NBA Today: 5 Superstars who need to prove themselves in the 2019-20 season

Finally putting to bed the much-sneered fad of big threes that reduced the NBA's allure to just the playoffs for most parts of the 2010s, the league is all about star duos now.

The 2019 free agency was definitely the most narrative-altering start to the NBA offseason in recent years, and arguably so in the league's entire history. We witnessed free agent movements that were unprecedented. We gasped at trades that were unheralded. We spectated superstar sagas that were unexampled.

In what is certainly a new-look league, some things still haven't changed in the NBA. And that's the spotlight to which certain superstars are subject to - more so this time around - thanks to the tectonic developments around them.

While it is certainly ironical, it's the established stars who have to prove themselves time and again in this unforgiving league. These are players whom we've come to expect great things of, year after year. And it's because of these great expectations, that tongues start wagging the moment they fall short of the same.

Having said that, let us now look at these five NBA superstars who will be expected to showcase to the world yet again just why they're put on such a high pedestal by the basketball cognoscenti.

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#5 Ben Simmons

Simmons is yet to make a 3-pointer in his NBA career

At just 23 years of age and given the things that he has already accomplished, there's no limiting the highs that Ben Simmons can achieve in his career. Argue all you want about the verbatim meaning of the term 'rookie', the Australian more than deserved the Rookie of the Year honor he was awarded in 2018.

Capping off a brilliant sophomore year with a maiden All-Star selection last season, Simmons contributes to the Philadelphia 76ers in manifold ways. He has the motor in transition, the vision to dissect the opponent's defense, and the drive to perform on both ends of the court. In addition to 8.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists, Simmons averaged 16.9 points per game in his last campaign, that too without a jump shot. But that's exactly where the problem lies.

In a league that's always inching more and more towards scoring from distance, there's only so much that Simmons can do through layups and post moves. The fact that he isn't adept at making jumpers also allows the opposition to leave him unmarked near the perimeter and focus on restricting the primary scorer on the court, who is Joel Embiid in most cases.

Philly has already renewed their faith in the 6'10 point guard by offering him a 5-year $170 million max extension, a move that fans are still not sold on. While I'm one of those guys who believe that Simmons absolutely deserves this contract, he must prove it himself by developing a reliable jump shot this offseason. He must prove that he can take his game to the next level.

#4 Kyrie Irving

Does Kyrie Irving have what it takes to lead a team?

Following their Cinderella run in the 2018 NBA Playoffs sans Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics fans were left drooling at the potential exploits of the franchise in the following term when they would have both of their superstars back. Add that to a supporting cast that severely overachieved in the preceding postseason and you had a championship team on paper.

With everything said and done now though, the 2018-19 season was, bluntly put, disappointing for the Cs. From talking about wanting his number to hang from the rafters at TD Garden to claiming that he didn't owe the franchise anything, Kyrie Irving was at the heart of most negative discussions regarding the 17-time NBA champions.

Leaving the tumultuous chronicles of his stay in Boston behind, which also saw Uncle Drew being referred to as dressing room cancer on multiple occasions, Kyrie Irving joined forces with Kevin Durant and signed with the Brooklyn Nets this offseason. As far as narratives go, this is perhaps the best chance that Kyrie will get to right a few wrongs.

While KD is definitely going to be the main man on the Nets roster, he is out of reckoning as far as the upcoming season is concerned. This allows Irving to show the world that contrary to what his tenure in Boston may suggest, he too can lead a franchise. For what it's worth, this was the main reason why he wanted out of Cleveland in the first place; to be the go-to man on a franchise. And now, he must do exactly that by leading Brooklyn to a deep playoff run.

#3 Stephen Curry

Steph Curry must remind the league why he's a two-time MVP

Let me say this for the umpteenth time. No player has had as gargantuan an impact on the modern NBA as Steph Curry. He left the world astounded with what he could do from downtown and made the entire basketball fraternity take note of the same. He deservingly won two regular-season MVP honors and became the first unanimous awardee of the same.

The mid 2010s Warriors' juggernaut only halted after the LeBron James led Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA title in the 2015-16 season. This also made the Warriors bear the brunt of severe trolling over social media, much to the chagrin of their fans. Kevin Durant joined the Bay Area franchise next season and the rest, as they say, is history.

The dynasty that was only fortified by the addition of KD, seemingly crumbled with him going off with a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. With Los Angeles becoming the seat of power in the West this offseason, most fans don't consider Golden State Warriors to be contenders anymore. This is where Chef Curry needs to step in.

After Kawhi and Co. showed that it's indeed possible to guard Steph, the 31-year-old needs to reinvigorate his gameplay. He needs to reiterate to the world that he did it all without KD's help in the first place and that he can help Warriors go the distance again without needing 5 All-Stars in the starting line-up for the same. Curry needs to showcase once more, why exactly he changed the dimensions of the league in the first place.

#2 Russell Westbrook

Seeing Russell Westbrook don a jersey that doesn't say OKC will take some getting used to [Image: Houston Rockets Twitter]

No player in the NBA divides opinions just as much as Russell Westbrook does. His fans see him as an embodiment of sheer athleticism. They see him as a player, who despite his flaws, puts his body on the line every night and just plays hard basketball. His haters though, see a highly volatile individual who is more concerned about stat-padding than team goals.

It's no exaggeration when I say this, but no one, absolutely no one envisioned Westbrook representing a jersey other than the OKC blue before offseason began. But the wheels started turning with the Paul George trade and in the end, Oklahoma City Thunder decided that it was best to let Russell chase a ring somewhere else as the franchise entered a full-blown rebuild.

A lot has been spoken about how Mr. Triple Double is a player who simply cannot adapt to the needs of his franchise and is a difficult teammate to play with. While Westbrook does deserve much of the criticism that comes his way, I also believe that he is the most slandered player in the NBA right now. Just to delve deeper, just how many of his teammates have made any mention of Russ being a bad teammate? None.

It's about time Westbrook proved a point. With James Harden being the cornerstone of the Houston Rockets, it is Russ who will be expected to fit in. It is Russ, who needs to prove that he can adapt. This is perhaps the best set of teammates Westbrook has around him in a while and he must put in his best foot forward to elevate the franchise. He must, along with Harden of course, prove to the world that he has what it takes to win an NBA Championship.

#1 LeBron James

LeBron James must leave behind the baggage of his first season with the Lakers and deliver a ring

If you are someone who didn't follow LeBron James' career during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, it's imperative of you to believe that King James has always needed help to succeed. I mean, all the three NBA Championships that he has won so far came when he had elite players around him. He was aided by Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami while Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving assisted his cause in Cleveland.

Fans who have seen him grind it out with the Cavs in the 2000s and fans who noticed the insane numbers that he was putting up with Cleveland in the 2018 playoffs, however, know exactly what LeBron is capable of when the chips are down. So when he was unable to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the playoffs last season, there was expected disappointment.

Things have changed now. Now LeBron has all the help that he possibly needs. He forms arguably the best duo in the league with Anthony Davis. The Lakers have brilliant depth. Their roster is as well rounded as it can get. While there is a noticeable lack of youngsters with upside, the team is filled with veterans with a win-now mentality. The coaching staff with whom LeBron arguably wasn't so satisfied with last season has also been replaced.

When your name is mentioned regularly in the greatest of all time debate, even the smallest of shortcomings are scrutinized. The same is the case for LeBron James, who simply has no excuses this time around. He must show the world exactly why he is referred to as the 'King'. He must prove that he can script a legacy anywhere, be it the East, or be it the wild, wild West.