On Friday February 21st 2020, it was reported that the Los Angeles Lakers were waiving Demarcus Cousins in order to open up a roster spot to sign Markieff Morris. Demarcus signed a 1 year, 3.5 million dollar contract with the Lakers in the 2019 NBA offseason. Cousins has not played a game for the Lakers this season after suffering an ACL injury in the 2019 NBA offseason during a pick up game in Vegas. Cousins career has taken a big detour ever since his Achilles injury during the 2017-2018 NBA season while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans. After being waived by the Lakers, what is the next step in Demarcus Cousin’s career?
It wasn’t too long ago that Demarcus Cousins was the consensus best center in the NBA. In the prime of his career, Demarcus Cousins was a 4 time all star and made the all NBA second team twice. He never made the playoffs during his time in Sacramento, but he averaged 21.5 points per game and averaged 10.8 rebounds a game during his 7 seasons for the Sacramento Kings. Cousins was one of the league’s top players before his Achilles injury he suffered, while playing with the New Orleans Pelicans. In the offseason following his injury, he declined a 2 year 40 million dollar contract to resign with the Pelicans, and he instead decided to sign with the Golden State Warriors for 1 year earning 5.3 million dollars that season.
When Cousin’s signing was announced, it shocked the NBA community. This move also made NBA fans question the fairness and competitive balance of the league. For the first part of the 2018-2019 NBA season, Cousin’s was rehabbing from his Achilles injury. Once he returned to the court, he played 30 games for the Warriors in the regular season and looked out of shape and out of place in the Warrior’s offence. During the Finals, Demarcus played through a quad injury and averaged 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 18 minutes per game. The Warriors eventually lost to the Raptors in the NBA finals and in the 2019 NBA offseason, Cousins opted to sign a one year deal with the Lakers, teaming back up with former New Orleans Pelicans teammates Anthony Davis and Rajon Rondo.
Demarcus has spent the 2019-2020 season, rehabbing with the Lakers and spending time with the team. Now that he’s been waived, what’s Cousin’s next step in his career?
Demarcus has struggled to stay healthy and it’s unsure if he will ever return to being the player he once was. Lots of fans are rumouring that a contending team should pursue Cousin’s in the buyout market, but that’s a big risk. It would be very difficult for a contending team to incorporate Cousin’s into their offence during the playoffs. With DeMarcus’s playstyle and current situation, I don’t think it would be worth signing him. Demarcus should rehab for the rest of the season and get his body back in shape for a return next season. During the 2020 NBA offseason, it will be very intriguing to see what happens with Cousins. He’s a huge wildcard player and we don’t know how he will play on the court after all these injuries over the span of a couple of years. With Cousin’s playstyle, it is very hard to place him in a contending team’s system. Demarcus is known to have a high ego and is a better individual player then a team oriented player. Demarcus needs to have a lot of post touches to be effective in an offence. He isn’t a great off ball player. It is also difficult to fit Demarcus on a rebuilding team because of his competitive nature and ball dominance. This might stunt the growth and development of young players on a rebuilding team, if there’s bad locker room chemistry and the young developing players don’t get enough opportunity.
I do think in the offseason a team should take a risk on Demarcus Cousins. Cousins needs to go to a team where he can get the most opportunity to prove to other teams that he can still play at a high level. An ideal situation would be for Demarcus to sign a 1 year deal in the offseason to a team that needs an on court leader to take pressure off of the young developing players, as well as a scoring big man who brings a physical presence in the post.
A team I think Demarcus Cousins should go to is the Detroit Pistons. They aren’t going to attract any big name free agents in the offseason and will most likely be a bottom feeding team in the 2020-2021 NBA season. The Pistons need an on court leader like Cousins who isn’t afraid to take big shots. I don’t think he will hinder the development of the Pistons young players and I also think he will fill some seats in the Piston’s arena.
The Charlotte Hornets are another team who I think should take a chance on Demarcus Cousins. The Hornets have been in search of a center for a while. They originally targeted Drummond as their center, but now that he is most likely going to be staying with the Cavaliers long term, the Hornets could shift their focus to Demarcus Cousins. The Hornets need a big presence down low and a guy who can score inside and play the pick and roll with Rozier and Graham. The Hornets also need a center who will bring grit and physicality on the defensive end. Signing Cousins for a cheap one year deal doesn’t have any risk and he can possibly return to his old form.
