February 8th, 2020 at 1:26pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our original segments and features from the past seven days:
In the lead up to February 6’s NBA trade deadline, Luke Adams created a helpful trade deadline primer to guide readers through the various players and teams to watch.
Now that the NBA trade deadline has passed, check out our trade deadline recap page tabulating all the deadline day transactions.
Want to know which NBA teams have open roster spots now that the trade deadline has passed? Look no further than right here.
Davis Bertans and Jae Crowder number among the Southeast Division free agents-to-be in 2020 who have seen their stock rise this season, Dana Gauruder details in the latest installment of our Free Agent Stock Watch series.
In our Community Shootaround, we asked you to weigh in on who won this year’s action-packed trade deadline.
February 7th, 2020 at 10:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder
Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we take a look at players from the Southeast Division:
Davis Bertans, Wizards, 27, PF (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $14.5MM deal in 2018
The fact that the Wizards set such a high price on the unrestricted free agent, reportedly asking for two first-rounders and possibly more, shows how much Bertans is valued by the organization and other clubs. He’s averaging 15 PPG, albeit for one of the league’s worst teams, but his 3-point shooting is craved around the league. Big guys who can shoot 42.9% from deep, as Bertans has the past two seasons, command a high price tag. Washington desperately wants to re-sign Bertans and hopes the loyalty it showed will have an impact this summer. But the Wizards will have plenty of competition for his services.
Treveon Graham, Hawks, 26, SG (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $3.16MM deal in 2018
Graham was tossed into the deal that sent Allen Crabbe to the Timberwolves last month. Perhaps the only thing surprising about Graham is that he wasn’t thrown into another trade by the very active Atlanta front office. He received steady playing time with Minnesota (20.1 MPG), including 20 starts, but his impact on the Hawks has been minimal. He’s scored a total of 12 points in nine appearances. Graham just isn’t enough of an offensive threat and defenses don’t have to respect him on the perimeter. He becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and he’ll be looking at minimum deals at best.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Hornets, 26, SF (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $52MM deal in 2016
Oh, how the mighty have fallen.. Yes, the second overall pick in the 2012 draft is still in the league. In fact, he’s just 26 years old. Injuries sidetracked MKG’s career but a bigger issue is his lack of an offensive game. Ben Simmons can get a max contract without a 3-point shot because of his wondrous playmaking skills and defensive versatility. A 6’6” forward without an outside shot is a dinosaur into today’s NBA. MKG has appeared in just 12 games this season and hasn’t seen the floor since late December. Charlotte’s front office is just counting the days to get his contract off its books.
Jae Crowder, Heat, 29, SF (Up) – Signed to five-year, $35MM deal in 2015
Crowder was quietly enjoying one of his best seasons with the Grizzlies before getting dealt to Miami just before the deadline. He started regularly for Memphis despite modest offensive numbers (9.9 PPG on 36.8% shooting), finding other ways to contribute. He was averaging career highs in rebounding (6.2 RPG) and assists (2.8 APG) along with playing his usual solid defense. It will be interesting to see how coach Erik Spoelstra incorporates Crowder into the rotation but the impending unrestricted free agent will get an opportunity to show his value on a now serious Eastern Conference contender.
James Ennis, Magic, 29, SF (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $4MM deal in 2019
Ennis’ playing time had diminished before the Sixers, who acquired perimeter shooters from the Warriors, found a new home for the journeyman forward. The Magic were willing to give up a second-round pick in order to secure Ennis’ services. Orlando president Jeff Weltman said Ennis will add “shooting, athleticism, and toughness” to the team, so from all indications he’ll jump right into the rotation. Ennis is an adequate perimeter shooter and a factor in the open floor. Ennis holds a $2.13MM player option on his contract next season and could choose to opt out with a strong finish.
The 2020 NBA trade deadline has come and gone, so teams that had been holding open roster spots in case they needed them before a last-minute deal can now fill those openings, if they so choose. The Nets did exactly that today — after holding their 15th roster spot open through the deadline, they signedTimothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to a multiyear contract today to fill it.
