According to the latest report from NBA reporter Shams Sharania, James Harden is almost certain to be selected for the 2024 All-Star, which means he missed the All-Star Game for two consecutive years and could affect his contract extension negotiations with the Clippers this summer.
The 2024 NBA All-Star starting lineup has been announced, and the biggest suspense is which players will be selected for the bench lineup. The starting lineup is voted for by fans, active players and the media, and according to official releases, the bench lineup will be announced on the morning of February 1, with 14 All-Star bench players selected by 30 teams, two defenders, three forward players and two players in any position selected by the east and west.
"NBA commissioner Adam Shaw cannot choose a substitute player, and only when the selected player is unable to participate in the All-Star Game due to injury or other reasons, Adam Shaw has the right to choose to designate a player to replace the player in the All-Star Game. "That means Harden is almost certain to miss the All-Star Game unless there are injury issues with Western Conference All-Star players and Adam Shaw designates Harden to the All-Star Game." ”
Sharania said through interviews with most NBA head coaches. It's up to the coach to vote for the All-Star bench, and almost no one will vote for Harden.
The Clippers currently sit in third place in the West with a 30-14 record, and unfortunately Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Harden are not selected to the Western Conference All-Star starting lineup. In terms of team record, it is indeed surprising that the Clippers' Big Three were all selected for the All-Star starting lineup, and the Lakers' record is far behind the Clippers, but LeBron James was selected for the starting lineup, which is also difficult to accept. Leonard was fourth in the player and media votes and sixth in the fan vote, Paul George was sixth in the fan and media votes and fourth in the player vote, and Harden was sixth in the fan and media votes and eighth in the player votes.
"Coaches vote for who to vote for based on two criteria: the team's record and the performance of the players. "The Clippers deserve an All-Star spot, but it's almost certain that the coaches will pick Leonard, not Harden or Paul George. ”
Almost all coaches believe that Leonard is the real tactical core of the Clippers, who has basically stayed healthy this season, averaging a career-high 34.6 minutes per game, contributing 23.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals for the team, shooting 52.5% from the field and 44.8% from three-point range, both of which are career-highs. Leonard is also more qualified to be named to the All-Star bench for the Clippers, both in terms of personal data and game impact, and Harden will not be favored by the referees.
There's no denying that Harden quickly built chemistry after trading to the Clippers, and unfortunately, Harden's stats can only be said to be mediocre, averaging 17.2 points and 8.6 assists per game, and when the head coach votes for the All-Star guard bench, the priority will be Stephen Curry, Edwards, Kyrie Irving, Fox, Booker and Jamal Murray. The other two off-the-bench positions are also likely to be created among the likes of Davies, Wembanyama, Sabonis and Zayn Williamson.
In fact, even with Harden's pretty stats, most coaches said they wouldn't vote for him. "People judge players based on what has happened in the last few seasons and that's the problem. And, very few coaches will select two All-Star benches from a team. Last season, Adam Shaw originally designated Harden to replace the injured Durant to make a full replacement, but Harden did not reply to the message in time, so Adam Shaw designated Siakam as a substitute.
"Last season was probably Harden's last chance to be an All-Star, and he himself missed it. "Harden is almost certain to be locked out of the All-Star Season for the second year in a row, and given the rise of young guards in the East and West, Harden is likely to miss out on the All-Star in his career, which will also affect his contract extension negotiations with the Clippers in the offseason." ”