A Look into the Future of Every NBA Team

Every NBA franchise needs a face of the franchise to build around for the future. Identifying who that is can be very difficult for certain franchises.

While some, like Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, are pretty obvious, there are other teams that are too old or too bad to really have identified that future face. In this piece, we will do our best to identify one for each team, even the ones that seem like they are too bad to have one.

To be the future face of a franchise, a player must possess certain qualities. He must be young enough to still have a big part of his career ahead of him. He must be the type of player that transforms a franchise into a contender. He must also be among the best in the league or have the potential to get there eventually.

Some of the players on this list will live up to their potential in this role, while others will not. Only time will tell.

Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford and Josh Smith

The Atlanta Hawks are lucky to have two players on their team that could fill the future face of the franchise role. Al Horford and Josh Smith are both still relatively young at age 26, and they both are really talented.

Very few teams have a front line that can contend with their athleticism now, and they will only improve now that Joe Johnson is no longer in Atlanta. His departure will give more shots and control to these two, each of whom has the potential be a superstar in the years to come.

Boston Celtics: Rajon Rondo

This is one of the more obvious choices in the entire list. Rajon Rondo is obviously the face of the Boston Celtics' future. Not only is he a young star, but he is also a player that makes an entire franchise better. His passing abilities and defensive prowess make him one of the best and most underrated point guards in the NBA.

It will be interesting to see if he can continue to play so well after future Hall-of-Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have retired. I would not bet against him. He is a determined player who runs an offense better than almost anyone in the NBA.

Brooklyn Nets: Deron Williams

The Brooklyn Nets are a brand new team in a brand new location, and the entire situation is built around superstar point guard Deron Williams. He can pass, score and defend with the best of them, and he is a game-changer for the Nets. Although he does have other starpower on his team in Joe Johnson and Gerald Wallace, this team, for now and the future, belongs to Williams. He is the centerpiece and is still young enough that he has plenty of years left to be great for them.

Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

The Charlotte Bobcats are hurting for a future franchise face. None of their current players really fit the mold for becoming that type of player. So, a player who has still never stepped onto an NBA court for them will have to do. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist does have a chance to become that type of player, but he is still a long way from it. His work ethic and motor are great assets, but he must improve offensively to get there.

Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose is the face of the future for the Chicago Bulls. Shocking, right? Rose will only be 24 years old this season, so he still has plenty of years left to be even more awesome than he already has been. He is one of, if not the most athletic point guards in the game, and maybe even in the history of the game. No other franchise is as dependent on its superstar as the Bulls are. Luckily for them, Rose will be around for a long time.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving

After losing LeBron James in free agency, the Cleveland Cavaliers found the next face of their franchise in Kyrie Irving. The young point guard could not have had a much better rookie campaign, and he proved that he is the type of player that can transform a franchise. In a few years, Irving will be one of the best point guards in the league, especially as some of the older ones begin to age and retire. The Cavaliers should be just fine.

Dallas Mavericks: O.J. Mayo

Dirk Nowitzki is too old to be this player for the Dallas Mavericks. Owner Mark Cuban was hoping to make Deron Williams this player for Dallas, but he had other ideas. The best available candidate now is O.J. Mayo. Mayo is a very talented guard who has proven that he can score points in bunches. Despite flourishing in a starting role for most of his career, Mayo should transition nicely to be a starter in Dallas. Whether or not he will be the type of star that is the face of a franchise is up for debate, but he is the best candidate on the roster right now.

Denver Nuggets: Ty Lawson

The Denver Nuggets are a young balanced team that has a lot of pieces to work with. Many different players could be this guy for them, like Andre Iguodala or JaVale McGee. However, Ty Lawson is the man who makes this team go. He may be a smaller player as he is under six feet tall, but he makes up for it with his fearless and high-octane play on the court. He leads this team in its relentlessly fast style of basketball, and he will be the face of the franchise in the years to come.