While Brooklyn no longer has an open roster spot, a number of teams around the league still do. Here’s a quick breakdown of which clubs fit that bill and what their roster situations are, with their roster openings noted in parentheses:
Golden State Warriors (3): The Warriors initially had six roster openings, but signed Juan Toscano-Anderson and promoted Ky Bowman and Marquese Chriss to fill three of them. Zach Norvell and Jeremy Pargo are expected to sign 10-day deals, allowing Golden State to get to the league-mandated minimum of 14. The Dubs will probably keep their 15th slot open as they attempt to stay below the tax line.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2):Alfonzo McKinnie agreed to a long-term contract with the Cavaliers and will fill one of their two open spots once his deal becomes official. However, the team could re-open that second slot this weekend when Marques Bolden‘s 10-day contract expires.
Houston Rockets (2): The Rockets figure to keep a close eye on the buyout market as they look to reinforce their depth. They’ll have up to two weeks to get back to at least 14 players.
Atlanta Hawks (1): The Hawks opened a roster spot by trading Jabari Parker and Alex Len to Sacramento for Dewayne Dedmon. They’re not anywhere near the tax, so I’d expect them to fill that opening soon with a young player, either on a 10-day deal or a rest-of-season contract.
Los Angeles Clippers (1): The Clippers opened up one roster spot by trading Derrick Walton. They’re expected to open up a second by waivingIsaiah Thomas, a move that isn’t yet official. Like Houston, the Clips figure to scour the buyout market in an effort to fill its roster. Darren Collison is also an option if he decides to make a comeback.
Oklahoma City Thunder (1): The Thunder stood pat at the deadline and seem unlikely to fill that final roster spot anytime soon, since a 15th man would increase their projected tax bill.
Portland Trail Blazers (1): The same goes for the Trail Blazers, who remain in the tax even after moving Skal Labissiere for nothing at the deadline.
Denver Nuggets / Memphis Grizzlies / Orlando Magic (0): The Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Magic don’t currently have roster openings, but likely will soon. Denver is expected to waive Gerald Green, Memphis reportedly doesn’t intend to keep Dion Waiters, and Gary Clark‘s 10-day contract with Orlando will expire tonight.
Note: These roster counts are up to date as of the time of publication. This list is just a snapshot and won’t be updated to reflect subsequent moves, but our roster counts page will be.
The 2020 trade deadline wasn’t quite as eventful as 2019’s record-setting deadline, but we still got a flurry of activity before the clock struck 2:00pm central time on Thursday afternoon.
Although it was a quiet week for several potential contenders, including the Lakers, Bucks, Raptors, and Celtics, big-name trade candidates like D’Angelo Russell and Andre Drummond were on the move and a total of 11 deals were officially completed on deadline day.
We’ll use the space below to recap all of 2020’s deadline deals, starting with the moves that were finalized on Thursday.
Trades completed on deadline day:
Timberwolves finally land D’Angelo Russell (story)
Knicks acquire Maurice Harkless, the Clippers’ 2020 first-round pick, the Pistons 2021 second-round pick, the right to swap their own 2021 first-round pick with the Clippers’ 2021 first-round pick (top-four protected), and the draft rights to Issuf Sanon.
Grizzlies acquire Jordan Bell and the right to swap the Mavericks’ or Heat’s 2023 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable) with the Rockets’ 2023 second-round pick (top-32 protected).
Although the NBA trade deadline was expected to be a quiet one, it was anything but that, with several mega-deals coming in before Thursday’s deadline.
The Timberwolves got their point guard in D’Angelo Russell, pairing him with his friend Karl-Anthony Towns. The front office believes in the duo as its pair of franchise players and the price tag for the former No. 2 overall pick ended up being reasonable, as the Wolves handed the Warriors their 2021 first-round pick (top-3 protected), a 2021 second-rounder, and Andrew Wiggins.
The Rockets made their trade a couple of days before the deadline, landing Robert Covington. The team gave up Clint Capela and a first-rounder in the deal. Houston intends to play a version of small-ball for the remainder of the season.
The Hawks benefited from Houston’s newfound strategy, as they were able to pluck Capela off the Rockets, as part of the four-team, 12-player trade. It cost Atlanta the first-rounder the team had on hand from the Nets, as well as Evan Turner‘s expiring contract. The Hawks also brought back Dewayne Dedmon and cashed in on their open roster spots, collecting roughly $3.2M in trades with the Clippers and Blazers.
