Basketball fans are less than two months away from seeing shoes hit the hardwood floor for the opening of the 2024-25 NBA regular season. Every season sees players improve and make a case to be one of the biggest attractions in the association. However, the league evolves every year. As a result of this phenomenon, there are a few players who have a lot to prove as the regular season begins in October.
3 NBA Players With A Lot To Prove This Season
Ja Morant
Last season was a pretty miserable one for the Memphis Grizzlies. Their star player Ja Morant served a 25-game suspension because of his off-the-court behavior. Additionally, he only played in nine games last year, before a season-ending shoulder injury finished his 2023-24 campaign prematurely. As a result, the Grizzlies were one of the worst teams in the league last year.
When Morant is able to play, he is a star on the court and has developed into one of the best guards in the league. He has helped make the Grizzlies the second-seed in a loaded Western Conference in 2021-22 and 2022-23. A focused Morant is a great thing for the Grizzlies, who have built a roster around the explosive player. However, he will have to prove that he can focus on basketball for a full year without any distractions. If he can do that, then Memphis will be able to return to the playoffs and compete for a championship in the near future.
Paul George
The Philadelphia 76ers have been star hunting for the last few years, and they finally got their man this offseason in Paul George. He signed a four-year deal to create one of the most explosive trios in the league. The Sixers are paying him a lot of money with hopes that he helps lead them to a championship. George has a lot to prove and if he can develop great chemistry with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers will be able to compete with the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Also, George is a great player to pair alongside Maxey and Embiid. His ability to move without the ball combined with his shot-making ability makes him one of the best players that the Sixers have acquired in the Embiid era. If he can bring his lockdown defensive ability to the Sixers as well, they will be a top defensive team in the league, and should be able to at least get to the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals this year.
Damian Lillard
Last season, the Milwaukee Bucks were able to acquire Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers. The addition of Lillard created one of the best scoring duos in the league alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, all of that promise ended in a first round series exit for the Bucks.
As a result of that disappointing finish, Lillard has a lot to prove heading into this season. Lillard is one of the top scorers in the league. However, he will need to improve his defensive prowess and playmaking skills. If Lillard can improve his perimeter defensive ability, Milwaukee should have one of the top defenses in the league once again.
Lillard averaged 7.0 assists per game last year. If he can increase that total a bit, then the Bucks should be a hard team to game plan for, especially if the ball continues to move around the perimeter. If Lillard can make these changes, the Bucks should be able to be a top-four team in the Eastern Conference this season.