It’s sad to think how much Demarcus Cousins career has fallen off since his dominant Sacramento days. Him being waived by the Lakers just puts salt on the wound. I think the best thing for Cousins to do is to take the rest of the season off, to rehab and get his body back in shape. In free agency, I believe he should sign a cheap 1 year prove yourself contract with a team where he can get lots of opportunities. If he does prove himself that he can still be an effective center in the league, then you sign a long term deal with a team and get a major payday. If he doesn’t prove himself, then you re-evaluate your options. I am doubtful that Cousins can go back to being an elite center in the NBA, but a fresh start and lots of opportunities to succeed may be what Demarcus Cousin’s needs to revitalize his NBA career.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have one of the most confusing and questionable futures in the NBA. They currently have the worst record in the Eastern Conference but yet they traded for former all star and rebounding specialist Andre Drummond at the NBA trade deadline. The Cavaliers also have a weird mix of youth and veteran presence on the team. Today we are going to be anaylzing the Cleveland Cavaliers roster and the direction they are heading in moving forward.
The Cleveland Cavaliers most valuable pieces in their rebuild is rookie Darius Garland and sophomore Collin Sexton. Their fit and development will largely impact the future of this Cleveland Cavaliers team. So far this season Colin Sexton is averaging 19.8 points per game while shooting 46% from the field and 37% from 3 point range. As for Garland, in his rookie year he is averaging 12.2 points per game, 3.8 assists per game as well as shooting 39% from the field and 35% from 3. Garland has been struggling in his rookie year largely due to him sharing the ball with Collin Sexton, as well as getting used to the NBA in general.
Sexton and Garland both have lots of strengths and weaknesses. Sexton is great at attacking the basket and has even improved his ability to get steals. Sexton also has lots of weak areas he needs to improve in. The biggest concern is his playmaking ability. Sexton is not a willing passer and not a good playmaker. This is a big concern as a 6″1 guard who is supposed to be one of your franchise cornerstones moving forward. Sexton has a bad turnover to assist ratio and has tunnel vision when attacking the basket. He doesn’t look for shooters when attacking the basket. Sexton does lots of isolation which hinders Garland’s game. Sexton also has shown to have a low shot I.Q and hasn’t shown lots of leadership abilities. As for Garland, he has great shot mechanics and can create his own shot using his great ballhandling ability. Garland is also a willing passer and is good in the drive and kick. Garland’s main concerns are playing off the ball as well as him not being a very efficient finisher at the rim. He also needs to work on his play on the defensive side of the ball as well as staying consistent. If Garland get’s stronger it will help him finish more efficiently as well as help him on the defensive end. Both these players have shown flashes of greatness as well as proving they have a lot of areas that need improvement. However both these players are under 22 years of age and have lots of time to improve their games.
The biggest concern for this future backcourt duo is their fit and if they can grow to be great alongside each other. This has been a major question since the Cavaliers drafted Garland in the 2019 NBA Draft. So far their fit together has not been good. Both players game’s don’t mesh well and will most likely not translate to future success. Sexton and Garland are both ball dominant players who I personally think can’t co-exist. Their development and growth will most likely be stunted if they play a majority of their minutes alongside each other. The Cavaliers have many different options with their Sexton and Garland duo. They could try to develop them as a backcourt duo and if it doesn’t work out in the future, they can explore trading one of them. The other option is moving Collin Sexton into a bench role moving forward. I could see Collin Sexton being a great isolation player who provides a spark off the bench rather then being a decent starting guard. I think the Sexton and Garland situation is the biggest question the Cavaliers need to answer moving forward.
The Sexton and Garland situation isn’t the only confusing part about their future. Another confusing variable involving the future of the Cavaliers is the drama within the organization. When Lebron James was still in Cleveland, there was lots of drama surrounding the Cavaliers, but this drama and attention was expected because they had the best player in the world on their team. Now that Lebron is gone, they still have lots of drama and uncertainties in the organization even without Lebron James. There have been lots of scandals involving the Cavaliers during this season. Cavaliers players have expressed how frustrated and unhappy they are with head coach John Beilein. There seems to be a disconnect from Beilein and the players. The situation has even gotten so bad that the players have drowned out Beilein’ s voice in favour of the assistant coaches. There was also a scandal in January 2020 when Beilein referred to his players as “a bunch of thugs” during a film session. There was also an incident in January when Kevin Love got frustrated and whipped the ball at teammate Cedi Osman and overall lots of tension between Kevin Love and the Cavaliers organization. There was also some drama last season where Cavalier teammates were reportedly growing tired of Tristan Thompson and another incident where Collin Sexton was being criticized by his teammates in his rookie year from “not knowing how to play basketball”. In order for an NBA franchise to succeed, you have to keep your players happy and avoid drama. You also need good relationships between the players and build good locker room chemistry.
