First All Star returns

[Bricklayer]

the first All Star returns were reported today, the pertinent section for New Orleans fans was:

West Frontcourt
1) Kevin Durant 767,402
2) Anthony Davis 393,000
3) Demarcus Cousins 356,340
4) Draymond Green 325,612
5) Paul George 291,495


Only 11 more days of voting as they have really (and thankfully) shortened up the voting period this year. You guys should definitely get out the vote to try to keep Boogie+Brow ahead of the pack as 2 of the 3 frontcourt "starters" this year (whatever that means given the team captains pick their teams format now).

I think it's up to 8 ways to vote now? Can just type "NBA Vote" into google, and get a menu of teams and then players, can vote on NBA.com, on twitter, facebook, by text...

The #NBAAllStar Voting First Returns for Western Conference players!

VOTE NOW: https://t.co/UjbrNUQ7Vw pic.twitter.com/haLOOJnnVd

— 2018 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) January 4, 2018

The #NBAAllStar Voting First Returns for Eastern Conference players!

VOTE NOW: https://t.co/UjbrNUQ7Vw pic.twitter.com/ltlmLAo6S9

— 2018 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) January 4, 2018

[AusPel]

The #NBAAllStar Voting First Returns for Eastern Conference players!

VOTE NOW: https://t.co/UjbrNUQ7Vw pic.twitter.com/ltlmLAo6S9

— 2018 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) January 4, 2018

the first All Star returns were reported today, the pertinent section for New Orleans fans was:

West Frontcourt
1) Kevin Durant 767,402
2) Anthony Davis 393,000
3) Demarcus Cousins 356,340
4) Draymond Green 325,612
5) Paul George 291,495


Only 11 more days of voting as they have really (and thankfully) shortened up the voting period this year. You guys should definitely get out the vote to try to keep Boogie+Brow ahead of the pack as 2 of the 3 frontcourt "starters" this year (whatever that means given the team captains pick their teams format now).

I think it's up to 8 ways to vote now? Can just type "NBA Vote" into google, and get a menu of teams and then players, can vote on NBA.com, on twitter, facebook, by text...

If Giannis is in the Frontcourt, so should Simmons be

[DroopyDawg]

If Giannis is in the Frontcourt, so should Simmons be

Philly actually list him as the point.

[luckyman]

Anthony Davis needs another all-star they said. Plus Holiday is back to his fringe all-star status.

Yet the team sits at 19-18. Smdh

[Pelicanidae]

I'm kinda disappointed that Jrue isn't anywhere on the list. I'd be curious to know where he does fall, whether it's top 15 or top 20 or whatever. Jimmy Butler is averaging 21/5/5 with strong defense, and he's top ten, while Jrue has been averaging 23/4/5 also with strong defense (a d really efficient shooting) since the beginning of December. Yes, that's only since December, but Butler also started the year off slowly.

Where's the love for my boy Jrue?

[AusPel]

Anthony Davis needs another all-star they said. Plus Holiday is back to his fringe all-star status.

Yet the team sits at 19-18. Smdh

We have all the offense in the world

[UNO Gracias]

If the starters are decided by top 5 vote getters in each conference you would be looking at

AD
Durant
Westbrook
Harden
Curry

[Bricklayer]

If the starters are decided by top 5 vote getters in each conference you would be looking at

AD
Durant
Westbrook
Harden
Curry

But of course they aren't.

I actually have been lobbying for some time for the NBA to reverse it's kneejerk wanna be hipster elimination of the C position in All Star balloting, but at the very least its frontcourt and backcourt. I don't even quite know what the NBA plans on calling the 5 "starters" now that no longer start or even represent a Conference, but it's still a nice little hype honor to get voted onto the team.

[6warddude]

isaiah thomas has only played one game and has votes and is above players who have played this season lol smh......d.wade should not be where he is listed right now....lol the fans always mess this up.....the west voting is a shame also...only one spurs player should be in the top 10 and he is 10th right now lol....

[Pelicanidae]

isaiah thomas has only played one game and has votes and is above players who have played this season lol smh......d.wade should not be where he is listed right now....lol the fans always mess this up.....the west voting is a shame also...only one spurs player should be in the top 10 and he is 10th right now lol....

Happens all the time though. Legacy votes. Wade will make the team because he always makes the team. Melo will make the team because he's always made the team. It's like how Kobe was an all-star his last three years despite only playing 6 games one year, shooting under 38% from the field his last two years including under 30% from three.

Kobe was a trash chucker for years and making the ASG. At least Wade is still a good player.

[PelsFan2313]

Happens all the time though. Legacy votes. Wade will make the team because he always makes the team. Melo will make the team because he's always made the team. It's like how Kobe was an all-star his last three years despite only playing 6 games one year, shooting under 38% from the field his last two years including under 30% from three.

Kobe was a trash chucker for years and making the ASG. At least Wade is still a good player.

Last year, Wade didn't make the team. Melo did make the team, but posted All-Star caliber numbers, averaging 22/6/3.

This is because the NBA All-Star voting formula has changed. It no longer relies solely on fan voting, but also takes into account player voting and media voting. As a result, legacy elections are likely a thing of the past.

Refer to this link for more information on how the new formula works: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/1...-game-starters

This link also includes a tidbit on why Wade failed to make the team: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/1...arting-lineups

The fans wanted to see him start for the 11th time in the past 13 years; he was second in fan voting. But the players and the media voted him sixth, and that pulled down his average. Wade's game has been slipping for the past few years. The fans clearly love him, but the media's and players' check and balance caught him.

As a result, it doesn't really matter if the fans act stupidly through their votes. There is now a checks and balances system through the addition of player and media voting that will remedy that issue and ensure that the more deserving players are given a fair shot at making the All-Star game.

