3. Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
There may be some in the league that believe Jimmy Butler may be "washed" at this point in his career but when he's healthy and motivated, there's no question that he has shown the ability to play at a superstar level. Entering the final year of his contract with the Heat, I'd imagine we're going to see a high-level Jimmy for the majority of the season. And if he can find a way to remain healthy, this is a team that could end up being one of the bigger surprises, once again, in the Eastern Conference this year. Whether that happens or not, one thing is clear for this team - they're only going to go as far as Jimmy can take them.
And in the past, that has been pretty far. Over the course of his five seasons with the Miami Heat, Jimmy has helped lead this team to the NBA Finals twice and the Eastern Conference Finals three times.
There are clearly injury and durability concerns for Jimmy heading into the start of the season, but if he can pace himself, he's going to be looking to prove the masses wrong once again this year. The hope is that it results in a big payday for him next summer.