10 Young NBA Stars Who Must Take the Next Step for Their Team to Succeed

Before he became the world's most notorious crotch-puncher, Nicolas Batum got rich.

The Portland Trail Blazers retained the restricted free agent this summer by matching a four-year deal worth more than $46 million. A steep price to pay?

For a guy who averaged less than 14 points a game last season, sure a little bit. The Blazers are clearly banking on their young star making additional strides in his fifth season and becoming a consistent second option to LaMarcus Aldridge.

That's how new General Manager Neil Olshey sees it anyway (via Blazersedge's Ben Golliver):

"

I think he's going to make a big jump. I think Terry is going to be good for him. He's 23 years old. Nic's a kid. He, Eric Gordon, Roy Hibbert, a lot of the guys, that signed big contracts this summer, the level of expectations is going to increase. I think Nic's going to embrace it. It was one of the reasons we were so anxious to embrace the offer sheet.

"

The front office is no doubt even more anxious to see Batum live up to that offer sheet.

He isn't alone.

There are plenty of young stars who have something to prove either on the court or in the locker-room. And there's a reason those young stars aren't quite yet household names. Here's a look at 10 guys who need to make the jump in order for their teams to do the same.

Mike Conley–PG, Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies didn't bring in much help from outside the organization this summer, so it will rely upon its young core to improve internally.

The burden doesn't fall on Mike Conley alone to be sure. Rudy Gay has been a model of consistency throughout his career, but you'd like to see him score about four or five more points per game. You'd like to see him become one of the league's top three or four small forwards behind Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony.

And you'd really like to see him rise to the occasion in the playoffs.

The same goes for Conley. However, his inconsistency in the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers put a damper on an otherwise impressive dark-horse campaign.

Conley is a solid, albeit risk-taking defender, and his perimeter game plays well off big men Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

But his abilities to spark the offense and take games over when the Grizzlies need some magic in the half court are lacking. Conley can go from looking like an All-Star to disappearing before our eyes, and that's not going to cut it for a team trying to knock off the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Roy Hibbert–C, Indiana Pacers

Was Roy Hibbert worth the money?

It's hard to find quality centers, much less guys who can score gracefully in the post at 7'2". From that perspective, yeah, Hibbert probably was worth that max deal. On the other hand, you expect more than 31 minutes and 13 points a game from a guy making that kind of dough.

If the 25-year-old builds upon last season and finds a way to stay on the floor and produce a bit more, the Pacers will be all smiles.

But what should one make of the fact that Hibbert's numbers really haven't changed all that much over the last three seasons? His minutes and rebounding have increased marginally, but he really hasn't become a more integral part of the offense.

Maybe that's just par for the course when talking about a team that relies so heavily on an ensemble concept.

If that's the case, though, why would such an ensemble team need to spend big money on someone like Hibbert?

Paul George–G/F, Indiana Pacers

While on the subject of the Indiana Pacers, we shouldn't forget about Paul George.

The athletic swingman added a nice perimeter game to his already solid defense last season, and he looks to be a star-in-the-making. Whether he's the right fit alongside Danny Granger remains an open question given how similar they are in size and skill set.

But the 22-year-old is still poised to inherit this team along with Roy Hibbert. He averaged 12.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in his second season, and that was with him playing less than 30 minutes per contest.

With some additional playing time and a few more scoring opportunities, George's role could expand even further.

That will require some work on his part given that the team isn't short on scorers (Granger, Hibbert, David West, D.J. Augustin and George Hill). He'll need to diversify his offense and work on creating his own shot rather than relying so heavily on spot-up three-pointers alone.

Eric Gordon–SG, New Orleans Hornets

For Eric Gordon, taking that next step may just mean staying healthy.

He'll also have to buy into his role as the New Orleans Hornets' franchise player and prove he can lead the team back from the dead at age 23. His strong interest in signing with the Phoenix Suns wasn't the best way to kick the summer off, but he has plenty of time to show he didn't really mean it.

The Hornets will trade Gordon if they have to, but they'd much prefer to have a go-to scorer who can get his baskets from all over the floor. 

Gordon and Anthony Davis form quite the young core, and they could make a push for the playoffs in short order if these young guys can play like hardened veterans.

The talent is certainly there. But is Gordon just biding his time until he can get out of town, or is he ready to turn New Orleans into a winner?

Jeff Teague–PG, Atlanta Hawks

If you don't think Jeff Teague has the makings of a potential star, you haven't been watching the Atlanta Hawks enough.

Then again, a lot of Hawks fans haven't been watching the Hawks enough either.

That's unfortunate because this is an exciting time for the organization. It has the youth and cap flexibility you might expect from a team that's rebuilding, but it also has some established key pieces (Josh Smith and Al Horford) who have been through a few postseasons.

