The 2018 NBA All-Star Game is still a little more than two months away, but already, players have been making their cases for inclusion on the revamped roster system. The league will have the same setup and roster requirements for voting on players — five starters, two reserve guards, three reserve forwards/centers and two wildcards — but those players will only comprise a pool from which the teams will be chosen by each conference’s leading vote-getter.
But what concerns us now is which players will be included in that pool. And the only way to break that down is to look at how the voting is constructed. For the East, we have five starters projected and are looking to determine which seven players will fill out the reserves. Here’s our ballot now, followed by the candidates.
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Eastern Conference Starters
G: Kyrie Irving, Celtics: Easy choice, and an MVP candidate.
G: DeMar DeRozan, Raptors: Good scoring numbers bolstered by a career-high in assists (4.9).
F: LeBron James, Cavs: No-brainer.
F: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks: Has improved on last year’s big leap.
F: Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks: Thriving (27.0 points, 57.6 true shooting percentage) without Carmelo Anthony.
Eastern Conference Reserves
Guard: ??
Guard: ??
Forward: ??
Forward: ??
Forward: ??
Wildcard: ??
Wildcard: ??
John Wall, Wizards
Roster category: Guard
The case for: Wall remains one of the best all-around point guards in the league, putting up 20.3 points and 9.2 assists. He is one of the best finishers at the rim in the league, and a good midrange shooter.
The case against: Wall has struggled with his perimeter shot this season, hitting only 31.7 percent of his 3s. He is also dealing with an injury that will keep him out for a couple of weeks, and that could cause the Wizards to sink in the standings.
Chances: In. Unless Wall’s injury lingers longer than expected, his credentials as a point guard should be enough to keep him in the All-Star game.
Bradley Beal, Wizards
Roster category: Guard
The case for: Beal is averaging 23.2 points, which ranks 12th in the league, and he is also putting up career-high 4.5 rebounds per game.
The case against: He has not been his usual knockdown self on his 3-point shot (38.1 percent compared to 40.4 percent last season), and his game rests mostly on his shooting. The Wizards have been a disappointment so far at 11-10.
Chances: In. Beal is too good a scorer to leave off the roster, even if his numbers are not very diversified, and even if the Wizards don’t rebound into the top four in the East.
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Victor Oladipo, Pacers
Roster category: Guard
The case for: This has easily been Oladipo’s best season, and the Pacers’ offense suits his skills as a scorer and occasional playmaker. He has improved his 3-point shot every season he has been in the league, and is at a career-high 43.8 percent this year.
The case against: The Pacers have been a pleasant surprise, but they’re certainly capable of reverting to their .500-ish expectations. And it’s unlikely that Oladipo will keep up his hot perimeter shooting.
Chances: Should be in, but ... As of now, Oladipo deserves an All-Star berth over the likes of Kemba Walker and Kyle Lowry, but you have to wonder whether his performance will get bumped by guys with more All-Star pedigree.
Kemba Walker, Hornets
Roster category: Guard
The case for: Walker is having much the same season he has last year, when he earned his first All-Star spot. At 22.3 points, he ranks ninth in the East in scoring and remains one of the best pick-and-roll men in the league.
The case against: Walker’s 3-point shooting is down, just a tick above the league average, and the Hornets have been only so-so as a team so far. He’ll have tougher competition this season.
Chances: Fair-to-good. There may well be players more deserving of an All-Star spot than Walker, and he’ll likely be one of the last on the roster. But coaches tend to stick with what they know, and because Walker was voted in last year, he might get back in this year.
Kyle Lowry, Raptors
Roster category: Guard
The case for: The biggest case for Lowry is that he has adapted his game to the Raptors’ new offense, and he has seen a rise in his rebounding and playmaking as a result. An argument can be made that the Raptors have been the East’s second-best team so far, and Lowry deserves a spot because of it.
The case against: To make the Raptors work better as a team, Lowry had to sacrifice the thing that most often bolsters his All-Star credentials: his scoring. He is down nearly six points from last year, and while that’s good for the team, it will hurt him when it comes to individual accolades.
Chances: Not likely. The dip in stats has been too drastic, and with a handful of newcomers pushing for spots, Lowry likely will miss this one.
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Dennis Schroder, Hawks
Roster category: Guard
The case for: Averaging 20 points and 7 assists is usually enough to warrant an All-Star spot, and the last player to put up those numbers without a berth was Baron Davis in 2008. Schroder is close at 19.7 points and 6.8 assists. He is shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 87.3 percent from the free-throw line, both career-highs.
The case against: The Hawks are just too bad a team to justify Schroder as an All-Star, and the competition for the East roster will be too stiff.
