Blake Griffin and the 6 Young Stars on Max Contracts with Most to Prove

Some guys have all the fun, while making obscene amounts of money—all by the time they're 25.

Overpaying athletes has become the standard in the NBA, and investing small fortunes in—though, not necessarily overpaying—young guns with plenty still to prove isn't far behind.

In a league dominated by the almighty dollar, some would argue it has become a necessity. After all, if Team A doesn't pay the piper, Teams B through Z are waiting on the sidelines with open arms and unfolded checkbooks.

And yet, just because such occurrences have transcended into rituals doesn't mean the benefactors are off the hook; just because you get paid like a superstar, and are even deemed a superstar, doesn't mean you have nothing to prove.

In fact, with a backpack full of hundy-sticks and a resume that is headlined by statistics—not hardware or established leadership—the "rising stars" are the ones with the most to prove.

Because they have the most to lose. 

Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers

Many of the NBA's rising stars have a case for themselves as max-level players. 

Roy Hibbert is not one of them.

Not only is the 25-year-old Hibbert still considerably raw on the offensive end, but his otherwise impressive defensive track record is marred by his perpetual foul troubles.

Hibbert has never averaged 10 rebounds per game over the course of the season. He's never shot 50 percent from the field for an entire year. He's never even breached the 30 minutes per contest mark for an entire season.

And yet, somehow, someway, he managed to snag a max contract from the Indiana Pacers, who were backed into a corner by the Portland Trail Blazers.

Hibbert remains a budding talent, and the NBA has given out more max deals to centers than Dwight Howard has broken promises. But that doesn't make it okay.

For Hibbert to meet the value of his contract, he needs to polish off his low-post sets on the offensive end, embrace the art of defending without fouling and, once and for all, prove he's an athlete worth building around.

And not just one who complements.

Eric Gordon, New Orleans Hornets

Eric Gordon has averaged 20 or more points per game over the last two seasons. And you know what, that's not saying much.

Not only were both years spent playing for two of the NBA's basement teams, but he appeared in only nine games for the New Orleans Hornets last season.

And on top of that, not only did Gordon land a max contract this past summer, but as a restricted free agent, he tried to dictate where the money was coming from.

Are you kidding me?

I get that Gordon has shown some serious two-way prowess over the last four years, but before I'm ready to accept him as the real deal, I want to see him put up a prolific stat line for an entire season, as a leader, on a halfway decent team.

And I most certainly would have liked to have seen all that before experiencing Deja Vu, as the shooting guard felt it pertinent to make some Chris Paul-esque demands.

Oh well, I guess we'll have to settle for the possibility of three out of four.  

Brook Lopez, Brooklyn Nets

Like it or not, Brook Lopez has proved to be more effective in his area of expertise—offense—than Roy Hibbert has on defense.

But that doesn't mean the seven-foot tower has anything less to prove.

The Nets, after failing to land Dwight Howard, threw a max contract Lopez's way. And who could blame them? They needed a center, and Lopez was easily the best available. And did I mention he's a center?

Despite being shelved for most of last season, courtesy of numerous foot injuries, Lopez, when on the court, demonstrated the ability to be his usual, versatile self on the offensive end. I'm talking strong finishes at the rim and mid-range jumpers galore.

But what about other facets of the game? Sure, Lopez has shown he can block some shots, but those are often the result of unnecessary risks sporadically paying off.

And don't even get me started on his rebounding. He averaged under five rebounds per contest over the last two years and has never seen the light of 10 per game in his career.

So, Mr. Lopez, are you a prolific scorer exclusively, or are you prepared to step up in other areas of the game as well?

Because, the way I see it, Lopez hasn't proved anything until he shows he can develop into the type of player that would keep a guy like Deron Williams around and afford his team the luxury of not taking on the even heftier contract of an aging swingman (my apologies, Joe Johnson).

Just saying.

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Russell Westbrook is a superstar, but he's far from a leader.

Few people scoffed at the Oklahoma City Thunder for giving him a max extension because, after all, he's an athletic freak with two-way prowess and a penchant for creating highlight reels. He's also one of the main reasons the Thunder saw the light of the NBA Finals this year.

But he's also one of the main reasons the team, as a whole, is still so raw.

There's no denying that OKC is Kevin Durant's team, and there's also no denying that this is something Westbrook has come to accept. And yet, the wily point guard has failed to completely embrace his role.

No, Durant doesn't want Westbrook to change his style of play, nor should he, because that's the sign of a good teammate and leader. But the fact is, Westbrook has to, at least in some areas.

The point guard's ability to attack the rim and play above it is phenomenal, but he has to show some self-restraint. He has to prove that he can be a leader on this team even when he's not shooting.

No one's attempting to deny his statistical accolades, but 5.5 assists per game for a supposed floor general who has the ball in his hands as much as he does is less than modest.

And while James Harden is a great facilitator, he should not be the one assuming the role of distributor when he and Westbrook are on the court; Westbrook has to emerge as the primary playmaker. And not just for himself, but for the entire team.

That's what it's going to take for Thunder to get over that championship hump.

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

Kevin Love's patience may be at an all-time low, but now, so is ours.

Love arguably deserved every penny of his lucrative extension, but he officially crossed a premature line when he allowed his Olympic environment get the best of him.

Don't get me wrong, it's great that Love wants to win, and even great that he wants the Minnesota Timberwolves to want the same, but he's hardly earned the right to give up or even slightly threaten his team. The stretch forward is a versatile scorer and fierce rebounder, but he's hardly a guy who can lead Minnesota to the playoffs on his own, nor has he done everything in his power to do so.

Love hasn't exhausted himself attempting to turn the Timberwolves into contenders the way Kevin Garnett did, and at this point, no one's expecting him to. He's only 23 and still developing—especially on the defensive end—and, most importantly, as a leader.

Voicing his displeasure publicly proves he still has a wealth of maturing to do; before he can point the finger at his team, he must first point one at himself.

Garnett single-handedly kept the Timberwolves relevant throughout his tenure in Minnesota. Chris Paul led the Hornets to the postseason on his own. And we all know what LeBron James did for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Love has not done that in Minnesota, not to that degree. He needs to prove he can successfully carry his team on his back before we can put him in the same class of athlete. And certainly before we can accept his public displays of unhappiness. 

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

Blake Griffin is a superstar, but he's less of a necessity for the Los Angeles Clippers than Chris Paul. Though few would argue with the Clippers' decision to sign the athletic power forward to a max extension, Griffin's elevated pay grade far from renders him a complete talent. 

The former Rookie of the Year is unstoppable when playing above the rim, and one of the NBA's most diligent rebounders. But he's yet to achieve the necessary level of versatility Los Angeles needs him to.

Griffin appears to be an offensive genius, but he lives and dies with Paul's ability to create opportunities for him. His perimeter game is weak and his ability to create for himself in the low post is just as underwhelming.

And then there's always his lackluster defense to consider. For an athlete who spends half his time flying through the air, Griffin's timing when going up to challenge shots is surprisingly, well, unimpressive.

No one expects the Clippers to be Griffin's team, not as long as Paul is in town. But he has to reach a certain level of irreplaceable; he has to prove he can lead by example the way Paul does.

Yes, I know that's a lot to ask of a 23-year-old, but he's making nearly $100 million over the next five years, and such expectations come with such a lucrative salary.

You see, right now he is great, in a limited capacity. Griffin, though, needs to become great outside the confines of highlight reels.

For both his sake, and the sake of the Clippers.

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