Today the NBA announced this years All-NBA selections. Unfortunately it also showcased how the process is an absolute joke and punishes its own players who lose out on millions by not being selected.
First Team selections are: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George, Nikola Jokic, James Harden and Stephen Curry.
Second team: Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving.
Third team: Rudy Gobert, Blake Griffin, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Kemba Walker.
Many were quick to point out some of the votes that got made including ones for Marvin Bagley, Dwyane Wade, Domantas Sabonis and Anthony Davis. Yet, also noted that Durant didn’t make the first team even though he’s perceived as the best player in the NBA.
What doesn’t make much sense is that on the first team is represented by five players from their respective positions. The rest are not, the second and third team each have two point guards. Meaning that Klay Thompson and Bradley Beal missed out on the opportunity to make an All-NBA selection.
Which affects both players when it comes to their contracts. That is absurd. Thompson lost out on an opportunity to sign a 5-year $221 contract extension and now the most he can sign for is 5-years and $191 million. The difference in salary $30 million dollars.
Here’s his reaction when getting the news.
Klay Thompson learns he didn’t make All-NBA (“Oh I didn’t?”) and is clearly a little ticked (it affects his next contract): “When you go to five straight Finals, it takes more than a couple All-NBA guys…Do I think there are that many guards better than me? No.” pic.twitter.com/bW5DiBavo1
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 23, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Beal is in the same boat as Thompson. Losing out on the opportunity to sign a supermax contract. With the two not making the All-NBA team it favors the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards franchises by saving money and having to make tough decisions.
There’s no question Thompson deserved a spot on the All-NBA team. Lillard making second team is perfectly fine, yet Irving didn’t deserve his spot. The Boston Celtics were arguably the most disappointing team in the NBA. The favorite as the no.1 team in the Eastern Conference finished fourth and didn’t even get to 50 wins.
Thompson takes it upon himself to defend opponents best perimeter players and he excels at it. He’s one of the best defensive shooting guards in NBA history. Offensively he is one of the best shooters and he came on strong after a sluggish start to the season. He wound up averaging 21.5 points per game. While shooting 46.7 percent from the field, 40.2 percent from three and 81.6 percent from the free throw line.
As for Westbrook he had one of his worst seasons shooting the basketball and continued his stat padding ways. Meanwhile Beal set career-highs in points per game average at 25.6, assists with 5.5 and rebounds 5. Shooting wise he was incredibly efficient shooting 47.5 percent from the field, a decent 35.1 percent from three and solid 80.8 percent from the free throw line.
Still what’s even worse is that Harden again got rewarded for his flopping and flailing ways with a first team selection and Durant the best player in the league made second. That showcases the biggest flaw of these All-NBA selections. Something needs to change immediately or this process will continue to remain a joke.