This is the Baseline discussing the hot button topics of the NBA.
Welcome everybody, your tune to the Baseline.
Cali Warrn Shark discussing the hot button topics of the NBA. Rocking and rolling into twenty twenty five. I know everybody has got a little something going on. You know, we just fresh off of NBA Rivals week and then you know as well too. Man, we're right up on the precipice of NBA All Star weekend, NBA Trade deadline, a lot of stuff happening, a lot of chitter chatter going on in some spaces and some teams and organizations, and we're all here for it, man, loving every single moment
of it. We roll out the red carpet to my right hand man www dot shar Sports dot Net, Bikahuna, P and C. My man, mister Warrenshar repping out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. What's good man, I'm still on location. But you know, the show must go on.
The show must always go on. And you are a gentleman and a scholar for your dedication to the Baseline Day podcast. Always great to be here with you, brother. You know your favorite week Rivals week is now yeah, man, as you do to Yeah, we're about to march on into some other content. Man, it's gonna be It's gonna be a good one. All Star stuff to talk about this week. Man, I'm excited.
Yeah.
This the focus for this week's show is going to be about the selections for NBA All Star Obviously, people are are pretty much keeping their eyes tuned and aware with the upcoming changes and the way that the NBA All Star Game or All Star Game Slash twenty is going to be played. I wonder what kind of name
they're going to really come up with that. But I think the most important aspect of this show is this the conversation about who's been selected, uh to be a part of this year's NBA All Star you know, And I know where my sediments lie. I'm a firm believer that it's more than about, you know, the the weekend itself and saying and players is h is, you know, being part of playing an NBA All Star Game. I'm
more about the mindset of this person's performance. If we're you know, basically depicting through the course of the first of the season all the way up until whatever they deem as the cutoff point of what their performance reflects is indicative of being an All Star, right, And even if you're on a losing team, if you have a player who is performing at a high level, one that is comparable to their contemporaries, and they're being, you know,
lauded and applauded as being considered as an All Star, why doesn't that person have that same kind of consideration. And we've seen the waffling back and forth with the way that the committee determines it. What we use to kind of gauge that between fan voter, votership and the manager. I'm sorry, the coaches and ultimately the peers and the
percentages that deem that as everything like that. But I'm just of the mindset that for us to make sure that we're highlighting all of the guys who are doing remarkable work through the course of the first half of the season, you should be considered as an All Star. Whether you're participating in a game that clearly most of these players are not putting one hundred percent effort into or not, I think they should still be considered as All Stars.
I'll agree with the sentiment in terms of of the aspect of talent and what a lot of these players mean to the overall product of the league. So it can't always be encapsulated by the thirty guys, if you will,
or whatever number it is that gets ultimately selected. You know, for this I guess it's not thirty twenty four, So that part of it too, And that's something that people always consider, like, hey, well, should there just be more guys added to the proverbial aspect because it doesn't really matter anyway, But you know, some of those some of those folks they like the designation. Some of them like, you know what, I'd rather prefer the extra days off.
And as as always, I think we live in a society where sometimes players and fans want it kind of both ways. But I think from a talent perspective, there's always more than the selected All Stars. So it'd be an interesting way to kind of designate what that ultimately means for the league as it pushes forward.
Absolutely, so we're going to get into some of the reserves selections for the All Stars from both the East and West.
I'm knowing a lot of predictions.
I'm sorry we are. We are opening up the crystal Ball were in Shaw, Swami uh and Cal Copperfield is on it right so so yeah, so we'll be opening up our our collective prediction prediction hats of who we think is gonna be selected for the East and West. As always, be sure to get at my Manshaw aw Sports NBA get at me a game face lead the show's Twitter hand The NBA Baseline available on the major platforms.
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Money in as quick as fifteen minutes. So remember, download the app today. Use the code CLNS that's Charlie Lima Nancy Sam to get fifty dollars instantly after you play your first five dollars lineup, Prize Picks, run your game, Cal and I start talking about those East and West predictions under reserves for All Stars, So don't go anywhere. We're back, Cali Warrenshaw Baseline NBA Podcast, time to discuss NBA All Star Reserves, and it's time.
For us to open up our crystal ball. You like that.
I wish there was some okay exactly are you?
Uh? You know? Mysterio?
