If the All-Star game was today, Blake Griffin wouldn’t start

If the 2016 Toronto All-Star game was today, Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin would not be listed as a starter in the exhibition game.

A lot can change in a calendar year.

Champions change. Players swap teams. And guys familiar with starting in All-Star get pushed into a reserve role as fans find new guys to vote for.

Clippers point guard Chris Paul can attest to that last part. In 2013, Paul was the “it” point guard in the West, once again receiving enough votes to be named a starter for the All-Star team. It had been that way for years, as each season passed with Paul having a vice grip on the “best point guard in the league” discussion. Then Stephen Curry happened, and Paul, since last season, is now an annual add to be selected for the All-Star game by the coaches as Curry gets all of the votes (and I do mean ALL of them — he has more than LeBron James but less than a retiring Kobe Bryant).

It looks like the same could be happening to Blake Griffin, who’s spent the last few seasons as starter on the Western Conference All-Star team. Maybe it’s the growing distaste for the Clippers. Or injury that has kept the forward out of the Clippers’ last six games. Whatever the reason, if the All-Star game started today Blake Griffin would not be a starter as he’s currently fifth in frontcourt votes for the West behind Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Kawhi Leonard.

All-Star voting has never been a representative of player quality, as opposed to the coach’s voting, but given how the season has played out for the forwards listed not named Kobe Bryant (we understand why he’s there; complaining is a waste of time), the fans may have gotten it right.

Griffin is en route to his best season as a professional but there’s an argument behind him being the fourth best forward in the West behind Durant, Green, and Leonard. In regards to Griffin vs. Durant, there’s no competition. In the non-Stephen Curry division of basketball, Durant has a strong claim for best player in the world, and does offense much better than Griffin has and probably ever will.

More from Clipperholics

• Grade the trade: Clippers shockingly land Trae Young in wild proposal
• 3 of the most overpaid players on the LA Clippers’ roster
• Trading for this player covers the Clippers’ biggest weakness
• How will the LA Clippers fare in the in-season tournament?
• Why the LA Clippers should steer clear of recent gold medalist waiver

With Leonard and Green, the debate gets more interesting because those are two players who’s value is directly tied to their ability to put the ball in the basket. The Clippers know just as well as anyone in the world about the talents of Draymond Green, and he’s playing basketball in a way we’ve yet to have seen before him, combining elite shooting, rebounding, playmaking, and defense (averaging 14.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.4 blocks) in a way that makes him a one-of-a-kind template.

And while Green is the jack of all trades, Kawhi Leonard is continuing his trajectory of dominance. Defense was never an issue for Kawhi, and at the league’s peril, the offense is beginning to catch up as the forward is averaging 20.7 points on 51-50-88 shooting splits and 6.9 rebounds per game.

It’s a fun discussion as each of the forwards bring something new to the table, and a clear sign the field is catching up with Griffin despite his wonderous play.

Barring injury, the 2016 All-Star game will be another added to his list, and like in years past, if able to play Griffin will provide fans — of Toronto and the world — a show by way of lobs, dunks, and nifty passing.

The Others

As with Griffin, if the All-Star game started today no other Clippers would be included in the starting five.

Chris Paul currently ranks third, predictably behind Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook, with 268,672 votes.

In the frontcourt, starting center DeAndre Jordan is 14th in froncourt voting with 91,186 votes. Here’s a somewhat funny footnote: Jordan, the Dallas Mavericks’ almost-signed center from this past summer, has less votes than Zaza Pachulia (194,421), the center the Mavericks traded for after Jordan reneged on his word and re-signed the Clippers.

Next: Clippers making a multi-player trade seems more likely now

On another Jordan-All-Star note, no appearance is the world’s most fun exhibition game likely means a “no” from Jordan to the committee that puts together the four contestants for the NBA Slam Dunk contest.

Maybe next year.