The Cavaliers made perhaps the most surprising deal of the day, acquiring Andre Drummond. They didn’t necessarily need another frontcourt player, with Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, and Larry Nance Jr. crowding the paint. However, the price was modest, as it only cost them a pair of expiring deals (Brandon Knight, John Henson) and a second-round pick.
The Knicks made a trade, sending Marcus Morris to the Clippers for Maurice Harkless, a 2020 first-round pick, a 2021 pick swap with L.A., and a future second-rounder. Not a bad haul for New York, considering Morris didn’t really fit with the timeline for the franchise’s young core. The Knicks essentially used their cap space this past summer to pick up draft capital. Still, it’s a win for New York in a week where the organization could probably use one.
Do you think the Knicks or any of the aforementioned teams are the biggest winners today? If not, which team had the best trade deadline?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
With just five-and-a-half hours to go until the 2020 trade deadline arrives at 2:00pm central time, there are still plenty of questions to be answered. Will title contenders like the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks fortify their rosters? How many more 2020 first-round picks will change hands? And will any big-name trade candidates like Jrue Holiday, D’Angelo Russell, Kevin Love, or Andre Drummond end up being moved?
We’ll be keeping tabs on all the latest news and rumors all day long on Hoops Rumors, leading up to 2:00pm.
In the meantime, here are some of our features and trackers to help you prepare for today’s action:
February 1st, 2020 at 2:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our original segments and features from the past seven days:
Adams updated his 2020 free agent power rankings from November with a fresh appraisal of the top 20 available NBA players for this summer.
With NBA trade season mere days away, Adams examined the players acquired using an exception, who cannot be aggregated in a separate trade for two months after the original deal.
Adams listed all the players whose NBA draft rights are currently held by NBA teams during the 2019/20 season.
The stock of Bucks forward Dragan Bender and Bulls point guard Shaquille Harrison, both summer 2020 free agents, is down thus far. Dana Gauruder detailed their performances this season, and those several other Central Division free agents, in this week’s installment of our Free Agent Stock Watch series.
Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we take a look at players from the Central Division:
Christian Wood, Pistons, 24, PF (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $3.16MM deal in 2018
There aren’t many waiver claims in the NBA but Detroit got itself a bargain when it snared Wood after the Pelicans made him available. Wood won a training camp battle with veteran forward Joe Johnson for Detroit’s final roster spot and has turned into a valuable rotation member. He’s averaging 10.2 PPG and 5.3 RPG in 17.4 MPG, including a 20-point, eight-rebound outing against the Nets on Wednesday. A lack of maturity and focus were the reasons Wood bounced around the league for a few years but he’ll get a much bigger contract as an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Shaquille Harrison, Bulls, 26, PG (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $1.62MM deal in 2019
Harrison won a battle for Chicago’s final roster spot and eventually had his salary guaranteed. Harrison, who worked his way through the G League ranks before making his NBA debut two seasons ago with Phoenix, has only seen spot duty this season. In his last 16 appearances, Harrison has not played more than 11 minutes. He was a much bigger factor last season when the Bulls were banged up, appearing in 73 games, including 11 starts. The Bulls can make Harrison a restricted free agent by extending a qualifying offer of $2MM but he doesn’t appear to be in their long-range plans.
Brandon Knight, Cavaliers, 28, PG (Down) – Signed to a five-year, $70MM deal in 2015
Knight’s career has been sidetracked by injuries and once again he’s out of action due to left knee soreness. Knight’s $15.6MM expiring contract could still be used in a major deal but even when he’s able to suit up, he rarely receives playing time. The addition of Dante Exum pushed him further down the bench. In his last two appearances in mid-January, Knight totaled one point in 38 minutes. The former lottery pick, who averaged 19.6 PPG for Phoenix during the 2015/16 season, will likely have to settle for a veteran’s minimum deal this summer.
JaKarr Sampson, Pacers, 26, PF (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $1.7MM deal in 2019
Sampson got a chance to start on Wednesday with Myles Turner sidelined by the flu. Otherwise, playing time has been scarce for the journeyman forward, who has also played for Philadelphia, Denver, Sacramento and Chicago during his NBA journey. He spent a good chunk of time last season in China and the G League. Sampson has appeared in 17 games this season, including 10 starts. Signed to a veteran’s minimum contract in August, Sampson will be an unrestricted free agent once again this summer. He’ll probably be looking at similar offers this July.
