Roundtable: Which NBA star is under the most pressure this season?

LeBron James? Derrick Rose? Kevin Durant? Which NBA star is under the harhsest microscope this season?

Author:
SI.com Staff
Publish date:
Oct 1, 2015

SI.com periodically panels its NBA experts to ask a pressing question about the league. The start of the NBA season is less than a month away. Among the deluge of storylines entering the upcoming campaign is a host of NBA superstars under immense pressure. With so many stars in position to contend for the 2015-16 title, we asked our NBA staff which player will face the most scrutiny this season.

Which star is under the most pressure this year?

Lee Jenkins: LeBron James

My default answer on this is LeBron, and though that will change at some point, the day hasn’t come quite yet. Last season was set up from the start as a mulligan: new coach, new team, young sidekicks with no playoff experience. Now they’ve had a year together, they’ve been to the Finals, and they’re proven they can play different ways. In theory, they’re better and the East is worse, if that’s possible. LeBron will look back at his Miami days, when he lost in Year 1 but broke through in Year 2, and expect to replicate the formula. He’ll put that pressure on himself.

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Phil Taylor: Derrick Rose

Is he still the same scintillating point guard and franchise cornerstone who was the 2011 MVP, or is he an injury-prone oddball who's more concerned with his future free agency than the future of the Bulls? His performance this season will go a long way toward answering those questions. Four years ago, Rose was Stephen Curry without the ring—a humble yet dominant point guard who won the MVP surprisingly early in his career and saw his popularity skyrocket. Since then, he's had one injury after another—a broken orbital bone suffered Monday on the first day of practice is the latest one—and he seems to be almost intentionally eroding all the good will he built up with his early success. The day before the eye socket injury, he said without prompting that he was looking forward to breaking the bank when he becomes a free agent, even though he has two years left on his contract. If that's not enough, he's also facing a civil suit from a former girlfriend who has accused him of sexual assault (Rose has vehemently denied the accusation). The perception of Rose, both as a player and person, has changed drastically, and the pressure is on for him to stay healthy and prove he's the kind of unselfish leader who can take the Bulls deep into the postseason. At the moment, there are real doubts that he can do either one.

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Ben Golliver: Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant faces more pressure than a deep-water scuba diver this season. There’s the ever-present pressure to win: Durant is now 27, if you can believe it, the same age as LeBron James and Michael Jordan in their first title seasons. There’s the nagging pressure to stay healthy after three foot surgeries in a year, lest his meteoric ascendancy be derailed for a second straight season. There’s the potentially distracting pressure of his first free agency: No player in the last decade, aside from James, has wielded as much power as Durant will possess on July 1, and no player, besides James, has the potential to break as many hearts. There’s the unmistakable pressure that comes with knowing that the Thunder’s future is entirely up to him.

There’s the pressure to connect with new coach Billy Donovan on the fly, and the familiar pressure of coexisting with Russell Westbrook. There’s the pressure to decide between sticking with approaches that worked in the past and adapting strategically to keep up with the likes of Golden State and San Antonio. There’s the day-to-day pressure that comes with playing in the top-heavy Western Conference, where multiple MVP candidates sprouted up while he was out, and the pressure to lead a renovated supporting cast whose new faces are largely lacking in postseason experience. There’s the pressure to convince Dion Waiters to pass. If Durant is bothered or overwhelmed by any of this stuff, he hasn’t shown it … yet.

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Rob Mahoney: Kevin Durant

The stakes involved in the Thunder’s season are harrowing. If all goes well, Oklahoma City stands to be one of the best teams in the league. Anything less and the Thunder risk the doomsday scenario of losing Durant, one of the best basketball players on the planet, in free agency next summer. Given that, Durant faces pressure from a variety of angles. He’ll be asked to carry a good (but changed) team in an increasingly competitive conference; to say all the right things in regard to his upcoming free agency while still looking to make the best decision for himself; to make the most of what could conceivably be his last year alongside Russell Westbrook; to make things work under Billy Donovan in his first season as an NBA coach; and to prove that his recent run of injury is fully behind him. Winning it all is tough enough as it is. Doing so while walking a tightrope of expectation is all the more trying.

