Predicting the 2020 NBA All-Star Team
There's already so much talk about the year 2020 these days (for reasons that have nothing to do with basketball), it's pretty easy to think of what the NBA might look like by then as well.
The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are equipped to hold steady atop the league's totem pole three years from now. The San Antonio Spurs might be, too, if any of their young guys develop into sensational sidekicks for Kawhi Leonard.
The real excitement for the Association's future, though, rests with the teams that have stockpiled young talent in recent years. From the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks in the East to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz out West, the NBA has a standings revolution bubbling just beneath the surface.
Soon enough, that shift will be reflected in the All-Star Game. Fans, players, coaches and media members tend to reward team success first and then find the individuals most worthy of selection.
Come 2020, these 24 studs—12 from each conference, some already established and some well on their way—could be the ones who shine brightest during All-Star Weekend.
SPOILER ALERT: You won't see anyone who has yet to foot in the NBA (i.e. Ben Simmons, Washington's Markelle Fultz, Kansas' Josh Jackson, UCLA's Lonzo Ball) on this list, since they haven't had a chance to play as pros, let alone flash All-Star potential therein.
Eastern Conference Starting Guard: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 27
Kyrie Irving is already a fixture in the All-Star Game at age 24. If he hadn't been recovering from knee surgery to start the 2015-16 season, he might already be heading to New Orleans for his fifth straight All-Star appearance.
As it stands, Irving's four selections are remarkable for a young player who has yet to be the top dog on a playoff team.
That could change by 2020. LeBron James may not be ready to cede the Cleveland Cavaliers' reins just yet, but by the time he's 35, he may have no choice but to take it easy—or, at least, not lead the league in minutes per game.
At that point, Irving should be prepared to move another rung up Northeast Ohio's hoops totem pole. He's already averaging 24.4 points and 5.7 assists while draining 40.1 percent of his threes this season.
If the Cavs are still perennial contenders by then—and he's still draining clutch shots in big games—Irving will have all the support he needs to stick as a starter.
Eastern Conference Starting Guard: DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 30
DeMar DeRozan is no slouch when it comes to quickness and athleticism, though his game is hardly predicated on either. Rather, DeRozan has risen through the ranks of the NBA's best scorers with a crafty handle and a deadly array of moves in the mid-range. According to Basketball Reference, the Toronto Raptors All-Star has hit well over 40 percent of his looks from every area inside the three-point line.
Beyond that range, DeRozan remains a non-threat. He's hit 25.4 percent of his 1.4 three-point tries per game—both of which are remarkably low for a shooting guard in the modern NBA.
Those stats could shift upward in the coming years should DeRozan decide not to venture inside so often. At this point, though, he's sharpened his ball skills and strengthened his body to the point where he won't likely shy away from such adventures. Nor will he be deterred by much of a physical decline, since his forays rely more on guile anyway.
So even as DeRozan creeps past age 30 in 2020, he should be plenty able to produce at an All-Star level. And with Kyle Lowry due to decline by then, the Raptors will need even bigger numbers from DeRozan to remain relevant.
Eastern Conference Starting Frontcourt: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 35
Most All-Stars are no longer All-Stars by the time they're 35.
But LeBron James isn't likely to be most All-Stars.
He's already proved to be one of the most reliable players the NBA has ever seen. James has never suffered a major injury as a pro, nor has he missed more than 13 games in a given campaign.
That doesn't mean this run will continue indefinitely. At some point, playing upward of 35 minutes a night—and, this season, he's leading the league in minutes at 37.5 per game—could catch up to him.
Even if Father Time and Mother Nature conspire, James has cultivated his game to last. He's long been one of the NBA's premier passers, with 8.5 assists per game to his credit so far this season. At 6'8", he'll always be tall enough to see over a defense and direct traffic, much like Jason Kidd did during his waning days.