Another big question with the Cavaliers future is their recent addition of Andre Drummond. With Drummond stating he wants to opt into his player option, it’s looking like he’s going to be the center long-term for the Cavaliers. This move was very questionable for the Cavaliers. Although they gave up expiring contracts and a second round pick for Drummond, the fit isn’t great with Drummond. He is primarily just a stats guy who won’t translate to wins, which is problematic if you are trying to build a winning culture. It is very difficult to win with Andre Drummond as your starting center. This trade also eliminates the chances of the Cavaliers drafting projected top 3 pick James Wiseman. Wiseman is a very talented center prospect who would have fit great next to Sexton and Garland and would have given this team a clearer direction. Now the Cavaliers have a 26 year old Andre Drummond who is most likely going to be making 29 million dollars next season.
The Cavaliers also need to address their situation with former all star and NBA champion Kevin Love. Love has voiced his frustrations with the team and has even told management he “prefers to be traded”. I think moving on from Kevin Love would be best from both sides, but there are some issues revolving around the Cavaliers potentially trading Kevin Love in the offseason. Due to Love’s large and lengthy contract and regression over the past couple of seasons, it would be very difficult to find a deal for Kevin Love. If the Cavaliers are unable to trade Love, they will have him under contract until 2023. Since Kevin Love is 31 and has shown signs of regression, you will not want to keep a disgruntled Kevin Love on the roster who will be 34 years old and making 29 million dollars in the 2022-2023 season.
Another issue facing the Cavaliers future is their market. In the current NBA, your teams market size is more important then ever. You can still have a successful NBA team in a small market but it’s much more challenging and you have to have great management. In the case of the Cavaliers, they have a poor front office and are in a small market which is unattractive to big name free agents. The Cavaliers lucked out by having one of the greatest players ever to be born in Ohio and bring their city a championship. Unless the next great NBA player is born in Ohio, it is going to be very difficult to attract talent in free agency.
Although there are lots of uncertainty and doubts about the Cavaliers future, there are some bright spots on the team. I believe Darius Garland has all star potential and I think Collin Sexton can be a great scorer in this league. The Cavaliers also have Kevin Porter Jr who has shown great promise in his rookie season as an effective shooter, shot creator and wing defender. Kevin Porter Jr is only 19 years old and has potential to be a great role player for the Cavaliers moving forward. The Cavaliers also have rookie Dylan Windler who has great potential as a catch and shoot 3 point specialist. Every NBA team needs a good floor spacer and Dylan Windler has great potential as a pure shooter, as long as his teammates find him on the perimeter.
Moving forward the Cleveland Cavaliers front office has a lot of work to do. They need to figure out the Sexton and Garland situation moving forward as well as addressing the Kevin Love drama. In my personal opinion this offseason is going to be very crucial for the Cavaliers moving forward. As of right now the Cavaliers have one of the foggiest and uncertain futures in the NBA, but one offseason can change everything. The Cavaliers are going to have very high odds in this upcoming NBA draft and could potentially draft a franchise changing prospect. I also believe the Cavaliers should look for a new head coach. Beilein is just not a good fit for the Cavaliers and is very disconnected from the players. Beilein also doesn’t have his player’s trust which is a major concern moving forward. The Cavaliers may look like they are in a bad place right now, but in the NBA, one move can alter a franchise’s future. For better or for worst.
Rockets starting center Clint Capela has recently been traded to the Atlanta Hawks. This trade left some fans scratching their heads as to why the Rockets would trade their young starting center who they recently just resigned. Today I am going to be exploring the reasons as to why the Rockets felt comfortable with trading away Clint Capela as well as how this trade effects the Rockets postseason chances.
Capela was having a great season with the Rockets before he was dealt. He was averaging 13.9 points and 13.8 rebounds per game along with averaging 63% from the field and averaging a career high 1.8 blocks a game. Although these stats are impressive, the Houston Rockets have been 10-1 this season without Clint Capela. With them being so successful without Capela starting at center, the Rockets felt comfortable to trade Capela so they could upgrade their perimeter defence and spacing. Last playoffs the Rockets were a second round exit and a large part of their early exit was Clint Caplea’s struggles against the Warriors. He wasn’t a threat offensively and wasn’t anchoring the Rocket’s defence against Golden State. The Rockets might have taken all this into account and this made them more comfortbale with moving on from Capela.
