What Every Top NBA Star Has on the Line During 2013-14 Season

LeBron James has won two titles in a row and back-to-back MVPs, but does the best player in the NBA have more at stake than any other player—not just in 2013-14, but since Michael Jordan himself?

Carmelo Anthony is the reigning scoring champion. Why, then, is he under so much pressure to do even more? Partly because the upcoming season is the most important of his career—it is the pivot on which his legacy will turn.

There’s always a title on the line out in Los Angeles. The Lakers have made the postseason in 60 of their 65 seasons. Now Chris Paul and the Clippers are making a bid, too.

Kobe Bryant’s legacy is similarly always on the line—those comparisons to Jordan (unfounded, but that’s another story) and his place among the all-time rankings. But this year it’s something else—two other important matters at stake—along with a title, naturally.

Derrick Rose has something to prove after his unusually long ACL recovery, which is still ongoing.

Other stars are making their way back from injury—or, like Dwight Howard, injured reputations.

What about expiring contracts?

Playoff aspirations…or expectations?

Things don’t get any easier at the top. In fact, they get tougher and a lot more noticeable. The higher you rise, the greater the stakes—the more to lose.

Once you’re a top star like these guys, there’s always something on the line for all the world to see.

Blake Griffin

While Blake Griffin’s game has been on the downslide the past two seasons, he’s still one of the biggest and most recognizable stars in the NBA.

Griffin stormed onto the NBA scene in his first season (2010-11), posting an astounding line of 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and about four assists a game, capturing the Rookie of the Year award and singularly lifting the Los Angeles Clippers to instant relevance.

In between, he put on one of the most memorable (if not so technically great) Slam Dunk Contest shows.

Griffin’s defense has improved some in his three years, but his offense has slipped each season.

Not his star power.

This August, Adweek declared Griffin an “endorsement machine.” He hocks for “Kia, AT&T, Jordan,” and plays “The Endorser” in the latest commercials for Foot Locker.

On the court, though, Griffin needs to absolutely get his scoring average back over 20 points. He was at a wimpy team-leading 18 PPG in 2012-13—and Chris Paul was not siphoning points away.

The Clippers were on the cusp two years ago and seemed to be again last season, but they were dominated by the Memphis Grizzlies in Round 1.

In 2013-14, Griffin, along with Paul, has to power the Clippers to the second seed and through the second round.

Deron Williams

In December of last season, Sports Illustrated’s Rob Mahoney put Deron Williams in the starting lineup of the NBA’s “All-Disappointment Team":

"

This has been a lackluster season for a point guard once considered to be the class of his profession. A wrist injury and a meager supporting cast helped explain away Williams’ struggles with efficiency over the last few seasons ... It’s now up to Williams to live up to his own game, something he hasn’t done for a while.

"

As it turned out, Williams would live up to his game, closing out 2012-13 with numbers around and above his career averages—but only after a series of cortisone shots that finally healed a hampering ankle injury. The third time, over All-Star Game weekend, was the charm for Williams.

At the ripe age of 29, in full health and with a stacked All-Star starting five and contemporary player’s coach at the helm, Williams is out of excuses.

He needs to put up or shut up in 2013-14. His reputation as one of the best point guards in the NBA is on the line.

Another substandard showing, individually or from the Brooklyn Nets themselves, or friction with the coaching staff (for arguably the fourth time) will lay heavily on Williams’ legacy.

Kevin Love

The Minnesota Timberwolves haven’t made the postseason since the Kevin Garnett days, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Kevin Love can’t be thinking postseason yet. He and the T-Wolves need to get a few things out of the way first—how about a winning record, or even close to one? Minnesota hasn’t breached a .400 winning percentage since 2005-06, when it wrapped it up at .402.

Love joined the league in 2008-09 and has had Al Jefferson, Michael Beasley, Luke Ridnour and Ricky Rubio all aside him to no avail.

In 2010-11, Love’s best season, the 22-year-old finished with 20.9 PPG and an outlandish 15.2 RPG. Beasley, also 22, averaged over 19 points a game. Minnesota finished 17-65 that year.

Forget grand visions for this team in 2013-14. No way these perennial losers penetrate the West’s playoff picture.

Love needs patience.

First, we’ve got to get past the injuries of the past few years—the concussion of 2011-12 and the two broken hands and knee surgery that saw Love play just 18 games in 2012-13.

Rubio, Love and the gang must prove themselves a viable professional team and bag 40 wins—maybe even breach .500—but they’ll still be games behind the No. 8 seed.