So Sean, while I illuminate, you can pontificate. All right, So all right, so here we go, man, let's talk about it. We'll start with the Eastern Conference because when the East is in the house, Oh my gosh, right, who do we have tabbed to be part of the All Star reserve lineup for this year's NBA All Star Extravaganza.
Sure, I love that man, you were with the words play today.
I got some good sleepars just so you know.
Either that or I drank a really good mal Beck and I'm still buzzing off that.
So for for.
Those following at home, the NBA alls are reserved have yet to be announced. The recording of this show, and it's it goes by the aspect of, hey, you need two guards, three front three front court players, and two wildcards. So those wild cards can be you know, basically exactly about anybody, even guard or front court player. So I
my selections are a little bit it. It's a hybrid of what I think the fans want, kind of what I want, and kind of old school methodology in terms of thinking like how much your reward winning and how much do you reward a team that you know should just have a certain All Star and certain presence there, you know, versus the fans just want to see this individual. So there'll be some some pretty significant snumbs on both
sides with the East and West for me. But to just kind of rattle off, the first two guys in at the guard spots I have for me are Daris Garland and Kate Cunningham. I think Cleveland is going to need at least two representatives on this for just how they've kind of ran away with the Eastern Conference up to this point, and Garland has been just as important as Donovan Mitchell, I think to the to the stage, and Kate Cunningham we've talked about basically the last three
episodes of how he's leading that Detroit team. Jaylen Brown, I think it's kind of a no brainer at one of the front court spots, and then the last two front court spots for me are a little dicey. Pascal Siakam I think is deserving because the Pacers have started to make a run. He's been better than how Burned all season long in my personal opinion. But then Franz
Wagner from Orlando, I think the Magic deserveive representative. But then there's the aspect has you know, has Franz played enough games, you know, as we're recording twenty eight of their forty five games, so that might be a hindrance. But I'm going to go with them because I think Orlando's been a great story and he's been he was really light in the world on fire for you know, more games than even Paula has been able to play
through the course of this year. And then my final two in terms of the wild cards, I think Trey Young from where Alanda has been able to do. And then LaMelo Ball who was actually the fans picked to start in the game. And I understand he's on a losing team, but I think if you're looking for that flayer on that excitement, his game is suited for All Stars.
So those are my seven guys. Obviously there's some guys I left off, but love to kind of throw it to you, brother, to kind of see where you stand on this.
So I kind of like where your selections are, you know, I personally feel, you know, Pascal Siakam is really the reason why the Indiana Pacers are even I guess, salvaging what would consider as a very disappointing season or giving people the perceptions that overachieved.
Turned it around.
No, they've turned it around. He's gonna it's consistent.
But I could argue that he arguably is really the best, the best player because Tyree Salverton has just absolutely struggled this year. There's no getting around it. He's been so up and down and yet for where his position is, what his role is, that the way that their offense
has been set up. I don't want to be labored the point about this, but I'm just saying that I think there's some players who you can clearly tell they're going to be impacted because of the style of play that the teams are currently on, what they've been contributing to, and it's gonna look beyond the numbers to determine whether or not they're going to actually be snubbed they're deserving.
And that's the reason why I focused right in on Pascal Siakam right now, because he's one of those guys Shaw who's always kind of benefited from having a much more stable backcourt lineup that has allowed him.
To produce the way that he produces.
But I think from Jump Street, his level of consistency has far has far surpassed a lot of what we're talking about from the other guys that you've selected in the Darius Garlands of Cape Cunninghams. All of these guys are primary ball handlers right and in many ways have reflected being kind of like the the floor generals that have not just set up success for their other role players but for themselves have been able to put up
really great statistics. Pascal Siakam, Franz Wagger, I think was compromised. More so the fact that you know his injury at the time that he showed you peak France right would
would have probably made him an easy get. So I don't see him necessarily being snubbed because I think now that they've got Paolo Moncarro the back, that there is that that tandem combination has been identifiable with the with the Orlando Magic, and then you look again with the Trey Young and LaMelo Ball again floor generals right like, who have gone like nuts crazy and have elevated their teams in some respects, I mean, minus the Charlotte Hornet who have struggled.
But Labelo Ball.
He must see TV and I'm sure fans would love to see him out there on the basketball court. If nothing else, they'd love to see his brother probably do you know, at a halftime uh show. So all that being said, I don't snub any of the guys that you have mentioned. I think the one person who I be very much on the fence with is probably Pascal Siakam because I'm sure that they're going to probably do some politics on that aspect of it.
