NBA Teams: The Faces of Each Franchise

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11 Jan 1997: Center Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets leaps for control of the balll over the defense of guard Michael Jordan (center) and forward Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls during a game at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Bull

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Every team (for the most part) has a player that is known league wide for their amazing talent. These players can carry scoring loads for possessions, quarters and even games at a time. Once they get hot, it's nearly impossible to stop them. These are the faces of every franchise in the National Basketball Association.

Atlanta Hawks: Joe Johnson

ATLANTA - OCTOBER 21: Joe Johnson #2 of the Atlanta Hawks against the Miami Heat at Philips Arena on October 21, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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Joe Johnson is one of the better outside shooters in the league. He can finish at the rack and even create plays for his teammates. Combine this with his above average defensive play and you get the nod in my slideshow as the Hawks face of the franchise. You also a get a fat new 120 million dollar contract.

But I think we both know he'd rather be in my slideshow.

Boston Celtics: The Not As Big As The Big Three, Three

BOSTON - APRIL 18: Paul Pierce #34, Ray Allen #20 and Kevin Garnett #5 of the Boston Celtics look on from the bench against the Chicago Bulls in Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at TD Banknorth Garden on Apri

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This is a hard one, usually when you think of the Celtics you think of Pierce, Allen and Garnett. So I'm going to go with all three.

Paul Pierce, is known for his sharpshooting from beyond the arc and for his lock down defense.

Ray Allen, is known for coming off screens and nailing jump shots whenever you need a bucket.

Kevin Garnett, is known for his turnaround off the glass jumpers in the post, his lock down post D and for his passion for the game.

All three are known for being "much in the clutch" in other words being able to hit clutch shots.

Charlotte Bobcats: Gerald Wallace

CHARLOTTE, NC - APRIL 26: Gerald Wallace #3 of the Charlotte Bobcats looks to take a three-point shot against the Orlando Magic at Time Warner Cable Arena on April 26, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Magic defeated the Bobcats 99-90 to complete th

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It was a close race between Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson and Michael Jordan for this role. But I think Gerald Wallace definitely deserves the title.

He does it all for the Bobcats: he rebounds, he scores and he is one of the best defenders in the league.

He does need to improve his three point shot before he can be considered an elite player in this league though.

Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose

CHICAGO - APRIL 22: Derrick Rose #1 of the Chicago Bulls waits for a free-throw against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at the United Center on April 22, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.

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Not much indecision for me here. Derrick Rose is one of the top point guards in the NBA and well deserving using his athleticism and court vision to help his team win games.

Now he gets the benefit of having an elite big man in Carlos Boozer (unless of course he trips on more gym bags).

Cleveland Cavaliers: J.J. Hickson

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - MARCH 03: J.J. Hickson #21 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks against Brook Lopez #11 of the New Jersey Nets at the Izod Center on March 3, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that,

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So this offseason a very insignificant player left the Cleavland Cavaliers, because of this they needed to change the face of their team.

They did this with J.J. Hickson, it's this kids time to shine and after putting up 20+ against the Celtics, he made a pretty nice debut as the new face of the franchise for Cleveland.

Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki

SAN ANTONIO - APRIL 29: Dirk Nowitzki #41 of the Dallas Mavericks in Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on April 29, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agree

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Dirk Nowitzki has been the face of the Mavericks for as long as he's been there. He can shoot the ball from three and he can shoot it in the post. Not to mention he's not that bad at hitting clutch shots.

Denver Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony... For Now

PHOENIX - OCTOBER 22: Carmelo Anthony #15 of the Denver Nuggets smiles on the bench during the preseason NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on October 22, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees

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For this exact moment, it's Carmelo Anthony. But, it probably will be Chauncey Billups by February.

Obviously Carmelo is one of the best scorers in the game and a superstar.

But he has been the spectacle of many, many trade rumors lately.

Rumored teams he could be moved to include: New York, New Jersey, Chicago and Houston are the four most talked about destinations.

Detroit Pistons: Rip Hamilton

BOSTON - MARCH 15: Richard Hamilton #32 of the Detroit Pistons takes a shot as Ray Allen #20 of the Boston Celtics defends on March 15, 2010 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloa

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Richard Hamilton, became a Piston in 2002 and ever since then he has been lighting up the scoreboard for Detroit. Best known for the face mask he wears Rip is definitely the most recognized player on the Pistons.

