NBA All-Star Game 2012: 5 All-Stars You Don't Want on Your Team

Conventional wisdom suggests that any All-Star, by virtue of being an All-Star, would be a welcomed addition to your favorite team. 

Not so.

Despite their unrivaled talents and marquee billing, a few of these heralded athletes are better at being All-Stars than winners. Some aren't team players. Some have unreasonably large contracts hindering their team's improvement. And, some are just plain overrated.

If you're a fan of the Bobcats, Raptors or Pistons, you're probably thinking any All-Star would be a welcomed sight. However, even the best players may come with some baggage.  

Here are five All-Stars you may not want on your team.

Andre Iguodala

The standard argument that Andre Iguodala is a jack-of-all-trades can only go so far. Philadelphia will pay him $13.5 million this season and another $14.7 million next season. The year after that, Iggy has a player-option for $15.9 million. 

There's almost no chance he won't be picking that up.

For three years and $45 million (the back end of a six-year contract), an organization deserves more than an exceptional defender willing to do all the little things. Of course, Iguodala brings more to the table than the likes of Bruce Bowen or Metta World Peace, but he is also paid way too much to shoot the ball at 43 percent from the field and 62 percent from the line.

Fans will find something to like about Andre Iguodala. He's a hard worker, a team player and an outstanding athlete. 

After years of trade speculation and unfair scapegoating, the one legitimate criticism of Iguodala is that he is overpaid. That may not be his fault, but it's a pretty good reason not to want him on your team.

Joe Johnson

Since when don't you want 17.6 points, 3.8 assists and 3.5 boards a game on your team?

When it costs you a clean $18 million.

That's only for this season. The Atlanta Hawks will pay him almost $25 million in 2015-16 when he's all of 35 years old. For that kind of money, the Hawks should get more than a borderline All-Star.

They should get a superhero.

To put his paycheck in perspective, Johnson's $18 million surpasses the current going rate for the services of LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Dwight Howard. If Atlanta could pair Josh Smith and Al Horford with any one of those elite difference-makers, well...you can do the math.

To Johnson's credit, he has helped his team make it to the Eastern Conference semifinals for three consecutive seasons. If he ran the Hawks something in the $12 million range, he'd be a good investment. At his current rate, however, Joe Johnson is an All-Star you don't want on your team.

Dirk Nowitzki

There has never been a seven-footer like Dirk Nowitzki. When hitting his mid-range jumper, the 14-year veteran remains impossible to guard to this day. His performance against the Thunder in last season's conference finals was one of the all-time great offensive displays (scoring 48 and 40, respectively, in key Game 1 and Game 5 wins). 

He may, however, finally be showing some hint of mortality. His 45-percent shooting ranks as the lowest mark since his rookie season, and his 28-percent three-point shooting is far below his standards. 

In almost 33 minutes a game, Nowitzki is also averaging fewer than seven rebounds, which is consistent with a downward trend in inside production over the last few seasons.

The rest of Dirk's game leaves something to be desired, as well. The Mavericks must consistently hide him on defense, rotating him on to non-factors instead of legitimate scoring threats. Dallas gets by, thanks to Rick Carlisle's defensive genius, and 2011's championship team benefited from the long arms of Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler. For his part, though, Dirk does not resemble an elite defender.

The kicker is that Nowitzki is due $20.9 million next year and $22.7 million the year after that. As a gesture of appreciation for his iconic contributions to Dallas, perhaps he is worth every penny. From the perspective of building a team, however, that salary severely limits financial flexibility.

If the Mavericks ultimately prevail in their pursuits of Deron Williams and Dwight Howard, Nowitzki becomes the perfect complementary piece. With Howard defending the interior and Williams distributing the ball, Dirk would be free to score at will on overwhelmed opposition.

For most payrolls, however, Nowitzki would be a difficult investment. If he earned something closer to Steve Nash's $11.7 million, he'd be the best value on the planet. Like Nash, Nowitzki is the very best at what he does, but incomplete in important ways.

Under the defensively stumped Don Nelson, the Nash-Nowitzki era Mavericks could never close the deal. As offensively talented as any duo in recent memory, the team simply could not stop an opponent from scoring.

Even now, Dirk is, of course, one of the game's very best, and few teams would turn him away. The problem is that few teams could actually afford him.

Carmelo Anthony

How can Knicks fans already be clamoring to move the prized possession for which New York traded a goldmine for just last season? 

There's no way around the fact that the Knicks have been subpar with Anthony. Yes, it will take time for him to adjust to Mike D'Antoni's offensive scheme, and there's good reason to believe Carmelo will eventually find his groove (or at least a groove).

Yet, there are also good reasons to think that New York would have been better off standing pat. The four players it traded away gave Denver an instant spark, and the Nuggets continue to look competitive in a crowded Western Conference. They will get even better when Wilson Chandler returns.

As good as the Knicks' starting five looks this season, imagine it with Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Timofey Mozgov in the mix. Imagine having Raymond Felton as a trade chip or even as a back-up for Jeremy Lin.

If Anthony rediscovers his elite form in D'Antoni's system, all will be forgotten. The fact remains, however, that Anthony was surrounded by strong talent in Denver throughout multiple campaigns and never led his team like Rose, Wade, James or Bryant.

Anthony knows how to score, but it has yet to be proven that he knows how to win. It's more unclear still, whether or not he can win playing alongside Amar'e Stoudemire. Chemistry counts for a lot in this league.

Carmelo Anthony may be one of the NBA's 10 best players but, unfortunately, you may not want him on your team.

Dwight Howard

Before you start sending hate mail, I get it. Everyone wants Dwight Howard.

It would be foolish to assume the Magic, Nets, Lakers and Mavericks have all made egregious miscalculations in their pursuits of the self-proclaimed "Superman."

Yes, Howard is the league's most dominant center by a long shot; this generation's closest approximation to Shaquille O'Neal, a rare physical specimen, this we all know. Howard is averaging a career-high 15.3 rebounds and continuing to score 20-plus per game. He can be unguardable in the low post, and he's a defensive juggernaut.  

He's also the latest superstar to be brainwashed by the "this is a business" mantra. 

Oscar Robertson's recommendation that Howard stay quiet and play basketball could surely apply to other stars as well. Howard just happens to be getting all the headlines at the moment—which is precisely the problem.

Whereas Chris Paul pursued his exit from New Orleans behind closed doors, Howard has broadcasted his fickle emotions far and wide. It's impossible to imagine that Howard's teammates can play with complete focus for the remainder of what is, in effect, a lame-duck season.

If life with the Nets or another suitor doesn't pan out as expected, one wonders how Howard will react then. After all, it isn't as if the Magic have been unsuccessful—just not successful enough. His next destination may not yield much of an improvement. 

Besides his off-the-court drama, there are also limits to Howard's value on the court. While he has always struggled to make free throws, Dwight is shooting them at a career-worst 49 percent this season. On average, he leaves over five points at the line every game.

What's worse is that Howard's ineptitude from the line makes him a non-factor at the end of close contests. Orlando can't put the ball in its superstar's hands when it matters the most, and that should never happen. On a team with Deron Williams or Kobe Bryant, Howard would be the perfect complement. Alone, he's good for little more than freakish production and a few highlights.

Dwight Howard is more than an All-Star; he will be one of the all-time greats. And yet, he may be more of a headache than he's worth.