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The 2020 NBA Finals only ended a couple months ago, but it's almost time to get going again. A new season is right around the corner, with opening night set for Dec. 22. From there, we'll fly through a 72-game slate as the league tries to get back to its usual October-June schedule. 

Given the condensed offseason for some teams, an extremely lengthy one for others, a revamped schedule and the general state of the world right now, this is sure to be the most unique season in league history. There's no telling how things are going to go, especially as COVID-19 continues to spread across the country. 

But while most of the news right now is negative, at least we have basketball. And for some players, a return to action after an even longer hiatus due to injuries. Ahead of the new season, here's a look at six stars returning from injury this season with something to prove. 

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Curry had by far the least serious injury of any of these players, so there's really no concern about him from a physical standpoint. Sure, broken hands are painful and can keep you out for months, but there are no long-term fears there.

Still, Curry has plenty to prove as he embarks on what will be his strangest season since before the Warriors became a dynasty. Kevin Durant is gone, obviously, and Klay Thompson is unfortunately out for the season once again, this time due to a torn Achilles tendon. That leaves Curry with Draymond Green and a whole bunch of new and unproven teammates. 

No one questions Curry's greatness, and he's going to go down as one of the best of all time no matter what happens from here on out. But this is the type of challenge that could really elevate his legacy. Save for a few games last season before and after he got hurt, he's never had this little talent around him since becoming a star. If we see the return of MVP Steph, and he leads this group to the playoffs, it would be quite an accomplishment.

Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets

Everyone knows the deal with Durant. He came back too early from a calf injury in the 2019 NBA Finals and went down with a torn Achilles tendon in Game 5. We haven't seen him on the court since then, though he's been in the news plenty, thanks in large part to his move to the Brooklyn Nets. 

Now, finally, he's about to suit up again and will do so alongside Kyrie Irving as the duo begin their new partnership in full. They're two of the most offensively gifted players of this generation, so the floor is pretty high, but the ceiling depends largely on how Durant looks in his return. 

If he's "MVP, one of the best players in the world and going toe-to-toe with LeBron James in the Finals" Durant, the Nets are going to be a huge problem in the East. If he's "still very good but just an All-Star" Durant, the Nets are not going to be a huge problem in the East. 

DeMarcus Cousins, Houston Rockets

In 2016, Cousins was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the second straight season. Since then, he's played a total of 158 games between the regular season and the playoffs, suffered a torn Achilles tendon, a torn quad and a torn ACL, and has just joined his fifth different team. 

Just one of those surgeries would be career-altering, and Cousins has had three. How he returns is anyone's guess, and even the Rockets aren't sure what he's going to be able to give them, which is why they only signed him to a non-guaranteed deal in free agency. 

If there are any positives for Cousins and the Rockets, it's that the big man has never dominated through athleticism. He's supremely skilled, is still one of the biggest players in the league and has shown an ability to space the floor and shoot the 3-ball at a respectable clip. 

With the way the Rockets play, he won't be a hindrance for their five-out attack, and on the other side he can give them an actual center to deal with other team's big men. It's hard to have high expectations after what he's been through physically, but it's clear how he could help Houston. 

Blake Griffin, Detroit Pistons

With his exile to Detroit, and subsequent injury-riddled seasons, Griffin has become something of a forgotten man. It didn't help that the Pistons were one of the eight teams not invited to the bubble, so we haven't seen him play in nearly an entire year. 

When healthy he's still a terrific player, as he showed not too long ago. He doesn't fly above the rim as much anymore, but he's really developed his passing and 3-point shooting to become a versatile point forward. The problem, of course, is he isn't healthy nearly enough. 

Even when he helped get the Pistons to the playoffs in 2019, he ended up missing half of the series because of a knee injury. He underwent surgery after they were eliminated, but only managed 18 games last season because his knee was never quite right, and eventually needed another surgery.

He maintains he's fully fit now, and hopefully, he'll show that's the case as he enters a new phase of his career as the elder statesman on a rebuilding Pistons team. 

Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers

Oladipo's career renaissance with the Pacers was cut short by a devastating quad injury in the middle of the 2018-19 season. After over a year on the sidelines, he finally returned to the court last January, only for the league to be shut down by the coronavirus pandemic a few months later. 

When the league announced their plans to resume play inside the bubble this summer, Oladipo was initially going to sit out in order to continue rehabbing and strengthening his leg. He ultimately changed his mind and joined his team, but based on how he played, it seemed like his initial instinct was correct. He was a mess in Orlando, especially in the playoffs where he shot 39.3 percent from the field in the Pacers' four-game sweep at the hands of the Heat, and nearly averaged as many turnovers as made baskets. 

Now, he's facing a make-or-break season ahead of free agency in 2021. He turned down an extension offer from the Pacers, and has been the subject of trade rumors which suggest his time in Indy may soon be coming to an end. But will any team be willing to pay up -- either in the trade or free agent market? 

It all depends on how he looks to start the season. If he's back to the All-Star-level form he was at before the injury, there will be no shortage of teams lining up to acquire him. If not, things could get really interesting. 

John Wall, Houston Rockets

Wall is in a unique position in that he's coming back from a major injury and also starting fresh with the Rockets. So not only will he be out to prove that he can get back to his old form, but that the Wizards made a mistake moving on from him. 

Depending on what happens over the next few weeks, Wall could either be teaming up with James Harden in the backcourt, or leading it himself. Either way, we'll soon see him on the court for the first time since Dec. 26, 2018 -- nearly two full years ago. Since then, he's recovered from knee issues, as well as a torn Achilles tendon.

Because of those injuries, and the way he used to rely so heavily on his athleticism, Wall is probably the biggest question mark of any of the guys on this list. Though an incredible passer, he's never been a consistent jump shooter -- 32.4 percent for his career from 3-point land -- his main attribute was his speed, which allowed him to blow by defenders in the halfcourt and wreak havoc on the fastbreak. 

If he still can't shoot, and he's no longer quite as fast, it's going to be much harder for him to make a significant impact. He's promised to return to All-Star form, and says his game has evolved, but only time will tell if that's the truth.