The Rockets are buying into the small ball lineup of having PJ Tucker at the center position. I think that this decision for Houston to go small is a intriguing decision with lots of pros and cons. This new playstyle will space out their offence even more then it already is. Houston was one of the most lethal teams from the perimeter even with a non 3 point shooter in Clint Capela. Now that everyone in that starting lineup can space the floor and are comfortable with attempting 3 pointers, this spreads out the opposing teams defences and pulls the best rim protectors in the NBA out of the paint. In the West there are so many dangerous centers that Houston may have to face in the playoffs such as Rudy Gobert and Anthony Davis. With this 5 out offence these centers defensive value will be diminished as they well be spread out to the perimeter. This small ball spaced out offence also helps Harden and Westbrook’s offence. With the absurd amount of spacing, this will create a lot more driving lanes for Westbrook and Harden. These are two players that are elite in driving to the basket and with the departure of Capela, this creates more opportunities to draw fouls or score in close range. Houston already is first in the league in 3 points attempted and this 5 out offence will generate even more threes for the Rockets.
Most people’s biggest problem with the Capela trade is the Rocket’s getting destroyed in rebounding and inside defence. Most people are saying that if they potentially played the Lakers in the playoffs that they would absolutely get killed down low. I agree with these people to an extent. Yes the Rockets lose a lot of shot blocking and rebounding but the Rocket’s defence wasn’t great to begin with. They were towards the bottom of the league defensively even with Capela and in the trade they still get a great defender back in Robert Covington. Yes they will still struggle defensively but I think the Rockets main goal with this trade was to go all in with a small ball lineup and put up big offensive numbers to hopefully win games. I also think that PJ Tucker and Robert Covington are capable of getting stops. They are both amazing defenders and I believe they can get consistent stops even with the size disadvantage. Previously before this trade, the Rockets didn’t have any perimeter players that could come close to guarding Kawhi and Lebron James. Now they have a great perimeter defender in Robert Covington. With the way the league is built, I’d rather have a player who can consistently guard the elite wing players of the league rather then a player who can consistently guard the elite bigs of the NBA.
It’s no secret that the Rockets are trying to do all they can to win right now. I really like this move for the Rockets as a hit or miss situation. It’s championship or bust. This trade and system will either work amazingly and make the Rockets management look like geniuses or it will not work at all and make the Rocket’s management look stupid. The Rockets weren’t winning a championship this season with Capela, Westbrook and Harden anyways. This trade lowers their floor but raises their ceiling. Houston’s new offence is unique and unlike something we’ve seen before. The coaches are going to have to adapt to this crazy spacing driven Houston offence. If the Rocket’s three pointers are hitting, then I think this could be move that finally puts Houston over the hump.
Kobe Bryant’s sudden death on January 26th 2020 caught the whole world by surprise. Kobe was one of the most influential basketball players in the history of the NBA. One of the greatest to ever touch a basketball. Kobe impacted so many people, especially aspiring basketball players who looked up to him as a role model. Kobe Bryant was one of my favourite basketball players of all time. Kobe was one of the reasons I got into basketball. The very first NBA game I ever watched was Kobe Bryant’s magical final NBA game on April 13th 2016 against the Utah Jazz. My prayers go out to everyone who was greatly effected by Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing at the age of 41. Today I am going to be honouring Kobe Bryant and appreciate his greatness and honour the man who impacted so many.
Kobe Bryant entered the league as an 18 year old and won the dunk contest in his rookie season at only 18 years of age. As a rookie, Kobe only played 15.5 minutes a game but showed flashes of explosiveness and greatness. In his second season he became the youngest all star in NBA history. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O Neal formed one of the greatest NBA duos of all time and went on to win 3 consequiteve championships.
After the duo of Shaq and Kobe split up, Kobe wanted to prove that he didn’t need Shaq to win. On Janury 22nd 2006, Kobe Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second most points in an NBA game in NBA history. The following season, he led the NBA in scoring. In 2008 Kobe Bryant was named the NBA Most Valuable Player and led his team to the NBA Finals where they eventually lost to the Boston Celtics. The next two seasons, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers won back to back championships. Bryant also won a gold medal for team U.S.A in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
During the 2015-2016 NBA season, Kobe Bryant announced it would be his last season before choosing to retire from the NBA. On April 13th 2016, Kobe Bryant scored 60 points in a win over the Utah Jazz, making it one of the most iconic moments in NBA history. In 2017, the Lakers retired both of Kobe Bryant’s numbers he wore throughout his career with the Lakers (8 and 24). This made him the first player in NBA history to have two different jerseys retired by the same team.
