Seven Players To Watch Out For in Disney World

The NBA is less than three weeks away from returning in Disney World when the Jazz play the Pelicans on July 30th. Every NBA fan is excited, but we all have questions about the NBA's bubble and what will transpire on the court. One of the main talking points over recent weeks has been what players will prove themselves over the next few months. I've compiled a list of seven players to watch out for in Orlando. Some of these players will have huge opportunities to make a name for themselves, while others have something to prove in the playoffs. Let’s get into it!

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Potential Breakout Players

Caris Levert

Via: Hoops Habit

The Nets are basically going to be the punching bag for their opponents over their 8 games and subsequent playoff series. Without Kyrie Irving or Spencer Dinwiddie, the team will have to rely on 4th-year player Caris LeVert. He’s had by far his best scoring season this year with 17.7 PPG. With a couple of 30 point performances and a 51 piece against the Celtics, LeVert has proven he can score the ball at a premium when needed. He'll be asked to carry a large load for the Nets over the next couple months but if he can do so and do so well, he could carve out a future as the Nets third option.

Michael Porter

Via: CBS Sports

MPJ missed his rookie season with a back injury and only this season has he been able to become a true part of the Denver Nuggets. Even with reduced minutes this season he's looked good, scoring 26.4 PTS/100 on 59% True Shooting. I expect him to get a good amount of minutes in the final 8 games of the regular season as he may be finally healthy. With more minutes could come more impact and this could be Porter Jr's time to shine for the Nuggets.

Rui Hachimura

Via: NBC Sports

"The Asian Kawhi," nicknamed by fellow writer Logan Adams, has had a really underrated rookie season. He's scoring 13.4 PPG with 6.0 REB, but you can't get the full effect of his game without looking at the film. The way he gets into his spot, the way he controls the ball, and the way he scores are all reminiscent of Kawhi. Without Bradley Beal playing, he'll take on a larger role for the team and he should have a great chance to showcase his scoring talents. He's in a similar situation to Caris LeVert as there is no pressure on him so expect Rui to ball out in the Wizards 8 remaining games.

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Players With Something to Prove

Nikola Jokic

Via: USA TODAY

Jokic played amazing in his first playoff appearance, scoring 25.1 PPG along with 13.0 REB and 8.4 AST. Even with all this personal success, his team missed out on the Western Conference Finals. With a first-round matchup against the Rockets looming, and a potential second-round matchup with the Clippers, Jokic is ready to prove himself as a next level playoff performer. Nobody is expecting the Nuggets to go deep in the playoffs, but Jokic still has a lot to prove to the doubters. Especially now that he’s gotten skinnier, he’ll have to prove that he can play with that body type. If he can get some classic playoff wins he’ll cement himself as the best center in the league.

Kemba Walker

Via: Forbes

Kemba Walker has never been given a fair chance to compete in the playoffs. The few times that he’s made it he’s had to play with guys like Nicolas Batum and Al Jefferson as his second options. Now that he’s the leader of a young Celtics squad, he has a chance to show that he is a big-game performer. There’s been a lot of chatter all throughout his career that he can’t get it done when it counts, and now that he has a fair chance to get it done there are no more excuses. Anything less than 20 PPG and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance would paint Kemba in a very bad light among NBA fans.

Anthony Davis

Via: Yahoo! Sports

AD, just like Kemba, is finally going to have an opportunity to compete in the playoffs. He’s the number one scoring option for the Lakers and has been a defensive beast all season. Everything this year has been revving up to a Lakers vs Clippers WCF and Anthony Davis will have to perform at a high level to get the Lakers to the Finals. You might be saying “well he plays with Lebron, what does he have to prove?” My opinion is that if he can be as consistently good as he was in the regular season when it comes playoff time, he’ll really prove that he’s a top player in this league.

Pascal Siakam

Via: CBS Sports

And the last spot on this list goes to Raptors star Power Forward, Pascal Siakam. Last season he was the Raptors second option in their championship run, but this time around he’s the head of the team. He’s going to be their leader on offense and on defense, and Siakam is going to have to prove he's a superstar in this league. The Raptors have a very good shot at making the Finals this season, but a lot of it comes down to the play of this man. If Siakam can have a playoff run like Kawhi did last year the Raptors can win the title. If he burns out like a dying flame, then there will be questions asked about his ability to perform on the big stage.

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