Dirk Nowitzki

Has anyone seen Dirk Nowitzki?

Is he ever going to be as hungry as he was in 2010-11 when he led the Dallas Mavericks to a gutsy, challenging, revenge title over the destined Miami Heat?

It’s been downhill since then—a first-round sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder and a missed postseason.

It's hard to re-create that winning feeling given the thin and underachieving roster Nowitzki has had to play with the past two seasons.

After 11 straight years of .600-.800 ball, the Mavs finished 36-30 (.545) in the strike-shortened 2010-11 and fell further to 41-41 last season.

Dirk battled back from knee surgery last offseason, too.

In 2013-14, with his health restored and a new team, here is Nowitzki’s shot to regain some relevance, or at least a playoff position. His new backcourt of Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon is just the supporting cast he needs.

It’s still an uphill road. In a conference filled with talented teams, the Mavs might still wind up holding the short straw.

Meanwhile, it’s a contract year for Nowitzki.

There’s not much on the line there, though. He will be retiring a Maverick. Mark Cuban told Norm Hitzges of KTCK in Dallas (h/t Dallas Morning News) this about the length of Nowitzki’s upcoming contract:

"

I have no idea. But I’ll talk to Dirk about it. Pretty much whatever he wants. Dirk’s got a no-trade deal, so whether it’s one year, three years, 20 years, it really doesn’t matter. He gets to sign and re-sign as often as he wants. The length of the contract is more about how much longer Dirk wants to play more than anything else. Dirk really wants to come back and send a message to everybody that he’s got a lot left.

"

The amount of that contract, as well as the length, might have something to do with how much really is left.

Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo might feel like a man who’s just returned from the Twilight Zone. He got injured, and when he returned, his team and coach were gone.

“But wait a second,” he might have considered, “I thought I was the one who was supposed to be gone.”

Well, Rondo is gone—or at least won’t be ready for the opener, according to Comcast SportsNet’s A. Sherrod Blakely:

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There's still no timetable as to when Rajon Rondo will return to the floor for the Boston Celtics. While there hasn't been a delay in his recovery, [it] looks more and more like he will miss all of the preseason as well as some regular season games.

"

Rondo tore (partially) his ACL in January. This could be a longer-than-anticipated recovery, though not of the profound Derrick Rose variety.

When he’s finally able to hit the floor, Rondo will be left to manage the inconsistent Kris Humphries at center, an offensively meek shooting guard in Courtney Lee and the fairly non-threatening Brandon Bass and Jeff Green at the 3 and 4.

In an instant, the Celtics lost years off their age. They are officially in rebuilding mode.

Rondo, the socially troublesome fellow, has suddenly been thrust into the role of savvy, put-together veteran who provides leadership. Is he suited for that?

Well, that’s his test in 2013-14. How is he going to run his very own basketball team—one destined for nowhere?

Hold on a second. It is the Eastern Conference. Rondo might be good enough to squeeze this team near the No. 8 seed.

Paul George

It’s Paul George time. So says Bleacher Report’s own Grant Hughes:

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Armed with one of the NBA's most complete two-way games and brimming with confidence after a breakout postseason, Indiana Pacers star Paul George is going to take the league by storm in 2013-14.

"

George is, forgive the comparison, a poor man’s LeBron James. He can do it all, just on a smaller level (at a smaller size and price): score, defend, steal, rebound, distribute and throw up the occasional block.

Roy Hibbert’s arrival may have gotten all the play in the postseason, but equally responsible for the Pacers' playoff performance was George taking his game up a notch.

Now about his price—it’s about to go way up. He’ll be a restricted free agent at the end of 2013-14 after making only $3.3 million.

Larry Bird and the Pacers are already on record saying they will match any offer George entertains in free agency.

How much will that be? It’s up to 2013-14.

Stephen Curry

There are six active NBA players capable of joining, or already part of, the highly exclusive 50-40-90 club—50 percent field goal shooting, 40 percent three-point shooting and 90 percent from the stripe.

It’s only happened 12 times since the introduction of the three-point line in 1979-80.

Kevin Durant did it last season, becoming the eighth player in history, following Steve Nash (four times), Dirk Nowitzki (2006-07) and, yes, Jose Calderon (2007-08).

LeBron says he can do it anytime he wants, and we all believe him.

Curry can make a name for himself with that kind of company, just in case anyone missed his 2012-13 playoff performance.

He’s already two-thirds of the way there on his career line (46-45-90) and needs to get his field goal percentage a tad over the top.

As for that playoff performance, it was Curry’s first. He carried the Golden State Warriors on the wings of his breathtaking three-point shooting.

