Expectations remain high for the Boston Celtics after reaching at least the second round of the NBA playoffs the past three seasons. Could they possibly exceed those expectations this year by sending four players to the 2020 All-Star game in Chicago?
This season should be a breath of fresh air for Boston Celtics fans after inhaling toxicity in the form of a locker-room dynamic that caused a mass exodus of free agents out of Boston. With these “loses”, however, the franchise managed to find replacements in the shape of top-5 point guard Kemba Walker and stellar offensive big man, Enes Kanter.
In terms of All-Star shoe in’s, the Boston Celtics only posses one in Walker. However, with the excess amount of talent residing on the team’s roster, there is a strong possibility the franchise could see several players voted into the annual February exhibition.
Is it possible the team could send as many as four to All-Star weekend in Chicago?
In recent years, several franchises across the league have rostered as many All-Stars. Most recently, the Golden State Warriors sent their All-NBA quartet of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Prior to that, in 2015, the Atlanta Hawks were able to send four players to New York’s festivities including first time All-Stars Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver.
Is it beyond the realm of possibility that perennial All-Star Walker, former All-Star Gordon Hayward and rising Team USA stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could do the same? It all starts with team success.
Though they are very talented individuals in their own right, guys like Klay Thompson and Kyle Korver were added to the games based off of their team’s success more-so than individual achievements.
There were superior players such as Brandon Knight (2015) and Damian Lillard (2017) who may have been more deserving of an All-Star nod. However, Korver and Thompson were the beneficiaries of a voting system that often rewards the teams with the best records with as many All-Stars as realistically possible.
The Boston Celtics, too, have reaped the benefits of this approach to the game’s selections as they’ve had four All-Stars on three separate occasions, most recently being in 2011.
Boston’s road to as many All-Stars starts with Brown and Tatum showing they can be just as dominant against NBA competition in 2019-20 as they have been this summer during Team USA’s current run leading into the FIBA World Cup in China.
Hayward, on the other hand, needs to make good on the expectations that fellow teammate Enes Kanter and Head Coach Brad Stevens have for him heading into the upcoming campaign. The pre-injury version of Hayward could be the x-factor to Boston reaching the top-seed in the Eastern Conference.
As for Walker, he simply needs to transition his All-NBA level of play from his days with the Charlotte Hornets to the Boston Celtics. With the most talented supporting cast he has ever had, the point guard could be due for his finest season yet.
If the planets align for the Boston Celtics, not only could they earn recognition as one of the top team’s in the association, they could also wind up finding themselves with four All-Stars during the 2019-20 season.
That could mean new deals for both Brown and Hayward next summer, and and extension for Tatum the following. With the Boston Celtics title window open now, the potential luxury tax ramifications could be a price worth paying.