All-Star Game Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Utah To Host 2023 NBA All-Star Game

October 23rd, 2019 at 4:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Salt Lake City has been chosen as the site for the NBA’s All-Star Game in 2023, the league announced in a press release. The contest will mark the 30th anniversary of the last All-Star Game in Utah in 1993.

Commissioner Adam Silver made a formal announcement today at a press conference at Vivint Smart Home Arena (video link from Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune), joined by Larry H. Miller Group of Companies owner and chairman Gail Miller, along with team officials and local dignitaries.

“Along with a rich basketball tradition, Salt Lake City has proven to be a world-class destination for large-scale events and sports competitions,” Silver said. “I want to thank the Miller family and the Utah Jazz organization for their commitment to hosting our All-Star festivities and to developing a program that will leave a lasting impact on the community.”

The game is scheduled for February 19, 2023, and will cap off the traditional three days of basketball activities. NBA Cares and Diversity & Inclusion events will also be held during the weekend.

“The return of the NBA All-Star Game to Salt Lake City is a tremendous honor and an opportunity for us to welcome back the NBA family for one of basketball’s biggest events,” Miller added. “The memory of John Stockton and Karl Malone sharing MVP honors 30 years ago remains strong. We are excited to create new memories for this generation of NBA fans in a place that loves to celebrate basketball.”

The NBA’s next three All-Star games before the event in Utah will take place in Chicago (2020), Indiana (2021), and Cleveland (2022).

Adam Silver Considering Adding Tournament To NBA Schedule

May 28th, 2019 at 9:02pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Adam Silver is not opposed to change. The NBA commissioner is open to handing out another trophy aside from the Larry O’Brien and he’s watching the European soccer leagues closely as he evaluates a possible plan to hand out another prize during the NBA’s regular season, as Marc Stein of the New York Times relays.

“It’s incumbent on me to constantly be looking at other organizations and seeing what it is we can do better and learn from them,” Silver told Stein. “In the case of European soccer, I think there is something we can learn from them.”

“I also recognize I’m up against some of the traditionalists who say no one will care about that other competition, that other trophy, you create. And my response to that is, ‘Organizations have the ability to create new traditions.’ It won’t happen overnight.”

Both a mid-season tournament and a play-in playoff tournament are concepts that the league is “studying fairly intensely,” per Stein. To make any change with the league’s current 82-game format, Silver will have to have cooperation from the players and the owners. Stein writes that the league’s TV partners would have “considerable input” as well. No formal proposal has been submitted at this time.

“I’m looking at things from a fan standpoint,” Silver said. “I’m looking at how to create the most exciting season and experience, especially in a rapidly changing media market where fans are in essence voting every day whether they want to watch your product.”

“Another marker for me is that we’re a few seasons away from our 75th anniversary,” Silver continued, referring to the 2021/22 campaign. “I think that milestone gives us a pillar around which to think about the history of the league and experiment — maybe just for the 75th anniversary — with some potential changes.”

The league “does not want to change the length of the season,” Silver tells Stein. If the tournament is added to the 82-game schedule, teams may see a more condensed schedule than they had this past season.

“The most-watched league in the world is only 27 years old,” Silver said, referring to soccer’s Premier League. “So the idea that the NBA can’t create new traditions over time makes no sense to me.”

Phasing out the All-Star game could be another change that Silver brings. Adding a potential tournament during All-Star weekend alongside a 3-point and dunk contest is a possibility.

Neither of the tournament options is definitely on the horizon but Silver said that “change is inevitable.”

Should the NBA add a tournament during the regular season or a play-in tournament at season’s end? Should they replace the All-Star game with a new-wave idea?

Let us know your thoughts below. We look forward to what you have to say!

And-Ones: Hoiberg, Donaghy, All-Star Game

February 22nd, 2019 at 1:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Shortly after being dismissed by the Bulls earlier this season, Fred Hoiberg told ESPN that he’d be focused on finding a coaching job, rather than seeking a front office position, when he resumes his career. However, Hoiberg’s stance on his next job has softened a little recently, as Travis Hines of The Ames Tribune details.

“If the right front office opportunity did come around, I would potentially look at that,” Hoiberg said. “When I was just getting out of coaching (the Bulls), that was the first thing on my mind and still is. But if the right front office opportunity came about, that is something I would look at.”

