12 NBA Players with Most to Prove in '12

With the NBA so close you can taste it, it almost feels like it's time to forgive David Stern, Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter and the rest of the gang for the lockout.

The Dallas Mavericks return as champions, the Miami Heat have more to prove than ever and the upstart New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers have positioned themselves as early title contenders.

What's more, the free-agent and trade market flurry has left rosters and depth charts more day-to-day than a Chris Paul trade rumor (thank goodness that's over). 

So as the landscape shifts from what has been to what will be, let's take a look at the players with the most to prove in 2012, and what they aim to do about it.   

Kyrie Irving

Top pick in any professional sports draft is going to carry the weight of the city, its fans and the expectations of greatness. 

You don't have to look too far to find former No. 1 overall picks who have turned up busts, and for every LeBron James and Dwight Howard there is a Kwame Brown and Michael Olowokandi. Now granted, there have been some very good players that have gone in that slot, and to completely declare the pick as go-big-or-go-home would probably reduce some credibility here.

But for young Kyrie Irving, replacing King James isn't going to be easy. If expectations weren't enough, Dan Gilbert is his owner, and he played a whopping 11 college games to prepare his body for the NBA. 

To top it all off, he, like all NBA rookies, is a step behind in the chemistry and playbook department. 

In my opinion, everything Irving gives to the city this year should be gravy. 

But he'll have a target on his back the day he steps into the building until the day he leaves it, and what he does in this first year will give fans some basis for his future contributions. 

Tony Parker

It wasn't long ago that Tony Parker was one of the three kings of the San Antonio Spurs. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Parker were part of one of the most successful dynasties in league history.

But a divorce, lack of production and emerging guard George Hill left Parker somewhat a shell of the defense-carving floor general who led the Spurs to three championships in five seasons. 

His four-year, $50 million deal puts a lot of pressure on him to perform for a team desperately grasping to avoid sending Duncan off into the sunset for as long as they possibly can.

His production and demeanor will go a long way in seeing if this year's Spurs are the ones of old, or the ones dominated by old age and a grumpy divorcee.  

Metta World Peace

What can you say about the man formerly known as Ron Artest? He sold his championship ring, competed on Dancing with the Stars and oh, changed his name for the good of the world. 

But the Los Angeles Lakers will be more interested in seeing him sell out for the team, compete against the league's best defenders and change the early perception that getting rid of Lamar Odom and failing to land Chris Paul and Dwight Howard have made the Lakers irrelevant.

The Lake Show needs him to be the guy they traded for after their 2009 championship; the guy nobody wanted to feel breathing down his neck at the end of a game.

If not, his antics and name changing will likely go down as a distraction, and it's up to World Peace and World Peace alone to silence critics and return to his old form.  

Caron Butler

Coming off a knee injury, Butler is hungry to contribute to a title team this season, not just watch from the bench. 

He can do that in L.A., where his savvy, veteran presence will bring leadership and a scoring punch at small forward that the Clippers could only dream in past seasons.

Factor in Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, and Butler joins a team that will be considered relevant in Staples Center for the first time in, well, forever.

Losing Eric Gordon to New Orleans hurts, and Butler will have to give the Clips the wing scoring that they lost in the Paul deal. But it's set up to be a good situation for "Tuff Juice," and he could be the X-factor on a team that could turn into this year's Memphis Grizzlies.  

Marcin Gortat

Playing next to Steve Nash is fun. Just ask Gortat, who saw career highs in virtually every category after he was traded to the Phoenix Suns last year. 

Gortat became somewhat of a force in the middle for the Suns, averaging 13 points and 9.3 rebounds for a team desperately trying to replace the production of Amar'e Stoudemire for Nash's final couple runs at that elusive title.

Now that teams have had time to get ready for the Polish center, will he be able to play at the high level that he did when coming to Phoenix? 

No doubt he was hungry to prove he could start in this league, and that hunger could be key to keeping up with Nash and giving Phoenix the kind of inside presence they need to stay competitive in the suddenly up-for-grabs Western Conference. 

Ricky Rubio

Ricky Rubio is the best thing from Spain since Rudy Fernandez. And if they are right about his smooth passing and high basketball IQ, then fans in Minnesota are in for a treat. 