Dragan Bender, Bucks, 22, PF (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $3.5MM deal in 2019
The former top five pick made a minimal impact in his three seasons with the Suns. He’s been even less of a factor with the Eastern Conference’s top team, appearing in seven games. He’s played four games this month as an injury fill-in but contributed just 11 points with four turnovers in 62 minutes. Bender has spent quite a bit of time in the G League and perhaps his biggest accomplishment this season was staying on the roster and getting his salary guaranteed. His $1.82MM salary for next season is not guaranteed and it’s likely Bender will return to the free agent market for the second straight offseason.
Since we published the first installment of our 2020 free agent power rankings in November, there haven’t been a ton of injuries, contract extensions, or other developments that will shake up our list in our major way. However, with a handful of free-agents-to-be enjoying breakout years and others struggling, it’s time for an update.
The biggest change this time around is the fact that Mike Conley and Otto Porter no longer show up in our top-20 list. That doesn’t mean that Conley or Porter wouldn’t be one of the top 20 players on the open market this summer if they reach free agency. But due to injuries – and up-and-down play when they’ve been on the court – I no longer feel confident projecting them to even become free agents.
As our full list of potential 2020 free agents shows, Conley has an early termination option worth approximately $34.5MM for next season, while Porter has a player option worth nearly $28.5MM. Unless they make very strong second-half comebacks, I’d be surprised if either player opts out of his contract at season’s end, since they seem highly unlikely to match those 2020/21 salaries on new deals. As such, they’ve been removed from our list of 2020’s top free agents for the time being.
As usual, our list reflects each player’s current expected value on the 2020 free agent market, rather than a their present-day on-court contributions. For instance, older players like Marc Gasol and Paul Millsap have strong short-term value, but didn’t crack our top 20 because they’ll be 35 next summer and are unlikely to sign huge, long-term deals. In other words, age and long-term value are important.
With all that in mind, here’s the second installment of our 2020 free agent power rankings:
Anthony Davis, F/C, Lakers (player option): The No. 1 player on our board is the only legit superstar on track to reach unrestricted free agency this summer. If anything, Davis’ position atop this list is even more secure than it was at the start of the season, since he has posted MVP-type numbers (26.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.2 APG, 2.5 BPG) for a Lakers team that leads the Western Conference.
Brandon Ingram, F, Pelicans (RFA): While waiting seemed like the safe bet at the time, the Pelicans may be wishing they’d locked up Ingram to a long-term extension during the preseason. The 22-year-old has exceeded all expectations so far in New Orleans, combining strong scoring numbers (25.0 PPG on .471/.404/.856 shooting) with improving play-making (4.3 APG) and earning his first All-Star nod.
Andre Drummond, C, Pistons (player option): Although Drummond continues to hold the No. 3 spot on our list thanks to his elite rebounding (15.6 RPG) and defensive ability (2.1 SPG, 1.8 RPG), I’d be a little nervous about giving him a long-term, maximum-salary contract this offseason. It sounds like NBA teams share that concern, considering the Pistons are willing to move him and the Hawks reportedly backed off their pursuit due to his asking price.
Gordon Hayward, F, Celtics (player option): It won’t be a simple decision for Hayward to turn down his $34MM+ player option for 2020/21. However, that scenario seems increasingly likely as long as he stays healthy and keeps playing like he has. He has essentially posted a 50/40/90 shooting line for the month of January and his overall numbers match up favorably with those from his All-Star 2016/17 season in Utah.
Fred VanVleet, G, Raptors: In our first 2020 free agent power rankings, I expressed some trepidation about making VanVleet the top point guard in my board. That looks like a much safer bet now, as the 25-year-old has been a key cog driving the success of the second-seeded Raptors. A rebuilding team with cap room and a hole at point guard – such as the Knicks – could drive up the price on VanVleet this offseason.