That's interesting. I think I'm the one I'm most dubious about or scared about is Franz just because of the game is played. And I think there's this tendency because remember these are the coaches selections, so they have some preferential treatment to guys that they like. So I think a guy like Evan Mobley because he's shown some strides and Cleveland's been so good, I just know that Cleveland. I don't know that Cleveland needs three All Stars. I
just don't know that that's really the case. And the Mobley's quite that quite that good just yet. But I wouldn't hate it. And I think the other guy too when you're talking about that at that forward spot is Zach Lavine potentially, you know, if you want to qualify him as that. But then the old the old adage of bam Adebayo and out of Bayo's had a down year, coaches love that guy. I mean, there's a lot to love, but I think there's just someone like you. Sometimes they just kind of rubber stamp.
Hence the quandary.
Bam is probably more likely to get the All star nod than that Franz is, although I don't think statistically it would make a lot of sense.
Hence the quandary, right Shaw, because again, what are what is going to tip the scale in order to favor one or if not any of these players uh to get in at the expense of somebody else who probably
is equally deserving. To your point, you know when you say down year, down year by what we have previously come to expect from Bamana Bayou, because every year should be incrementally better than the year previous, given the way that that team has been structured, given the circumstances, which again speaks more to what those other contributions are that bam probably makes for this Miami Heat team, if not for them to still be even in playing contention right
at times. So that's the part that's really kind of disturbing, is the fact that we're not gonna we're not gonna count that. We're relying on the you know, the head coaches who will have a say in this to look at that, and they probably are determining that a whole lot more than the popularity aspect of what a player is basically doing. So you know, I'm just more curious again, where where where that line or what those factors are
and who's actually levying those factors. More so for the type of players, because typically it's an even keels thing when we look at the performances from some of these players and how they operate. But this year, it's it's been kind of noticeable. And I think part of it too, is because of the fact that we have a lot of you know, a lot of new head coaches right that are representing in the Eastern Conference that I think are having an impact.
On us, being introduced to some of.
These players who are now getting an opportunity to really shine, so that it's it's it's kind of the one person that I'm really curious about, Sean, you mentioned Jalen Brown. Is it just me or as as great as a season as I think we're saying that Jalen Brown is having it's still yet a relatively quiet season, maybe because we expected him to be a starter alongside of Jason Tatum.
To some degree, I think he hasn't been, as I want to say, not as impactful, but it's just it feels different. But it's the same thing with Bam. It feels different, you know, and the numbers I think even reflecting that for both of those guys. But I think with Boston still, despite how mediocre they've been over the last month and change of the season, they still sit in the second seat in the Eastern Conference, do you
know the pedigree? And that's where it's kind of like, hey, well, this is something that I don't see your rubber stampion Jalen Brown in, but something still deserves two All Stars based on kind of their importance to the league being the defendant champions and their current actual league standings, you know,
at this stage of the season. So real quick, though, I want to just kind of highlight my snubs because there's gonna be a lot of people like, no, Damian Lillard and how can you not put jam in?
Because exactly right, No, I mean, and to the point Shaw again, is what Damian Lillard doing considered All Star worthy for this season?
Right?
You look at his numbers, right, Damian Lillard's posting some pretty good numbers. But then again, are you contempt Are you comparing that to the level of what the Jalen Brunson's are doing and even the da Darius Garlands are doing. And saying, yeah, he's just not all star worthy enough to be in this to be a part of this list.
And that's where I tend.
To, you know, because he's putting together some really good numbers and the Milwaukee Bucks are still a top four team in the Eastern Conference.
So how does that not resonate?
Well? Remember remember this is me speaking, man, and I understand you if you if you want what I think the coaches are gonna actually do. I think a guy like Bam or Evan Mobley gets in over Wagner, and I think Dame gets in over La mellow Ball from my pigs, because I think that's just the coaches like, hey, these are the guys. We know, they're tried and true, we love the way they play, et cetera, et cetera.
See, but I was trying to. I was trying to.
I was trying to draw out you know what I'm saying, Uh, you know alter ego Shaw, like like, you know what I'm saying, the other side of Shaw is cal Shaw.
You know what I'm saying. I was trying to draw that out.
I wanted I wanted to see where on the on the on the line you wanted to be at with this whole thing. But I understand you're laying out a level of That's why I call you the diplomat, because you're laying out a level of diplomacy where it's just like, don't get mad yet, don't you know, bring out the break out the tiki torches just yet and start burning effigies.