[Pelicanidae]

If 22/6/3 on 42% from the field and with lackluster defense gets you an all-star spot (which it did, because that was Melo last year) then legacy spots/reputation calls are not a thing of the past.

[Bricklayer]

If 22/6/3 on 42% from the field and with lackluster defense gets you an all-star spot (which it did, because that was Melo last year) then legacy spots/reputation calls are not a thing of the past.

That's still a major player though. And in the East where for a decade straight you just had to have a pulse and no amputated limbs in order to be a legit All Star candidate. Who else was going to go? Tobias Harris?

A bit of a different phenomen than those 38yr old guys averaging 12pts and having missed half the early season but still in danger of getting voted in.

[Pelicanidae]

That's still a major player though. And in the East where for a decade straight you just had to have a pulse and no amputated limbs in order to be a legit All Star candidate. Who else was going to go? Tobias Harris?

A bit of a different phenomen than those 38yr old guys averaging 12pts and having missed half the early season but still in danger of getting voted in.

I guess that's fair

[wnelson]

Anthony Davis needs another all-star they said. Plus Holiday is back to his fringe all-star status.

Yet the team sits at 19-18. Smdh

Part of our overall struggle is the 30mil we have invested in empty uniforms. Asik, Ajinca and Solo.

[AusPel]

Part of our overall struggle is the 30mil we have invested in empty uniforms. Asik, Ajinca and Solo.

At his best, at least Solo is worth somewhere near his 12 mil

The other two doe

And if we re-sign Boogie for 5 years, the Twin Towers are off the books right in the middle of our window. Then *hopefully* Dell can spend the money much more wisely.

We need to target Chicago's assets. They have a lot of very decent players on their roster who might not be in their long term plans

Justin Holiday would be a wonderful addition to the bench. 65% TS over the past 12 games

[tyler]

At his best, at least Solo is worth somewhere near his 12 mil

The other two doe

And if we re-sign Boogie for 5 years, the Twin Towers are off the books right in the middle of our window. Then *hopefully* Dell can spend the money much more wisely.

We need to target Chicago's assets. They have a lot of very decent players on their roster who might not be in their long term plans

Justin Holiday would be a wonderful addition to the bench. 65% TS over the past 12 games

No where near 12 million

[Rheem654]

At his best, at least Solo is worth somewhere near his 12 mil

The other two doe

And if we re-sign Boogie for 5 years, the Twin Towers are off the books right in the middle of our window. Then *hopefully* Dell can spend the money much more wisely.

We need to target Chicago's assets. They have a lot of very decent players on their roster who might not be in their long term plans

Justin Holiday would be a wonderful addition to the bench. 65% TS over the past 12 games

Sure would be nice to have those two OA & AA contracts off the roster once and for all, hopefully by this trade deadline, and I'd be just fine with parting with the 2018 1st to make it happen. Could be Dell's final trade, and it would be a nice full-circle atonement for that blunder to complete his GM journey here. M&M offered the possibility of Benson signing off on a big deal to make Calipari the Coach/GM in the off-season. Could see it happening and it would be the kind of big move that could reset the culture and perception of the franchise.

Chicago would be a good trading partner I think. Justin Holiday would be a good fit for sure, with the added brother-bonus. But with Jrue, Moore, Miller, and soon Hill getting the bulk of the SG/SF minutes, would he even get much playing time to be worth trading for him? Maybe if Miller and/or Hill can get a lot of their minutes at the back-up small-ball 4, and Jrue seeing more time as the back-up PG.

Going down the list of teams, Atlanta and Orlando are the only other teams I could see as being interested in taking back one or both of the OA/AA salaries for the pick, that could also offer back decent players on expiring or small salaries.

[Rheem654]

No where near 12 million

Technically at his best, like that rare Rockets game, he would be worth it . But that best happens very rarely, of course. But if he can return and anchor this defense back to even average while offering enough on offense to keep that rolling, he will play an important role going forward. Plus him in the starting line-up de-facto strengthens our bench if Moore can keep up his great play in a 6th man role. Still overpaid, but will seem much more palatable once OA/AA are off the books.

[wnelson]

Sure would be nice to have those two OA & AA contracts off the roster once and for all, hopefully by this trade deadline, and I'd be just fine with parting with the 2018 1st to make it happen. Could be Dell's final trade, and it would be a nice full-circle atonement for that blunder to complete his GM journey here. M&M offered the possibility of Benson signing off on a big deal to make Calipari the Coach/GM in the off-season. Could see it happening and it would be the kind of big move that could reset the culture and perception of the franchise.

Chicago would be a good trading partner I think. Justin Holiday would be a good fit for sure, with the added brother-bonus. But with Jrue, Moore, Miller, and soon Hill getting the bulk of the SG/SF minutes, would he even get much playing time to be worth trading for him? Maybe if Miller and/or Hill can get a lot of their minutes at the back-up small-ball 4, and Jrue seeing more time as the back-up PG.

Going down the list of teams, Atlanta and Orlando are the only other teams I could see as being interested in taking back one or both of the OA/AA salaries for the pick, that could also offer back decent players on expiring or small salaries.

I've been looking at Orlando and Chicago. Deadmon and holiday come to mind and we give our 1st and 2nd to make it happen.

[Pelicanidae]

I've been looking at Orlando and Chicago. Deadmon and holiday come to mind and we give our 1st and 2nd to make it happen.

I'd love Dedmon. He's a solid defender, doesn't foul a thousand times a minute, and has put up 16/11.5 per 36 this season. Also shot 48% from 3, admittedly on only 29 attempts.