If James has to stick strictly to half-court basketball, he can lean even more heavily on a low-post game that ranks in the Association's top third in points per possession, per NBA.com. Those skills—along with the sheer size and strength to score inside and grab rebounds as well as stroke from distance (35.3 percent from three this season)—should assure All-Star level production from the game's reigning King for years to come.
But suppose James' skills do fall off a cliff. Will he get the same legacy treatment afforded to generational superstars like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant during their twilights? Or will fans, players and media members conspire to keep him out of the All-Star Game?
Yeah...good luck kicking him off his throne.
Eastern Conference Starting Frontcourt: Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 24
The New York Knicks' eagerness to move Carmelo Anthony, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Chris Mannix of The Vertical, should tell you all you need to know about their appraisal of Kristaps Porzingis. The lanky Latvian has all the tools to be a franchise talent in the Big Apple.
He's an efficient scorer (18.6 points on 15.2 shots) and above-average outside shooter (38.1 percent from three). He crashes the glass (7.0 boards per game) and swats away shots (2.0 blocks). And he does it all at 7'3", 240 pounds, covering ground like few players can and saying all the right things in front of New York's media throng.
The biggest concern for KP may be longevity, as his movement often looks laborious and he's struggled with Achilles issues this season. He's bulked up some since his rookie season, though he still takes a beating from grown men on most nights.
But if Porzingis can stay healthy, he has all the goods to be great: a steady work ethic, a love of the game and a frame that few people on Earth (let alone in the NBA) can match.
Should the Knicks return to relevance by 2020, their rabid fans—along with players and media—figure to reward Porzingis with all the votes he'll need to start up front for the Eastern Conference.
Eastern Conference Starting Frontcourt: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 25
If All-Star starters were still solely decided by fan vote, Joel Embiid would've cracked the Eastern Conference's starting lineup already. Instead, he'll head to New Orleans to play in the Rising Stars Challenge.
That snub hasn't stopped some from fashioning proper All-Star jerseys in Embiid's honor. Nor is this year's denial likely to keep the product of the Philadelphia 76ers' "Process" out of the midseason showcase for long.
2014's No. 3 pick has been under a minutes restriction all season after spending his first two campaigns on the shelf following foot surgeries. He's piled up 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.5 blocks per game nonetheless. According to NBA.com, he's already the league's most effective rim protector.
However, Bleacher Report's Dan Favale cautioned against assuming Embiid will go full supernova once he's able to play as much as he pleases.
"What remains to be seen is whether Embiid's world-domination tour will hold steady once he's playing both ends of back-to-backs and free from a minutes cap," Favale wrote. "His continued excellence seems like a formality, but until it's put into practice under normal circumstances, he's the future more than the present."
But Embid will be the present by the winter of 2020, and he should have plenty of talent around him to help lift the Sixers up the Eastern Conference ladder.
Eastern Conference Reserve Guard: Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 26
John Wall is already a four-time All-Star, but Bradley Beal looks like the better bet to represent the Washington Wizards on that hallowed stage three years from now.
Both have been plagued by injuries throughout their respective careers, but Beal's setbacks have pertained largely to stress fractures in his leg. Wall, on the other hand, had surgery on both of his knees this past summer.
While Wall has been brilliant this season—he's one of three players averaging at least 20 points and 10 assists per game—there's no telling whether he'll hold up three years from now, as he approaches his 30th birthday.
Will he still be one of the league's elite guards if he loses a step or two off his Olympic-caliber speed? Can he be a difference-maker on defense if his knees give him fits again down the line?
That's not to say Beal is bound to be a picture of health, but he doesn't need to be a blur on the break or fly to the bucket to be effective. The St. Louis native came into the NBA with a sweet three-point stroke (39.4 percent for his career) and has since added a patient dribble and a potent grasp of the pick-and-roll to his arsenal. According to NBA.com, Beal already ranks among the league's top 15 percent in terms of pick-and-roll efficiency.
More importantly, Beal will just be entering his prime by the time 2020 rolls around. He and Wall may both still be great by then, but if faced with a choice between the two, Beal gets the nod by virtue of his age and superior outside game.