I'm just letting you know.
I'm standing on my own business. But I also understand the politics of the NBA. So if I was a coach and had a spot, that's actually those are the guys who I'd go with. But I know that for for the most part, the coaches like Chalk. They're like, hey, we like the same guys. We like who we like, And LaMelo's ball is not esthetically pleasing for a lot of folks and they just feel like he's chucking. But I think the fans he was a leading vote getter by the fans standpoint in the East the East Guard,
so the fans want to see him there. But I don't know if the coaches will actually go with my selection. That's why I think a guy like Dame probably gets in. But again, I stubbed mobilely. I subbed I snubbed Dame, I snubbed Tyrese Maxi and Tyler Hero to a lesser degree as well. So those are the main guys that are not on my list that you know might be in the running for one of these spots.
As we're discussing, Yeah, I think the one person who I think I would have been on the fence. So like, let's maybe look at guys that we would say on the fence. I say Tyrese Maxey certainly on the fence, simply because I don't think that he was prepared to shoulder the load as much as he has and especially as well too with the presence of Paul George. Again, this is why I was not completely like I'm not saying this, you know, as it pertains to this was
about Tyrese Maxey being an All Star. What I think what I was alluding more to was, is Tyrese Maxey prepared to be that, say Jalen Brunson of the team where he can continue to elevate and score the basketball the way that he does while setting up Joel Embiid and Paul George for success and unfortunately, the injuries that Paul George and Joel Embiid have suffered, have marginalize his ability to be a really quality floor general because while he's doing it now with you know, with role players,
which you know, you can make the argument, Man, that's tough setting for a kid that you know clearly is on the uptick. I think that's what's gonna wind up hurting him, and it's going to put him on the fence because he did get injured himself as well too, and it's kind of struggled as far as shooting the
basketball goes. A lot of that is because it's an inherent bad situation, so to speak, because he's not been able to work with the true, you know team that he was supposed to be working with, just for us to really gauge and see is he that guy? I still think that he is, But I just don't think that this will be the year that he winds up getting in.
Yeah, and I think that has to be okay, especially given the record. Yes, he's played thirty seven games and you know, he's been there, you know, for a good majority of what they've done, and he's he's on a terrific tear as we're even discussing it right now, you know, He's over twenty twenty eight points per game for the last I think ten games in a row or something like that or whatever he's averaging I think twenty eight points something for the season. He's really but caring a
load that he just shouldn't be caring. I think with the help that was supposed to be in total Piladelphia.
Maybe next year, my guy, Maybe next year the one person I will say, Sew that I know you hadn't made mention of, but I kind of want to make sure I give him his flowers too. And it really sucks because again the formatting. You know, I don't want to I want to get on my soapbox again. But Josh Hart, what can we say about this guy? How do we not find a way for this guy to
not be considered all star worthy or all star? You know again, I know that we give credence to players because for the team he is such a valuable person, but I think it also resonates with that same type of value when you have a team as successful as the New York Knicks. I'm not saying you got to have three guys in there, and clearly Karl Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson. Are those dudes, you get what I'm saying.
But when you look at what Josh Hart is especially doing for his position, his role, I know that we're saying. You know, when we talk about six Man of a Year, these are the kind of things that I think resonate with a guy being considered six Man of a Year and him that all year long.
How is that not considered you know, all star worthy? You know what I mean?
Again, we may have to redefine what this is supposed to mean, but in the end, I'm just more cureous, you know, concerned that we're not giving enough credit to some of these particular you know, players who are doing that kind of work that I just considered would be All Star worthy.
Josh Hatter is an All Star in my mind. I think if you go to your opening monologue about what this rod probably really really means. But is his game something that people want to see, you know what I mean, on the bright lights of San Francisco or wherever All Star is in that particular year. But it's talent level what he means to this team, what he does as in terms of like he's probably the the the epitome of a glue guy. You know, mister Intangibles does whatever
it takes to win. I'm a big Josh Hart fan, as you know, so I would be I'd be over the moon if he were able to get an All Star not as a result of it. I just don't think that where this is going to trend for despite how well he's played this year in that starting role that a lot of people weren't sure if he was going to start as much as this year, but he's been able to do that. And you know, whatever it is, you know, I think eight triple doubles this season or
something something crazy like he's hooping. Man. What a great call.
