Each NBA Team's Most Likely All-Star in 2014-15
Let’s make one thing clear: If you’re actively wishing it was NBA All-Star Weekend already, there might be something wrong with you. That weekend is literally February’s only redeeming quality. Because February is terrible.
I’ve said my piece. Now, on to the business at hand: Predicting the most likely All-Star selection—either by dint of fan votes or coach’s selection—from each and every NBA team.
Some of the names will be obvious (Nazr Mohammed). Others might come as a bit of a surprise (Kevin Durant). What all of the forthcoming players have in common, however, is legitimate All-Star pedigree—even if biases and extenuating circumstances deign to deny them their glory.
It’s never too early to guess who will be afforded the honor of not having to play a lick of defense for 20 minutes. So let's do that.
Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford
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Want proof the basketball gods can be the ficklest of beasts? Look no further than Al Horford, who twice—twice—has watched his NBA season cut short by a freak pectoral-muscle injury.
Owing to a fantastically productive first seven seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Horford already has a pair of All-Star appearances under his belt.
A third could come this season. Partly because, at 28, Horford is entering the prime of his career and partly because second-year head coach (and longtime Gregg Popovich understudy) Mike Budenholzer should have ample time to figure out how to best utilize his bruising but fluid big man.
Chances are nil Horford makes it on the fan ballot; his demeanor and star power are simply too unassuming. But as a coach’s pick to round out the East’s frontcourt, Horford is more than a viable candidate.
Boston Celtics: Rajon Rondo
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Speaking of injury curses, it was recently announced that Rajon Rondo—less than a year after returning from a career-altering knee injury—will miss the next six to eight weeks after suffering a broken hand.
Depending on how much time he actually misses, Rondo’s bid for a fifth All-Star appearance could be in jeopardy—particularly in light of Derrick Rose’s return and John Wall’s still-accelerating ascendance.
There’s also the minor matter of how long Rondo will remain with the Boston Celtics, a team whose fanbase is large and loyal enough to hold significant sway over the All-Star vote.
Should Rondo make a speedy recovery and return to form, he’ll have as good a shot as anyone at locking down a spot—even if it’s as a reserve for Rose, Wall or last year’s All-Star Game MVP, Kyrie Irving.
Brooklyn Nets: Brook Lopez
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In the last installment of our “Dudes Who Were Hurt Last Season” three-slide suite, we take a look at Brook Lopez, whose season-ending foot injury a year ago altered both the makeup and trajectory of the Brooklyn Nets.
And not necessarily for the worse either: In opting for a smaller lineup, then head coach Jason Kidd turned the Nets into a lengthy, disruptive defensive force.
But while Brooklyn should doubtless be applauded for its face-saving 44-win season, losing Lopez—without question one of the most gifted offensive centers in the game—isn’t the kind of thing that pays lasting dividends.
Foot injuries and centers are about as compatible as ice cream and tuna fish. Still, assuming Lopez can stay healthy, there’s nothing stopping him from securing his second All-Star bid. Particularly with Brooklyn’s ever-growing fanbase casting votes on his behalf.
Charlotte Hornets: Lance Stephenson
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No offseason signing carries bigger boom-or-bust potential than the three-year, $27 million tender Lance Stephenson signed with the Charlotte Hornets.
On the one hand, Stephenson gives the Hornets a much-needed second playmaker alongside fourth-year point guard Kemba Walker. On the other hand, well, this is Lance Stephenson. Predictability isn’t exactly part of the equation.
The good news: Stephenson has improved across just about every major metric during his four-year NBA career. Which, when you consider he’s still only 24 years old, is especially encouraging.
"What?" I hear some asking. "No Al Jefferson?" Look, we agree Big Al got snubbed last year. Sadly, with Love, Gasol and Lopez now in the fray, we see that happening once again. Chalk it up to Lance playing at arguably the league's weakest position.
Stephenson narrowly missed out on his first All-Star nod last season. So long as Michael Jordan and head coach Steve Clifford can keep his antics in check, “Born Ready” has a very real shot of growing into the formidable two-way force he’s thus far only hinted at becoming.
Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose
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You’d be hard-pressed to find a single score of people who aren’t rooting for Derrick Rose to return to full, spectacular form.
That being said, if there’s any player who stands to benefit from a wave of All-Star sympathy, it’s the Chicago Bull’s firebrand floor general.
Outfitted with new weapons like Pau Gasol, Doug McDermott and Euro-import Nikola Mirotic, Rose won’t bear near the scoring burden he has in the past. Still, this is Rose’s show to run, and the pressure—of a career arc waiting to be recaptured, of a fanbase eager to return to the top—is sure to be colossal.
Rose won’t be Chicago’s only All-Star, of course. If the Bulls enter the break with the East’s best record, don’t be surprised if Tom Thibodeau taps both Gasol and Joakim Noah as reserves. Assuming, of course, they don’t get the ballots to begin with.
Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James
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...You want an explanation? Alright, here goes:
As if being the best basketball player in the world wasn't reason enough for LeBron James to stamp his 11th All-Star ticket in his 11th season, now King James stands to have the full weight of the NBA’s goodwill behind him—two or three million votes, easy.
His prodigal return is sure to rocket him up the ranks. But it’s in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ cartoonish offensive potential from which James could reap the biggest All-Star boon.
Teammates Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love will be there as well, of course. In fact, 2015 may mark the first time since _______ that three teammates were named All-Star starters in the same season. But it’s LeBron—with his ever-growing public appeal and commercial clout—who threatens to blow the doors off the voting booths.
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki
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One mere year ago, it was easy to believe Dirk Nowitzki had finally begun the inevitable descent toward retirement. The injuries were starting to pile up, and the Dallas Mavericks roster—so expertly built around Nowitzki for so long—looked rudderless.
Then the 2013-14 season happened. In it, Nowitzki tallied his highest player efficiency rating (23.6) in six years, his highest true shooting percentage (60 percent) in three years and the third-highest offensive rating (120) of his 16-year NBA career.
So yeah, Dirk’s not going anywhere yet. And while he finished a distant 12th in the Western Conference frontcourt vote count a season ago (behind the likes of David Lee), Nowitzki’s is the kind of career legacy that’ll make him a veritable lock as a coach’s pick for the foreseeable future.
Watching both Kevin Love and Pau Gasol bolt for the Eastern Conference doesn’t hurt either.
Denver Nuggets: Kenneth Faried
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As one of the key cogs in Team USA’s FIBA-winning juggernaut, Kenneth Faried—he of the recent five-year, $60 million extension—did more than perhaps any NBA player to boost his stock this summer. But Faried’s emergence could find an even bigger punctuation with a dark-horse run at an All-Star slot.
The competition couldn’t be stiffer. Blake Griffin, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Anthony Davis: The West is certifiably loaded with top-tier power forwards.
For him to surpass those aforementioned luminaries requires Faried either a) get a surprise nod from whomever is marshaling the West side or b) foster such a cult of personality that the voters will have no choice but to cast their lot with Denver’s dreadlocked maniac.
Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond
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Prepare yourselves, because it’s coming. We don’t know exactly when, but it’s coming: Andre Drummond’s NBA takeover.
The process began in earnest last year, when Drummond—at 20 years old and in just his second season—authored the following season:
| Player | Season (age) | Points | Rebounds | Blocks | PER |
| Dwight Howard | 2004-05 (20) | 15.8 | 12.5 | 1.4 | 19.3 |
| Andre Drummond | 2013-14 (20) | 13.5 | 13.2 | 1.6 | 22.6 |
I know: You’ve probably seen that chart a million times already. Too bad.
Drummond’s emergence couldn’t have come at a better time, what with the league’s glaring dearth of game-changing centers. Indeed, for as increasingly perimeter oriented as the game’s becoming, the advantage of having a rim protector of Drummond’s caliber cannot be overstated.
In Drummond, the Detroit Pistons boast a bona fide basketball beast, and the 2015 All-Star Game—staged as it’ll be in New York City, that paragon of power and projection—could prove his ticket to superstardom.
Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry
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Kobe Bryant will be getting All-Star votes 20 years after he officially retires. And yet, Stephen Curry still managed to beat the Mamba out by a healthy 60,000 votes last season—good for tops overall among Western Conference guards.
Emboldened by Steve Kerr’s triangle hybrid and flanked by what’s sure to be a breakout year from backcourt mate Klay Thompson, Curry should enjoy a top-five finish in All-Star voting once again next time around.
More importantly, with two fully healthy seasons behind him (knocks on enormous oaken armoire), Curry’s career prospects are fast closing in on a designation both simple and superlative: the flat-out best point guard in the game.
Some guy three slides down just threw a rock through my computer.
Houston Rockets: James Harden
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If you’re going by last year’s count, James Harden wasn’t even the top All-Star vote-getter on his own team. That designation belonged to Dwight Howard, who edged out Harden by nearly 200,000 hanging chads.
To be sure, Howard still stands a great chance of getting in again this year. It just won’t be at the expense of Harden, whom I expect to ratchet up his All-Star sway this season.
In an era where the shooting guard position is arguably as weak as it’s ever been, Harden represents something of a bygone archetype: a shameless gunner out to prove that getting buckets—while playing absolutely no defense—can still earn you top marquee billing.
Indiana Pacers: Roy Hibbert
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This was supposed to be Paul George. The mantle of “Next Great Small Forward?" That was supposed to be George’s too. Ditto the one about delivering the Indiana Pacers their first championship since merging with the NBA nearly 40 years ago.
Sadly, that all came to a sad, screeching halt during a Team USA scrimmage on August 2, when George—while attempting a chase-down block—caught his right leg beneath the basket stanchion, immediately causing a compound fracture. Not surprisingly, he is expected to miss the entire 2014-15 season while in recovery.
Meanwhile, Roy Hibbert is coming off one of the more head-scratching campaigns in recent memory, a complete 180—statistical as well as psychological—from the big man’s breakout campaign back in 2013-14.
So why do we think Hibbert stands the best chance of getting an All-Star nod? Because after Lance and Paul, what other realistic candidates are there?
Los Angeles Clippers: Chris Paul
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You’re still mad about that Stephen Curry thing I said, aren’t you? I’m sorry.
Chris Paul has been the best point guard in the NBA for so long it’s hard to remember who owned the title before him. Scarier still, at just 29 years old, Paul—prime-straddled and hungry for a ring—doesn’t seem too interested in relinquishing the mantle.
The qualm with Paul being the foremost All-Star candidate for the Los Angeles Clippers: some guy named Blake Griffin. He dunked over a car once or something.
With Kevin Love having sojourned his way to the Eastern Conference, it’ll be interesting to see whether Griffin can close the 120,000 All-Star-vote gap between him and his floor general. One thing’s for sure: If he continues his steady climb up the statistical ladder, there may be no stopping Griffin from joining LeBron and up in the ballot stratosphere.
Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant
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Sorry, Robert Sacre fans. Maybe in the next galaxy over.
Few modern athletes tout the pure pull and power of one Kobe Bean Bryant. Even at a ripe 36 years old, the Los Angeles Lakers star is an icon among icons—as good a candidate to replace Jerry West as the NBA’s logo as anyone.
Coming off a pair of devastating injuries that have kept him out of commission for the better part of two seasons, Bryant enters the 2014-15 campaign with much to prove. Not merely that he can compete at an All-Star level, but that he can erase the bad taste left in the wake of last year’s dismal 28-win campaign as well.
Despite suiting up in just six games a season ago, Bryant still managed to garner a whopping 988,000 votes, third highest in the Western Conference. Which is going a long way to say that the Mamba will probably be an All-Star lock 15 years after he retires.
Memphis Grizzlies: Marc Gasol
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From the center of the entertainment universe to…Western Tennessee. Those looking for an example of how a large media market can influence the All-Star voting, consider that Andrew Bogut—a solid but hardly spectacular NBA center—brought in more All-Star votes than Marc Gasol.
True, Gasol was limited to just 59 games due to injury. At the same time, this is the guy who won the Defensive Player of the Year award the season before. That he didn’t even make the top 10 for Western frontcourt players isn’t an anomaly; it’s an absurdity.