Curry’s got two orders this season—follow up that postseason by joining the elites of the league and follow up the regular season by pushing his Golden State Warriors to the Western Conference Finals.

In other words, make a national name for himself.

Is there a nickname that’s stuck for him, yet?

Make that three things on Curry’s plate.

Tony Parker

It’s officially the “Tony Parker Era” in San Antonio, according to projectspurs.com.

Parker went off in 2012-13 with as good a season and postseason as any in his career.

While he already has three rings with the Spurs, Tim Duncan was the main man for each one and Parker the support player. Now, it is the other way around.

The next ring will be Parker’s, and don’t doubt for a second he wants to win another for Duncan and Manu Ginobili, too.

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Parker’s future with the club has always been contingent upon whether or not Coach Pop and the players stick around. It would not be a surprise if he were to depart when his contract expires in 2015. The Big 3 will all have to make decisions that year, and the current signs are pointing towards the retirement of both Duncan and Ginobili who will be 39 and 38 respectively that year. 

"

So, this is it, folks, for the San Antonio Spurs continuum we’ve been watching since David Robinson in the 1990s. Two years to go.

But this year may be Parker and Co.’s last chance to avenge their Finals loss to the Miami Heat.

James Harden

First, Harden needs to work on his game. For all his scoring—fifth in the NBA behind Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James—he leaves much to be desired in technical play.

Much like Allen Iverson (or even Jeremy Lin during his tenure with the New York Knicks), Harden is move first, think later.

Harden monopolized the Houston Rockets’ offense by taking it to the hoop…and taking it to the hoop. Along the way, he drew the most fouls in the league.

This season, though, Dwight Howard is going to be in the way.

Harden will need to re-learn how to take a backseat, this time from within the starting lineup.

This Rockets team is solid, with Howard at center, the even bigger Omer Asik at the 4, a Lin-Harden backcourt and the underappreciated Chandler Parsons at small forward.

Harden will still maintain a leadership role, like he did as the Oklahoma City Thunder’s sixth man in the shadows of Durant and Russell Westbrook.

The Western Conference is strong and deep. It will be tough, given the competition, for the Rockets to rise out of a low playoff seed, but they and Harden can graduate to top tier and nab a better position.

The Rockets need to get out of the seeding basement to get out of the first round.

Dwight Howard

Where to begin with Dwight Howard?

It started with the public, months-long get-out-of-Orlando mess two years ago. Does Howard love the Magic or does he not? Does he love Stan Van Gundy (hugs) or does he not? Is he staying or going? Did he want Van Gundy fired or not? Will he stay if Van Gundy is fired?

In the middle of all that, Howard went for back surgery (desperately needed, even according to Van Gundy). He never returned. Neither did the coach.

Van Gundy was fired in May and Howard was traded in August.

Out to Los Angeles, Howard made sure to pack his baggage. What was supposed to be a super season—Howard joining with Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace—fizzled into mediocrity (barely).

Midseason, the L.A. Times said “Howard is at center of the Lakers’ issue.”

Things weren’t jiving on the locker-room front, either, if you caught some of the post-trade talk from his ex-teammates.

Steve Nash told ESPN LA 710 radio (h/t ESPNLosAngeles.com):

"

Ultimately, I think Dwight wasn't comfortable here and didn't want to be here and I think if he didn't want to be here, there's no point for anyone in him being here. So, we wish him the best and move on. ... I think it kind of basically goes with what he said to the media that he never quite felt embraced in L.A. He never quite felt supported.

"

And then there’s this dastardly series of requests, recently reported by Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (h/t Yahoo! Sports):

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Comcast Sports Net Bay Area reported that Howard wanted the Lakers to either "muzzle" Bryant or amnesty him. Howard did not see eye-to-eye with the hyper-competitive Bryant. Howard also wanted the team to cut ties with D'Antoni. "Dwight didn't want to play with Kobe for two to three more years," owner Jim Buss said. "I'm going to stand behind Kobe because of his history with the franchise."

"

How about no drama this season? How about getting along with your teammates, coaches and organization? How about not talking behind everyone’s back?

That would be a huge success.

Howard can prove us all wrong—that he really isn’t a remorseless, troublemaking rabble-rouser.

He’s still got the numbers, though (led the league in rebounds, again), and if he keeps his energies focused on the game, he can help the Houston Rockets claim a No. 5 seed.

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook is another one of the many top stars returning from an injury in the past year, but he should be back in form right away.