There, absolutely, man. But just so people understand, just so our listeners understand, that's why we have this platform, because we're gonna make sure we call out our peoples who deserve to have that opportunity of that chance. So there you go, Josh Hart. You know what I'm saying, and and you know by all means you know this is a shameless promotion. Josh, feel free to jump on our show anytime.
You know what I'm saying.
If you need to, you need to call out the powers that be to let them know you should be out there. You know what I'm saying, hooping with your with your fellow brothers. Because you you you're on All Star status, you're tuned to the baseline. Cali Warrenshaw discussing the hot button topics of the NBA coming up will shift our focus to the Western Conference and who we're predicting is going to step in to that possible All Star reserve role and who's the possible snubs. But first, hey, everybody,
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to the Western Conference. We're going to try to predict who we think are going to be the reserve players for the West. Just to give it a little bit of background, down show the Western Conference starters Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Shay Gillis, Alexander Lebron James, and Nicola Jokic. I found this to be a more fascinating starting line up because it pretty much but the exception maybe Kevin Durant, but what pretty much speaks to is yeah, this seems
a little bit right, and maybe Steph Curry. I think Steph Curry has had someone of a down year in comparison to what his previous years are and where the Golden State Warriors are clearly there's been a lot of strong even though he's the best player on that team. It's interesting Sean though, because now you start focusing on the reserves, do you find or do do you think that there's an easier path forward to determining how the West reserves will be will be predicted?
I think it's a little bit more difficult because there's so much variance between especially you have to get past okay, see, and then all those other teams are starting to kind of bunch up together, and we have some surprise teams in here. Without giving it away just just yet, but to answer your question is like, what do you do with the team like Houston? What do you do a team kind of like Memphis? Like John is an All
Star but as he played enough games. Those are kinds of conversations that make it really tough when it comes to the Western Conference. And then when you have those like those legends, those luminaries, if you will, of Steph Kadi and Lebron like all right, Like they just kind of have to be in the starting lineup because that's just this is who we know, this is who we the this is the generation of the NBA that many of us, many of the fan groups of today, and
that's who they've grown up with. So the West is very, very difficult. It makes for some intriguing conversation because there's more snubs, there's more guys with the talent level that probably again should qualify, but there's just not enough spots, you know, when you've taken into all the variables that you need to take into consideration.
I find I agree, but I'm gonna push back a little bit.
I think it might be a little bit more clearer just because of the level of injuries that a lot of the star players have suffered. I just think maybe we're afraid to pull the trigger on saying this guy is worthy of being an All Star and because again,
what are we looking at. Are we looking at their overall body of work, comparing what they've did in previous years to what they're showing you now, and if it measures somewhere close in that range, he's still deserving Or are we just saying that, like, look, man, there are other guys who've put in more games, more effort in time, their teams are clearly a little bit more successful. Well,
why not go ahead and say that person's look. For example, I'm not afraid to say that a guy like Jalen Green should be deserving of an All Star if he clearly has shown you he's one of the more exciting players in his numbers of incrementally better, and he's attributed to the Houston Rockets being one of the best teams in the Western Conference. But again, when you compare his numbers to say, the ones have already always get put
in that conversation. Are those numbers comparable? Are those numbers considered All Star worthy? I don't think the question would be had if John Morant had enough games under his belt, but I would not be afraid to pick him over say John Moran if John Moran hasn't played enough games, even though when he's on the court he could arguably be you know, All Star worthy in the blink of
the blink of a hat. But outside of that, I would not snub a guy like Jalen Green for being available because they say the best ability is your availability. And some of these guys clearly just have been available, and that's okay. John Murran is gonna be All Star for like fifteen times over twice on Sunday whenever we feel like it's just he's not in a position to have that, say, per se, even though I know we would want him to.
Yeah. I mean it's again, it's always a matter of perspective. So I think, without you know, delaying, as you outlined the starters for this, my selections, if it were me picking, I have Anthony Edwards and Darn Fox at the guard spots. Fox is a very very is the shakiest of my
selections here. The Kings have really kind of come on here in the last two and then again it's always the issue of do you need two Kings and between Fox and sa Bonus, But because of some of my front court selections, Sabonus does not get on there Smoiller alert. So I got Edwards and Fox. I got Wemby as the runaway guy, you know, in terms of who needs
to be on there in the front court spot. And then because of the jav factor in Memphis, Jaron Jackson has been the most consistent and most available, you know for them, averaging twenty three game. You know, he's never been a plus plus rebounder, but six and a half rebounds, getting a block and a steel, like, he's been really important to what Memphis has done and has been there. If Anny Davis, I think speaks kind of for himself. And then my wildcards get into that aspect of what
we're talking about a little bit. In the Eastern Conference a little while ago. I think the Rockets deserve a guy. It's interesting that you you know, you went with Jalen Green. I'm going with Shangoon. I think as the guy.