Look for Gasol—with an improved core around him and a healthy Zach Randolph there to bear his brunt of the bruisings—to author a career year and make a serious bid for his second All-Star nod. Particularly with brother Pau and Kevin Love now in the East.
Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade
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As with Kobe, Dwyane Wade’s fanbase pull is as deep as it is impassioned, owing in no small part to the longstanding primacy—at least in terms of player popularity—of the shooting guard position.
Despite one of the worst statistical seasons of his 11-year NBA career, Wade tallied the third-highest vote count among Eastern Conference players a season ago. Chalk it up all you want to the league’s dearth of quality wings; Wade is a hot sell and will continue to be until the day he finally hangs them up.
Even in the wake of LeBron’s departure, Wade won’t be the Miami Heat’s top dog heading into the season. That honor belongs to Chris Bosh, whose more ground-bound style of play has yielded less physical wear and tear than what’s met his once high-flying teammate.
Still, Wade stands to get a much brighter green light with the King out of town. His efficiency might suffer, but his All-Star clout—bolstered as it is more by style than substance—ain’t going anywhere.
Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo
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Here’s a fun fact: The last time a Milwaukee Bucks player made the All-Star team, the first iPhone was still three years from hitting the market.
The year: 2004. The player: Michael Redd. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s the longest streak in the league.
Sadly, the Bucks have little shot at breaking that curse this season. Let me rephrase that. They have exactly one shot: Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose freakish specs and blossoming basketball repertoire have made him Milwaukee’s savior in waiting.
That's not to say Giannis won't have some stiff competition. Writing at Bleacher Report, Jonathan Wasserman offers up rookie stud Jabari Parker as a possible All-Star contender:
"I wouldn't be surprised if Parker puts up around 17 points and nearly eight boards a game as a rookie. On a team in playoff contention, those numbers might actually be All-Star worthy.
And it's even possible the Bucks won't be that bad by 2017, when Brandon Knight, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Larry Sanders and John Henson could all be entering their primes.
Assuming Parker improves his conditioning by then and his jumper becomes a little more reliable, we could really be talking about one heck of a mismatch up front, given his post game and skill set on the perimeter.
"
To be sure, Antetokounmpo is still rock-raw and flawed—at just 19 years old, a veritable babe in the basketball forest. But if new head coach Jason Kidd can somehow find a way to unleash even a dose of the Greek Freak’s inner potential, his charisma and promise alone could be enough to propel him into the All-Star conversation.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Ricky Rubio
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Few NBA teams are facing quite the transition of power now underfoot with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Gone is the Kevin Love era—brought asunder by too many years of unmet expectations. In its stead comes the age of Ricky Rubio, the 23-year-old point guard wizard whose uncanny playmaking and stout perimeter defense have turned him into a kind of high-octane Rajon Rondo.
Like Rondo, though, Rubio needs good players around him to truly thrive. And while Thaddeus Young, Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett will give him intriguing weapons aplenty, Rubio’s production could suffer a bit in Love’s absence.
But being the face of a franchise isn’t without its perks, and if anyone can capitalize on the popularity contest that is the NBA All-Star vote, it’s Rubio.
New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis
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We’d like to begin this slide with a passage from one Kevin Wayne Durant, as relayed to NBA.com’s Jim Eichenhofer back in May:
"I know how good [Anthony Davis] is going to be. I know how good he is now, but I know how good he’s going to be. He’s an MVP-caliber player. So he’s next. He’s next in line – a guy that has grown so much in just a year. I’m excited to see what he does from here. He’s definitely on pace.
"
Hearing the NBA’s reigning MVP heap that kind of praise on a 21-year-old upstart should be all anyone needs to know regarding the latter’s career trajectory. Well, that and actually watching Davis dominate.
In a league where rim protection and versatile stretch 4s have practically become strategic necessities, Davis provides both in astounding spades for the New Orleans Pelicans. Just two years after being taken with the No. 1 overall pick, the former Kentucky standout is on the cusp of a breakout the likes of which we’ve seldom seen.