Westbrook had played in 439 games in a row before falling to a torn meniscus in Game 2. Rotoworld gave the latest on the point guard’s rehab:

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Westbrook was off crutches back in June and he should be close to 100 percent for training camp. He hadn't missed a game [in his career] and chances are his injury will be an isolated incident.

"

The Thunder won 60 games in 2012-13, took the No. 1 seed for the first time, grounded the Houston Rockets 4-2 in Round 1 and were cruising to the NBA Finals. Then Westbrook got hurt.

After winning Game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City lost the next four (by an average of only 5.5 points a game—if only Westbrook had played).

The Thunder’s title aspirations hinge on Westbrook’s health.

Given that, another top NBA offensive-defensive performance, another 60-win season (why not?), the No. 1 seed (and it might not be the last) and a one-year delayed trip to the NBA Finals are musts.

The odds say so.

Chris Paul

There’s a lot of talk about Chris Paul being the best point guard in the league. Sure, perhaps talent-wise, but in eight seasons and five years of playoffs, Paul has yet to power any of his teams to postseason greatness.

OK. He was on the New Orleans Hornets for three of those postseasons (that's impressive enough).

For two years, though, he has been carrying the much better Los Angeles Clippers and that franchise’s horrid history on his back to similar playoff results.

Paul was forced to leave his game in the 2012-13 postseason—picking up scoring slack rather than passing—and the Clippers wound up manhandled by the Memphis Grizzlies in Round 1.

There may be a chemistry issue at hand. There were rumors of friction between Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan that, given Paul's reputation, could be blamed on the younger two players.

Paul, now the head of the NBPA, needs to manage this situation via his leadership skills. He's also the man to motivate Griffin and get him back on his way to 20 PPG.

But Bleacher Report NBA Lead Writer Jimmy Spencer summed up exactly what's on the line for Paul in 2013-14

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As Paul enters his ninth season in the league, he should no longer be allowed to escape the pressure that squeezes all other marquee names. Paul has never advanced past the second round of the playoffs, while all other top-tier superstars have.

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Even Carmelo Anthony has been to a conference finals.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant’s number of rings may have just ended at five. Grantland’s Jonathan Abrams shares the bleak news:

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Dominique Wilkins wouldn't wish a ruptured Achilles on his worst enemy. Where once he was the Human Highlight Reel, after his injury his game was changed forever. Elton Brand was never a highflier, but he felt the same pop that Bryant described. His game changed, too. And Chauncey Billups can relate to the struggles of returning to the game late in his career after a devastating injury.

"

Thirty-five-year-old Bryant needs to get past this before getting past the Oklahoma City Thunder and the rest of the West for a shot at that Jordanesque sixth title.

It doesn’t look like he’ll be ready to start the season.

And the L.A. Lakers, as a team, look a little shaky too, especially with Mike D’Antoni running the show.

Pau Gasol and Steve Nash are coming off hobbled seasons. Meanwhile, Chris Kaman and Nick Young barely fill the hole left by Dwight Howard’s departure and Metta World Peace’s amnestying.

Bryant's best hopes for 2013-14 might be just to get to 2014-15, because this season, the Lakers look like they will have an even harder task making the playoffs.

To top it off, it’s a contract year for Bryant, though the Lakers will sign him for tons if he is more than a shadow of his former self. By 2014-15, the books will have a lot of room to build something around Kobe for his swan song.

Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony’s future in New York is on the line in 2013-14.

If things don’t work out now, or at least look like they will in the next few years, Anthony could skip town.

A title? Anthony stays. NBA Finals? He stays. Eastern Conference Finals? He probably stays for the next-season rematch at least—it could be his chance.

Anything short of that will have everything to do with the Knicks’ personnel.

As it is, there is almost no doubt Anthony will exercise his $24.4 million player option for 2014-15 and be sitting out there testing the Knicks and the free-agent market for the most money and most years.

If things are looking hopeless on the Blue and Orange front, some other colors might suit Anthony's wardrobe (Purple and Gold?).

Perennially contending teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat may throw comparable and perhaps beatable money Melo’s way.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith “thinks it’s a 50/50 proposition” Melo stays in New York.

Knowing an extension would bridge the two-year gap between this season and 2015-16, when the Knicks free up payroll (right now it's only $13 million), could, and should, keep Anthony in New York—but you never know.

The Lakers and, depending on the Big Three's early termination options, the Heat will be ready for him a season sooner.

Then there is that MVP chase, but too many players are in the running for Anthony to come that close in 2013-14. A second scoring title, or close to it, is necessary for the Knicks to again achieve a critical top-half seed and make that Eastern Conference Finals.