While Hoiberg said he appreciated the opportunity to spend time with his family this year, he admitted that he misses the “grind” of coaching, adding that he’d be open to a college head coaching position as well, despite his distaste for the recruiting process.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Earlier this week, Scott Eden of ESPN.com published a fascinating piece laying out how former NBA referee Tim Donaghy conspired to fix NBA games. The NBA pushed back against that narrative, however, arguing today in an official response that Eden’s story “adds little to the existing record” and contending that much of the new material in the report is inaccurate or misleading.
The Knicks weren’t the only team whose deadline moves impacted their summer cap projections. Danny Leroux of The Athletic takes a look at several of the clubs whose offseason outlook was affected by this month’s trades.
Back in the fall, the NBA G League announced it would offer a handful of “select contracts,” worth $125K, to elite prospects coming out of high school. Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days explores how those contracts might work, and how those players might be assigned to G League teams.
In the wake of a fairly underwhelming All-Star Game in Charlotte, veteran broadcaster and former head coach Jeff Van Gundy said he’s in favor of eliminating the game, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “I would name All-Stars, I would have All-Star weekend, they have all these things, introduce them … the players are great, they should be applauded,” Van Gundy said. “But to take this game and shoot 160 threes, it’s an embarrassment”

LeBron, Giannis Draft 2019 All-Star Teams

February 7th, 2019 at 6:23pm CST by JD Shaw

LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo drafted their teams for the 2019 All-Star Game on Thursday, officially finalizing the rosters for this year’s contest. James and Antetokounmpo were chosen as captains because they were the All-Star starter from each conference with the most fan votes.

Both James and Antetokounmpo first had to select from a pool of starters, then from a list of reserve players. The starters, which consisted of eight other players, were voted on by the fans, players and media this season. The reserve players were voted on by the NBA’s 30 head coaches.

James drafted Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden as starters, choosing Durant as his first selection. His reserves were Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook, LaMarcus Aldridge, Karl-Anthony Towns, Bradley Beal and Dwyane Wade.

Antetokounmpo drafted Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Paul George and Kemba Walker as his starters, selecting Curry with his first pick. He drafted Khris Middleton, Nikola Jokic, Ben Simmons, Blake Griffin, D’Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic, Kyle Lowry and Dirk Nowitzki as his reserves.

James later traded Westbrook to Team Giannis in exchange for Simmons, making an effort to repair the relationship of Westbrook and Embiid.

The 68th NBA All-Star Game is set to commence on February 17 at Spectrum Center, featuring 26 of the best basketball players in the world.

Three-Point, Skills And Dunk Contest Participants Announced

February 5th, 2019 at 9:58pm CST by marksuleymanov

The NBA has announced the participants for the Three-Point Shootout, Skills Challenge, and Slam Dunk Contest set to take place the night before the 2019 NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte on Feb. 16.

The Three-Point Shootout will include defending champion Devin Booker (Suns), Khris Middleton (Bucks), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Kemba Walker (Hornets), Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers), Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks), Danny Green (Raptors), Seth Curry (Trail Blazers), Joe Harris (Nets) and Buddy Hield (Kings).

Nowitzki, in what may be his final season, will be a key participant to watch, as will the brother duo of Seth and Steph and the local favorite Walker.

In the Skills Challenge, the contestants include Mike Conley (Grizzlies), Luka Doncic (Mavericks), Jayson Tatum (Celtics), Trae Young (Hawks), De’Aaron Fox (Kings), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Kyle Kuzma (Lakers) and Nikola Vucevic (Magic).

Finally, the Dunk Contest features Dennis Smith Jr. (Knicks), Miles Bridges (Hornets), John Collins (Hawks) and Hamidou Diallo (Thunder). Smith, fresh off a trade to New York, is the lone returning contestant as he was eliminated in the first round of the 2018 Dunk Contest. Diallo replaced the injured Derrick Jones.

D’Angelo Russell Replaces Oladipo In All-Star Game

February 1st, 2019 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets guard D’Angelo Russell has been added to the 2019 All-Star Game by the NBA, the league announced today in a press release. Russell will take the place of injured Pacers guard Victor Oladipo on the roster.

It’s the first All-Star selection for Russell, who has enjoyed a breakout season in his second year in Brooklyn. The former second overall pick is averaging career-best marks in PPG (19.6), APG (6.4), FG% (.438), 3PT% (.374), and a number of other categories, en route to leading the Nets to a 28-25 record. That mark puts the team comfortably in the No. 6 spot in the East.

Russell was viewed as one of the East’s top snubs when the All-Star reserves were announced on Thursday, and it seemed to be just a matter of time until he replaced Oladipo on the roster. The Pacers guard is sidelined for the rest of the season with a ruptured quad tendon.