Golden State Warriors: Monta Ellis

PHOENIX - OCTOBER 19: Monta Ellis #8 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a free throw shot against the Phoenix Suns during the preseason NBA game at US Airways Center on October 19, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and

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Monta Ellis is one of the best scorers in the game, there is little question about that. he is fresh off of his career high for points in a game against Houston with 46 points. He can hit very tricky shots and if he heats up he's unstoppable.

Houston Rockets: Yao Ming

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 26: Yao Ming #11 of the Houston Rockets takes a shot against the Los Angeles Lakers during their game at Staples Center on October 26, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, b

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Yao Ming is one of the most popular players in the world. Consider this, a couple years ago a regular season Rockets vs Bucks game got more viewers than the Super Bowl. Even though Yao is coming off of major foot surgery he is easily one of the most liked players in the league.

Indiana Pacers: Danny Granger

CHICAGO - FEBRUARY 24: Danny Granger #33 of the Indiana Pacers runs up the court against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on February 24, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Pacers 120-110. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and

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Each year, Danny Granger has improved drastically. This year should be no different. In the off season he played for Team USA in the FIBA world championships. He is already a prolific scorer in the NBA although he flies under the radar. Look for big things out of the Pacers in a couple years because of him.

Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 27: Blake Griffin #32 of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts after his dunk during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center on October 27, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly ackn

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Blake Griffin was the first pick of the 2009 NBA draft, but he is still a rookie. Coming off of a year ending injury Blake is being talked about around the league. After an impressive first couple of games he is the face of the Clippers.

Los Angeles Lakers: Sasha Vujacic

BARCELONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 07: Sasha Vujacic #18 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the NBA Europe Live match between Los Angeles Lakers and Regal FC Barcelona at the at Palau Blaugrana on October 7, 2010 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos

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Sasha Vujacic is a three point marksman. Making clutch shots and tough shots through out the game and being the #1 offensive option on an elite NBA team easily puts him on this list.

Just Kidding...

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 26: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a play against the Houston Rockets during their opening night game at Staples Center on October 26, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledg

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Kobe Bryant is one of the best players in the history of the NBA and making shots since day one. Kobe is just an amazing player. Probably the easiest choice out of any of these.

Memphis Grizzles: Rudy Gay

NEW ORLEANS - JANUARY 20: Rudy Gay #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game against the New Orleans Hornets at the New Orleans Arena on January 20, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloa

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If you get a max contract in the NBA you better be the face of the franchise. Rudy Gay got a, what most say is undeserved 80 million dollar contract. Let's see him go earn it.

Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade

MIAMI - OCTOBER 29: Guard Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat plays against the Orlando Magic at American Airlines Arena on October 29, 2010 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this phot

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Dwyane Wade has been in Miami for his entire career. LeBron has been in Miami three games. This is Dwyane Wade's team and always will be. No question about it.

Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 14: NBA player Brandon Jennings arrives at the 2010 ESPY Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on July 14, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Brandon Jennings was one of the best rookies last year. He had 15.5 points per game to go along with 5.7 assists. A phenomenal season for Jennings and easily the most well known player on the Bucks. Thus making him the face of this franchise.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love?

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 06: Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves attends Game Two of the 2010 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on June 6, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly a

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There aren't really any players on the Timberwolves a casual basketball fan would really know... I guess you can go with Kevin Love. Really not to much to pick and choose from other than I suppose Michael Beasley. But there you go Kevin Love.

New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - MARCH 03: Brook Lopez #11 of the New Jersey Nets goes to the hoop against J.J. Hickson #21 of the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Izod Center on March 3, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and a

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Already one of the best big men in the game. Brook Lopez has had a phenomenal career to this point and is only going to get better. New Jersey fans should be excited to see what this young man can bring to the table.

New Orleans Hornets

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Chris Paul is the best point guard in the league, plain and simple. He's been on this New Orleans team since 2005 and been leading it since 2005. He can make every pass, shot and dribble move you can think of. To top it off he's wearing one of the snazziest jerseys in the NBA.