Kobe Bryant has one of the best resumes in NBA history. He was a 5 time NBA champion and a two time finals MVP. Kobe Bryant had 18 all star appearances and was a 12 time all defensive player. He’s an NBA MVP and some argue he could have won more in his mid 2000’s run. He lead the NBA in scoring twice and made an all NBA team 15 times. Kobe also currently places 4th on the all time points list, 16th all time in steals, 3rd all time in field goals attempted and known as one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA
Kobe Bryant will be known as one of the greatest scorers of all time, one of the greatest perimeter defenders of all time, one of the most entertaining players to watch, a player with one of the greatest work ethics, one of the most loyal players ever in NBA history and overall one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Kobe also had one of the greatest basketball minds the NBA has ever seen. There’s so much more Kobe accomplished not just in his NBA career, but in his life. I have barely scratched the surface of what the Black Mamba accomplished on and off the court.
Kobe’s legacy and impact on the game was greater then stats and accomplishments. There is so much positives to say about Kobe Bryant, not just as a basketball player, but as a person. Kobe Bryant’s time in the NBA should not go unnoticed. I pay my respects to Kobe Bryant and his impact. Prayers go up to his family and everyone grieving over his passing. Use this time to remember Kobe Bryant and celebrate him and what he accomplished in his life. Kobe Bryant you will be missed.
With the NBA All Star voting now open and with the NBA all star game just under two months away, I decided to make my predictions on who will appear in the 2020 NBA All Star Game. I am predicting the five starters from each conference (2 backcourt and 3 frontcourt players) as well as the seven reserves from each conference. Just a disclaimer before I begin my predictions, Kyrie Irving, Victor Oladipo, Nikola Vucevic, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson will not be in this article because of their injuries, which make them unable or questionable to play in the all star game. With that being said, there is so many great players having great seasons that didn’t make the cut. This list is also heavily influenced by team success, just like the actual all star voting. The all star voting system rewards players on teams with a high seeding, compared to a player on a team with a low seeding. So now that we got that out of the way, we will begin with my honourable mentions.
Honourable Mentions:
Jaylen Brown, Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond, Spencer Dinwiddie, Devonte Graham, Zach Lavine, Malcolm Brogdon, Rudy Gobert, CJ McCollum, Andrew Wiggins, Brandon Ingram, Lou Williams and Jamal Murray
Some of these cuts were a lot more difficult, such as Jaylen Brown and Brandon Ingram who should be the first names to consider if an all star gets injured. Now that we have the honourable mentions out of the way, it’s time to start my predictions for who will be a 2020 all star, starting in the eastern conference.
Eastern Conference Reserves:
Kyle Lowry– Lowry has been an all star for 5 consecutive years and is the second best player on one of the best eastern conference teams. Lowry definitely won’t be an all star starter but with averages of 20 points per game and almost 8 assists per game, I have him being an all star for the 6th consecutive season.
Khris Middleton- Statistically, you could argue that a guy like Spencer Dinwiddie should be an all star over Middleton, but with the Bucks dominating the whole league, Giannis needs a teammate to join him in the all star game with how their team is doing and Middleton is the obvious choice. Middleton is close to the 50/40/90 club and is scoring more as well as being more efficient then he was last year when he was an all star.
Domantas Sabonis- The Indiana Pacers will most likely have an all star this season, due to their ability to be a top 5 seed in the eastern conference, even with the absence of Victor Oladipo. I give Sabonis the slight edge over Brogdon for a few reasons. The first is that Sabonis is the only player in the NBA who is averaging at least 18 points 14 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Lastly, Sabonis’s net rating is way better than Brogdon’s.
Bam Adebayo- What a surprise Bam has been this season! He’s a front runner most improved player candidate and is the starting center on one of the best teams in the east. Even Bam’s teammate and Miami Heat star player Jimmy Butler has said that Bam Adebayo is the star of the team. Bam is averaging 16 points 11 rebounds and almost 5 assists per game as a center. Add this to Bam’s great defence, he should make his first all star appearance in 2020.
Jimmy Butler- Jimmy Butler was close to being a starter for me because of his amazing play this season. He’s leading the Heat to the 3rd seed in the east and individually being second in the league for steals per game with 2.1. He is playing at an all nba defensive level and being the Heats leading scorer with 20 points per game and also being the Heats leading assists leader with 6.6 assists per game. He also has great hustle and impacts the game in a way that stats don’t always show.
Trae Young- Usually the selection of NBA all stars doesn’t reward players with good stats on a bad team, but Trae Young’s numbers are hard to ignore. He’s made a huge jump since last season and is averaging 29 points per game, which is the 4th best in the entire league, along with his 8.5 assists per game, which is the 5th best in the entire league and lastly he is 7th in the league for 3 pointers made per game. It’s impossible not to give Trae Young the all star nod due to his eye popping statistics and many highlight moments and hot streaks from the season. If Trae’s team had more wins, he would definitely have my vote as an all star starter.