DeMar DeRozan, G/F, Spurs (player option): DeRozan will turn 31 this summer and his ongoing resistance to expanding his shooting range may limit his appeal in free agency. Still, it’s hard to move the four-time All-Star much further down this list when he continues to produce like he has lately. DeRozan is generating rebounds and assists at a career-high rate since joining the Spurs and his .535 FG% this season blows away his previous career high — he may not shoot three-pointers, but he’s certainly an efficient scorer.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, G/F, Kings (RFA): Bogdanovic’s numbers don’t jump off the page, but his contributions go beyond his somewhat pedestrian box score. He’s capable of running an offense, playing on or off the ball, spacing the floor, and holding his own on defense, making him the sort of all-around contributor who would fit perfectly on any roster.
Montrezl Harrell, C, Clippers: The fact that so many of Harrell’s minutes come against bench units may make suitors wary of his production. Still, that production (19.3 PPG and 7.2 RPG in 28.7 MPG) is hard to deny, and his underlying rim-protection numbers are pretty solid too. It’ll be fascinating to see how big a raise the 26-year-old gets on this year’s $6MM salary in July.
Danilo Gallinari, F, Thunder: Gallinari’s numbers have dipped ever so slightly this season in Oklahoma City, but it’s still been an encouraging year for the Thunder forward, who has maintained a scoring average of 19+ PPG and – most importantly – stayed healthy. He’d rank higher on this list if he were a few years younger. Since he’ll be entering his age-32 season later this year and has a history of injury issues, teams may be reluctant to invest major long-term money.
Evan Fournier, G/F, Magic (player option): Fournier is enjoying a career year in Orlando, with 18.8 PPG on .464/.396/.816 shooting. His ability to knock down outside looks and create his own shot is valuable, and he’s still just 27 years old.
Davis Bertans, F, Wizards: Bertans narrowly missed a spot on the top 20 in the previous installment of our power rankings. It’s impossible to keep him off the list now, amid ongoingchatter that he could be looking at $15MM per year on his next deal. Incredibly, Bertans has nearly doubled his rate of three-point attempts per game this year – from 4.4 to 8.5 – while still ranking among the league leaders in 3PT% (.422).
Dillon Brooks, F, Grizzlies (RFA): Like Bertans, Brooks may not have looked like a top 2020 free agent last fall, but a career year has significantly raised his stock. Besides averaging 16.3 PPG with a .404 3PT%, Brooks has played tough, physical defense and hasn’t missed a game, helping lead the overachieving Grizzlies to a .500 record and the No. 8 seed. His frequent foul trouble is a bit concerning, but Brooks is a three-and-D wing who just turned 24 years old — he’s headed for a nice payday.
Serge Ibaka, F/C, Raptors: After playing an important role in the Raptors’ championship run in the spring, Ibaka is having his arguably best year yet in Toronto. While many of his per-game averages are nearly identical to last season’s, his .381 3PT% represents a major step up on last year’s .290 mark and has helped the Raps’ offense remain dangerous without Kawhi Leonard.
Marcus Morris, F, Knicks: Having averaged between 13.6 and 14.1 PPG for four consecutive seasons, Morris is blowing away his previous career highs with 19.2 PPG and a .439 3PT%. Are those numbers an aberration? A byproduct of becoming the de facto No. 1 option in New York? Some combination of both? Teams will have to answer those questions as they weigh whether to pursue the 30-year-old this summer.
Jerami Grant, F, Nuggets (player option): Following a very slow start to the season in Denver, Grant has righted the ship, particularly since entering the starting lineup on January 8. In the 12 games since then, he has averaged 15.5 PPG on .474/.432/.780 shooting while being his usual versatile self on defense. This is the version of Grant the Nuggets were expecting when they gave up a first-round pick for him last July.
Derrick Favors, C, Pelicans: Favors has been limited by injuries this season and his role has been somewhat complicated by Zion Williamson‘s return. But he’s averaging 10.0 RPG in part-time minutes and his on/off-court numbers reflect his value. New Orleans has a +2.2 net rating when he plays (-4.5 when he sits) and is nearly a .500 team (13-14) when he’s in the starting lineup. The club is just 6-13 in the games he has missed.
Joe Harris, G/F, Nets: Harris’ name may have been left out when Kyrie Irving provided the media with his impromptu list of Nets building blocks earlier this month, but the swingman’s ability to score and spread the floor has been crucial again this season. Brooklyn’s offense has cratered – from a 108.4 rating to just 98.2 – when he’s on the bench.
