[HitsterParticipant]

 With Jimmy Butler, Paul George and to a lesser extent Paul Millsap all having moved form East to West then the 2018 Western Conference All Star Team could be loaded.

Only Gordon Hayward has moved the other way, apart from the other 11 selected this year – CP3, Griffin, Gobert, Wiggins, KAT, Lillard etc weren’t in this year’s Western Team. Other names will come into contention too so you potentially have 20 plus names vying for 12 spots.

Even Russell Westbrook MVP didn’t make the starting line up this year so it shows what the depth was already like. This year’s 5 starters – Curry, KD, Harden, Leonard and Davis plus Westbrook are all likely locks if fit. So you then have say 15 players battling for the other 6 spots.

Other names could well emerge and if someone like Jimmy Butler is listed as a guard then that position becomes insanely loaded.

You also have to factor in concerted voting like there was for Zaza this year, could Big Baller and Laker fans try to do something for Lonzo Bell I wonder although the rules make this harder now.

 

[HobbyOGParticipant]

 Deandre Jordan shouldn’t of made it last year. He’s off..I like Marc Gasol but he’s declining so I can see someone taking his place. I don’t see Milsap making the All-Star team in the west. KAT should be on the squad next year. Followed by Butler and George. So

Out

Jordan 

Gasol

Hayward (east)

In 

KAT

George

Butler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the east, you got Hayward and Melo may get traded out west so I could see Whiteside making it next year if he has the same numbers he had this year. 

Out

Butler

George 

Melo (if he gets traded to the west)

In

Hayward

Whiteside

???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The GoatParticipant]

 Embiid in for sure

[bballjunkie09Participant]

Early prediction for East all-stars:

Starters:

G – Isaiah Thomas

G – Demar Derozan

G – LeBron James

F – Giannis Antetokounmpo

F – Kristaps Porzingis

Bench: Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, John Wall, Brad Beal, Hassan Whiteside, Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry

Just missed: Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker (if he stays healthy), Dion Waiters, JR Smith (dark-horse candidate due to lack of quality in guards in the East)

 

Although I believe Myles Turner should get more consideration (more than Embiid), if Embiid was to many NBA reporters a candidate for ROY with ~30 games played this past season, then there’s no question I suspect them not to continue riding "The Process" bandwagon. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MatosParticipant]

 Zaza wont be a problem. They addressed that last year with the new voting system. New point system. Fans only control 50% of the votes for starter selection.

[bballjunkie09Participant]

Early Prediction for the West

(**Forgot to mention in my last post, East picks are under the assumption Melo goes to Houston)

  

G – Steph Curry 

G – Russell Westbrook

G – James Harden

F – Kevin Durant

F – Kawhi Leonard

 

Bench: Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, Paul George, CP3, Jimmy Butler, Blake Griffin, Karl Anthony Towns

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Wavy BagelsParticipant]

 No way three guards start. AD in for either Curry or Westbrook.

[MatosParticipant]

EAST

Starters:   
Wall
Irving
LeBron
Giannis
Embiid

Bench:
DeRozen
Kemba
Whiteside
Porzingis
Wade
Hayward
IT
Love
Beal
Drummond or Dwight

Snubs/Bubble losers:  Dwight or Drummond (whoever is left), Oladipo (he’s gonna have a nice year), Lowry,  Horford, Myles Turner

*Leaving Melo out because who knows where he’s goin*

WEST

Starters:
Curry
Harden
KD
Kawhi
AD

Bench:
Westbrook
CP3
PG
Klay
Draymond
Jimmy B
Cousins
Dame 
KAT or Jokic
Blake (nice year)

Snubs/Bubble losers: KAT or Jokic (whoever is left), Gasol, Gobert, Devin Booker, Milsap, DJ, CJ, Conley, Wiggins, someone from Spurs (because they’re a top 2-3 team)
 

Spurs could easily have a second guy in there though due to team success. Team success is going to play a big factor in the bench selections out west. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bigtymer32Participant]

 in west it’s going be who has the top 4 records will determine  most of  the all stars.it could be to a point where butler and george don’t make it.i figure at least one of the two get on.

[Checkbook_docParticipant]

There is so much talent in the west this year that I think it will be a disappointment if anyone from a non-top 8 team, or a team below .500 gets in.

I also think it would be a mistake to have more than 2 players from any team, even the warriors. I think if Dame is the best player on the 8th seeded Blazers, he should get in over Klay. Likewise, no team below 4th deserves to have 2 players in. I mean, do we really think Cousins deserves to be in as the second best player on the 10th seeded Pelicans at the expense of Gobert (assuming Jazz have a similar or better record than Pelicans).

The benefit of the doubt should go to players who bear the burden of being the best player on a team, and a cost for players playing second (or third, or fourth) fiddle (All eyes awkwardly glace at Hayward).

[Checkbook_docParticipant]

West all-stars (Assuming good health):

In if have a top 10 record:
Curry
Harden
KD
Kawhi
Westbrook
AD

In if have a top 8 record:
Blake
Best of Jimmy B, KAT, or Wiggins
Dame
Gobert
Jokic
Best player from any other team in top 8

In only if have a top 4 W/L record (non-first fiddle guys that are really good):
CP3
PG
Draymond
Cousins
Milsap
Second best of Jimmy B, KAT, or Wiggins

[cohenbc1Participant]

If the Warriors have the best record in the West by the time the team is chosen, I think they deserve to have four all-stars. They’re that much better than everyone else. Other teams only get one.

Starters: Curry, Harden, Leonard, Durant, D. Green

Bench: Westbrook, Lillard, Millsap, Davis, Gobert, Thompson and either Griffin/Jordan

 

 

 

 

 

[HazelParticipant]

the rising stars game might be almost as big a draw as the real game given the absolute pathetic nature of it last year and this crop of rookies.

 

Also, everyone outside of GS is paying as much attention to three years from now as today  

 

 

 

  

[Author]

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