3 Lakers besides LeBron and Anthony Davis who should absolutely be on the All-Star Game ballot
Starting today, Dec. 19, fans can begin casting ballots for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game and it is one of the most exciting times of the year for fans. This is where they get to put their imprint on the game and decide who the best and most popular players in the NBA are.
Ever since the fans voted for Zaza Pachulia to be an All-Star, the NBA had to change their voting system for the game. The fans are only allowed to vote for the starters which counts for 50 percent of the tally. The media and players also get to vote on the starters, which are both worth 25 percent each. Then the coaches alone vote for the reserves.
When it comes to the starting lineup the fans have the biggest influence. Teams with large fanbases can influence the ballot which is why Andrew Wiggins was an All-Star starter in 2022.
The Los Angeles Lakers have one of, if not, the largest fanbase in the NBA and can have a major influence on the ballot. The Lakers have two obvious All-Stars in LeBron James and Anthony Davis but, their fanbase is so large that they could push other players toward being All-Star starters, even if they eventually fall short.
Here are three Lakers who could get a lot of votes over the next few weeks.
3. Rui Hachimura
Rui Hachimura was a midseason acquisition for the Lakers last year and instantly became a fan favorite after their postseason run. It felt like he couldn't miss and his .557/.487/.882 playoff shooting splits suggest that he wasn't missing too.
This season Hachimura is putting up very similar numbers to his postseason run. He's averaging 11.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists on .497/.377/.778 shooting splits. Based on those numbers there is no reason for Hachimura to be an All-Star.
Considering that the Western Conference frontcourt includes players like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Domantas Sabonis, Karl-Anthony Towns, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Alperen Şengün, to name a few, Hachimura is not going to make it.
What Hachimura has, that a lot of those players don't, is the Los Angeles Lakers fanbase. Laker fans have pulled off many feats when it comes to getting players on the ballot. In 2022, Carmelo Anthony was a top-10 frontcourt vote-getter, in his last season, putting up similar numbers to Hachimura. Last season, before Austin Reaves broke out, he was a top-10 backcourt vote-getter.
If you wanted to take a mortgage out on your house to bet on the fact that Rui Hachimura won't make the All-Star game, you'll probably win that bet. But there is a chance that Laker fans will give him enough votes to be a top-10 finalist for the starters.