There, absolutely the best player, no no question.
It makes sense for them, So he fits my first wildcard spot. And then the aspect of okay, see just really budgeting the rush of the Western Conference, I think they need a second guy. And then that's where my guy Jaalen Williams gets on here too. But you know, he's he's he's shaky because I think he's had he's
had moments. He's averaging over twenty game, you know, like counting stats are there, but there is a lot of talent in the Western Conference that I'm now omitting as a result, especially when you're thinking about it from a wildcard spot, so that leads me with no Kyrie, That leads me with no so Bonus and some other big names out there in the Western Conference, you know, Sames Harden and what the Clippers are doing, Like you know.
That, I'm surprised that that one I'm a little surprised by. I'm not saying that you're not pro James Harden. I'm just saying I am a little surprised that you wouldn't go with James Harden because by all accounts, James harden
availability and his numbers are really not that shabby. Again, when you put it in comparison to the other people that are playing in his position, Like I could make the argument that James Harden probably should be a starter over Steph Curry, but not saying that Steph Curry's numbers are not you know, commendable, They're great, but again in the landscape of what you're seeing from what he's been currently doing performance wise, and again this is all the
way up going to the NBA, going up to NBA All Star Weekend. I'm just saying that, like Harden has you know, puts up some pretty gaudy numbers, monster numbers, and the Clippers are still hanging around. You know, if if not a starter, I would see him more so as a as as clearly as a as a reserve. I would think that Clippers should at least have one.
But you might go Zubac, you might go you know, hey, yeah.
I like and I like Zoo as well too. I think he's He's been severely underrated his entire career, but this season he's really stepped into it. So I think, again, not to split hairs, but the Clippers are doing better than Sacramento is for the majority part of the season, even up to this point. So if you would have said Harden makes it in over Fox and Fox ends up getting snubbed, then I can't really be mad at that.
But that means Fox and Sabonis don't get on the team, and I feel like for what they both contribute, that's hard, you know, And I think with with with the Clippers, you know, I again, I love what Harden is doing. Zoo's been amazing. I think, tylu he serves as much credit for the clippers success as anybody else does as
well too. But I can't fight you on the hardened thing again, if you wanted to sub out Fox for Harden, I would say hey bye by all means, just understanding that neither king would actually get.
On the roster.
Well, I actually I hate to say this because I and I know you'd fight me on this. I would rather see Sabonis in there before Fox, right. And again, this is why I don't like the I don't like the idea of of you know, two front court or three front court, two guard, Like I don't care for that, Like you're all sorry, you're an all star, get get rid of the front court.
Is it's really about the player? Yeah, exactly, so, as you.
Know, as far as I'm concerned, I've just thought that Sabonis's play while Digaron Fox was going through his struggles, right, And it doesn't matter if.
It's so, because like I'm not going to fight you on the Fox or Sibonis thing. One of those guys is interchangeable for me. And then even the aspect of heart and over Fox, but like I said, they both can't get on. But what I do want to question you one then, because where I'm right to have trouble is the Jalen Williams thing. So do you believe that two Thunder guys should be on there, because then that's what I think.
Jaalen Williams is having an awesome year. I think I think Jayleen Wiins is having an awesome year. Awesome, okay, and.
It would be having a more awesome year than I think he's.
Let me put it like this, I think he's having a much more awesome year than Jaron Jackson Junior. I'm not saying that Jared Jackson Junior shouldn't be in consideration. Jared Jackson Junior is really playing well, but he is I think from a defensive perspective, and I think defense still should count for something. Jared Jackson Junior has not nearly been as contributory from the defensive side of things as much as he's been to the offensive side of things.
I'm looking at the overall game.
Jalen Williams, by leaps and bounds, is responsible for the Oklahoma City Thunder being one of the top three teams defensively because of his absolute versatility and the ability to
score that basketball. Being that second guy to Shay Gillis Alexander. So, if we're up to me, no question, Jayalen Williams can the person I think I was going to be on defence with a little bit more so was Jared Jackson Junior because of the fact that he got injured and when he's come back, no doubt he is the second best and I think at times arguably is one of the best scorers on that team, while Josh still gets.
