Every NBA Team's Locker-Room Leader
Leadership in the NBA matters. It can be the difference in whether a team can reach the "next level," whether that's getting to the playoffs or winning in the Finals. And to have leadership, a team must have leaders.
Some lead on the court with stats and play, and there is certainly a place for that. However, the most productive player isn't always the leader in the locker room.
Sometimes, an overly self-assured veteran might need a kick in the butt, or a discouraged rookie might need a pat on the back. The player who can and does provide that kind of feedback is the "leader" in some sense, regardless of his production.
He may or may not be an elite player, but each of these men is the leader off the court for his NBA team.
Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford
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Al Horford is not the typical player you would peg as a team leader. He's not particularly vociferous or aggressive. But then, the Atlanta Hawks aren't your typical team.
After all, this group sent four of its starting five to the All-Star Game last season. The Hawks have Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap, players who would easily be the leaders on most teams.
And they added world champion Tiago Splitter, who was groomed by the great Tim Duncan in San Antonio for his entire career before the Hawks acquired him this year.
Ergo, this is a team where the leader must be the type whose actions speak for him. And, as Zach Lowe wrote last year for Grantland, Horford is such a man:
"When he’s healthy, Horford is a legitimate NBA superstar — a chameleon who is good at everything, great at some things, and always flying beneath the radar. He doesn’t pile up insane numbers, hog the ball, or appear in national TV commercials. He is concerned only with winning, even if the path there involves sacrificing shots to focus on passing, setting good picks, and battling 7-footers under the basket.
“He’s just so unselfish,” Budenholzer says. “I honestly feel fortunate to coach him.”
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Horford is a rare type of player who can lead an even rarer type of team. He told Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “I’m going to be the same person I’ve always been. I consider myself one of the leaders of the team. I’m going to make sure I’m leading by example, making sure we are staying focused on what we need to do. And that’s to win.”
Boston Celtics: David Lee
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When the young Boston Celtics traded for David Lee, it was with the view of him becoming a leadership presence. Lee did not disappoint.
When the C's traveled to Italy during the preseason, Lee stepped up, according to Mauro Bevacqua of the Boston Herald:
"The power forward invited all his teammates out to “Il Tavolino” — a nice restaurant not far from the team hotel — for a players-only dinner in their very first night in Milan.
“It’s the nice part of a trip like this,” said the former Warrior. “Nobody brought their families or friends, it’s just us over here, so little things like this one are very important as a way to come together as a team.”
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Michael Pina of Fox Sports raved about him:
"But so far the 32-year-old veteran has been nothing but a bright beam of sunshine. His off-court leadership (he organized a players-only dinner on Boston's first night in Italy) and positive locker room intangibles bring unquantifiable value to a team that's filled with young, impressionable players."
Brooklyn Nets: Brook Lopez
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The Brooklyn Nets are in transition. They built a team around the young Brook Lopez a few years ago, but now most of that group is gone. Yet, Lopez remains.
Paul Pierce walked in free agency. The Nets traded Kevin Garnett for Thaddeus Young. They waived Deron Williams and bought him out using the stretch provision. Joe Johnson is in the final year of his contract and may or may not make it to the end of the season as a Net.
Lopez is no longer the youngster he was then and has become the team's leader through the transition. He told Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com:
"There's a lot of young guys on this team, and it's weird at 27 being one of the vets, the older guys on the team. But they look to us for leadership, and so we have to be ready to do that. I'm ready for the opportunity, definitely. I told Lionel [Hollins], I told Westy [Paul Westphal], all the guys. I'm ready for this opportunity. I want to be out there. I want to be the guy to lead the team, and have them prepare for that. I think I am [a leader], and I want them to know they can count on me, that I can be the go-to guy.
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And after a rough start to the season, it seems Lopez and the Nets are catching traction. They've boasted wins over the Houston Rockets and Hawks and pressed the Golden State Warriors into overtime.
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Charlotte Hornets: Nicolas Batum
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When Michael Kidd-Gilchrist went down for the Charlotte Hornets this preseason, it was easy to write off any chance they had of getting to the postseason.
But Nicolas Batum stepped up in what has been one of the under-the-radar stories of this early season.