New York Knicks

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Amar'e Stoudemire is a great scorer at the 4/5 position. He signed a huge contract with the Knicks this offseason and so far he is earning every penny. When the Knicks couldn't get Lebron or Wade, they changed gears and got a phenomenal basketball player.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant

KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 08: Kevin Durant #35 of the Oklahoma City Thunder walks back to the bench during the game against the Miami Heat on October 8, 2010 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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Kevin Durant, last years scoring champion. Whom many think will be this years Most Valuable Player. Durant helped the Thunder push the Lakers to 6 games last year. He is an absolute scoring monster, but could use some improvement on defense and on the glass.

Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard

MIAMI - OCTOBER 29: Center Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic dunks against forward Chris Bosh #1 of the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on October 29, 2010 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by down

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Dwight Howard is in many peoples minds (not mine) the best center in the game. But nonetheless he is a monster on the glass and can dunk on just about anybody. But he is yet to develop a post game which forces teams to double team him (unlike a certain Chinese foe). But he is still an all star and a very good player and working with Hakeem Olajuwon this off season should have certainly helped.

Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Iguodala

PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 27: Andre Iguodala #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers in action during the game against the Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center on October 27, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that

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Andre Iguodala is one of the best dunkers in the league. Add in he's also a great defender and you get a star player. Rumors say he wants a trade, but then other reports say he doesn't. My opinion is he probably will get traded by the deadline.

Phoenix Suns: Steve Nash

PHOENIX - OCTOBER 22: Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns makes a funny face while huddled up with teammates before the preseason NBA game against the Denver Nuggets at US Airways Center on October 22, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressl

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Steve Nash will be in the Hall of Fame. He is going to single handedly lead his team to a possible playoff berth. Without Amar'e it will be hard though, but Suns fans believe he can do it.

Portland Trail Blazers: Brandon Roy

PORTLAND, OR - APRIL 29: Brandon Roy #7 of the Portland Trail Blazers in action against Jason Richardson #23 of the Phoenix Suns during Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the NBA Playoffs on April 29, 2010 at the Rose Garden in Portland,

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Brandon Roy is one of the best players in the game today. He can score the ball and as a bonus he can hit clutch shots. I think we all remember his buzzer beater against the Rockets a couple years ago. If Portland does anything this year, it's on Brandon Roy. Well and of course the health of Greg Oden.

Sacramento Kings: Tyreke Evans

LAS VEGAS - OCTOBER 13: Tyreke Evans #13 of the Sacramento Kings stands on the court during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Thomas & Mack Center October 13, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Lakers won 98-95. NOTE TO USER: User expres

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Tyreke Evans won rookie of the year last year. He averaged 20 points 5 assists and 5 rebounds. One of the only rookies ever to do this. He i just a phenomenal player and will only get better this year.

San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan

SAN ANTONIO - MAY 09: Forward Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 9, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees

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Tim Duncan has been on the Spurs literally forever. He has been fantastic for the Spurs taking home a ring and a future place in the Hall of Fame. He is probably the greatest power forward to ever play the game.

Toronto Raptors: Andrea Bargnani

ATLANTA - DECEMBER 02: Andrea Bargnani #7 of the Toronto Raptors against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on December 2, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph,

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With Chris bosh leaving for Miami, Andrea Bargnani needs to step up and take his role. Not an easy task, but Toronto hopes it happens. It should be a pretty bad season for Toronto, not a bright outlook for Canada.

Utah Jazz: Deron Williams

PHOENIX - OCTOBER 12: Deron Williams #8 of the Utah Jazz in action during the preseason NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on October 12, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by download

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Deron Williams is the second best point guard in the NBA. Dwill is going to have to gel with his new pick and roll partner Al Jefferson. That really hasn't happened the first three games, but then again we'll see in December how they are doing and then judge.

Washington Wizards

SYRACUSE, NY - MARCH 27: John Wall #11 of the Kentucky Wildcats wipes his face with his jersey against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the east regional final of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Carrier Dome on March 27, 2010 in Syr

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John Wall was the first pick in the past draft. He is going to try and have Washington forget the Gilbert Arenas era and many believe he will. With amazing athleticism and IQ at the point, he is the future of the Wizards organization. Now the question is, where will Gilbert Arenas go????

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