His legs underneath him.
But defensively, I don't see I don't see nearly as much of the conc contributions that he makes that he was doing in previous years. And that's easily why I would put Victor Womanyama in there, and I would easily put Anthony Davis in there.
No question.
The person I think I would have been on the fence about has been Jaron Jackson about that. But again, I wouldn't be mad if he doesn't get in, but I wouldn't be like all up in arms if he gets in and say the guys I'm talking about don't get in because of it.
So I mean, that's tough. I mean, the Grizzlies are fifth in defensive rating this year. He is their anchor of that defense. He has the best defensive rating on their team. A ring a steel in a block steal, in a half.
But that's why I guess that to your point, to your point, you got me, I guess to your point, this is why you're saying that it is a much tougher path to delineate who's gonna come in as the reserves.
I get, I can, I will.
I will concede to that point on that, on that one Shaw just simply because of the guys that were highlighting in that that conversation, that discussion for yes, okay.
Yeah, you just start to interweave, you know, the conversation. It's like, all right, well this guy, do you value this, do you want that or whatever. We haven't even talked about Devin Booker. I mean, yes, the Phoenix Suns have been you know, disappointment.
Well do you think do you think do you think I think it's the injury. But do you think that Kevin Durant should be a starter over Devin Booker?
No, I don't think. I think I think Wemby could have should have gotten that spot, and Durant is still an All Star. But you know, yeah, this is this is the combination of the fans, the coaches, and the players who make that who make that determination. So KD legacy wise kind of gets in. But I think Wemby has been more available and you know, should have started alongside Joker and Lebron you know this this year. But again, Kevin, Kevin Durant had an amazing season.
So look, and I'm not taking anything away from it. Again, all star worthy, right, And I guess if all Stars all Star starters, right like it is he considered, should
it be considered All Star starter? And you know what it is, shaw, I think when we got away from the position right now, we're in this era of positionless basketball, we're just lumping together the skill sets of all of these players, and then I guess just maybe looking at these numbers and analytics and just saying okay, and then I think the outlier is what do the fans think?
You know here? Let me give you some crumbs to that.
But I think that's part of the reason where we've gotten away from putting the onus on fans doing their due diligence in order for them to really appreciate what those numbers are supposed to mean as it compares to what the players are actually doing on that basketball court, not just for their teams, but also for the conference in and of itself among their contemporaries, because I agree with you, I don't see in a world where it makes sense that Victor women Yama should not be considered
a starter, even though it's because what the San Antonio Spurs are not a top five team in the Western Conference, makes absolutely no sense. From fifteen twenty years ago, we have been having those same kind of conversations when you had the San Antonio Spurs that had David Robinson and Tim Duncan.
Yeah, I agree. I think once we get out of and I say this with a certain grain of salt, once we get out of the Lebron Curry kd era, it's going to be probably Wemby as a leading vote getter. I think as an ERA parent, Anthony Edwards could close in terms of the fan popularity vote like a lot of people like ant Man and a lot of people are just going to be forced to learn and understand the greatness of Webby. I think those two guys have the inside track once those other guys are out of
the way to lead and vote getting doesn't matter. It doesn't mean that they'll deserve it every year, but they're going to command the popular potential vote one. Last guy, I want to talk about your thoughts on Kyrie Irving twenty five, five and five basically over forty percent from the three point line, you know, just under fifty percent from the floor. The maps, yes, haven't been what they wanted to be, and Luca bin Out obviously impacts that.
But your thoughts on Kyrie not making my list or would you have Kyrie somewhere on this All Star All Star.
I think Kyrie goes in even before Dianaron Fox. Quite honestly, to me, I'm sorry, Like again, I am not saying Adir and Fox's numbers are not comparable and are not worthy of And I think it's certainly helped him that the Sacramento Kings have turned things around since the firing
of Mike Brown. But when I look at what Kyrie Irving has been able to do so far this year, his level of availability, the fact that he's literally had to shoulder this team while Donkicic has been on the mend and arguably with this conversation, changed somewhat if donkic And was a part of this roster. In the Dallas Mavericks say had more like ten more wins than what they currently have right now, would we be arguing about that.