Detroit Pistons: Greg Monroe

Finding a solid big man who can score and rebound is not easy in the NBA today. As it becomes more and more of a guard's league, good big men will be more and more valuable. That is why Greg Monroe means so much to the Detroit Pistons. Starting at center last season, Monroe averaged 15 points and nine boards. Now that the Pistons have drafted Andre Drummond, Monroe will hopefully get to shift over to power forward, which is really his natural position. If that happens, Monroe could be well on his way toward being one of the best power forwards in the game.

Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry is the face of this franchise now that Monta Ellis is gone. The Golden State Warriors' star has been injured a lot, which has hurt his ability to be the face of the franchise, but he is still it. He is the most recognizable player on the team, and also probably the best. He averaged 14 points and five assists last season, but I would expect those numbers to go up now that Ellis is gone. Curry is a good player who has the potential to be great. Either way, he is the face of the Warriors.

Houston Rockets: Jeremy Lin

The Houston Rockets did not have a face for the future of their franchise until this offseason when they acquired Jeremy Lin. The former New York Knick may not be talented enough to be a superstar, but he is visible enough and famous enough to be the face of the franchise. He will definitely sell tickets in that capacity, as well as get more people interested in the Rockets than were before. It will be interesting to see if he becomes good enough to hold onto this role in the years to come.

Indiana Pacers: Roy Hibbert

As I stated earlier, quality big men are getting harder and harder to find in the NBA. That is precisely why the Indiana Pacers gave Roy Hibbert a max contract this offseason. The young seven-footer has shown tremendous promise in his first few years in Indiana, and now he is the face of the franchise. He will be very good, but how long it takes him to reach superstar status is a question mark. He is not there yet, but he must get there if he does not want to disappoint Pacers' fans.

Los Angeles Clippers: Chris Paul

The Los Angeles Clippers have two players that you could pick from to fill this role in Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. While Griffin is a great player, Paul is the more experienced and polished player who is also really the motor of this team. He is a better overall player and is also better respected around the league. He may not be as marketable, but he is the face of this franchise. Let's just hope, for the Clippers' sake, that he stays with them beyond this season.

Los Angeles Lakers: Dwight Howard

Kobe Bryant is clearly the face of the franchise now, but he is too old be considered the future face of it. That job falls to the newly-acquired Dwight Howard. Of the star-studded foursome consisting of Bryant, Howard, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash, Howard will probably be the only one around five years from now. He is the best bet this team has of continuing to be competitive after the major roster turnover that is awaiting when the rest of them retire or move on. That is a lot of pressure, but Howard has big shoulders.

Memphis Grizzlies: Marc Gasol

It seems that the race to be the face of the Memphis Grizzlies has been between Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph for a long time now. But I am predicting that, while Memphis fans are waiting for one of the two to finally seize hold of that position, center Marc Gasol will sneak in and take it for himself. Gasol has been the most consistent player on the team, and he is a big part of everything they do. He will be the player they continue to build around, because he has really been the best on the team. That will continue.

Miami Heat: LeBron James

The Miami Heat won the title in 2012, and the reason was LeBron James. James is at his prime right now, and he will be an elite player despite having been in the league for nine years already. He will lead this team for the better part of the next decade, even as Dwyane Wade gets older. He will be the best player in the world for the foreseeable future, and no other player on the team comes even close to competing with him for the title.

Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings

Brandon Jennings is still the face of the future of the franchise in Milwaukee, despite the recent acquisition of Monta Ellis as his backcourt running mate. Jennings is a dynamic point guard who has had a tough time winning during his short career. He does have big-time talent, but he must prove that he is more than just a shooting guard playing point. If he can develop that aspect of his game, he will be a lot better off as the face of the franchise moving forward.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love

Kevin Love proved himself to be one of the best young players in the league this past season, nearly leading the league in both scoring and rebounding. Considering that he is still only 24 years old, Love is clearly a superstar player already. He averaged 26 points and 13 rebounds last season, which makes him one of the best power forwards in the game. He can stretch the court out to the three-point line and rebound really well. If the Timberwolves can keep him happy, he will be the face of their franchise for a very long time.