Teague still looks to be the Hawks' long-term answer at the point thanks to his speed, shooting ability and penchant for getting into the paint and either kicking the ball out or finishing himself.

The 19th overall pick in the 2009 draft really broke out last season with 12.6 points and 4.9 assists per contest, but Atlanta will depend on him to spark the offense even more without Joe Johnson around.

Fellow guards Lou Williams and Devin Harris will certainly take some of the pressure off, but that just means Teague will have even more of an opportunity to pick his spots and take games over.

Danilo Gallinari–F, Denver Nuggets

Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson took the big step forward last season, so now it's Danilo Gallinari's turn.

Hampered by injuries in what he may ultimately remember as a throw-away season, Gallinari needs to establish himself as a legitimate second option for the Nuggets. The team's ensemble approach works well in the open court, but there's still something to be said for guys who can knock down shots when the game's pace slows down.

Gallinari has been remarkably consistent over the last three of four seasons, averaging in the 14- to 15-point range and finding his way to four or five rebounds.

The concern is that the 24-year-old has yet to discover a very consistent jumper. As of late, he's been shooting the rock at more than 41 percent, and his consistency from beyond the arc dropped to less than 33 percent last season.

Those numbers aren't terrible for a guy who does most of his work from the perimeter, but nor are they good enough for a featured scorer on a title contender. If the Nuggets want to take that next step, it starts with Gallinari.

Otherwise, we might see someone like Wilson Chandler step up and steal his thunder.

JaVale McGee–C, Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets were already pretty good last season, but the potential for this roster's youth to discover its prime together has to be a scary proposition for the rest of the league.

The signs we saw from JaVale McGee in Denver's first-round matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers showed why. Though the Nuggets are consistently good, they're capable of playing exceptionally well on any given night.

If McGee becomes a consistent force on the offensive end, they'll do so more often than not.

His work with Hakeem Olajuwon could go a long way toward transforming him into one of the league's best centers. There's no questioning JaVale's insane athletic ability, and there's no question he knows what to do with it.

But he often seems impatient and sometimes aimless in the half-court offense, and that's when Denver needs a low-post scorer the most. The Dream's tutorials could give them that scorer.

Jrue Holiday–PG, Philadelphia 76ers

When compared to the relatively disappointing start to teammate Evan Turner's career, Jrue Holiday has been a revelation for the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 22-year-old has the size and talent to be one of the league's best point guards, and his willingness to work hard on the defensive end sets him apart. 

That said, Yahoo! Sports' Marc Spears reports that Holiday is looking for a maximum extension from Philly, so he'll have no time to waste when it comes to building upon his first three seasons. By and large, those have been successful seasons (though averaging two fewer assists last season than in 2010-11 was perplexing).

The test for Holiday now is how well he'll play off of Andrew Bynum, and how effectively he gets Bynum the ball. 

At times Holiday looks like a spot-up shooting guard, and at other times, he's clearly more of a point guard. He'll have to remain solid in both capacities now that the 76ers have a legitimate post presence who can spark some inside-outside offense.

Michael Beasley–F, Phoenix Suns

Michael Beasley is quite simply the difference-maker for the Phoenix Suns this season, an unavoidable fact that will have more than a few fans holding their breaths.

It's not as if the team faces a do-or-die season. The Suns are at least partially in rebuilding mode and looking to see what they can get out of potential stars like Beasley and Goran Dragic. Needless to say, they'll be quite pleased if they get the 2010-11 version of Beasley, who averaged more than 19 points a game for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Relegated to the bench a year later, the 23-year-old's playing time fell by more than nine minutes and his scoring average by nearly eight points.

Of course, Beasley needs more than playing time.

To become a legitimate star, he's got to become more than just another isolation scorer—and he should certainly be able to. There's a reason he was taken with the second overall pick in 2008. The guy can light it up from all over the floor, and he has the physical tools to play the role of either a spread-4 or a sturdy small forward who can shoot over wing defenders.

But will he defend? Will he ever pass the ball? Those kinds of developments need to happen sooner rather than later if Phoenix wants a shot at the playoffs.

Tyreke Evans–G/F, Sacramento Kings

The fact that Tyreke Evans' production has steadily dropped in his second and third seasons shouldn't be cause for too much panic. 

Between nagging injuries, a coaching change and a move from the backcourt to small forward, Evans has had plenty distracting him from turning into the well-rounded star he once seemed destined to become.

Nevertheless, the Sacramento Kings need to see some signs of that rookie sensation who appeared poised to turn the franchise around. With DeMarcus Cousins and Thomas Robinson up front, the organization could have an impressive starting lineup for years to come.

So long as Evans comes through.

He's a slasher who can distribute the ball, defend and rebound–a guy who might remind you of a bigger Dwyane Wade. But, he still needs to become more consistent, develop a better perimeter shot and stay away from turnovers.

In other words, he needs to do the things most 22-years-old need to do.