The new NBA season will see several star players looking for more or less redemption after a year or more of banishment, and some will no longer be stars. Is it because of the injury? act of treason Or even if they had a bad performance in the playoffs, these are the stars who are trying to get out of trouble.

Looking for Simmons from the Sixers

ben simmons

If a star hasn’t been himself for a long time, to the point where he’s not a star anymore, it’s Ben Simmons. Everything has gone downhill for the point guard since he decided to rebel two seasons ago. Don’t play with the Sixers until they trade him. After Harden’s surgery, he was unable to make his debut with the Nets due to injury, and he sat out the entire 21-22 season.

The past came back and gave us a glimpse of what will happen next. kyrie irving and kevin durant However, he left the game in February due to back problems and played in only 42 games.

I definitely recovered from them. physical problems, This year has to be the year of his return, and this has been declared by Simmons himself, guaranteeing that it might even be better than that of the Sixers.and michael bridges As the only star player in his prime at 27 years old and a coach like Jacque Vaughn willing to die for him, he has all the tools to achieve that. The other thing is that he goes out of his way to practice his three-point shot.

Definitive maturity?

ja morant

The announcement made in September already stated this and confirmed that it is the goal for this season. reproduction (Renaissance).

It will take some time for him to prove it on the field – sanctioned first 25 games– But Ja Morant wants to put an end to the chaotic and somewhat sinister character that ended up devouring the dazzling star who charmed with his talent and on-field acrobatics.

The point guard racked up endless trouble last year, showing the following results in two episodes. gun The first time he was removed from the team for 12 games, and the second time he was sanctioned by the NBA for 25 games, mainly due to posts on social networks.

There were also unresolved incidents of assaulting minors at street games and charges that the Pacers threatened a bus with a gun from another vehicle.To him 24 years And after so many scandals, it’s time to decisively mature, and to do so he’ll have two gorgeous mentors by his side. marcus smart and Derrick Rose.

Summer of injuries and cloudy skies

Zion Williamson

There were many ups and downs until hell came crashing down in a shocking way. Although he missed the entire 21-22 season due to injury, he made a spectacular comeback in the 22-23 season and left the following impression. 26 points, 7 rebounds, 4.6 assists… An injury occurred in January, and the Pelicans finished third in the West Division but failed to qualify for the playoffs, before being sidelined for the remainder of the season.

But in a tumultuous summer for him, worse was to come for the 23-year-old interior.Porn actress Moriah Mills She claimed she was pregnant by him, and the loan company sued her for nonpayment. But those close to him say they have never seen him work as hard as he has in previous summers, or watch his diet, which has always been difficult to control. Now transfer it to the truck.he 2019 Draft No. 1 I don’t want to become another victim of the first curse. pick of the lottery.

A new reality that is difficult to accept

jordan pool

Warriors had to choose between Jordan Poole and Jordan Poole draymond green The 24-year-old shooting guard, who was eventually traded to the Wizards in a bid to bring in Chris Paul, was chosen to restore harmony to the locker room after the Punch episode and ease the payroll bill, killing two birds with one stone. was.

After his important role, 2022 ring and a $1 million renovation immediately after the Green incident – 4 years and 128 million-, he seemed untouchable to the Warriors. However, his cocky attitude in the locker room and inconsistency on the court prevented him from leading a second unit, and ultimately Golden State traded him from the best team of the past decade to an unambitious player. I decided to pack it into the team.

With a long-term contract and the security of being on a team in transition without a star player, porzingis Jordan Poole is doing everything he can to prove himself right and make the Warriors realize they made a mistake.

His first ring may arrive before the Suns game

chris paul

Another now legendary point guard was “despised” by his former franchise, if you want to call it that.His injury in the last playoff game ended up breaking the team’s patience. phoenix suns, I’m tired of another point guard failing in the postseason for the third time in a row.

He was left in no man’s land with his move to the Wizards, but he was very fortunate that the greatest dynasty of the past decade found him in their fifth ring project of the past decade. This is a great chance to win the title that his team still lacks. 38 years.

For this, he will have to make some sacrifices, which, in fact, he already had to go through. dock for the first time in his career. After Paul came off the bench against the Rockets, he said he would “do whatever it takes to win.” The Suns won’t want CP3 to win his first ring before them. His first roll.

Are we done talking about injuries?

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George

They come in packs like Embiid and Harden.Your problem is not your performance itself play off – especially Kawhi with two rings – as the eternal anthem of his injury, both during the regular season and title phase.

