When Paul George was named to the All-Star Game yesterday, every LA Clippers fan was happy for him. His struggles last season have been well documented and while this isn’t the pinnacle of where he wants to be, it’s still nice to see him rewarded for his play so far.
While PG is undoubtedly happy with the nomination, he’s not thrilled that the league is actually having the game and you know what?
Paul George is right that the All-Star Game shouldn’t be happening.
Last night, when asked about the game, he raised a very valid point explaining his own personal experience with the league office this season.
"I got fined for spending time with a teammate, or having a teammate over, and yet we are having this All-Star Game."
It is a weird juxtaposition between how the league is treating players and how they are treating this game. If player safety is such a concern and the league has gone as far as not allowing players to leave their hotels when on the road, how does flying them to another city for a single exhibition game make sense? Players can bring family members with them but still must remain isolated for the weekend.
Sadly, money talks and the league has been commitments to their sponsors. With each one of the events (Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest, and Dunk Contest) sponsored by different companies, there was no way the league was going to miss out on revenue, especially after they had to cut games in order to play this season.
George isn’t the only All-Star that has opposed playing in the game. Two of the game’s biggest stars, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, have spoken out against the game being played at all.
Alas, the complaints will fall on deaf ears as the league continues to push forward. George and teammate Kawhi Leonard (who was named a starter) will play as will the rest of the selections (barring injuries). The league will get their revenue and hopefully, the season will continue on with no issues.