The NBA’s greatest ability has always been availability. Talent alone isn’t enough to build a championship legacy if a player can’t stay on the court.
Every season, injuries determine champions and force franchises to reconsider their long-term plans. For some superstars, the 2026-27 season is a defining one because time could be running out.
By silencing critics and proving they can finally lead a contender through a full playoff run, these four injury-plagued superstars have more at stake than anyone else entering the new campaign.
4. Zion Williamson
At some point, potential has an expiration date, and Zion Williamson is almost there. He is still only 26 years old, but it feels like he’s been answering the same questions for years.
When healthy, he’s one of the NBA’s most unstoppable offensive forces. Last season, Zion averaged 21.0 PP, 5.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, and 0.5 BPG on 60.0% FG, 25.0% 3-PT FG, and 71.6% FT. Those are very strong numbers for a player on a bad New Orleans Pelicans team.
The problem is availability. Zion only played 62 games last season, a year removed from only 30 games played. Over seven years, Zion has played 276 games, averaging 39 per season. That is unacceptable for the former No. 1 overall pick who was the most hyped youngster since LeBron James.
The Pelicans have remained surprisingly patient despite Zion’s lengthy injury history, resisting trade speculation even as seasons continue slipping away. That patience won’t last forever.
New Orleans has invested years into building around Williamson, but credibility is beginning to fade because fans simply don’t know if they’ll see him on the floor.
Zion doesn’t need to prove he can dominate because he’s already done that. He needs to prove he can stay healthy long enough to justify the franchise’s belief that he can still be its centerpiece.
3. LaMelo Ball
LaMelo Ball gets exactly what he needs: a fresh start. Following his blockbuster move to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ball walks into one of the NBA’s best situations for a talented point guard.
Minnesota reached the Western Conference Finals and has legitimate championship aspirations behind Anthony Edwards. Now the pressure shifts to Ball because he was brought in to be the missing piece and has to be serious and motivated alongside Edwards to win games.
Ball played 72 games last season, posting 20.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, and 0.2 BPG on 40.7% FG, 36.8% 3-PT FG, and 89.9% FT. Those are excellent numbers, but they can get boosted playing alongside another superstar player.
Not to mention, injuries have interrupted what looked like the beginning of a superstar career. Every time LaMelo starts building momentum, another setback follows.
He played 72 games last season, but his track record since his rookie season has been scary: 51, 75, 36, 22, and 47 games played before last season. Being unhealthy is no longer an excuse he can afford.
Minnesota didn’t acquire Ball to sell jerseys or create highlights because they have Edwards for that. They brought him in to help push a playoff contender over the top.
If Ball stays healthy, the Timberwolves have one of the league’s most dominant backcourts. If the lack of seriousness or injuries continue, questions about whether he can ever be the second-best player on a title contender will only grow louder.
2. Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis has heard every joke at this point. “Street Clothes.” “Injury-prone.” “Day-to-Davis.”
The only way to silence those criticisms is by staying on the court.
Now leading the Washington Wizards alongside the recently-extended Trae Young and generational rookie AJ Dybantsa, Davis is reportedly positioning himself for another lucrative maximum contract extension.
That becomes much harder to justify if another injury-shortened season follows.
When healthy, Davis is one of basketball’s best two-way players. He averaged 20.4 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, and 1.7 BPG on 50.6% FG, 27.0% 3-PT FG, and 72.8% FT in 2o games. Yes, only 20 games.
Washington believes he can serve as the veteran cornerstone while Dybantsa develops into the franchise’s future, but his durability is a massive concern. Davis has only had five seasons playing at least 65 games over 14 seasons.
Since leaving the Lakers, Davis has played a combined 71 games over two seasons and hasn’t sniffed the playoffs. The time for him to stay on the court is now, before the big man turns 34 years old in a few months.
If Davis plays 70-plus games, the Wizards have a realistic chance to surprise people in the Eastern Conference. If he misses another significant chunk of the season, fans may finally lose patience with one of the NBA’s most polarizing superstars.
1. Joel Embiid
Nobody has more to prove than Joel Embiid because there are no excuses left. We don’t blame him for struggling with his body breaking down because it’s evident to see, but the player needs to do whatever he can to stay on the court.
Embiid only played 38 games last season, posting 26.9 PPG, 7.7 RP, 3.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, and 1.2 BPG on 48.9% FG, 33.3% 3-PT FG, and 85.4% FT. His numbers in the playoffs were 24.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, 0.3 SPG, and 0.9 BPG on 46.0% FG, 17.9% 3-PT FG, and 83.1% FT in seven games.
Embiid has the talent to post these numbers every night, and next season is his chance to do so again, if he can play more games.
The 76ers pushed every chip into the middle of the table this offseason, surrounding the former MVP with arguably the strongest supporting cast of his career. Philadelphia added LeBron James and traded for MVP-caliber star Jaylen Brown, while Tyrese Maxey has blossomed into an All-NBA superstar and V.J. Edgecombe is turning into a future star.
The championship window has never been wider for the Cameroonian with one of the most stacked starting lineups in NBA history.
Embiid no longer has to carry the offense because he doesn’t need to score 35 points to keep Philadelphia competitive. LeBron can orchestrate the offense, Maxey can take over stretches of games, and Brown gives the 76ers another elite two-way scorer.
Everything has been built to maximize Embiid’s availability. Can he finally stay healthy?
That’s the only thing standing between Philadelphia and becoming the #1 favorite to win it all. Embiid has already won an MVP award, and what he hasn’t proven is that his body can survive four playoff rounds.
If he finally does, this could be the season that changes his legacy forever. If Embiid stays on the court and leads the team to a championship, his resume takes the biggest jump out of anyone on this list.
