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5 Players With The Most To Prove In 2016-17

By Carter Johnson

Nov 5, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) dribble the ball around Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second half at the United Center. The Bulls won 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) dribble the ball around Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second half at the United Center. The Bulls won 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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LeBron James
Mar 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) reacts against the Dallas Mavericks at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 99-98. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

Kevin Love

It’s no debate that the Cleveland Cavaliers earned their first championship in franchise history and the city’s first title in any sport in 52 years. It is debatable, however, how much former All-Star forward Kevin Love contributed to winning that championship.

Sure, there was the lone defensive stop on two-time MVP Stephen Curry in the waning moments of Game 7 that has become known as “The Stop,” but other than that Love’s averages of 8.5 points and 6.8 boards on 36.2 percent shooting from the field and an abysmal 26.3 percent shooting from three would not even be considered pedestrian by most standards.

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It doesn’t bode well for Love that

Tristan Thompson

has developed as quickly as he has, averaging a double-double in the Finals while showing off improved defensive versatility.

With LeBron James’ positional fluidity, it might even serve the Cavaliers better to start a smaller lineup with him and Thompson at the 4 and 5 to space the floor while keeping their best defenders on the court.

Love’s becoming more of a seldom-used role player than the third star in Cleveland, which is why rumors have continued to fly about the team trying to trade his massive $120 million contract.

If Love wants to keep rolling with the winners, he’s going to have to prove he’s still got some superstar play left in him in 2016-17.

Love showed some signs of still being a capable alpha-dog early in the 2015-16 season, averaging 17.6 points and 10.8 boards while going 43.7 percent from the field and 37 percent from three point range in the team’s first 24 games without point guard Kyrie Irving.

Obviously, those numbers go down when Irving is present as Love becomes a less active member of the offense, but he’s not exactly doing himself any favors with a declining percentage on the attempts from long distance that he does get (down to 36.0 from 36.7 in 2014-15).

In order to remain a factor in Cleveland’s offense, Love has to take on the Chris Bosh role and become an efficient marksman from deep and the elbow.

If he can be a deadlier shooter while keeping up the defensive intensity he started to display in the Finals, he won’t be a liability in crunch time and might see more playing time — and job security — with the reigning champs.

Next: The Lone Ranger