Eastern Conference Reserve Guard: Dennis Schroder, Atlanta Hawks
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 26
The Atlanta Hawks thought highly enough of Dennis Schroder to trade an incumbent All-Star point guard (Jeff Teague) for a first-round pick (Taurean Waller-Prince).
So far, the German jitterbug has rewarded Mike Budenholzer's faith.
Through his first 48 games of 2016-17, Schroder averaged 17.6 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from three—all career bests. Not bad for a former No. 17 selection who's been tasked with captaining a team in transition between eras.
Granted, the Hawks hardly run an elite offense with Schroder at the controls. But the difference between their attack with him (103.9 points per 100 possessions) and without him (101.2), per NBA.com, is roughly equivalent to the gulf between the Phoenix Suns' 20th-ranked offense and the Orlando Magic's second-least efficient attack.
In time, Atlanta will look to surround Schroder with more weapons while he continues learning how to make those he has better. However that process plays out, the Hawks can count on their featured floor general to spearhead a top-notch defense.
Eastern Conference Reserve Frontcourt: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 25
Once upon a time, Giannis Antetokounmpo was little more than a giant question mark plucked out of the lower rungs of Greek basketball. With plenty of hard work to complement his own physical development, the Greek Freak has become a bona fide All-Star starter in just his fourth NBA campaign.
"My first year, I was just happy to be in the NBA. I was just 18 years old," Antetokounmpo told the Salt Lake Tribune's Tony Jones. "By my second year, I looked back on what people said, and that really drove me. I respected everyone's opinion on what they said about me on draft night. But I definitely used it as motivation."
That doubt has, in part, driven Antetokounmpo to the point where he's now one of the league's most versatile (and most terrifying) all-court threats. Heading into Wednesday, he's averaging 23.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.8 steals while playing point guard for the Milwaukee Bucks on offense and free safety on defense.
Chances are, he'll be just as explosive three years from now. By then, he might also be a half-decent three-point shooter—he's hit just 29.1 percent of his triples in 2016-17—for a Bucks squad that could be a legitimate contender in the East.
Eastern Conference Reserve Frontcourt: Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 24
Jabari Parker is poised to ride Giannis Antetokounmpo's coattails to the All-Star Game in the near future.
Not that Parker isn't a top-tier talent in his own right. The former No. 2 pick in 2014 has fashioned himself into an efficient shooter (48.6 percent from the field, 37.7 percent from three this season) and fantastic scorer (20.2 points) since recovering from an ACL tear suffered during his rookie year.
The Chicago native was already in the discussion for a spot in this year's All-Star Game, though the Milwaukee Bucks' middling record may have weakened his case.
"It's just politics," Parker said, per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Charles F. Gardner. "Pound for pound, I'd take myself over them."
If Parker and Antetokounmpo continue to develop as a dynamic duo and Khris Middleton returns from a gruesome hamstring injury with his game intact, the Bucks could soon be good enough to justify two representatives in the All-Star Game. Either way, Parker's current trajectory portends more than enough improvement for him to get the recognition he seeks sooner rather than later.
Eastern Conference Reserve Frontcourt: Paul George, Indiana Pacers
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 29
There's no guarantee that Paul George will be with the Indiana Pacers, let alone in the Eastern Conference, in three years.
Between his own Southern California roots and the Pacers' apparent stagnation, George could feel the winds of change blowing beneath his sails by the time he can opt out of his current contract in 2018.
"Before the year started, I told Paul and I said, 'Look, if you want to sign a long-term deal, we're willing to do that max [contract], and if you want to wait, I understand,'" Pacers president Larry Bird told the Indianapolis Star's Nate Taylor. "But this year, we're not going to worry about it, we're not going to talk about it, and he's going to make the decision that's best for Paul when it comes down to it."
