5. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
It’s been a decade since the King finished outside of the top four. Why would it happen next year, with the best player on the planet in full F.U. mode following the inevitable departure of the man who was supposed to carry the torch upon LeBron’s exit?
For starters, the man is smart. He may be angry, but he’s too wise to let that translate into draining the tank for meaningless regular season wins. He played 76 games two years ago, 74 last year, and is a safe bet to decrease that number once again.
Last season, when James led the league in minutes, it felt a bit like his quest for one final individual accolade. He still finished fourth. He’ll be smart enough to scale it back and save even more energy for his last Finals run in the burgundy and gold.