Adi Joseph of Sporting News is one of the few who noticed:
"Leadership seems natural to Batum. Even at 26, he is an eight-year NBA veteran. Clifford calls him one of the smartest players he’s been around, and he has shown that level of trust by making him the focal point of a revamped offense. “He's always thinking about his teammates, when you talk to him,” Clifford said Monday. “I've only been around a few guys who are so skilled with such savvy that he literally knows, 'Hey, I don't want to give him the ball there.' That's how (Tracy) McGrady was. That's how (Steve) Nash was. There aren't that many guys, even at this level.”
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Prime Tracy McGrady and Steve Nash is elite company. And it has more than a little to do with the Hornets' success despite Kidd-Gilchrist's injury. And that's not just the 16.5 points and 6.8 boards either, though those numbers sure don't hurt.
Chicago Bulls: Joakim Noah
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While it's almost impossible to watch a national broadcast of a Bulls game these days without a debate over whether Derrick Rose or Jimmy Butler is the face of the franchise, there is no question who the leader is.
Debate the face all you want; Chicago's heart and soul is Joakim Noah.
Dave Daniels of Pippen Ain't Easy recently wrote about the Noah's free agency next year, "It is strange to think about Noah, the heart (and) soul of the Bulls, in a different jersey, but that is the reality looming if the big man can’t find some consistency on the court."
Lowe said of him: "Noah is so central to Chicago’s culture that the Bulls may be reluctant to move him. He is their soul. Then again, people said that about Luol Deng, and when the Bulls found a killer trade, they didn’t hesitate."
Bryan Crawford wrote for Chicago Red Eye, "Joakim Noah often has been referred to as the heart and soul of the Bulls."
Trenton Jocz, writing for Today's Fastbreak said, of Noah accepting demotion to the bench: "It’s one thing for Andre Iguodala to embrace a sixth-man role in just his second year with the Warriors, and another entirely for the heart, soul and longest-tenured member of a team to not just accept a demotion, but even be amenable to the discussion in the first place."
The italics are mine for emphasis. You're getting the picture here. Noah's zeal on the court and maturity in the locker room are what make the Bulls tick. And time and time again, when the Bulls need direction, he's the one who says the exact thing that's needed.
Whether it's through word or action, Noah is the leader.
Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James
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What? Were you expecting something clever here? Of course, the leader of the Cleveland Cavaliers is LeBron James.
The most recent example of that was when he called out his teammates to motivate them to dig down, challenging them after a loss to Detroit Pistons, according to ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin:
""We haven't done anything," an exasperated James said after the Cavs lost their second straight game, 104-99, to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. "We didn't win anything. We lost. We lost in the Finals. So that's enough motivation for myself. I think we need to understand that. Like, we lost in the Finals. We didn't win. And the team that beat us looks more hungry than we are. So it shouldn't be that way."
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James claimed in coming to Cleveland that he wanted to teach the kids how to win. He's still giving lessons, and he's the unquestioned leader on and off the court.
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki
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Dirk Nowitzki doesn't get the same amount of love for "winning" that Tim Duncan does, and maybe he doesn't quite deserve it, but he comes close. Since his rookie year in 1998-99, the only team with more wins than the Dallas Mavericks is Duncan's San Antonio Spurs, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
And, just like Duncan, when it came time for Nowitzki choose between another hefty contract and a chance at winning, he chose the latter.
Marc Stein reported last year for ESPN:
"Sources say that Nowitzki received strong interest in free agency from the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers to leave Dallas for max-level money but refused to engage in negotiations with either team.
Nowitzki consented to such a steep pay reduction -- from last season's $22.7 million to the roughly $8 million he'll get for this coming season -- to give the Mavericks added flexibility to strengthen the supporting cast around him.
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Three years at a roughly $14 million pay cut per year? That's a $42 million commitment to winning. I think his words probably carry a little weight in the locker room—and not just because he's the seventh all-time leading scorer.
Denver Nuggets: Jameer Nelson
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Danilo Gallinari is the best player on the team, and a leader, but the locker room designation here goes to Jameer Nelson, the 33-year-old backup point guard.
