NBA Players: 5 Superstars who could underperform next season
Every season brings with it an intertwined mesh of variegated storylines, some depicting resurgence while the other showcasing sheer disappointment. One of the more involving narratives during this past season came in the form of Derrick Rose, whose memorable 50-point game for the Timberwolves appeared as a glaring exclamation mark to his long-trodden trail since 2010.
The league remembers champions as vividly as those who grinded their way up to the top. Because after all, at the end of the day, it's way more than just basketball.
On the contrary, we are often faced with performances from stars that stand nowhere close their pre-determined stature, and predicting the same isn't an exact science. Let's talk about about a bunch of prominent NBA names that may not step up to the pedestal as expected of them in the upcoming season.
#1 Paul George
One of the debatable reasons that makes Paul George a projected underperformer for the 2019-20 campaign is the very belief that PG13 might not be able to repeat the same offensive-defensive combo explosion for the second year in a row.
The arguments to the aforementioned prophecy are two-fold. Firstly, Kawhi Leonard is no Russell Westbrook. While it might seem outrageous, Leonard might not be able to facilitate George to another 28 points per game season(ppg). The 2-time NBA Finals MVP averaged 26.6 ppg himself through the regular season and despite him being the recent champion on a team he spent just a year with, the chances of him giving way to the MVP finalist in crunch situations are still questionable.
Secondly, George's shoulder bugged him throughout this past year and into the postseason as well, and he recently had a surgery to fix any possible glitches. Although it is being deemed as a 'bad break with no permanent damage', the chances of these issues resurfacing during the season cannot be ruled out.
George and Leonard might be the best 2-way duo ever put together, but in all probability, one of them will carry a heavier burden than the other.