Tristan Thompson, C, Cavaliers: With a double-double average (12.0 PPG, 10.4 RPG) for the second consecutive year, Thompson has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dreadful Cavaliers season. When he reaches free agency as a 29-year-old this summer, it’ll be interesting to see whether he sticks out Cleveland’s rebuilding project or jumps ship to a contender.
Tim Hardaway Jr., G/F, Mavericks (player option): If Hardaway weren’t earning $20MM, he’d be considered underrated. He’s connecting on 39.5% of 6.7 three-point attempts per game and has developed into a reliable member of Luka Doncic‘s supporting cast in Dallas.
Hassan Whiteside, C, Trail Blazers: It’s hard to know how to properly rate Whiteside’s value. He’s a maximum-salary player who continues to put up some of the NBA’s best rebounding (14.0 RPG) and block (3.1 BPG) numbers. But the Heat have thrived after jettisoning Whiteside and the Trail Blazers have struggled since he became their starting center. Potential suitors will have to assess just how much value Whiteside’s individual stats actually provide.
Disagree strongly with any of our rankings? Feel like we omitted any players that should be in the top 20? Weigh in below in the comments section to let us know!
The NBA announced its All-Star reserves on Thursday night, and while none of the players voted in by the coaches were shocking choices, Bradley Beal‘s exclusion from the list of Eastern Conference All-Stars came as a surprise to a number of fans and league observers.
Although Beal’s outside shooting rate has dipped this year – his .325 3PT% is a career-worst mark – he has shouldered the Wizards‘ scoring and play-making burden with John Wall out and has put up some massive numbers. His 28.7 PPG ranks third in the Eastern Conference and would be a career high. His 6.4 APG also represents the best mark of his career. Beal is arguably having a better season in 2019/20 than he did when he was named an All-Star the last two years.
However, the performance of Beal’s team cost him an All-Star spot this season. Even after a win on Thursday, Washington is just 16-31. The seven Eastern All-Star reserves were all from the top six teams in the conference — none of those clubs has a record worse than 31-18.
Despite the Wizards’ struggles, Beal and those around him still felt as if he deserved an All-Star spot. As Fred Katz of The Athletic relays, Beal’s fiancée Kamiah Adams went on the team’s post-game show and called the decision “laughable.” The Wizards guard himself addressed the snub after the game to NBC Sports Washington reporter Chris Miller (link via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington).
“I’m a little pissed off about it, but I know how I am,” Beal said. “I was kind of expecting it, honestly. It’s disrespectful. But the real ones know.”
Even Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, delivered an impassioned case for why Beal’s exclusion was the wrong decision. Bartelstein suggested to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps that his client is essentially being punished for sticking with the rebuilding Wizards instead of “jumping ship” and forcing his way to a contender.
“He chose not to (leave), and instead stayed the course — only to not be recognized as an All-Star because his team hasn’t won enough games when, in fact, the Wizards have exceeded expectations,” Bartelstein said. “It can’t be just about the gross numbers of wins and losses. It has to be, ‘What is your impact on the game?’ And so I think the coaches are sending a horrible message to players, that if you want to be loyal and go through the tough times in your organization, you’re not going to be an All-Star in those tough times.”
The All-Star case for Beal is an obvious one that centers around his impressive offensive output, but there are arguments against his case as well. For one, the Wizards’ defense has been historically bad this season. That’s not all on Beal, but his play on that end of the court hasn’t helped matters — the Wizards have a dismal 120.7 defensive rating when he plays, compared to 107.0 when he sits.
Jimmy Butler (Heat), Bam Adebayo (Heat), Kyle Lowry (Raptors), Khris Middleton (Bucks), Domantas Sabonis (Pacers), Ben Simmons (Sixers), and Jayson Tatum (Celtics) don’t have the gaudy counting stats that Beal does, but they’ve all been very effective on both ends of the court — many of them are candidates for All-Defensive consideration this season.
This debate may end up being moot, since even a minor injury to any one of the 12 Eastern All-Stars within the next couple weeks could open up the door for Beal to be named an All-Star anyway. But for now, he’s on the outside looking in, so we want to know what you think of the decision.
Did the coaches voting on the East’s All-Star reserves make a mistake? Should Beal an All-Star? If so, which of the other seven Eastern reserves would you remove from the roster to make room for Beal?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Davis Bertans
Christian Wood