Matt Moore wrote eloquently for CBS Sports:
"Ask anyone around the Nuggets -- from GM Tim Connelly to coach Michael Malone to second-year guard Gary Harris to rookie Emmanuel Mudiay -- who the veteran leader of the team is, and the first name out of their mouth will be Jameer Nelson. Veteran leadership is one of those sports buzz terms like intangibles or chemistry -- an element that is impossible to quantify yet almost universally accepted as a key ingredient of any good team.
But what, exactly, does it mean?
Perhaps, more than anything, it means stability. Consistency. An ability to adapt to who and what is around you, both on and off the court, and get the best out of others. Nelson became this player for an Orlando team that won a lot of games, made one Finals and was repeatedly in contention for the Eastern Conference title. He was also this player for a rebuilding Orlando team. And when he arrived in Denver last season following trades from Dallas and Boston, he entered a fractured locker room playing for a coaching staff that was on its way out. It would have been very easy to just check out, collect the checks, and get through the year. But Nelson didn't do that.
Instead, he invited his new teammates and coaches to his home in Philadelphia to try to mend fences and get the team back on the same page. His mom even cooked for them.
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Nelson represents one of the best contracts in the league right now. He makes his money in his presence alone.
Detroit Pistons: Reggie Jackson
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For better or worse, Reggie Jackson is the veteran leader of the Detroit Pistons. In the first few games of the season, it was better. During the Pistons' West Coast trip, it was worse. Now it seems better again.
Jackson is a roller coaster, but he's become the de facto team leader on a squad that has a lot of youth and not a lot of players with much length in the proverbial teeth.
So the team goes as Jackson goes. Keith Langlois wrote for Pistons.com:
"The way Jackson responded to last year’s low point: He came home and recorded a 20-20 game – 23 points, 20 assists – as the Pistons upset Memphis. It began the sensational finishing kick to Jackson’s season, when he averaged nearly 20 points, 11 assists and five rebounds while shooting just a shade under 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from the 3-point arc.
How he responds to this low point – one week to the day after his sensational 40-point night, topped by a 26-point fourth quarter to spark a rally that saw the Pistons come from 17 down to win at Portland – will go a long way toward cementing his leadership role with this team.
He scored points in the downcast locker room after Sunday’s 97-85 loss to the Lakers for taking questions – players can and often do avoid interviews after nights like the kind Jackson experienced – and for shouldering the blame.
“I played too poorly, probably, for us to get over the hump,” Jackson said. “Dug us a hole. It’s kind of hard to battle back when your starting point guard plays that bad.”
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And that's a sign of maturity that Jackson was willing to step up. He might not be a great leader yet, but for now he's the one the Pistons have. But he's young, and there's room for growth.
Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry
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Apologies to Draymond Green, who has been a great lieutenant to Stephen Curry, but there's no question who the leader of this team is.
If you're not paying attention to Curry, then start. You're watching the prime of what will end up being one of the great careers in the history of the NBA. The way he's started this year, building on his MVP season when he led the Golden State Warriors to be one of the best teams ever, is virtually unparalleled.
You could cite endless stats to show how good Curry has been, but this is just one of them: After 12 games, he has 404 points and 71 assists. According to the Play Index at Basketball-Reference.com, players have topped 390 points and 60 assists just four other times.
Those were Michael Jordan in 1987-88, '88-89, '89-90 and '92-93.
Curry. Jordan.
The Warriors' success is drawing comparisons to the 1995-96 Bulls, and rightfully so.
Curry. Jordan.
Curry is making far less money than he deserves, a bit over $10 million, due to a combination of health concerns and not having hit his ceiling yet when he signed the deal. Jordan, too, was vastly underpaid for the bulk of his Bulls career.
Curry. Jordan.
Curry is the unquestioned best player and leader of his team. He makes everyone around him better. He plays both sides of the ball.
Curry. Jordan.
Jordan was instrumental in changing the way the league played, proving that a scoring champion can win a title. He was often emulated, never duplicated.
Now, every team in the league is jacking up more threes and trying to copy the Warriors' pace-and-space style.
But there was only one Jordan.
And there is only one Curry.
Curry is a historically dominant player. And if you spend too much time questioning whether it's too soon, you're going to miss him make history.
Houston Rockets: Trevor Ariza
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With the firing of Kevin McHale, one thing is apparent: Right now, the Rockets don't really have any leaders, and that's part of the problem.
