What the NBA All-Star rosters should look like

Western Conference Starters

Stephen Curry, PG Golden State Warriors – The reigning MVP also happens to be this year’s MVP front-runner, and he is the biggest no-brainer on the entire list. Curry leads the league in PER (by a comfortable margin) while averaging 29.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game on the year, and his 51/40/91 shooting splits are, well, absurd. We could drone on for hundreds of additional words about Stephen Curry being picked as an All-Star starter, or we can simply accept it and move right along. I choose the latter.

Russell Westbrook, PG Oklahoma City Thunder – With James Harden and Chris Paul having “down” years according to their recent standards, this selection becomes easier than it already would have been. Westbrook is one of the most dynamic players in the NBA, averaging 24.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game while trailing only Curry in PER league-wide. The Thunder have leaned heavily on Kevin Durant (we’ll get back to him in a moment), but Westbrook remains ultra durable and productive in Oklahoma City, and his upside is as high as any player in the NBA on any given night. You may find disagreement on Westbrook’s exact position among the NBA’s elite, but there is no question that he is included in that tier of players.

Kawhi Leonard, SF San Antonio Spurs – Steph Curry is having an incredible season, but it wouldn’t be crazy to suggest that Kawhi Leonard could be the MVP of the league right now. That is how impressive he has been for San Antonio. Leonard is the best perimeter defender in the NBA, and that hasn’t changed. However, his offense has improved by leaps and bounds, to the point where he is setting the league ablaze from beyond the arc to the tune of 48.3% shooting on 3.9 attempts per game. Leonard probably won’t become an uber-elite scorer along the lines of Curry, but when a player is as good defensively as he is, the offense is almost a bonus. Oh, and he’s really good offensively. Kawhi Leonard is a superstar by any definition.

Kevin Durant, SF/PF Oklahoma City Thunder – It is safe to say that Kevin Durant is “back”. There was some consternation about whether an injury-plagued 2014-2015 season would take its toll on Durant, but the former NBA MVP has reestablished himself as an elite player with this season’s performance. Durant is averaging 26.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game with 52/41/90 shooting splits, and even with another elite talent in Westbrook in the lineup next to him, he is always capable of a statistical explosion. Durant’s efficiency will always be one of the best parts about his game as well, and there is no doubt that he has played his way back into a starting nod in a largely healthy campaign.

Draymond Green, PF/C Golden State Warriors – This will be a controversial pick in the minds of some, but Green is a one-of-a-kind player on the best team in the league. He will never post numbers along the lines of a player like Anthony Davis or DeMarcus Cousins, but Green’s two-way impact is immeasurable, and Golden State’s offense can only function with Green operating in his unique way as a creator and jack-of-all-trades. His progression as a 3-point shooter (42.3%) has also been noteworthy and Green does stuff the stat sheet (15.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists per game), but this inclusion is made possible by his team’s greatness (36-3 record) and his overall value.