Trending Topics: Picking West All-Star reserves

LeBron James has 21 career All-Star appearances, while Denver’s Jamal Murray has none.

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From time to time, NBA.com’s writers will share their takes on the biggest storylines and trends around the league.

Who are your picks for All-Star reserves from the Western Conference?

> Trending Topics: Picking East reserves

Editor’s Note: The All-Star reserves will be officially announced on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock.

Steve Aschburner

• Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers
• Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
• Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
• LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
• Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
• Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
• Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets

Toughest choice: Kawhi Leonard. I’ve seen random proposed reserve lists that leave off James. But, this is the fan’s game and unless Commissioner Adam Silver plans to add a (ahem) departing veteran to each squad (as we got with Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade in 2019), the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer has to be there. Leonard was tough only because I ran out of spots for both him and James Harden. My suggestion? An All-Star job share, divvying up the weekend obligations and playing time. They both would just be commuting in L.A.

Brian Martin

• Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers
• Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
• Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
• LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
• Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
• Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
• Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets

Toughest choice: After Edwards, Durant, Sengun, Avdija and Murray, this exercise became extremely difficult given the many qualified candidates. Should OKC get two All-Stars, with Chet Holmgren joining Gilgeous-Alexander? With Phoenix exceeding expectations, is Devin Booker deserving? How about Lauri Markkanen, James Harden and Julius Randle? In the end, I went sentimental with two players from L.A. Leonard leads the league in scoring over the past month (32.8 ppg), fueling the host team’s resurgence. While we will eventually have an All-Star Weekend without James, it shouldn’t be this year. The man who has defied Father Time more than any player ever gets a 22nd straight All-Star nod.

Shaun Powell

• Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers
• Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
• Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
• James Harden, LA Clippers
• LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
• Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
• Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets

Toughest choice: I plead guilty to sentimentality here. Harden, James and Durant are all debatable cases, maybe borderline. What about Lauri Markkanen, Chet Holmgren and Devin Booker? All deserving, no question. But when it’s close, I lean toward this: Who do most fans want to see in this showpiece game? It is, after all, an exhibition for the fans. For Harden, Durant and James to have one more chance is what these legends have earned … much like it once was for Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and others at the end of their careers.

John Schuhmann

• Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers
• Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
• Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
• Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
• Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

Toughest choice: James Harden and Alperen Sengun were the toughest omissions. Holmgren got the final spot because, of all the players considered, he is the most efficient scorer of that group. He’s also one of the best defenders in the league and a major contributor to the team with the best point differential in NBA history. The other picks were fairly straightforward.

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