Fran Blinebury of NBA.com wrote after the coach was dismissed:
"But at the core of the problem is a distrusting relationship on the court and in the locker room that over the first three weeks of the season has turned the team into a squabbling, dysfunctional mess.
One had only to watch the Rockets carping, griping and often finger-pointing at each in the embarrassing third-quarter meltdown in Monday's whipping by the Celtics to see all of it on parade.
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So the question here is as much who should be doing the leading as much as who is doing the leading. According to numerous television reports, James Harden—and his lack of defense—was one of the problems addressed in the players-only meeting. Dwight Howard probably doesn't have the disposition to be the leader Houston needs right now.
That leaves Trevor Ariza, who has championship experience and a great work ethic and consistently gives effort on the court, to be the one player who can make this discombobulated mess into a working concoction once again.
Indiana Pacers: Paul George
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Paul George is back to playing at the same level he was before he had that horrifying injury in the Team USA scrimmage game in the summer of 2014. He's notching 24.5 points, 8.6 boards and 4.6 assists. But that's only the surface of his value. He also brings back leadership to the Indiana Pacers.
When David West left for the San Antonio Spurs, he left a void, both at the power forward position and as the team's leader. George has filled both.
When first approached with the idea of playing the 4, George bristled, but gradually he came around and told Steve Aschburner of NBA.com:
""It's kind of a love-hate situation," George told NBA.com. "Of course I loved having those guys (West and Roy Hibbert) here and them being big pieces of what we did. But the other side is, I'm ready for this moment. I'm ready to have that spotlight, I'm ready for that leadership, I'm ready to come into my own now.
"It's like I've got a big plate and I'm ready for a big portion."
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A virtue of leadership is flexibility and the willingness to follow the direction of the coach and general manager. George showed it by changing his position (at times) to accommodate the team.
Los Angeles Clippers: Chris Paul
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Is it even fair to call Chris Paul a leader of the Clippers? Or is he more of an assistant head coach? Or is Doc Rivers actually Paul's assistant?
Who is telling who what to do in this picture? People want to know!
Paul is 100 percent American alpha dog. But that comes with good and bad. Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes pointed this out back in May 2014:
"We've all seen a version of Paul in pickup hoops games. He's the guy you always want on your team because he'll argue every call, eventually earning you one or two over the course of a couple of hours that win you a game and keep you on the court.
But guys like that, guys willing to fight for every inch of mental real estate and unafraid of being hated by the opposition, are always just a few bad plays away from turning on their own teammates. Paul's not quite on that level yet, but the added intensity of the playoffs makes such an outcome a risk.
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Now think of Paul's outburst at the conclusion of last season's playoffs and how it nearly chased away DeAndre Jordan.
Paul leads with an edge; he just needs to remember not to slash his teammates with it.
Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant
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Kobe Bryant has been showing a surprisingly humble and "mentory" side of himself that we've never seen before in what may well be his final season in the NBA.
First, he told the media he wasn't up to snuff in no uncertain terms:
""I just can't make a shot," said Bryant, who is 16 for 51 from the field overall. "I'm getting the shots I want. I'm just not making them.
"D'Angelo's putting me in the right spots and stuff like that. I've got to capitalize for him, that's all. If I could make a damn shot, that would help. I suck right now."
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Then he told Basketball Insiders' Jesse Blancarte about D'Angelo Russell:
"I told him he’s playing more than I played in my rookie year (laughs),” said Bryant. “But yeah, I mean it’s just staying with it, staying with the process and just watching and observing when you’re in there and try and play as well you can and when you’re not, you observe and you learn.
“What I told him is that when I wasn’t playing I was always observing, always studying and trying to learn as much as you can. It doesn’t mean get frustrated or upset or down about it, but you get in the gym early, you work as hard as you possibly can so when you’re moment comes you’re ready.”
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The softer side of Kobe is something the team needs now, with L.A. mired in losing with little hope of doing better but with the kids being the hope for the future. It's a different kind of leadership from the Mamba, but it's still leadership.
Memphis Grizzlies: Marc Gasol
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Marc Gasol has been the Memphis Grizzlies' best player for some time, but this summer, he recognized he needed to be more than that; he needed to become more of a leader as well.