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Matt Dollinger: Carmelo Anthony

Playing under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden always brings some measure of added pressure, but Carmelo Anthony faces a different kind of pressure at MSG this season: will he get the chance to continue to play in the most famous basketball arena in the world? The Knicks star is entering his sixth season in New York and second under the reign of Phil Jackson. Over those six years, Anthony has led the Knicks to the playoffs just three times and out of the first round only once. Along the way, he's faced countless questions (some fair, some not) concerning his shot selection, his ability to lead a championship-caliber team and his standing as a leader. Those queries have intensified under Jackson, who was brought to New York to revitalize the Knicks franchise and return it to its glory days. Jackson is known for his mind games and his candid chatter with the media, fueling more speculation about whether he wants Anthony as the cornerstore of his team. He handed Melo a max extension in July 2014, but essentially had no choice but to re-sign the one commodity on the payroll. Last week, Anthony told reporters, "I think Phil Jackson still believes in me," with the word "still" sticking out like Kristaps Porzingis in a sea of tourists. The trade rumors are unlikely to go away soon in Anthony's tabloid-loaded home city. If Anthony and the Knicks don't exceed expectations this year, the eight-time All-Star could be on his way out of town.

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Top 100 NBA Players of 2016

#100 — Giannis Antetokounmpo

John W. McDonough for Sports Illustrated

Bucks | Forward | Last year: —

#99 — Wesley Matthews

Mavericks | Guard | Last year: 72

#98 — Donatas Motiejunas

Rockets | Forward | Last year: —

#97 — Nerlens Noel

76ers | Forward | Last year: —

#96 — Josh Smith

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Clippers | Forward | Last year: 53

#95 — Roy Hibbert

Lakers | Center | Last year: 52

#94 — Reggie Jackson

Pistons | Guard | Last year: —

#93 — J.J. Redick

Clippers | Guard | Last year: 93

#92 — Lou Williams

Lakers | Guard | Last year: —

#91 — Andrew Wiggins

Timberwolves | Forward | Last year: —

#90 — Taj Gibson

Bulls | Forward | Last year: 75

#89 — Amir Johnson

Celtics | Forward | Last year: 71

#88 — Isaiah Thomas

Celtics | Guard | Last year: 90

#87 — Ricky Rubio

Timberwolves | Guard | Last year: 87

#86 — Kenneth Faried

Nuggets | Forward | Last year: 77

#85 — Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Hornets | Forward | Last year: —

#84 — Robin Lopez

Knicks | Center | Last year: 82

#83 — Deron Williams

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Mavericks | Guard | Last year: 45

