The verdict
Kyrie Irving clearly has the most pressure on him this year. He must prove that Boston was an anomaly and that he can indeed be an alpha dog and lead a young team to the playoffs. If they are worse than they were last year with D’Angelo Russell, it will reflect negatively on Irving.
Kemba Walker has the next most pressure, given that he is going to a team that’s loaded and expects to compete for the Eastern Conference title. If the Celtics don’t make a deep playoff run or get back to the Eastern Conference Finals, it will be a disappointment to Celtics fans.
For Rozier, it’s mostly upside. The team hasn’t been very good so if he can elevate them to the playoffs, he’ll look like a hero. If he doesn’t, well, it’s just another bad season for Charlotte – something they’re used to.
Isaiah Thomas has the least amount of pressure. He signed a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum, so if he fails, there’s not a lot on the line for the Wizards. But if Thomas succeeds, it could open the door for a bigger payday and a new contract.
What do you think?