2. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
A foot injury essentially robbed Kevin Durant of his MVP-defense season, so expect the Thunder legend to open the 2015-16 campaign on a mission. Durant netted a career-high 32.0 points and dished 5.5 assists per game two years ago before 25.4 and 4.1, respectively, in limited action last season.
He’s a volume shooter, but unlike Carmelo, Durant is efficient from everywhere. The Texas product is one of seven players in NBA history to finish shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent beyond the arc and 90 percent at the free-throw line. Durant’s career true shooting percentage is a gaudy 60.1—the 18th-best clip ever.
Durant will return to that MVP form while playing next to another superstar in Russell Westbrook, and as long as those guys are healthy, Oklahoma City will push for an NBA title.