He spoke to Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal near the end of the preseason:
"That haunted me the whole summer," Gasol said about the Grizzlies losing their grip on the second seed only to finish fifth in the West. "Those weeks after the all-star break really haunted me. Things got out of hand and everybody was so emotional. This year, if anything like that happens I've got to take a different approach. I've got to be more of a leader. If anything like that happens, it's got to be on me. I will not look around and point fingers. It starts with me and it ends with me. It's that simple. It's not always just about points and rebounds."
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And when the Grizz got off to a horrendous 3-6 start, which included a 50-point blowout at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, it was time to test that leadership.
Gasol stepped up, leading Memphis on a three-game winning streak while averaging 21.3 points on 61 percent shooting in the process. He's holding true to his word and handling adversity like a winner.
Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade
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This is an obvious choice. Dwyane Wade is the greatest player in franchise history and a member of every one its championship teams.
One thing that gets overlooked is how much money he gave up to accommodate the Heat so they could form a Big Three. As I noted for Today's Fastbreak:
"At the conclusion of his current contract next summer, Wade will have been paid $156,321,666. In the course of that run, he’s been one of the two most important components of all three of the Miami Heat’s championship runs. He’s also an 11-time NBA All-Star.
Carmelo Anthony came into the league the same season as Wade: 2003-04. At the conclusion of this season, he’ll have made $181,198,275, or $24,876,606 more than Wade. And while Wade won’t have a contract, Anthony is still guaranteed to make another $78,731,280, or $103,607,886 more than Wade over the course of their careers. (Please note, I’m not comparing the players, I’m comparing what Wade did make to what he could have made.)
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Not only that, Wade sacrificed numbers and prestige by deferring to LeBron James. That was the right call—James is the better player—but it was still a sacrifice to help the team win.
Wade is admirable in every facet of leadership. He's put the team above himself his whole career.
Milwaukee Bucks: Greg Monroe
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The Milwaukee Bucks are so young...
How young are they?
...They're so young, they should be called that Milwaukee Fawns!
I'll show myself out.
But seriously they're a very young team. Newly acquired Greg Monroe, at the ripe old age of 25 (and barely that), is their oldest starter. If the five of them wanted to out for a drink, two of them—Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker—would have to get Shirley Temples.
So it's a bit of a stretch to call anyone here a leader, but Monroe gets the nod by virtue of seniority. And coach Jason Kidd agrees. USA Today's AJ Neuharth-Keusch discussed it with him:
"Though a rookie as far as his time in Milwaukee is concerned, he has more NBA experience than the majority of his teammates.
"I think he's rolling into that [leadership role]," Kidd said. "We're the second youngest team in the league. Our oldest player is 31, so for [Monroe] it's going to take time for that leadership. But I think he enjoys that and I think he'll be fine in that leadership role."
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Come back in a few years when the Bambi Bunch gets a little older. Right now, it's just too hard to know who will end up being the leader. In the meantime, feel free to fawn over all Milwaukee's young talent.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett
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The Minnesota Timberwolves didn't trade for Kevin Garnett and then give him a new contract because they had some pipe dream of his returning to his glory days.
No, he's there for one reason and one reason only: to be the alpha wolf to the young pups.
Mike Singer of USA Today explains:
"Garnett is the type of locker room leader who could score two points, snatch five "I got it" rebounds, get in the grill of one opposing player, draw a technical foul on another, and still force his coach to sing his praises.
"He tells them everyday, at this point in his career, it's about them, not him," said coach Sam Mitchell. "I wouldn't trade him off this team for nothing in the world."
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The Wolves have a fantastic, young roster with the last two No. 1 overall picks: Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. Garnett will be instrumental in teaching them not just to know how to play but now to fight for every win.
New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis
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You don't have to be the leader of the team when you're the best player, but when you have the otherworldly talent that Anthony Davis does, it's something you are expected to grow into. And, while Davis isn't there yet, he's emerging.
Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com spoke with coach Alvin Gentry about Davis:
"“The thing I’ve learned most about him in my short time coaching him is he’s all about the team,” Gentry said. “The team comes first in everything he does. Because he knows that if the team’s successful, he’s going to be successful. He’s probably as low-maintenance of a superstar as you’ll ever be around. He just wants to be one of the guys.
