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NBA: 5 Players with the most to prove in 2018-19

By Brandon Osborne

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on November 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on November 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 18: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on November 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 18: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on November 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Breaking down the five players with the most to prove heading into the 2018-19 NBA season

The upcoming NBA season is already full of storylines and a handful of biggest narratives involve players who will be seeking redemption. 

In some cases, the player involved is coming off of a significant injury or they are with a new team and want to prove their worth – sometimes both. The NBA season can go a far way at proving how valuable a player is, or it can also destroy a players chances at a big pay day; as we saw with Isaiah Thomas, who went from an NBA MVP candidate in line to earn an $100 million contract to accepting a minimum deal for a non-contender in the matter of one season. 

Either way, these five players have the most to prove heading into the 2018-19 NBA season. 

Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors

If there is one player who is in need of image repair, it would be Kawhi Leonard. He went from the quiet superstar poised to lead the San Antonio Spurs for the next decade to the player that no one can figure out.

He had injury problems last season which lead to him and the Spurs organization struggling to figure out a solution to the problem. With each day that passes another story appears about how he wasn’t talking or even answering calls from members of the organization who were attempting to check on him.

Also, there was the issue with Tony Parker who publicly outed Leonard by saying his injury wasn’t as bad as the one Parker had dealt with previously in his career.

Now that Leonard is a member of the Toronto Raptors, he must show not only is he still the same dominant player that he was before his quad injury, but he must show that last season was just a Spurs issue and not something that other teams should be concerned about.

On the court, Leonard is a top-5 in the league talent when healthy but several teams are likely worried about his attitude after his tumultuous exit from the Spurs.

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