Fail to get that far, and Anthony's reputation as an early-round wonder gets more support.

Derrick Rose

It’s a bit early yet to say Derrick Rose’s career and legacy is on the line in 2013-14, but he is at a crossroads.

For one thing, that must have been some nasty ACL tear, because that was one long recovery. It’s been 16-and-a-half months and the best Rose can muster, per Comcast SportsNet, is:

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I think I am at 100 percent. I'm doing almost everything… just being back on the court after you have an ACL injury, you're kind of hesitant at first about how you step, what way you should step, learning how to run, accelerate…

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Will he ever be the same again? Vie for another MVP?

The good news is the Chicago Bulls are still very good without him, so even half a Rose will boost the offense and maybe even push this team to the top of the Central past the Indiana Pacers.

Certainly, the Bulls can force their way into a top-half seed, carrying Rose through the beginning of the regular season while he slowly gets back into form in time for the playoffs.

ESPN’s J.A. Adande doesn’t think it’s too early to think about legacy. The time is now for D-Rose, or else…

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Think about how far Rose has plummeted. In 2011 he was the MVP of the league and only three victories from the NBA Finals. He's won only one playoff game since. He'll only be 25 when the season starts. If he wants to go down as the best of his generation he can't afford to fall much farther behind in the championship count.

"

Kevin Durant

There is little that Kevin Durant needs to prove in his individual game. He may not have won the scoring title (points per game) in 2012-13, but he still scored the most points in the NBA for the fourth season in a row.

In one of those statistical secrets, Carmelo Anthony played 14 fewer games, edging out Durant by 0.6 PPG (28.7 to 28.1).

Durant has improved his passing game, dishing a career-high 4.6 assists per game in 2012-13, a full assist-and-a-half over his career average. Last season also saw career highs in field-goal percentage (over 50 percent), free throw percentage (led the league), rebounds, steals and blocks.

He became the eighth player in NBA history to join the 50-40-90 club (50 percent FG, 40 percent 3P and 90 percent FT). Behind LeBron James, there is no other as complete a player. In fact, even James is not a member of that club.

With Russell Westbrook out for most of last postseason's Round 2, Durant stepped up with “an NBA-high 30.8 points per game to go along with his 9.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists each postseason outing” as noted by Adam Fromal here at Bleacher Report.

So what’s on the line for Durant individually? The MVP award might be nice. Recapturing the scoring title would help him continue to pave his path to the Hall of Fame.

But, really, Durant needs to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder at least to the NBA Finals and even a title—whether it’s stopping the Miami Heat from three-peating in a grudge match from 2011-12 or crushing whoever else the weaker Eastern Conference throws at them.

LeBron James

The best player in the NBA has the most on the line.

LeBron James is chasing basketball history—trying to catch up first to Kobe Bryant and second to Michael Jordan and hoping to be arguably called the G.O.A.T., the greatest of all time, when his career ends.

Plus, he's got to back up that ridiculous boast, though if James wants to fulfill the legacy he is after, he probably will need to win seven championships.

He's on pace actually, as detailed by USA Today's Tim McGarry,

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With the Miami Heat's Game 7 win over the San Antonio Spurs, LeBron James earned his second career NBA title. He now has four MVPs, two rings and two Finals MVPs. And he’s only 28 years old. As a point of reference, Michael Jordan had two MVPs, one title and one Finals MVP by the time he was 28.

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James is behind Jordan considerably, though, statistically and in league leaderships. Jordan was also a supreme defender and had a gutsier heart.

There's no time to waste for The King.

He's getting there, having shown some mettle since the Heat's Finals loss to the Dallas Mavericks in 2010-11.

Some believe he is already there, just behind in rings, such as Bleacher Report's Peter Emerick, who dares you to break down "why Michael Jordan will never be LeBron James."

This will be an interesting year for the Heat. If they three-peat, becoming the first team to do so since Bryant's Lakers and Jordan's Bulls, it raises the possibility James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh (or similar supporting players) will continue to call (or find themselves calling) Miami home.

The Big Three have early termination options followed by player options the next two seasons.

If the Heat disintegrate or fall flat in 2013-14, the greater the possibility this team is broken up. Dwyane Wade's health and play decline is also a factor.

Would all three take another pay cut?

Would that be worth, literally, six or seven titles?

James would do it. He makes tons of money anyway—his NBA salary is a pittance compared to the money he makes in endorsements.

Expect LeBron to eventually retire in Miami. It's just that there may be a change of the guard around him depending on how 2013-14 goes.