2016 NBA All-Star Game: 5 biggest snubs for starters

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 30: (l to R0 Drake, NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum,, MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke, at Toronto Raptors event announcing the 2016 NBA All-Star game being hosted by the Raptors, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, September 30, 2013. (Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

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Jan 14, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) shoots from the foul line during the third quarter of the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Chicago Bulls won the game 115-111 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Jimmy Butler

In his fifth season in the NBA and with the Chicago Bulls, shooting guard Jimmy Butler has taken the reigns as the unquestioned leader of his team. He’s been a consistently dominant force on both ends of the floor in the Windy City and has left his backcourt mate in Derrick Rose in the dust in terms of productivity and importance to his team. Subsequently, it’s unreal that he wasn’t voted in as a starter for the All-Star Game ahead of D-Wade and Kyrie.

Through his first 41 games of the 2015-16, Butler has put up 22.4 points, five rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 18 steals per game. While his efficiency from long range has dipped considerable in relation to last season (falling 6.1 percentage points), that he’s still shooting a solid 45 percent from the field overall is impressive. His numbers are unavoidably great for the Bulls this season, but even better when you consider just how meaningful and important that production has been to his team in terms of them staying relevant in the East despite injuries and inconsistency.

It’s actually quite baffling that a fan-base as rabid as the Bulls’ didn’t vote their team’s best player into the All-Star Game, but Butler has definitely been good enough to deserve those honors.

Next: No. 2 Andre Drummond

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