Jayson Tatum- This was the toughest selection I had to make on this list. This last spot came down between Celtics teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who are both averaging over 20 points per game this season. I chose Tatum over Jaylen Brown solely based on him having more name recognition then Jaylen, Tatum having a higher points per game average, even though he only averages 1 more point then Jaylen and lastly for Tatum’s plus minus rating which is 2nd in the entire league.
Eastern Conference Starters:
Bradley Beal- This starter spot was a close race between Beal and Trae Young. I gave Beal the slight edge, because of his team having slightly more wins then the Hawks, as well as Beal leading the Wizards scoring which places 3rd in the entire league. Beal is having a career year averaging 28 points per game and 7 assists per game. Beal has had 13 30 point games this season and in my eyes should get the all star starter nod.
Kemba Walker- Kemba is having a great year in Boston and leading them to the 2nd seed in the East. He’s putting up great numbers while being efficient and has proven to be a great leader in Boston that is loved by fans. With his team success, stats, flashy style of play and name recognition, this is all a great recipe for Kemba Walker’s all star starter nod
Pascal Siakam- Despite losing Kawhi Leonard in the offseason, Toronto is proving they are still a top team in the Eastern Conference lead by Siakam. Going into the season, some fans questioned if Pascal could thrive as a number one option, or if he was better suited as a second option. Well, Siakam has broken out of the Kawhi Leonard shadow and is averaging 25 points per game with 8 rebounds and 4 assists per game while shooting almost 40% from 3. He brings a lot of energy and excitement to the game that would translate very well to the all star game. Pascal deserves this starting spot after he has shown yet another big leap in his game.
Joel Embiid- Even though the 76ers are slightly underperforming, along with Joel Embiid’s numbers being down from last year all across the board, I still see Embiid being an easy choice for an all star starter spot. Embiid’s dip in numbers can be due to his time on the court being more limited than last season, as well as him finding his groove in the 76ers offence. Despite all of this, Embiid is still averaging 23 points per game, 12 rebounds per game and 3 assists per game on a top 4 seed in the east. Lastly he is the best defender on a team that is top 5 in defence as well as Embiid being top 4 in defensive win shares.
Giannis Antetokounmpo- Giannis is the biggest no brainer choice on this list. He was the league MVP last season and is the front runner for this years MVP race. He was an all star captain last year and is easily going to be an all star captain for the second year in a row. Giannis is debatably the best player in the whole NBA and is a for sure top 3 player in this league. Giannis’s statistics are incredible and goes to show how he might be the most dominant player in the NBA.
Western Conference Reserves:
Russell Westbrook- Westbrook narrowly gets the all star nod for me over Brandon Ingram. The main reason being that even though being an all star is an individual award, team success still plays a huge role in the all star selection process, not to mention that Westbrook has a super star level name recognition and was the league MVP just a couple seasons prior. He is also averaging 24 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists per game on a team that is the 4th seed in the western conference.
Devin Booker- Even though the Phoenix Suns hot streak has fizzled out, I still have Devin Booker making his first ever all star appearance. He is almost part of the 50/40/90 club on a team where he’s the first scoring option. He’s putting up averages of 24 points per game and 6.5 assists per game. Now that Booker’s team has gotten better and he has shown how versatile of a scorer he is, as well as showing how he can lead a top 10 offence in the league, I predict Booker will be an all star in 2020.
Paul George- Paul George isn’t having an MVP caliber season like last season, but he’s still having an all star season. He is putting up 24 points per game, which is the second highest scoring season in his career, while having one of the most efficient seasons in his career, not to mention his elite defence while being on a championship contending team.
Nikola Jokic- Even though fans were concerned about Jokic at the start of the season due to his 3 point shooting struggles, looking out of shape and being kept to single digits for scoring in multiple games, Jokic has picked up his game in the month of December. Overall he’s averaging 18 points per game, 10 rebounds per game and 7 assists per game as well as being the best player on the 2nd seeded team in the western conference.
Donovan Mitchell- Even though the Jazz are underperforming as a team this season, Donovan Mitchell has been one of the brightest spots on this team. Mitchell is averaging a career best 25 points per game with improved shooting stats as well as an improved assists to turnover ratio. Mitchell has gotten better in each year of his career and I predict for Mitchell to have his first all star appearance. Even though Rudy Gobert was an all star last year and has better advanced stats then Mitchell, Donovan Mitchell is flashier and more recognizable which will help his all star case.