In the meantime, George is dominating on both ends for Indy. This season, he's shooting a career-best 45.7 percent from the field and a league-high 92.6 percent from the free-throw line while piling up 23.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
Wherever PG-13 roams in 2020, he figures to be not only one of the league's elite two-way wings but also the focal point of his squad's efforts.
Eastern Conference Wild Card: Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 30
If Paul George is a flight risk in Indy, Jimmy Butler already has his bags packed and is ready to bounce from the Chicago Bulls.
According to the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson, there's a belief around the league that the Bulls and Boston Celtics will soon rekindle trade talks involving Jimmy Buckets—assuming they haven't already.
For our purposes, that would keep Butler in the Eastern Conference. And while he wouldn't have to put up monster numbers next to Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford—like he's posted alongside Dwyane Wade this season (24.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.8 steals)—he'd be plenty productive in whatever role he finds himself in.
Nor need Butler fret about losing NBA clout if his hops aren't quite so springy when he hits 30. His game is more squarely predicated on size and strength, of which Chicago's 6'7" Adonis already has plenty. And at 35.0 percent from three, he's a proficient outside shooter with the requisite work ethic to sharpen his stroke.
The hope is that Butler will wind up on a title contender, be it in Chicago or elsewhere. But if his All-Star starting nod for a sub-.500 Bulls squad is any indication, his status among the game's best and most popular players is strong enough to survive whatever mediocrity might surround him.
Eastern Conference Wild Card: Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 24
First came word that the Orlando Magic were shopping Nikola Vucevic, according to CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely. Now, Serge Ibaka is apparently on the block as well, per Sporting News' Sean Deveney.
Beyond being trade bait for Orlando, both big men have something else in common: They're delaying Aaron Gordon's destiny.
The Arizona product isn't necessarily bound to be a low-post scorer like Vooch or a shot-blocker like Ibaka, but he projects better as a 4—where his quickness and athleticism make him a nearly impossible mismatch—than as a 3. His rudimentary outside shooting (30.2 percent from three) make him a bit of a liability there.
Gordon's shot might not be an issue in three years' time. His position shouldn't be either, assuming Magic management realizes what it has on its hands.
Air Gordon has all the tools and stick-to-it-iveness to be an All-Star-caliber talent down the line. What he needs, more than anything, is the right environment in which to thrive.
When (or if) he finds that, he'll be a prime candidate to be the NBA's Most Improved Player—and more.
Western Conference Starting Guard: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 31
Stephen Curry might seem like a shooting star in more ways than one. He's well on his way to becoming the most prolific outside sniper in NBA history. And with the way he's streaked across the sky in recent years, he might seem the sort to burn out soon.
Except, Curry didn't appear out of nowhere. He poured in 17.5 points per game as a rookie and has averaged 22.9 points or better over each of his last five campaigns, all while torching the three-point record books.
Those skills that make Steph spectacular—shooting (44.0 percent from three for his career), passing (6.8 assists) and ball-handling—all can and often do age well. So long as Curry avoids a catastrophic injury from here on out, he'll be one of the league's leading lights for a long time.
With two MVPs and a title in his back pocket, he's already set his popularity in stone. This season, he locked down yet another starting spot in the Western Conference backcourt, despite ceding a chunk of his production (and his spotlight) to Kevin Durant with the Golden State Warriors and competing with the triple-double machine that is Russell Westbrook.
If fans are so keen to embrace Curry now, just think about how much more beloved he'll be once he's racked up more hardware as the head of Golden State's record-setting snake.
Western Conference Starting Guard: James Harden, Houston Rockets
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 30
Nearly everything about James Harden points to him being a perennial All-Star into his 30s.
He's the centerpiece of a Houston Rockets squad that, with a fairly clean cap sheet and a smart general manager (Daryl Morey) running the front office, could contend for a long time. He doesn't need to fly above the rim to thrive, thanks to his uniquely deliberate pace and deceptive ball skills. That approach has allowed him to play into his eighth campaign without missing more than nine games during any of the previous seven.