I'm just looking at this and I'm saying Kyrie Irving should be an All Star, no question, whether you just started him or you put him on the reserves. This is one of the few years that even I'm not even just looking at his numbers specifically, but just looking at what his overall game and totality with the numbers translate to, I think it would be worthy of such now in a situation where it's absolutely flooded with guard play of everyone playing out their minds, yeah, I wouldn't
be upset or mad about it. But again, this is a scenario where I'm my mindset is if everything was all all, you know, wild card worthy, there would be certain guys that I just think, given what they're doing so far this season, would you surpent. I'm not going to be mad if Kyrie doesn't get in, but to be sorely disappointed because I do think with what he's doing, it should be worthy of it.
Well, he brought up a great point that I will relent to because if I think even conventional wisdness to while I put Fox on my reserve, I think the political structure of this is going to keep Fox off of this, so that makes room for a hardened or Kyrie to kind of get on. Because you mentioned Mike Brown. The coaches are making these selections who have been the loudest people once Brown was fired to come to Brown's defense, it was basically every single coach around the around the league.
And if they think even a hint that Fox had something to do with that, and he did, let's keep it a buck, that would probably hurt his chances to be selected now as a reserve by the majority of the coaches. So that probably ends for more of a Kyrie or hardened situation to kind of get in, and then we would see then if he Fox or some bonus gets in as some symbol as of a wild
card selection. But that's why I'm interested to see, because do the do the coaches feel like the Rockets need need need representation, because then then Shuing Gooon doesn't get in and then you can put you know, all these other guys we've been talking about. The West is going to be really interesting to watch. So, yeah, I didn't have I didn't have an easy time with this at all.
The West, I think is going to be interesting to watch and I think the West is going to have a lot more It's gonna have a lot more treading, you know what I'm saying for us to to really kind of look at and and understand when it gets released. You know, to your point, the Eastern Conference, maybe from a perspective of decisions, it would have been a little bit easier, but I think it's there's not nearly as many players that you would have to be arguing with
to determine whether they are or are not worthy. I think you could just probably say the East allows you to kind of have more conversations of the current state. But I think the West definitely challenges exactly what we're talking about in what this is supposed to mean. And and you know, again, I'll go back to this. I want a person who's being acknowledged as an All Star
to mean something. If if we keep talking about it, and we keep putting it as part of these accolades that we're giving credence to to a player and their legacy and whether or not it's factored into whether or not they make it to the Hall of Fame and stuff like that, if that's not going to be the case, if we're going to basically, you know, go by, you know, changing the discussion and errortive so much about this, I think it lessens it and and I think at some
point we got to be like, Okay, he's also great, wonderful, you know what I'm saying, Like, I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but that's that's nice in this situation and this because we have these conversations Shaw, it definitely forces us to challenge the status quo about why there should be a significance in making these guys, you know, all star and what that criteria really needs to be so that we're not sitting here fighting with the idea
that the numbers of some of these guys are actually doing, especially in the Western Conference, are just being marginalized because we don't know what comparison we're supposed to use or determinate what determination needs to be made to say that they are deserving to be called as such. You know, it's weird because we have what all NBA, and I feel like at times All NBA seems to resonate more with players than it does about them being considered All stars.
Yeah. Yeah, there's there's a lot of nu once that the way a lot of this is being decided, and so without the parameters in place, it lends to these consistent debates and conversations literally each year because we're all clamoring like all right, well we want we want to define criteria. And then we got some defined criteria last year for NBA you know, end of season awards, and like oh then oh we don't like that, No it
was too hard. So again, right, we're I don't know if we'll ever really be happy, but this continues to give us some great content here on the baseline and all the other shows, podcasts and media that covers the league, you know, throughout us throughout his years. Man, this is just this is a wild situation. Then I know if there's an an insight into how will actually be solved?
Absolutely, man, well per usual, another great show, another great topics of conversation and discussions. And yeah, you know, we want to know from you guys, who do you think will be snubbed?
Right?
Who do you see as being on the outs for this year's upcoming NBA All Star Extravaganza right, like you know, and will you go to the mat to just say that they are deserving as such?
Like you know what I mean, like, I'd love to see that man.
You know that's that's what they call a pro activation, pro activization. Love it once again, Man would like to thank you and yours for hopping on board with us for the baseline. Calie warren Shaw. We appreciate you guys, you know we do, and we'll catch up
With you next time.