Chances: Very slim. No way he gets ahead of Lowry, Walker and Oladipo.
Joel Embiid, Sixers
Roster category: Forward
The case for: Embiid has been healthy, missing only two games this season, and his numbers have been impressive — 22.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game. The Sixers are in position to be an Eastern Conference playoff team, and Embiid has been a driving force behind that.
The case against: There isn’t much of a case against, other than his poor shooting from the 3-point line (25.5 percent on 2.8 attempts per game) and his turnovers (4.1 per game).
Chances: In. As long as the Sixers remain a playoff team, Embiid’s case for getting a spot will be impeccable.
Andre Drummond, Pistons
Roster category: Forward
The case for: There have been two big knocks against Drummond in his NBA career. The first is that he does not always give maximum effort and seems to sail through whole chunks of games. The second is that he is a miserable free-throw shooter. Well, his effort and his free throws (63.0 percent) have drastically improved, and he leads the league in rebounding at 15.2 per game. Add the Pistons’ good start, and it is a solid case.
The case against: Drummond is a throwback center, a low-post guy who does not reflect today’s NBA. That’s about the only case that can be put up against him, but as long as the Pistons keep winning, it is a tough case to justify.
Chances: In. There’s been very little to pick on about Drummond’s game this year. Heck, he’s even averaging 3.7 assists.
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Al Horford, Celtics
Roster category: Forward
The case for: Horford has been an underrated factor behind the Celtics’ fast start, facilitating the offense on one end and anchoring the defense on the other. He does not get the headlines in Boston, but his numbers — 13.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 53.3 percent shooting, 43.1 percent from the 3-point line — are deserving of an All-Star spot.
The case against: Horford is not a dominant scorer or rebounder as a big man. He has topped 20 points just four times this season, and has failed to crack double-figures six times. He has had just four double-doubles.
Chances: Should be in. Despite Horford’s light scoring numbers, he has been critical to the success of the best team in the East. The Celtics should have two All-Stars, and Horford is the most logical choice.
Ben Simmons, Sixers
Roster category: Forward
The case for: Pretty simple: 18.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 51.0 percent shooting. Being the centerpiece of an offense that has improved from dead last in efficiency last year to 18th this year, and on a team that has established itself as a playoff contender, should secure his spot.
The case against: He’s a rookie, and that’s about the only case that can be made against Simmons. Coaches are reluctant to vote in a rookie, and that’s generally with good cause — rookies either are not ready for the NBA, or they put up numbers on bad teams.
Chances: In. The usual rookie rules are out the window with a player like Simmons. He’s been too good to leave out.
Jaylen Brown, Celtics
Roster category: Forward
The case for: If the Celtics maintain their spot atop the East, they probably should be granted three All-Stars. Brown’s contributions on both ends of the floor make him a good candidate, averaging 15.6 points and 41.2 percent 3-point shooting. He is also a very tough defender for the best defense in the league.
The case against: Brown’s individual numbers don’t have a huge impact. He is not necessarily the Celtics’ No. 2 offensive option, and he needs to develop more before he is given an All-Star spot.
Chances: Not likely to happen. Brown probably will be an All-Star at some point, but his numbers are not there yet.
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Hassan Whiteside, Heat
Roster category: Forward
The case for: Whiteside has been productive offensively (14.9 points per game) and an excellent rebounder (12.7 per game). He remains an imposing defensive presence in the paint.
The case against: Whiteside’s game is limited to near-the-basket scoring, and his attempts to develop a midrange shot have not gone well. The Heat are only a .500 team, so it would be a stretch to include him.
Chances: Not likely. There’s only room for one traditional center in this here conference, and that’s going to be Andre Drummond. (And if you’re wondering, the same goes for the Hornets’ Dwight Howard.)
Conclusion...
The big questions are mostly about first-timers, and that will depend on the coaches’ votes. Will they be willing to put in rookie sensation Ben Simmons? Will Victor Oladipo get the nod over the likes of Kemba Walker and Kyle Lowry? Is Joel Embiid a shoo-in? Much can change, especially as injuries come in, but here is an early look at the potential East All-Star team.
Eastern Conference Starters
G: Kyrie Irving, Celtics
G: DeMar DeRozan, Raptors
F: LeBron James, Cavs
F: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
F: Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks
Eastern Conference Reserves
Guard: John Wall, Wizards
Guard: Bradley Beal, Wizards
Forward: Joel Embiid, Sixers
Forward: Andre Drummond, Pistons
Forward: Al Horford, Celtics
Wildcard: Ben Simmons, Sixers
Wildcard: Victor Oladipo, Pacers