The only aspect of Harden's situation that could work against his longevity? His reliance on the free-throw line.
This season, he's scored 9.0 of his 28.4 points per game at the stripe, and he wouldn't average 10.5 attempts from there without subjecting himself to contact...right?
Then again, with his mastery of fakes and Oscar-worthy acting skills, Harden doesn't always need to get hit to draw a whistle. Such deception spares him plenty of wear and tear, and could help extend his prime well beyond that of the typical guard.
Western Conference Starting Frontcourt: Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 31
The same qualities that made Dirk Nowitzki an All-Star into his age-36 season should allow Kevin Durant to shine until a similar time in his career. He'll always be a 7-footer, and he'll always be able to shoot (48.7 percent from the field, 38.0 percent for his career).
Durant, though, has some distinct advantages over Nowitzki that could make him more than a legacy selection later in life.
For one, he handles and passes the ball (4.9 assists per game over his last five seasons) like a guard, thereby allowing him to operate effectively outside of the paint. Then there's the team around him.
Durant can put up ridiculous stats with the Golden State Warriors—like the 26.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.8 combined steals and blocks he's compiled this season—without having to bear the burden of being "The Man" every night.
And where Nowitzki has been suffering through subpar seasons since the Dallas Mavericks decided to punt any defense of their 2011 title, Durant is poised to pretty much win for as long as he pleases with a Warriors squad worthy of the national stage.
Western Conference Starting Frontcourt: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 28
Kawhi Leonard has improved from year to year since making his unassuming NBA debut nearly six years ago. His current shooting percentages are down somewhat (48.7 percent from the field, 41.0 percent from three), but that's largely because he's scoring more than ever (25.6 points per game) and shouldering a heavier offensive load than at any previous point during his time with the San Antonio Spurs.
In fact, no Spur has scored at Leonard's recent pace since Gregg Popovich took over as the team's head coach during the 1996-97 season, per the San Antonio Express-News' Nick Moyle.
"Leonard reeled off six straight 30 point games from Jan. 10 to Jan. 21, the longest streak by a Spur since Mike Mitchell in 1986," Moyle wrote. "He shot 60 percent in each of the streak's first four games, tied for the second-longest stretch of 30-point, 60-percent games in league history. ... The only other players in franchise history to score at least 208 points in a six-game span are David Robinson and George Gervin. Gervin, a four-time scoring champion, once amassed 246 points in just six games and holds all of the team's top 10 six-game scoring marks."
The scary thing for the rest of the NBA? Leonard might just be getting started.
He seems to have shaken the injury bug that plagued him early in his career, and he's only into his second year as San Antonio's No. 1 option. If he continues to settle in on the offensive end while playing his usual brand of lockdown defense on the other, he'll be a fixture of All-Star Weekend into his late 20s and beyond.
Western Conf. Starting Frontcourt: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 24
Why wouldn't this starting spot belong to Anthony Davis for the foreseeable future? After all, he's already ticketed for his fourth straight All-Star Game, while Karl-Anthony Towns will have to wait at least one more year for his first.
But Towns has at least two distinct edges on his fellow Kentucky product that could elevate him to All-Star starter by 2020.
First, KAT is more durable than The Brow. He's yet to miss a game as a pro, thanks in no small part to a 7'0", 244-pound physique that was ready for a pro-caliber pounding from day one. It didn't hurt, either, that Towns came in as a proficient three-point shooter (33.9 percent so far), whereas Davis only began to test his limits last season.
Beyond his own abilities, Towns is surrounded by a much more talented Minnesota Timberwolves supporting cast than any on Davis' horizon in New Orleans. While The Brow will spend his coming years toiling next to Buddy Hield, Solomon Hill and (maybe) Jrue Holiday, Towns can look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn under the guidance of Tom Thibodeau.
Once KAT's T-Wolves get rolling on both ends, there may be no stopping them from contending—or him from taking over the All-Star Game.
