3. Kyrie Irving
Should the Cavaliers capture even one title in the next four to five years, Irving will immediately vault into the top slot. However, the fact that he has yet to reach even the postseason relegates him to a spot in the middle of this list.
Irving’s first year saw him average 18.5 points and 5.4 assists enroute to winning Rookie of the Year accolades in the lockout-shortened season. In addition to his offensive production, he showed a clutch approach to the game, but also had problems staying healthy, missing 15 games due to injury.
In year two, he bumped his points per game up four points and dished out just under six assists per contest. However, once again, injuries kept him out of 22 games.
Last year, Irving tallied just under 21 points a game, and won MVP honors at the All-Star Game. However, he struggled both in working under new coach Mike Brown and playing with a ball-dominant Dion Waiters in the backcourt. The disappointing year was chaotic enough to cause some to wonder if Irving was on his way out.
That thinking subsided this past offseason, and Irving has flourished so far, putting up a season-high and hitting the clinching shot against the New York Knicks just last Thursday night.