“He’s all about the team. To have a guy like that as the foundation of your franchise, it doesn’t happen very often. He’s one of those guys who’s going to be the face of your franchise for a very long time.”
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To have the kind of talent that Davis has with the work ethic and humility he shows is a rare and precious combination. He's not there yet, but he's on his way to being one of the great locker-room presences as well as a superstar on the court.
New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony
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This summer, former New York Knick and Carmelo Anthony teammate Chauncey Billups offered up some perspective on the type of leader that Anthony to The Knicks Blog with Anthony Donahue radio show (h/t ESPN.com):
"“That’s tough to ask for,” said Billups, now an analyst for ESPN. “I’ll just say this, you’ve got all that cap room, you better go find someone [to be a vocal leader]. Melo, that’s not who he is and we are who we are. That’s like asking me to be this guy with a 40-inch vertical and go in there and be dunking on everybody like I’m Russell Westbrook. You can’t ask an apple to be an orange, that’s just not fair.”
“[Carmelo] will lead by example," Billups said. "He’s going to come to work and he’s playing for the win every night. There’s no question about that, that’s who he is. He’s a great player, he wants to win. He’s going to come to work. He’s going to lead by example, he’s not going to be vocal.”
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This season when you watch the Knicks, you see there's a new kind of flair to Anthony's game. Not in a spectacular way but in a workman type of way. He's diving for loose balls, getting blocks and playing hard on defense.
And Jonathan Schulman of SB Nation's Posting and Toasting describes how Anthony is learning to "cook" differently on offense as well:
"Lately, Melo has been smart enough to draw the extra defenders and make the cut-throat cross-court pass or pull a switching opponent into open water and make the defense reconsider their strategy, hen *zip*, find the open teammate. Last night, Melo was cooking that potato leek in the double boiler, as well as preparing some extra-pass stock, the culmination of which closed out the third quarter. Melo passed up the heroic attempt he traditionally feasts on in order to let Galloway eat off an even bigger plate.
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Point being: Leadership isn't one size fits all. Different styles can have positive results. Not everyone has to lead the Jordan/Kobe way.
Oklahoma City Thunder: The Quartet
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Too much gets made of the fictional rivalry between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook over whose team it is. It's just not true.
Nick Gallo of OKCThunder.com wrote about new coach Billy Donovan's first impressions of the Thunder's leadership:
"Billy Donovan, the Thunder’s leader on the sideline, has witnessed the team’s leadership dynamic first hand since joining the team five months ago. The quartet of long-time Thunder veterans weren’t simply anointed as leaders. In fact, in Oklahoma City, that is the type of thing that gradually develops over time and Donovan has seen and learned about the growth marks.
“You have four guys in Serge, Nick, Kevin and Russell who have been here for a long, long time,” Donovan said. “They have a lot invested in the organization. From a leadership standpoint, those things happen organically.”
Collison leads by his relentless attention to detail and the sacrifices he makes on and off the floor each night. Ibaka sets the tone by example, through his tireless training and focus on perfecting his craft on both sides of the ball. Durant and Westbrook, for their part, form a complementary duo that helps guide younger Thunder players through new situations, both with their words on the floor and their time bonding off of it.
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It's time people recognized that while they have different personalities, Westbrook and Durant actually like each other and lead together. Maybe more than any team in the league, this is a group effort—and an admirable one at that.
Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic
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I list Nikola Vucevic as the leader of the Orlando Magic—pretty much by default—because he's the senior starter. And, while he hasn't done anything wrong, he doesn't really seem to have grabbed the team and carried it either. When you're a team as young as the Magic are, maybe you just don't have a real leader.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel pondered this question at the outset of the season:
"A strong case can be made that the Magic don't have a leader on their roster.
True leaders set the example for their teammates.
Actions matter. Words don't.
Victor Oladipo and Tobias Harris are candidates for leadership roles, but they're youngsters and don't yet have a track record to command respect. The same goes for Elfrid Payton and Nik Vucevic.
For now, the team's leader may be its head coach.
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The Magic need someone to grow into that role, and it could be Vucevic or one of the other three names Robbins mentioned, or it just might Evan Fournier, who isn't the best player but seems to have the emotional maturity to be the guy.