Western Conference Reserve Guard: Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 29
Perhaps no Warrior suffered more adjusting to Kevin Durant than Klay Thompson. Through Dec. 1, he shot an uncharacteristically cold (but still far from terrible) 35.3 percent from three-point range.
Since then, Thompson seems to have found his comfort zone within Golden State's supercharged ecosystem. From Dec. 3 on, he's knocked down 42.9 percent of his triples en route to 21.6 points per game.
Add to that his burgeoning mid-range game, defensive excellence and physical sturdiness (he's never missed more than five games in a season), and you have a guy who's far and away the best third option around.
So long as Thompson, Durant, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are all in their respective primes, the Warriors should be good enough to garner at least three All-Star spots per year. That bodes well for Thompson, who may not be the super glue guy Green has become but shines in ways that will always be held in high regard when it comes to midseason recognition.
Which is to say, Klay gets buckets and will do so for as long as his stroke remains picture-perfect.
Western Conference Reserve Guard: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 31
Russell Westbrook won't average a triple-double forever. Heck, he might have trouble keeping his stat line at that historic level through the remainder of the 2016-17 season.
In truth, Westbrook might be the riskiest long-term pick among guys who are already established All-Stars. His excellence is predicated so heavily on his All-World—if not all-time—athleticism at the point guard position.
What happens when Westbrook can't soar over, around and through defenders as easily or as forcefully as he does now? How long can he sustain his career-long breakneck pace of play? With the way Westbrook flies around the floor, can he realistically avoid another major injury like the ones to his knee that short-circuited his 2013-14 season?
Of course, these are all hypotheticals—the same ones that came to the forefront when Westbrook had three operations on the same knee in less than a year. Since then, he's been relatively healthy and no less effective on the floor.
But there could come a time soon when his lack of anything approaching an elite outside shot (33.3 percent from three this season) drags him down. Whereas other arc-challenged guards (i.e. Dwyane Wade) have compensated with shifty skills inside, Westbrook has yet to refine his to that degree.
The sooner he does, the better equipped he'll be to earn All-Star nods into his 30s.
Western Conference Reserve Frontcourt: Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 26
As mentioned earlier, Anthony Davis would be a lock to start for the Western Conference well into the future if not for his own longevity (or lack thereof) and the lackluster roster with which the New Orleans Pelicans have surrounded him.
But Kevin Garnett garnered All-Star recognition through good times and bad with the Minnesota Timberwolves. It's nigh impossible to deny a guy who's averaging 27.8 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks, even on a Pelicans team that can't so much as sniff .500.
For all his fragility, Davis has become a much more forceful player over his five NBA seasons. He's bulked up considerably and could become an even more monstrous performer once he finds the range from beyond the arc (29.3 percent from three this season).
That jump could come by 2020. And who knows? Some help might be on the way by then, too.
Buddy Hield has shown flashes of steadiness as his rookie campaign continues. And at this rate, the Pelicans will have another lottery pick in a deep 2017 draft that could yield a complementary star. Throw in a new contract for Jrue Holiday this summer, and The Brow might really be in business.
Western Conference Reserve Frontcourt: DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 29
However you feel about DeMarcus Cousins The Person, there's no doubt that DeMarcus Cousins The Player is one of the best big men in basketball—and might be the best.
And that's while fighting not only his own demons but all of the dysfunction that's dragged the Sacramento Kings organization down for more than a decade.
"You put him in the right type of environment, a winning environment in the right organization, he would flourish without a doubt," DeMar DeRozan, Cousins' Olympic teammate, told ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz. "Even in the position he's in now, he hasn't been to the playoffs, but he's still the best big man in the league. Sometimes the other chips just don't fall into place for you to take off when you want to take off. I think he's going to get to that point once he gets in the right situation."
Whether that happens is anybody's guess. According to CSN Bay Area's James Ham, Cousins intends to sign an extension worth in excess of $200 million that would keep him in Sacramento through the 2022-23 season.