He’s already got one All-Star nod under his belt. Barring an abduction that spirits him away to his alien planet, Davis will be there again. And again. And again. And again. And again. We’re not stopping until we get to 20, folks…
New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony
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When you lay down career stakes in the world’s biggest media market, there are bound to be many a fringe benefit—especially if you’re widely considered one of the most gifted talents in your chosen profession.
That’s not to say Carmelo Anthony doesn’t deserve every All-Star nod he’s gotten, of course. We’re just saying, you know, maybe he doesn’t deserve more votes than, say, Kevin Love or Blake Griffin? Maybe? I’m sorry, Knicks fans.
Barring something catastrophic, Anthony is a shoo-in to tally an eighth career All-Star appearance. And if play or circumstance somehow causes him to slip down the vote rankings, you’d better believe whoever ends up being the East head coach won’t be so dumb as to not tap Anthony in an All-Star Game being hosted in New York City.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant
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Kevin Durant has already knocked King James off his MVP throne. The next order of business: usurp his supremacy in the All-Star vote.
That might be easier said and done. Indeed, never have James’ sails enjoyed a friendlier public wind—a clout that’s not liable to recede anytime soon. Still, in terms of sheer career trajectories, you could make the case that Durant (who will still be just 27 when the season begins) has yet another gear ahead of him.
Not that KD cares about any of this, of course. Winning the game’s annual popularity contest is nice and all, but for Durant, the chief goal remains the same: upending LeBron in the NBA Finals.
Orlando Magic: Victor Oladipo
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Like the Bucks, the Orlando Magic have just enough pieces to make them intriguing but nothing close to the standout stud worthy of an All-Star nod. Victor Oladipo, a second-year phenom and one of the team’s principal cornerstones, is the closest thing they have.
Lest that come off as short shrift, a quick caveat: Oladipo has a very real chance of emerging as the NBA’s foremost two-way perimeter player—a high-energy mix of Tony Allen’s defense, Dwyane Wade’s slashing ability and an unimpeachable enthusiasm for the game. Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris: These are both wonderful players—potential future All-Stars, even. But this is Oladipo’s team to lead, both emotionally as well as in the box score.
Unfortunately, that age-old adage about “earning your keep” doesn’t end at the NBA’s doorstep. Oladipo will be an All-Star soon enough. But barring an unlikely nod from the East skipper, it won’t be in 2014.
Philadelphia 76ers: Michael Carter-Williams
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Egad, this was a tough one. And not in a good way either.
Traditionally, winning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award—as the Philadelphia 76ers’ Michael Carter-Williams did last season—tends to bode well for one’s future All-Star prospects.
Carter-Williams has all the tools to make good on that well-worn path. But with the game’s point guard ranks flush as they’ve ever been, it might be a few years before Philly’s lanky sophomore has a chance to break through the ranks.
Beyond Carter-Williams, the prospects only get dimmer. Nerlens Noel, 2013’s No. 1 pick? He missed all last season recovering from a knee injury. Jason Richardson? Yes, he’s still in the league. No, he’s not making the All-Star team. Hollis Thompson? No. Not at all.
Barring a truly bonkers Year 2 outburst, Carter-Williams will have to settle for the consolation prize: being the foremost cog in a rebuilding project no one outside of Sam Hinkie truly understands
Phoenix Suns: Goran Dragic
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One of the more sneaky, sordid stories to come out of last year’s All-Star Game involved how Tony Parker was selected ahead of the Phoenix Suns’ Goran Dragic to take the place of an injured Kobe Bryant—this despite a) Parker nursing his own injury and 2) Dragic being eligible for a whopping $1 million All-Star bonus.
Here’s hoping all that gets remedied this time around.
Dragic is coming off easily the best statistical year of his six-year NBA career. And while his first All-Star nod was not to be, Dragic did manage to take home the league’s Most Improved Player award. All this while leading the plucky Suns to within one game of a shocking playoff appearance.
With Parker, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry and Chris Paul all in the fold, Dragic will likely need the blessing from the Western Conference coach to notch his first All-Star appearance this season.