#82 — Joe Johnson

Nets | Guard | Last year: 51

#81 — DeMarre Carroll

Raptors | Forward | Last year: —

#80 — George Hill

Pacers | Guard | Last year: —

#79 — Brandon Knight

Suns | Guard | Last year: —

#78 — Tobias Harris

Magic | Forward | Last year: —

#77 — Jonas Valanciunas

Raptors | Center | Last year: 80

#76 — Andrew Bogut

Warriors | Center | Last year: 65

#75 — Thaddeus Young

Nets | Forward | Last year: 69

#74 — Tiago Splitter

Hawks | Center | Last year: 70

#73 — Danilo Gallinari

Nuggets | Forward | Last year: 62

#72 — Ryan Anderson

Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 59

#71 — Paul Pierce

Clippers | Forward | Last year: 46

#70 — Tristan Thompson

Cavaliers | Forward | Last year: —

#69 — Hassan Whiteside

Heat | Center | Last year: —

#68 — Timofey Mozgov

Cavaliers | Center | Last year: —

#67 — Nikola Vucevic

Magic | Center | Last year: 89

#66 — Chandler Parsons

Mavericks | Forward | Last year: 56

#65 — Trevor Ariza

Rockets | Forward | Last year: 83

#64 — Markieff Morris

Suns | Forward | Last year: —

#63 — Marcin Gortat

Wizards | Center | Last year: 58

#62 — Bradley Beal

Wizards | Guard | Last year: 76

#61 — DeMar DeRozan

Raptors | Guard | Last year: 61

#60 — Derrick Rose

Bulls | Guard | Last year: 23

#59 — Jrue Holiday

Pelicans | Guard | Last year: 50

#58 — Tyreke Evans

Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 84

#57 — Monta Ellis

Pacers | Guard | Last year: 66

#56 — Luol Deng

Heat | Forward | Last year: 55

#55 — Nicolas Batum

Hornets | Forward | Last year: 43

#54 — Kobe Bryant

Lakers | Guard | Last year: 24

#53 — Tony Parker

Spurs | Guard | Last year: 15

#52 — Rudy Gay

Kings | Forward | Last year: 67

#51 — Ty Lawson

Rockets | Guard | Last year: 44

#50 — Danny Green

Spurs | Guard | Last year: 96

#49 — Zach Randolph

Grizzlies | Forward | Last year: 42

#48 — Greg Monroe

Bucks | Forward | Last year: 68

#47 — Al Jefferson

Hornets | Center | Last year: 26

#46 — Kyle Korver

Hawks | Forward | Last year: 74

#45 — Khris Middleton

Bucks | Forward | Last year: —

#44 — Andre Iguodala

Warriors | Forward | Last year: 29

#43 — Joakim Noah

Bulls | Center | Last year: 17

#42 — Goran Dragic

Heat | Guard | Last year: 35

#41 — Jeff Teague

Hawks | Guard | Last year: 92

#40 — Pau Gasol

Bulls | Forward | Last year: 49

#39 — Rudy Gobert

Jazz | Center | Last year: —

#38 — Brook Lopez

Nets | Center | Last year: 36

#37 — Derrick Favors

Jazz | Forward | Last year: 79

#36 — Tyson Chandler

Suns | Center | Last year: 39

#35 — Andre Drummond

Pistons | Center | Last year: 37

#34 — Kyle Lowry

Raptors | Guard | Last year: 30

#33 — Eric Bledsoe

Suns | Guard | Last year: 33

#32 — Paul Millsap

Hawks | Forward | Last year: 34

#31 — Gordon Hayward

Jazz | Forward | Last year: 57

#30 — Dwyane Wade

Heat | Guard | Last year: 20

#29 — DeAndre Jordan

Clippers | Center | Last year: 38

#28 — Dirk Nowitzki

Mavericks | Forward | Last year: 14

#27 — Mike Conley

Grizzlies | Guard | Last year: 32

#26 — Klay Thompson

Warriors | Guard | Last year: 54

#25 — Serge Ibaka

Thunder | Forward | Last year: 19

#24 — Damian Lillard

Trail Blazers | Guard | Last year: 22

#23 — Kyrie Irving

Cavaliers | Guard | Last year: 21

#22 — Chris Bosh

Heat | Forward | Last year: 18

#21 — Al Horford

Hawks | Center | Last year: 25

#20 — Paul George

Pacers | Forward | Last year: —

#19 — Dwight Howard

Rockets | Center | Last year: 9

#18 — Jimmy Butler

Bulls | Guard | Last year: 98

#17 — Kevin Love

Cavaliers | Forward | Last year: 7

#16 — Draymond Green

Warriors | Forward | Last year: —

#15 — Carmelo Anthony

Knicks | Forward | Last year: 11

#14 — DeMarcus Cousins

Kings | Center | Last year: 27

#13 — John Wall

Wizards | Guard | Last year: 31

#12 — LaMarcus Aldridge

Spurs | Forward | Last year: 12

#11 — Tim Duncan

Spurs | Forward | Last year: 5

#10 — Kawhi Leonard

Spurs | Forward | Last year: 28

#9 — Marc Gasol

Grizzlies | Center | Last year: 16

#8 — Blake Griffin

Clippers | Forward | Last year: 10

#7 — Russell Westbrook

Thunder | Guard | Last year: 4

#6 — Chris Paul

Clippers | Guard | Last year: 3

#5 — James Harden

Rockets | Guard | Last year: 13

#4 — Stephen-Curry

Warriors | Guard | Last year: 8

#3 — Anthony Davis

Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 4

#2 — Kevin Durant

Thunder | Forward | Last year: 2

#1 — LeBron James

Cavaliers | Forward | Last year: 1