You can check out the rest of the 2019 All-Star reserves right here.

Nowitzki, Wade Added To All-Star Game

February 1st, 2019 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

A pair of NBA veterans will make one last All-Star appearance before retirement, as the league announced today that Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade will be “special team roster additions” for the February 17 game.

“Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade embody the best of the NBA: remarkable skill, drive and professionalism as well as a deep devotion to strengthening their communities and growing the game around the world,” said NBA commisioner Adam Silver. “As a global celebration of basketball, our All-Star Game is an ideal setting to salute these first-class NBA champions and Finals MVPs.”

Nowitzki and Wade won’t be part of the regular draft when LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo choose up sides on February 7. They will be selected in a third round that allows each team to add a 13th player. The remaining eight starters as chosen by the fans will be taken in the first round, with the reserves going in the second round.

This will be the 14th All-Star appearance for Nowitzki, who is in his 21st NBA season, all with the Mavericks. He is the seventh-leading scorer in league history with 31,275 points, has made 12 All-NBA teams and has won both an MVP and Finals MVP award. He hasn’t announced his retirement plans, but there is speculation that this will be his final season.

Wade, who is conducting his “Last Dance” tour around the league, will be headed to the game for the 13th time. He was named All-Star MVP in 2010 and put together a triple-double in 2012. He has won three NBA titles and an Olympic gold medal and was named MVP of the 2006 Finals.

Wade was an eight-time selection to the All-NBA team and made three appearances on the All-Defensive Team. He is the Heat’s career leader in points, assists, steals, field goals made, free throws made and games played.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NBA Announces All-Star Reserves

January 31st, 2019 at 6:12pm CST by JD Shaw

The NBA announced today the reserves for the 2019 All-Star Game, releasing the pool of players eligible to be drafted by captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the contest.

For the Eastern Conference, Washington’s Bradley Beal, Detroit’s Blake Griffin, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton and Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic were all selected.

Indiana guard Victor Oladipo was also chosen, but he’ll miss the game due to injury. The NBA could name a replacement for Oladipo, with Eric Bledsoe or D’Angelo Russell among the most likely candidates.

New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Golden State’s Klay Thompson, Portland’s Damian Lillard, San Antonio’s LaMarcus Aldridge and Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns were chosen to represent the Western Conference.

James and Antetokounmpo will draft their respective teams next Thursday, Feb. 7 at 7:00pm ET. The draft will air on TNT and commence just hours after the NBA’s trade deadline. Each captain must first finish selecting from the pool of starters — announced last week — before choosing from this list of reserves.

The All-Star Game is set to take place on Sunday, Feb. 17 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte. The starters for the game were chosen by votes from fans, players and media, while the reserves were selected by the 30 NBA head coaches.

NBA Announces 2019 All-Star Starters

January 24th, 2019 at 6:26pm CST by JD Shaw

The NBA announced the starters and captains for the 2019 All-Star Game on Thursday, with the Lakers’ LeBron James and Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo being named team captains for their respective conferences.

The Western Conference starters are comprised of James, Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, Rockets guard James Harden, and Thunder forward Paul George.

Antetokounmpo, Hornets guard Kemba Walker, Celtics guard Kyrie Irving, Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard, and Sixers center Joel Embiid were named starters in the Eastern Conference.

James (4,620,809 votes) and Antetokounmpo (4,375,747 votes) received the most fan votes from each conference in the past month, giving them the honors of being captains this season.

James and Antetokounmpo will draft their teams from the list of these starters and reserves on Thursday, February 7, hours after the NBA’s trade deadline. The All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, February 17, with the reserve players set to be announced next Thursday night.

We made our All-Star picks for the Western Conference and Eastern Conference earlier this week.

Selecting The Western Conference All-Stars

January 24th, 2019 at 9:33am CST by ChrisCrouse

Earlier in the week, we passed along our Eastern Conference All-Star selections. We’ll examine the Western Conference today…

West Starters

G Rockets James Harden

G Warriors Stephen Curry

FC Warriors Kevin Durant

FC Nuggets Nikola Jokic

FC Pelicans Anthony Davis

Slotting Harden and Curry into the guard spots is easy. Figuring out who should start in the frontcourt is an immensely difficult task.

Davis has done everything for the Pelicans and no player is responsible for a higher percentage of his team’s wins. Durant is averaging 28.0 points per game while shooting 51.1% from the field and dishing out a career-high 6.0 assists per game.