Kawhi Leonard barely played 52 games Paul George scored 56 points and both averaged 23.8 points, but George missed the playoffs and Kawhi only played in two games in the series against the Suns, despite averaging 34.5 points.

The Clippers probably decided to give this project another chance. conference finals It’s 2021, but it seems like this is the final bullet. It’s even more important for George, who hasn’t worn a ring at age 33, to show he can remain a star.

Either way, both are putting their futures at risk as their contracts expire this year. 2024 There is also a player option to renew for an additional year. With the help of James Harden, they will have another facilitator on the roster, which should relieve them of their workload.

Looking for someone who didn’t make it to the Lakers

russell westbrook

Russ quickly resurfaced last year after changing neighbors in Los Angeles, but the point guard should make a full comeback this season after a period of underperformance in league play. lakers But it diminished his value anyway.

He wants to show how much he has left despite turning 35 soon, at the cost of only a one-year renewal. 3.8 million, He is far from 47 in the final year of his previous contract. But for him, it seems worth it to take on a key role among the ring contenders under a coach like: Tyrone Lue He will take it with him to the end of the world.

His 30-point and 37-point performances in the playoffs suggested that it wasn’t him who was wrong with the Lakers, but rather the purple and gold team that didn’t know how to find the right fit. .and james harden Back to the story, we need to see what role he will play and whether he retains ownership.

MVP’s chronic complex in the playoffs

joel embiid

He has nothing to prove in the regular season anymore. MVP All or nearly all of them are still in the playoffs, especially after a sharp drop in performance between last year’s regular season and title phase. His repeated injuries in the playoffs have something to do with it, but so does his chronic fear. It was a defining moment in last year’s series against the Celtics when P.J. Tucker had to be reprimanded for not daring to attack. Al Horford.

His poor performance in Game 7 against Boston, with only 15 points and 4 rebounds on field goals on May 18, doesn’t make him worthy of being a star candidate, let alone MVP. On the way to 30 years nick nurse He is able to break through Cameroonians’ mental blocks at critical moments.

Will that change for the Clippers?

james harden

James Harden could also go down in the playoffs. The “Beards” did not perform well in crucial situations last year as well, scoring 9 points in Game 7. 34 years And if he still doesn’t have a ring like Embiid, he can’t afford it and now that he’s where he wants to be as a new addition to the Clippers, he’ll have to show he can change the narrative. .

Ironically, he is settling down after being at 34 clubs. 4 teams The differences between the Rockets, Nets, Sixers, and now Clippers have been made in less than two years. If you want a ring, you can’t go around that many times.

You have to get your physique in shape, and you also have to get your head in shape.

lamelo ball

There’s one more thing to prove if the parade of injuries and off-court troubles for the Hornets stops.The point guard continued to improve his performance last year. 23.3 points, 8.4 assists Although he played on average, he missed most of 36 games due to an ankle injury.

The No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft will have to take the reins leading its rebuild after joining Charlotte’s side. Michael Jordan, He lost his position as the franchise’s largest shareholder this summer after only two playoff appearances since 2010, when he bought it.

To do that, he will need to settle down somewhat, having played point guard since last winter. 22 years old He was seen skidding his car and running a red light.great friends are on your side brandon miller Like Ball, he was drafted third overall in June and is accused of being involved in a shooting that killed a woman.

It’s up to the best of the three ball brothers to keep us from ending up with a tale of sibling curses. lonzo ball He will spend another missed season with the Bulls due to a meniscus issue, and LiAngelo is currently without an NBA team, playing for the Hornets’ G League team, the Greensboro Swarm.

The driving force behind the Pistons’ revival

Cade Cunningham

There are some players who don’t want to be added to the list of victims of the curse of being drafted No. 1.he still has a lot to prove 2021 lottery number 1After a disastrous season of just 12 games last year, they needed to rebuild.

The Detroit Pistons are making a comeback at point guard. Monty Williams. Michigan, which has made the playoffs just twice since 2010, needs the best of Cunningham, who had 20 points, 6.2 rebounds and six assists in 33 minutes last year.

And this list can be further expanded by more stars destined to be reborn. donovan mitchell With the Cavaliers after a crushing loss in the playoffs, or Rudy Gobert Last year, he was criticized for his battle with Kyle Anderson, and was unable to achieve great results in the postseason.Or again Deandre Ayton After being traded from the Suns to the Blazers.

The following cases can also be mentioned: anthony davisthere’s no doubting his quality on both sides of the court, but he’s hungry to show that he can be an MVP candidate if he lets the injury go completely.