Portland Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge
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This was by far one of the toughest slides. On the one hand you have LaMarcus Aldridge: Portland Trail Blazers staple, three-time All-Star and the current cornerstone of one of the West’s most intriguing up-and-coming teams.
On the other, there’s Damian Lillard, the explosive third-year point guard looking to propel himself into top tier of NBA floor generals.
The Blazers are Aldridge’s team—that much is clear. The question is for how long?
With Love and Gasol out of the picture, Aldridge’s path to the All-Star Game is his for the taking. Lillard, meanwhile, will likely have to rely on being a last-minute addition.
Of course, it’s eminently possible that both Aldridge and Lillard crack the West rotation. We just see the former’s as being the path of lesser roster resistance.
Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins
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To say the past year has been kind to the Sacramento Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins would be an understatement. That it was all his doing—his change of attitude, his work ethic and his freakish ability—needn’t be lost on us.
Not only did the 24-year-old block-bound behemoth register career highs virtually across the statistical board for the lowly Kings; he emerged as one of Mike Krzyzewski’s most important and impactful players during Team USA’s gangbusters run through the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
Cousins is only going to get better, making his 2014 All-Star prospects about as good as anyone’s in the frontcourt. Even if he narrowly loses out in the vote to Griffin, Aldridge or Dwight Howard, any coach worth his salt will tap Cousins to join the fray.
San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan
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You’d think the most recent NBA champion would be awash in All-Star talent. But while Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard very much remain legitimate candidates, not a one of them can be seen as a rock-solid shoo-in.
If Leonard can finally make the leap we’ve all been hoping for, he has an outside shot at sneaking in by way of the vote. Barring that, one possibility above all is certain to weigh heavily on the West coach’s mind: that this might be Timmy D’s last NBA go-around.
If that indeed becomes apparent, there’s no earthly way Duncan gets bypassed for his 15th All-Star appearance. That would be like Tom Hanks announcing his cinema swansong and not getting an Oscar nomination; it just doesn’t happen.
Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan
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One could make the argument that DeMar DeRozan’s first All-Star appearance a season ago was a bit premature. Particularly if you happened to be a fan of Lance Stephenson, snubbed in lieu of DeRozan despite carrying the popular vote.
But after helping lead the Toronto Raptors to their first playoff appearance in six seasons, DeRozan—who also bided valuable time on Team USA—is bound to only get better.
Point guard Kyle Lowry, himself fresh off a career year, remains DeRozan’s only All-Star competition among the Raptors. Barring some unforeseen leap from big man Jonas Valanciunas or swingman Terrence Ross, that is.
Whether by vote or coach’s pick, DeRozan is by no means an All-Star lock. But if Wade slips and Stephenson’s Charlotte exodus proves more perilous than productive, look for Toronto’s stud shooting guard to nab a second consecutive appearance.
Utah Jazz: Gordon Hayward
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Mere months removed from signing one of the summer’s most lucrative long-term contracts (four years, $63 million), the Utah Jazz’s Gordon Hayward has a lot to prove.
Securing a career-first All-Star appearance would certainly be a good start.
Key to Hayward’s prospects will be whether the space-reliant offense of first-year head coach Quin Snyder can be tailored to most effectively utilize the former’s unique playmaking abilities.
Indeed, Hayward struggled last season as the team’s primary scoring option. And while he certainly has the ability to carry that category, Hayward is at his most effective when he lets the game come to him.
There’s scant chance the redheaded forward makes hay at the ballot box. As a late coach’s addition, however, Hayward could make for a fun addition to All-Star Weekend.
Washington Wizards: John Wall
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It’s not that we think John Wall hates or even dislikes Kyrie Irving. But after losing out to Irving for a spot on Team USA, you’d better believe Wall isn’t exactly preparing a wedding invitation either.
That Wall has watched Irving notch two All-Star appearances to his one—and that one wound up being nearly a 3:1 drubbing—surely only adds to the friendly vitriol.
Along with backcourt mate Bradley Beal, Wall has helped transform the Washington Wizards from perennial laughingstock to playoff lock in the East—all the while proving himself every bit the fiery, ferocious floor general we all thought he could be.
Next on the agenda: beating out his point guard peers at the ballot box.