That doesn't mean the Kings couldn't trade him in the midst of that contract. But if Boogie sticks around, he'd likely do so as a franchise cornerstone for the duration.
Cousins' game looks like one that will age well. He'll always be big and strong with elite ball skills, and his improvement as a three-point shooter (37.3 percent on 4.7 attempts this season) should allow him to spend more time outside the lane away from deleterious contact as he delves deeper into his career.
Western Conference Reserve Frontcourt: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 24
There's cause for concern when it comes to Nikola Jokic serving as the Denver Nuggets' long-term pillar.
Namely, the Nuggets' next big thing is currently the third-worst rim protector in the league among players who've defended at least four shots per game around the hoop, per NBA.com. That's not a good sign for a guy who might have to anchor Denver on that end for the foreseeable future.
But Jokic is young (he turns 22 the day of the 2017 All-Star Game), and though he may never have the hops to swat away shots, he can learn how to use his body to clog the lane.
Frankly, Jokic is so gifted offensively that his impact on that end alone might be enough for the Nuggets to fashion a contender out West. Since returning to the starting lineup in mid-December, the Serbian sensation has posted 20.8 points on a blistering 62.5 percent from the floor (37.5 percent from three), with 9.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists to boot.
Denver, meanwhile, is in plum position to build a burgeoning club around him. The Nuggets are teeming with young talent—from Emmanuel Mudiay and Gary Harris to Jamal Murray, Jusuf Nurkic and Juancho Hernangomez—and have enough mature chips (i.e. Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler) to flip for another cornerstone or two.
All of that should help Jokic get the attention he needs to be an All-Star, even a mile above the ocean.
Western Conference Wild Card: Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves
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Age at 2020 All-Star Game: 24
It's only a matter of time until Andrew Wiggins is flying through the All-Star Game's rarefied air. The former No. 1 pick and runaway Rookie of the Year in 2014-15 has upped his game year after year.
He joined the Minnesota Timberwolves (by way of the Cleveland Cavaliers) as an otherworldly athlete with a rail-thin frame and a shaky jump shot. Since then, the 6'8", 199-pounder has added strength, sharpened his jumper (34.8 percent from three this season) and dug deep into a bags of mid-range tricks once toted by the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
The 21-year-old wing has superior physical gifts and is up to 22.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, with plenty of potential yet to be tapped. A tighter handle will eventually make him a more effective on-ball creator for himself and his teammates.
Tom Thibodeau's tutelage should guide Wiggins to his destiny as a lockdown defender—even if he's nowhere close to that at the moment.
Give Wiggins three years, and he could look like a bona fide superstar on a Wolves squad that, by then, could be knocking on the Western Conference's top door.
Western Conference Wild Card: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
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Who knows if the Phoenix Suns will be any good in three years?
According to Basketball Insiders' Cody Taylor, they came into the 2016-17 campaign as the NBA's fourth- youngest squad, with an average age of just over 25.
If the Suns turn it around by then, they'll likely do so on Devin Booker's back. The fresh-faced sharpshooter out of Kentucky is averaging 20.8 points and 3.1 assists during just his second pro season at the tender age of 20. He's already proficient from three (36.0 percent this season) and continues to improve as a ball-handler in the pick-and-roll, though he remains far from elite (46th percentile in points per possession as a pick-and-roll operator, per NBA.com) in that regard.
"When you run a pick-and-roll as a point guard, you still have to see different things develop," Suns head coach Earl Watson said, per the Arizona Republic's Doug Haller. "You have to do it over and over and over. And Devin, to me, can be a point guard or a shooting guard. He has both skills. He's starting to see different options."
Booker could be among basketball's elite combo guards by the winter of 2020, with or without Eric Bledsoe by his side. And if Phoenix's fortunes have turned by then, he'll have just the platform he needs to get that All-Star nod.
All stats and salary information via NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted and are current heading into Wednesday, Feb. 1.
Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and listen to his Hollywood Hoops podcast with B/R Lakers lead writer Eric Pincus.
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