Philadelphia 76ers: Hollis Thompson
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I chose Hollis Thompson for the Philadelphia 76ers for two reasons. First, he's the oldest player in the rotation at the ripe age of 24. And no, that is not a typo. Technically, Phil Pressey and Robert Covington are older than him, but I guess they're too old for the lineup. I mean they're pushing a quarter-century.
Then there's Carl Landry, but is he really even on the team? He's actually been out with a wrist injury, and there's no word on when he'll return.
But the other reason I used Thompson is because you can't spell Hollis without LOL. OK. Maybe not in that order, but you get my point. You can't discuss this topic for the Sixers without literally laughing out loud.
I mean, think about this: Every member of the team who has played was six or younger when Allen Iverson played his first game. Yikes!
Debating which player on Philadelphia is the best leader is like discussing the safest place on the Titanic to stand on while it's going down; it's all a bit moot because there is no right answer. Sure, the team has a lot of young talent, but we have to wait to see how it matures.
Phoenix Suns: Tyson Chandler
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The Phoenix Suns went out and got Tyson Chandler in free agency because they wanted to add his leadership. Dave King of SB Nation's Bright Side of the Sun (h/t CBS Sports) spoke with Suns coach Jeff Hornacek about it:
"To put it mildly, Hornacek is excited about Tyson Chandler being that guy. Chandler isn't Nash. He isn't going to pump players up by high-fiving them all game long. But he will get in their faces when they mess up. And he will command more professionalism in the locker room. Chandler has been in the playoffs 7 of the last 8 seasons. His Mavericks won a championship in 2011. He was the starting center for Gold-Medal winning USA in the 2012 Olympics. Just last year, he led a ragtag Mavs team to the playoffs.
"I think the guys are relishing, 'hey we got a guy that we can follow, that can lead'," Hornacek said. "A lot of these guys are worried about themselves right now. They're new to playing. Now they can just relax on that part and follow somebody.""
Chandler is averaging just 6.5 points, but he has 10.1 boards per game and is the leader the Suns need in the locker room, so that the sensational young guards, Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe, can be the leaders on the court.
Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard
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Damian Lillard must have felt abandoned this summer when he looked around and realized that, literally, everyone else in the starting five was gone, including his co-star, LaMarcus Aldridge. But when that happened, he became the undisputed leader of the team.
And Zach Harper of CBSports.com describes that challenge:
"In the process of building a team around Lillard over the next couple seasons, Lillard will be forced to learn how to balance his own instincts of scoring with finding what's right for the team. Sometimes those two things will be a largely overlapping Venn diagram. Other times, they'll be as far away from each other as Lillard is from the basket as he unloads a deep 3-point shot.
The trick for Lillard is finding ways to help build up his teammates while avoiding bad habits that can come with trying to do too much when the odds aren't stacked in your favor. We've seen plenty of young scoring point guards try to navigate these responsibilities. Gilbert Arenas, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, and others have all had various turns in the structuring of their individual play, team success, and overall careers.
"
Thus far, he's done an admirable job. His effective field-goal percentage is 51.6, and he's dealing a career-high 7.1 dimes; both are indications that he's following Harper's advice. Look for Lillard to grow beyond being one of the league's top point guards; watch for him to become one of the top leaders.
Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins
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There is no question that DeMarcus Cousins is the leader of this team. There are, though, questions about what kind of leader he is. Sacramento Kings coach George Karl told Andy Furillo of the Sacramento Bee:
"“Our personality is a little emotional,” George Karl said when asked about the post-practice discussion. “I don’t want to totally remove emotion. I think there’s good emotion and there’s actually time that emotion can be good. But we’ve got to pick and choose our opportunities there. We’ve got to be better professionals about not cheating the game by being emotional in the wrong moment. And I think we’ve all got to help each other through it a little bit.”
...
"
"“I kind of like coaching emotional guys,” Karl said. “I like guys that care, that show they care and they’re angry that they’re not playing well, or that something’s going wrong out there. But it’s got to be done in a never-hurts-the-team way.”
"
Furillo noted that Cousins' true test of greatness would "come in his confrontation with the negative emotion we’ve all seen play out in the public square."
