NBA: Best Leader on Each Team

Each team in the NBA has its own dynamic. However, each team cannot expect to do well unless there is one person on that team who can lead them through thick and thin. Without someone to tell the team what to do, it can devolve into and egotistical mess. Here is the list of the people that each team looks to for leadership.

Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford

Horford, although only 25, is rapidly becoming the vocal leader of the Hawks. The young, athletic center is poised to become a star this year with Josh Smith on the move. He is a proven winner, leading Florida to two NCAA championships, and he has gotten better each season in the NBA.

Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce

The Truth is the consensus leader of the Celtics, with Kevin Garnett not far behind. Pierce has spent his whole 13-year career in Boston and has established himself as a sure-fire Hall of Famer. He is one of just three Celtics players to score over 20,000 points while wearing the green and white, and he is the true heart of the franchise.

Charlotte Bobcats: Kemba Walker

Even before playing his first game, Kemba Walker is the best leader on the Bobcats. Frankly, there isn't really anyone else to take this title. Walker was the unquestioned leader and best player on the NCAA-champion UConn Huskies. Everyone in Charlotte, especially Michael Jordan, hopes that this will translate to the next level.

Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose

This one was kind of a no-brainer. When you have the reigning MVP on your team, he will be the team's leader, with very few exceptions (I'm looking at you, LeBron). Rose made the jump this year to elite status and has to be in the conversation for the league's best point guard.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Baron Davis

Like Charlotte, there really wasn't anyone else to choose from. When Baron is inspired, he can play with the best of them. More often than not these days, however, he is not inspired. Despite his rather lackluster play, he is a charismatic and popular player, and this makes him pretty much unique on the Cavaliers.

Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki

Fresh off his first championship, Dirk is the unquestioned leader of the Mavericks. He has spent his whole career in Dallas, and, most importantly, brought the city the Larry O'Brian Trophy. He carried this team on his back throughout the playoffs, and that confirmed him as the team's leader.

Denver Nuggets: Ty Lawson

Ty Lawson, the 23-year-old point guard for the Nuggets, is quickly turning into one of the best young point guards in the league. The UNC product has established himself as a great locker room presence and a hard worker. He has all the tools to be a solid floor general in the NBA, and he will finally be given the reins as a full-time starter next season, presuming he beats out an aging Andre Miller for the job.

Detroit Pistons: Brandon Knight

Knight wins this almost by default. Tayshaun Prince is probably leaving, Rip Hamilton has been a malcontent this past year and Rodney Stuckey never really stepped up to the leading role. Hopefully for Pistons fans, Knight will accept this responsibility, and he and Greg Monroe will be able to lead a youth movement in Detroit. 

Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry

With trade rumors swirling around Monta Ellis, Curry is the one that must accept a more pronounced leadership role for this next season. Curry is supremely talented with a smooth shot and great vision, and new coach Mark Jackson will look to him to be the centerpiece of the Warriors.

Houston Rockets: Luis Scola

I could have chosen Kevin Martin or Kyle Lowry, but I decided to go with Luis Scola, the Argentine finesse power forward who took over much of the post work once Yao went down with injury. Now that Chairman Yao has officially retired, the Rockets will look to Scola to lead. And with the arrival of Kevin McHale as head coach, a finesse forward himself during his playing days, look for Scola to take on an even larger role.

Indiana Pacers: Danny Granger/Tyler Hansbrough

I couldn't make up my mind between these two, so I chose both. Granger is the best player on this team and one of the better scorers in the league. Hansbrough is one of the greatest college basketball players ever, and really stepped up his game in the second half of this past season before making a splash in the Pacers' first round series against the Bulls. If Indiana can keep this dynamic pair of forwards, they could have not one, but two great presences in their locker room.

Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin

The Blake Show has re-energized and revitalized the Clips, and that's reason enough to put Griffin in this spot. However, he has also proved to be a humble player, even with all the lights in LA shining on him. He is a hard worker and very dedicated to his craft. If he can become a decent defender and add some semblance of a mid range game, which I personally believe is well within his reach, then he, along with Eric Gordon, will be the building block that the Clips have wanted for so long.

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant

You have no idea how much I wanted to say Metta World Peace. But seriously, Kobe has been the leader of the Lakers since Shaq left. Basically, whatever Kobe says, goes. Only time will tell how Mike Brown will be able to handle his superstar.

Memphis Grizzlies: Zach Randolph

Watching Zach Randolph in this year's playoffs was like watching a freight train running through everything in it's path. Randolph was an absolute monster, demolishing the greatest power forward ever in an upset for the ages. He displayed not only his tremendous skill, but his leadership as well, as the rest of his team followed his lead as they trampled the Spurs.

Miami Heat: Dwayne Wade

The aftermath of this year's Finals had the entire basketball world yelling about LeBron's inability to finish in the clutch, and while I think that this stance is too extreme, it was definitely clear whose team this was. There was a moment in Game 3 when Wade took LeBron aside and really tore into him, telling him what no one else could: that he was being selfish and a bad team player. Who else could yell at LeBron? Chris Bosh? I don't think so. Not even Spoelstra. That's really what makes Wade the leader of the superstar-filled Heat.

Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings

Jennings is a talented young point guard, and he is one piece that Milwaukee believes will help convert them into a contender. His ineffiecient shooting is more a product of being the only effective offensive player on his team than any fault of his own. Jennings has proven that he can be the leader that the Bucks have lacked for so long.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love

I chose this picture more for Brandon Bass than Kevin Love. Love is an effective offensive player and  transcendent rebounder, as well as a charismatic and likable guy. His attitude, combined with his All Star-level talent, puts him in a great position to lead this young Timberwolves squad, which is stacked with talent.

New Jersey Nets: Deron Williams

The Nets' acquistion of Williams last year gave Mikhail Prokhorov one of the three best point guards in the league to build around. Williams proved himself a capable leader during his tenure in Utah, and he continued his dominance after he moved to Newark, averaging more than 12 assists per game following the trade. With the prospect of a full season of Williams to come (assuming the lockout ends soon), the Nets future is brighter than it has been since the days of Jason Kidd.

New Orleans Hornets: Chris Paul

OK, I know this picture is out of date, so that takes care of that.

Chris Paul is, in my opinion, the best point guard in the league today and one of the best of all time. He excels in every skill one could want in a floor general. He is a transcendent passer, has an astronomical basketball IQ, possesses a knock-down jumper, can run the break, can play in the half court, is a great defender and is the unquestioned leader of his team.

I think if he does get traded, it would serve him better to go to a team like the Hawks or the 76ers, where he can be surrounded by quality players, yet still be The Man.

New York Knicks: Chauncy Billups

I really could have gone with any of these three, but Billups seems like the best choice when talking about leadership skills. It was just seven years ago that he won the Finals MVP for the 2004 Pistons. He brings a championship pedigree that neither Amar'e or Melo can boast. Billups has also been known over the years as a great teammate and a solid floor general. The Knicks are going to need to see that side of him if they want to progress as a team this season.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant

The NBA's youngest ever scoring champ is also the leader of a young OKC team. He was the MVP of the FIBA tournament this past summer and helped win gold for the USA. It seems as though it will be just a matter of time until the Thunder, with Durant at their head, are competing for a championship.

Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard is just plain scary. He is a physical specimen, the like of which we have rarely seen. He carried his team to the Finals in 2009, which is frankly astounding considering his supporting cast. There is no other player, with the possible exception of Chris Paul, who does more for their team on a nightly basis. Dwight is the leader of the team simply because Dwight is the team.

Philadelphia 76ers: Jrue Holiday

Although the obvious choice here would be Andre Iguodala, the trade rumors that have surrounded him for months detract from his claim at leadership. Holiday is a speedy young point guard with a lot of upside. He has proved himself as a starter over the last two seasons and has been able to guide his team into playoff contention. The 76ers' series against the Heat this past year was much closer than their five game loss might suggest, and much of that can be traced to Holiday's development.

Phoenix Suns: Steve Nash

The aging Suns point guard is another player without whom his team would crumble. Nash's skills, even at this stage in his career, were the only thing keeping the Suns alive. He is also a widely-liked person, which helps his leadership skills even more.

Portland Trailblazers: LaMarcus Aldridge

I would like nothing better than to write Brandon Roy's name here. However, it seems that he will never be the same player that he was. That being said, I have been a huge Aldridge fan since he came into the league, and his All-Star snub this year was ridiculous. He has changed from second fiddle to proving that he can carry a playoff team on his back, and much of that has to do with his leadership skills.

Sacramento Kings: Tyreke Evans

Tyreke Evans, the 2010 Rookie of the Year, is by far the best leader on the Kings. He is their best player, and unless DeMarcus Cousins can mature, and fast, he is the default leader for their team. The Kings have many good pieces, and Evans has to try to motivate them so as to compete with the best in the West.

San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan has been the leader of the Spurs since he was first drafted. He has set the tone for their fundamentally-perfect style of play for more than a decade. His skill on both ends of the floor has won four titles for San Antonio, along with his ability to harness the best out of all of his teammates.

Toronto Raptors: Jose Calderon

In my opinion, Jose Calderon is the most important piece in Toronto. Bargnani scores more, Derozan has more upside and Ed Davis might be the best rebounder, but Calderon is the guy who makes everything run. He is a pretty good passer and a decent shooter, especially from the stripe. Much work has to be done in Toronto before this team starts winning, but as of now, Calderon is the team's leader.

Utah Jazz: Paul Millsap

Paul Millsap is a quality big man who was instrumental in the Jazz playoff runs of the last few years. He had a monster game against the Heat this year, when he hit three threes in the fourth quarter and a buzzer beating layup. He is a team leader who is looked up to by everyone in his locker room.

Washington Wizards: John Wall

The franchise player for the Wizards, Wall probably would have been the Rookie of the Year if not for Blake Griffin. He is the person who the team is building around because of his talent and because of his work ethic and leadership skills. The Wizards have a bright future with Wall handling the point for them.