Paul George is proving he belongs among the league’s best, averaging 27.0 points and putting himself in position to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Jokic’s team had the best record in the west for a large part of the season. Harden and Russell Westbrook are the only players in the conference averaging more assists per game than Jokic and he’s in the top five in VORP, plus/minus, PER, and NBA Math’s TPA.

LeBron James missing the cut for the starters comes down to him missing a portion of the season ~~to film Space Jam 2~~ to nurse a groin injury and the ridiculous level of competition alongside him in the Western Conference frontcourt ranks.

LBJ and George would likely be starters in other years and you could argue that either would be starting if the league simply picked the 10 best players this season rather than having the East-West distinction.

West Reserves

A brief backstory: Shortly after the 2016 NBA Finals, I engaged in a debate with a friend over Steven Adams‘ future in the league. Adams had just had a nice series against the Warriors and overall, He had an encouraging playoff run.

My friend envisioned Adams making the leap and become All-Star worthy but I couldn’t see it and two friendly wagers were formed: Will Adams ever make an All-Star game? Who will have more All-Star appearances in their respective careers, Adams or Dragan Bender? (This looks really bad in hindsight, but at the time, Bender was a highly-touted prospect a few weeks away from being a top-5 pick. It’s one of my Sam Hinkie manifesto moments where I’m happy to be wrong for the right reasons.)

Adams is unlikely to make this year’s game, even with a boost in fan voting as a result of his anime connection, but he deserves consideration, which is a sentence I never thought I’d write. He’s hit career highs in a slew of traditional categories and he’s among the top 10 in the West in win shares.

However, if Adams is ever going to make an All-Star game, he’ll likely need things to break right (injuries, talent migration into the east, being a key part of a No. 1 seed that completely exceeds expectations akin to the 2014/15 60-win Atlanta Hawks) or he’ll need to be traded to the East. There’s just too much frontcourt talent in the Western Conference.

As for who should make it, LeBron, George, and Karl-Anthony Towns are no-brainers. Damian Lillard will make his fourth All-Star appearance while Rudy Gobert should expect his first nod, as he’s leading the league in field goal percentage and essentially every advanced defensive statistical category.

LaMarcus Aldridge was in a funk during the first quarter of the season but he’s caught fire since Thanksgiving, scoring 22.7 points and shooting 57.0% from the field since the last week in November. He and DeMar DeRozan deserve credit for their part in keeping the Spurs in the playoff picture.

Can the Pelicans get two All-Stars while residing in the conference’s 12th spot? I can’t support it despite how important Jrue Holiday has been to New Orleans.

Luka Doncic should win the Rookie of the Year but he doesn’t deserve to be an All-Star. Yes, he has exceeded expectations for Dallas, but he’s shooting a ho-hum 35,6% from behind the arc and 42.8% from the field overall for a team that only has the depressing Grizzlies and inexperienced Suns behind them in the conference standings.

The Clippers could send either Danilo Gallinari or Tobias Harris to Charlotte. I’m giving the nod to Harris. His shooting percentage dipped slightly below 50% recently but he has a good chance to make at least half of his shots from the field and 40% from deep while averaging at least 20 points per game. Kyrie Irving is the only player who’s currently accomplishing that feat. Here are the qualified players to achieve those figures over the past four seasons:

2017/18: Towns, Durant
2016/17: None
2015/16: Curry (won MVP), Kawhi Leonard
2014/15: Durant, Blake Griffin

Each player made the All-Star game during those seasons and Harris warrants an invitation to this year’s event.

Lastly, Russell Westbrook is leading the league in assists. He’s scoring 21.8 points per game but he’s making just 41.6% of his shots, including 24.2% from 3-point range. He’s coughing up 3.5 turnovers per contest and is making just 65.5% of his six free throw attempts per contest.

Westbrook led the league in total missed shots in each of the past two seasons and somehow, he’s become even less efficient this year. The 30-year-old will likely make his eighth All-Star appearance next month but I wouldn’t bet on him making too many more beyond this season unless he figures out how to increase his efficiency and reduces the turnovers.

Recap of Western Conference Reserves

Thunder Paul George

Lakers LeBron James

Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns

Blazers Damian Lillard

Jazz Rudy Gobert

Clippers Tobias Harris

Thunder Russell Westbrook

Do you agree with the selections above? Are there any changes you would make to the list? What 12 players would you vote into this year’s All-Star game? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to hearing what you have to say!

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.