quin belongs on this list too.)

[Smitty731]

For the Celtics, Rondo is the easy choice. But we know what he is, if he's healthy. So, he only needs to prove he is healthy. Which, of course, he isn't to start the season.

I am split 50-50 on Jared Sullinger and Marcus Smart. Sullinger needs to prove he is a piece worth keeping as the Celtics rebuild. Is he able to step up his game and enter that group of really good PFs? Or is he destined to be a guy whose best fit is a backup big off the bench on a good team? For Smart, he needs to prove he was the right pick. With Rondo out to start the season, Smart should see plenty of minutes to start off with. I know many don't believe he's a PG, so he needs to prove that he is. Or is he a combo guard? Starter or best fit off the bench?

I'll give Smart the benefit of the doubt as a rookie, and I'll pick Sullinger.

[franktony]

Definitely Kawhi Leonard

A ring and Finals MVP in his 3rd year in the league ! He has a lot to prove this season. He can be a star in the NBA and he knows it.

[chuckdevlin]

Lowry for the people who think it was just a contract year.

Ross for his performance in the playoffs.