Damian Lillard- Damian Lillard is quietly having yet another amazing year with the Trailblazers. He is putting up very similar numbers to his previous 2 all star seasons. Lillard is averaging 27 points per game and 7 assists per game. The biggest knack on Lillard’s all star case has been his team not performing as well as they have in recent years. The Blazers are currently the 8th seed and have picked up their play as of late, but regardless of team success, it’s very difficult to leave Lillard off an all star team.
Karl Anthony Towns- Towns was so close to being an all star starter for me. He’s having a career year in Minnesota, putting up 27 points per game 12 rebounds per game and 4 assists while attempting almost 9 threes a game. He’s proving he’s an elite 3 point shooter, not just among centers, but among the entire league! Towns is one of the best offensive players the league has today. He’s improved his playmaking and can legitimately score from anywhere on the court with consistency even as a 7 footer. This will be Town’s 3rd straight all star appearance and he barely misses out on being a starter solely based on his team success. Minnesota is winless in the month of December (0-11) after starting out the season with a record of 4-1.
Western Conference Starters:
Luka Doncic- Going into the 2019-2020 season we knew Luka Doncic was good, but I don’t think anyone expected Luka Doncic to be this good this early into his career. Luka legally can’t even go into a bar and yet he’s averaging 29 points per game 9 rebounds and 9 assists per game, while leading the Mavericks to the 5th seed in the west. When you talk about Luka, you’re talking about an MVP candidate as well as a top 3 scorer and a top 3 facilitator in this league at the age of 20. Luka is expected to be the face of the NBA and this season will mark his first all star game appearance.
Kawhi Leonard- Kawhi is without a doubt the best perimeter defender in the NBA and some would even argue he’s the best overall defender in the whole league. Kawhi Leonard is averaging 26 points per game with a career high 8 rebounds per game and a career high 5 assists per game. This isn’t even Kawhi at his peak because of his career worst field goal percentage and turnovers. Kawhi isn’t even at his best and he is still the leading player of a top 3 seed in the west and will be a lock for an all star starter spot.
James Harden- Criticize all you want about Harden and how his style of play will never translate to a ring and how a large portion of his points are free throws. Hate all you want, but you can’t deny that James Harden is one of the greatest scorers this league has ever seen. Harden is averaging a whopping 38 points per game along with almost 8 assists per game. Harden is attempting the most 3 pointers and free throws in the entire league. He’s the leader of a top 4 seeded team in the west and has a legitimate chance to become the western captain for the all star game, but ultimately I don’t think he will be selected as a captain based off how polarizing he is with fans.
Anthony Davis– Anthony Davis hasn’t had much team success throughout his NBA career so far but yet he has been an all star starter twice and an all star in 6 consecutive seasons. Team success has never held Davis back from being an all star before, so now that he is averaging 28 points per game on the best team in the western conference, there’s no doubt Davis will be starting in this years all star game. He is the favourite to win the defensive player of the year award and is a top 5 MVP candidate this season. With all of this success, it’s scary to think that Davis is having one of the worst shooting seasons of his career. Anthony Davis is one of the most dominant players in the league and Los Angeles hasn’t even seen Davis at his full potential yet.
Lebron James- Lebron James is basically a lock for being an all star starter and will most likely be chosen as a captain for the all star game. He is doing all of this in his 17th season. In his 17th season Lebron is without a doubt a top 3 player in the NBA and is leading the league in assists with almost 11 assists per game, as well as putting up 26 points per game. You can see how impactful Lebron is on this Lakers team by how they perform when he’s off the court. He’s a top 5 MVP candidate and is the leagues most recognizable player.
The Golden State Warriors are currently the worst placed team in the NBA standings as of December 22, this lack of winning and promise comes just months after their trip to the NBA finals. Coming into the season, the Warriors didn’t have many expectations with their lack of depth and Warriors all star guard Klay Thompson being out with an injury for the whole season, but they were still expected to make the playoffs as a late seed and Warriors star Stephen Curry was expected to have an MVP like season. The Warriors were struggling throughout the first four games of the season even with Stephen Curry, but once Curry suffered a hand injury, the Warriors chances of making the playoffs were lost. Now that the Warriors went from the consensus team to beat, to a bottom feeding team in the West, how does the Warriors future look?