Cousins failed that test once already this season, after directing a profanity-filled tirade at Karl. After that, though, the Kings went on a three-game win streak with Cousins going beast, averaging more than 36 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Cousins has passion, but he needs to learn to use it for good and not evil. Then he will be a great leader. There's a Kevin Garnett buried in there somewhere.
San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan
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I'm not going to tell you Tim Duncan is the leader of the San Antonio Spurs. I'm going to let the Spurs do that. Take it away, Marc Stein of ESPN:
"Pop is widely assumed to be the unquestioned monarch of Spursdom, ahead of even his boss, which is something Mr. Holt isn't in a rush to dispute.
"I'm lucky to work for him," Holt said with a hearty laugh last month.
It sounds good and simple until you hear the stock line from Pop's trusty sidekick Buford, whose scouting eye and knack for finding not only Parker and Ginobili but so many others who've snapped in around Duncan so snugly has been as consistent for nearly two decades as Duncan himself.
"The truth is we all work for Timmy," Buford likes to say.
Popovich, for his part, has essentially been making the same proclamation for more than a decade. He said it again in April to a pack of local reporters shortly before the playoffs began when asked to reveal the secret of San Antonio's success and endurance: "Get the No. 1 pick in the draft every 10 years and make sure it's a franchise player."
"
For the record, that's Peter Holt, owner, R.C. Buford, general manager, and Gregg Popovich, head coach, doing the talking. That's the greatest organization in modern history saying it works for Duncan. So, that tells you what kind of leader he is.
Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry
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Kyle Lowry is the leader of the Toronto Raptors. Last year, Lou Williams spoke to Holly MacKenzie of Raptors.com about the topic:
"First-time teammates in Toronto, their relationship predates Lowry’s NBA career.
“I watched him in college when I was in Philadelphia,” Williams said. “I was a big Kyle Lowry fan. I always thought he was scrappy, played hard and was tough. I was always a fan.”
Recognizing Lowry’s talent at the NCAA level, Williams is enjoying getting to play alongside him and witness his leadership.
“He’s just found a lane for himself,” Williams said. “He realizes that he plays the best when he’s the leader, when he plays with energy, and when everybody is following his lead. It works for him.
“He’s been through so much adversity in his career, he’s definitely found that next page, that next lane,” Williams continued. “He’s transitioning into a different type of player in this league and he’s running with it.”
His team is running along with him. The Raptors are currently first in the league in offensive efficiency averaging 112.3 points per 100 possessions.
"
And that's what makes Toronto and Lowry a somewhat beautiful fit—both are underappreciated, overlooked and too good to ignore.
Utah Jazz: Joe Ingles
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Joe Ingles of the Utah Jazz is an outstanding example of a player whose leadership exceeds his play. Ryan Anderson of the Deseret News reported last spring:
"But perhaps Ingles’ biggest impact came not in the stats he produced, but the leadership he provided to a team that, though by design, had little veteran presence.
With franchise cornerstones Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors more shy by nature, it was often Ingles, his teammates say, who was the vocal leader, especially after Steve Novak was traded to Oklahoma City in February.
“Joe was basically like a coach on the floor,” Hood said. “He was always directing us. Anything he saw, whether he was in the game or not, he was always telling us. He was always that voice in the huddle.
"
Coach Quin Snyder referred to Ingles as the "glue" of the team, according to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. He's the type of player whose value you take for granted unless it's not there.
Washington Wizards: John Wall
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John Wall has grown up since he came into the league. He's the leader of the Washington Wizards, and he understands what that means. Here's an interesting tidbit from Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post:
"John Wall’s reign as undisputed leader of the Washington Wizards commenced in mid-August about 2,600 miles from the District. Near his summer home in Los Angeles, Wall organized a three-day team minicamp, seeking to encourage camaraderie and welcome the team’s newcomers.
He invited teammates to bring their families and enjoy the weather, but given the short offseason and the grind of an NBA campaign, he wasn’t sure how many would show up; 11 of the 15 players and several members of the player development staff attended.
"
Someone once commented to me that you can tell if someone is a true leader by whether people follow him. If that's the measure, there's no question that Wall is the leader of the Wizards.
Stats for this article were obtained from Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com and are current through games of Nov. 17.
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