His game will directly be tied to the success of the season in Minnesota, and if he puts on a show and fills seats, then it's going to be a fun few years for the Timberwolves' faithful.

Either way, he's going to be expected to make an impact immediately. The last point guard from Spain to try and do so was Jose Calderon, and that hasn't exactly gone well.

But with Rubio, I think we will see real quick if the speed of the game and size of the competition make him merely an exciting prospect, or a budding star. 

DeMarcus Cousins

There is no question the Sacramento Kings have a talented big man in Cousins. He plays with passion, aggressiveness and in a couple years will be mentioned as one of the better bigs in the NBA.

But he is a headcase. His antics and on-court issues make you want to give up on him. But his play each night keeps you holding on that he will cast aside his immaturity and grow into the player the Kings ultimately thought they drafted. 

If so, the Kings have an intriguing, young roster. J.J. Hickson slides in at power forward, and Jimmer Fredette arrives paired with Tyreke Evans. Factor in John Salmons, Marcus Thornton and Jason Thompson, and this becomes a team that no one wants to play on a back-to-back. 

That starts with Cousins, and if he anchors the middle of the paint without being a distraction/problem, there is no reason the Kings shouldn't have a chance to win every night. 

LaMarcus Aldridge/Zach Randolph

LA and Z-Bo had career years last year. Both would have been All-Stars if forward wasn't the most talent-laden position in the NBA, and both led their teams to the playoffs. 

The trick this year will be to continue to build on the success they both had last year. Z-Bo finally somewhat shed the idea that he is a cancer and non-team player.

Aldridge is slowing erasing doubts that he can be a force in this league, and that he is too soft to mix it up with the big boys at his position. 

Both are great 4's, and Portland and Memphis will both be in the hunt based on these two guys. It will be interesting to see if there is a drop off for one of them, or if they both continue their upward trend of being hard to guard on a nightly basis. 

Richard Hamilton

Rip WAS Detroit. When he got benched for poor play and a look at the future, he didn't take it sitting at the end of the bench. 

Demanding a trade and pouting seemed like the last thing to expect from the former champion, but he wanted to prove he could still play, and the Chicago Bulls are set to give him that chance.

Rip has to put his money where his mouth is in Chicago and help the Bulls over the hump that the Miami Heat created by knocking them out in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Boston Celtics

The original big three (at least in recent memory) is saddling up for one last ride. They are gung-ho on competing for one last championship together, and if it doesn't happen this season, it's conceivable that they break up the gang and start using Rajon Rondo to build around or trade for a star.

It's not news that they were dangling Rondo for Chris Paul. Where is his head at? 

The gang isn't getting any younger either. It can't help that Jeff Green, who has to be considered somewhat of a future piece for this team, isn't healthy.

So for the Celtics, how competitive can they really be in a conference that added Tyson Chandler and David West and seems to be more top-heavy than its opposite?

Boston is in a pickle, and the only way out is to play the Doc Rivers way, relying on team defense and chemistry to prove to the league that their model isn't broken. 

Carlos Boozer

Boozer had a long offseason to carry the weight of being the most disappointing player on the Bulls last year. His contract didn't match his value, and fans and media outlets alike let him know. 

Last season is in the past, however, and Booz has come to camp ready to go. Chicago is going to need him ready, because injuries have crippled him and Joakim Noah to the point where neither is exactly considered durable.

You could argue that Boozer is the key to the Bulls beating the rest of the East, specifically outplaying Chris Bosh and Amar'e Stoudemire on the two "super teams" in the conference.

If he can get back to his Deron Williams form, the Bulls are dangerous, and you know MVP Derrick Rose will be ready to play come opening night. Let's see if Boozer is too.   

LeBron James

It always seems to start and end with King James. He is the most polarizing figure the sport currently owns, and until he decides to hang 'em up or lace 'em up for the NFL, it's going to stay that way. 

His fourth-quarter struggles in the NBA Finals made him the butt of jokes, criticism and personal motivation heading into a season when the Miami Heat will once again be counted on to provide most of the storylines on ESPN.

Can James redeem himself for his performance down the stretch in 2011? Will the pressure to win be too much to overcome? Or is this the year the King reigns supreme?

He is the player with the most to prove in 2012—and it's going to stay that way until the Larry O'Brien Trophy sits on his shelf one summer.