New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis was drafted No. 1 overall to come in and be the superstar that will change the fortune of the New Orleans Hornets moving forward. There is no other player on this team that had a shot at this. So much is expected of Davis immediately, and it will be very intriguing to see how he responds. He has the physical skills to be great, especially on defense. But it may take him awhile to get there.

New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony

The New York Knicks have a face of the franchise in Carmelo Anthony, and he will retain that role for many years to come. One of the most gifted scorers in the game for a long time, Anthony has still been unable to get to an NBA Finals. His chances will not improve in the years to come, with the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics to compete with among others. Still, if he can keep scoring and being good, he should keep this role as long as he wants.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant

The Oklahoma City Thunder actually have four players in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and James Harden that could fill this role for a team as a future face of a franchise. However, Durant is the best candidate and will be the guy. Durant is already the best scorer in the game, and his defense and passing seem to improve by the game. He already established as the second-best player behind LeBron James, and he could challenge him in the near future.

Orlando Magic: Arron Afflalo

Arron Afflalo is the best option in this case for the Orlando Magic, who really did not have a returning player worthy of being on this list. With Dwight Howard gone, Afflalo is their best choice for a player who can become a star they can build around for the future. He is young, athletic and talented, and he should become a focal point for the Magic moving forward.

Philadelphia 76ers: Andrew Bynum

Andrew Bynum will be the face of the Philadelphia 76ers' franchise for a very long time if they can keep him past the 2012-13 season. He is the second-best center in the league, and he could become the best now that he is no longer fettered by Kobe Bryant. He has elite size and post moves, and he can rebound with the best of them. The Sixers must hold onto him at all costs.

Phoenix Suns: Goran Dragic

Goran Dragic is the Phoenix Suns' replacement for the former face of the franchise, Steve Nash. Nash was a two-time MVP and was always the player you thought of when you thought of Phoenix. Now, Dragic will come in and try to run the same offense as Nash did all those years. He backed up Nash for awhile in Phoenix, so he should have a leg up. He will be the guy that we watch on this team for years to come.

Portland Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge is just 27 years old, and it seems like he has been in the NBA a lot longer than the six years he has been in it. He has a ton of years left in the NBA, and he will only get better as he learns how to better be the star on his team. Last season, he averaged 22 points and eight rebounds, which makes him one of the best power forwards in the game. He will be the face of this team for a very long time.

Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins

DeMarcus Cousins has a ton of talent and is the face of this franchise in Sacramento. Unfortunately, he has not taken that role very seriously during his time in the NBA. Or at least it does not seem that way. His team is full of talent, is young and should be much better than it is. Cousins plays no defense and does not show a commitment to winning that can be built around. If he can work on those things as the face of the franchise, his play and that of his team will improve greatly.

San Antonio Spurs: Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard might not seem like the obvious choice, but he is the best candidate for the future face of this franchise. Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan are all getting too old to be that good for much longer. Leonard showed himself to be a very good player in his first year in the league, and his role with the team will only increase as he builds his relationship with Gregg Popovich. Leonard can defend, shoot threes and is a leader. That is what makes a player the face a franchise needs.

Toronto Raptors: Jonas Valanciunas

Jonas Valanciunas is a bit of a wild card at this point, but he is the best bet the Raptors have for a future face of their franchise. He is a big stout center who can become the defensive backbone of a team that is building its reputation on defense. He will be a star eventually, although it may take him some time to develop. He is a bit slight and will need to add weight. But you can bet that he will be great eventually.

Utah Jazz: Derrick Favors

Derrick Favors is one of the best young big men in the league that does not get any of the attention he deserves. Part of that is because he plays for Utah, and part of it is because he has not been a starter much for the past few seasons. Do not let that fool you. Favors is young and very talented. He also has the potential to become an elite big man in the NBA. That is why he will be the future face of this franchise.

Washington Wizards: John Wall

When the Washington Wizards drafted John Wall a few years ago, they did so for him to be the face of their franchise. That is what he has been and what he will continue to be. He has a ton of potential and could be a great point guard in the league. He does a little bit of everything, which is exactly what we all want in a point these days. Wall will be the face of the franchise for possibly the next decade and will probably become a superstar soon enough.