The Warriors currently own their own 2020 first round draft pick which has a 14 percent chance of turning into the number one overall pick, as well as having a 54 percent chance of being a top 4 pick in the draft. This Golden State Warriors draft pick is the key to the Warriors turn around. It’s no secret that the Warriors are tanking and purposely trying to lose games so their draft pick can be more valuable and have a higher chance at being the first overall pick. The Warriors have lots of options with this first round draft pick. If the Warriors decide to draft a rookie with their pick, the most viable option would be drafting James Wiseman, a center out of Memphis who is projected to go first overall in the 2020 NBA draft. Drafting Wiseman would compliment the Warriors lack of center depth and size, as well as setting them up for the future after the Stephen Curry era ends in Golden State. The main concern with drafting Wiseman would be how he would fit in the Warriors system and how much of an impact he can make as a rookie. Can Wiseman potentially be a starting center on a championship contending team? He definitely has the frame and talent to do so but typically centers take a couple seasons to adjust to NBA defences as well as staying out of foul trouble which may be an issue for Wiseman early on in his career. The Warriors are also known for their spacing and revolutionizing the small ball style of basketball, so how would James Wiseman fit in the Warriors system?
If the Warriors decide not to draft a rookie with their first round pick, they can opt into trading the pick and getting players who can help them immediately and go all in, without worrying about the longevity of the roster. If the Warriors continue to lose games, their draft pick can become a very valuable trade piece and draw interest from many NBA teams. The Warriors main concern has been their lack of depth. Every championship team needs good role players to relieve their star players, step into their given role and play solid in limited minutes and usage. During the 2015-2016 season, the same season the Golden State Warriors went 73-9, the Warriors had Harrison Barnes who could space the floor, score in the catch and shoot and provide some valuable depth scoring, they also had Andre Iguodala who provided great defence to neutralize the athletic wings of the opposing teams as well as having Andrew Bogut who provided shot blocking, rebounding, and a defensive presence in the paint. This Warriors team didn’t have amazing depth, but they had players that could play their roles and play solid in limited minutes and ultimately contribute to a historic team. All of the Warriors depth from their 73-9 season is no longer with the team. A big reason for the Warriors decline this season has been their lack of depth when Stephen Curry is out with an injury. The Warriors do have D’Angelo Russell to take a high amount of their shots, but after Russell, this team is filled with a bunch of young inexperienced players. This Warriors team is giving unproven players like Damion Lee, Ky Bowman, Jordan Poole and Glen Robinson III lots of minutes and oppurinity to put up numbers. They have found some diamonds in the rough with Alec Burks and rookie Eric Paschall but other than these players, I don’t see any lasting depth on this team that can contribute a high production on a championship contending team. The Warriors could use this pick to trade for some valuable depth and role players to support their core of Curry, Klay, Draymond, and D’Angelo Russell and push their team over the top.
During the 2019 NBA offseason, the Warriors pulled off a sign in trade in which they acquired 23 year old all star guard D’Angelo Russell. Russell was labeled as a seamless fit in the Warriors system playing next to Stephen Curry due to Russell’s shooting and shot creation ability. When Steph and D’Angelo were on the court together, the Warriors were 1-3 with Russell averaging 16 points and 6 assists per game with inefficient shooting from the field and from three point range. As for Steph, before his hand injury, he was averaging 20 points and 6.5 assists per game while shooting only 24 percent from 3 point range. Obviously four games is a small sample size for two ball dominant players who have never played with each other before to gel together and learn to play with each other. D’Angelo Russell has potential to be a great fit alongside Curry but the reason Russell’s future with the Warriors is unclear is his role on this Golden State team. D’Angelo Russell has proven to be a first scoring option on a playoff team during his time in Brooklyn, and I have no doubt D’Angelo could thrive as a second option on a playoff team, but once Klay Thompson returns from his injury, D’Angelo’s role would be significantly diminished. He would become their third scoring option behind Steph and Klay, as well as becoming their secondary ball handler behind Curry. Once Klay returns, the Warriors simply don’t have a high need for Russell and could use his high value to acquire a player that mathces a team need like a lengthy perimeter defender who can space the floor as well as a key bench piece. If the Warriors want to maximize their assets value, they can package their first round pick with D’Angelo Russell to get a high return which can bring them back to contention. Some rumoured teams to potentially make a trade for D’Angelo Russell include the Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns to name a few.
If the Warriors trade Russell and their first rounder for depth to help raise their title odds, they can re establish themselves as one of the scariest teams to matchup against in the west. Once Curry and Klay come back from injury, they can return to their success they’ve previously accomplished. You have to remember that when the Warriors went 73-9 during the 2015-2016 season, they had a core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green who are all still on the roster. Overall the Warriors may be going through a rough patch right now, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel if management makes the right moves for this team to contend once again.
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