The All-Star starters have been announced, and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry will be one of the two team captains. Who might he be targeting to beat LeBron James’ squad? We have some guesses.
Stephen Curry got his wish. Days after making it clear that he would enjoy captaining one of the two NBA All-Star teams, he edged out teammate Kevin Durant for that honor.
With privilege comes responsibility, and it is now on the Golden State Warriors star to build a winner. We’ve seen great rosters come together around him before, but he was not the one actually drafting Klay Thompson at No. 11 or Draymond Green at No. 35.
That is not to doubt Curry. He can do all things, and picking from a pool of superstars is relatively easy compared to, you know, hitting a 38-foot buzzer beater with a hand in your face. This is a new challenge, though, one that takes advanced planning and prep work.
Let’s assume for a moment that players will actually try — both in the draft and on the court — to win this year’s All-Star Game. Under that premise, here is a look at what Curry’s big board might look like.
8. Kyrie Irving
Any point guard voted in as a starter would sink to the bottom of Curry’s board, but Irving moreso than others. Steph’s catch-and-shoot game and ability to get open away from the ball would mesh great with a John Wall/Chris Paul type, but he’ll hardly be interested in playing alongside a score-first 1.
Despite their shared mockery of James last summer, there is almost certainly still some on-court animosity between the two, seeing as each player has hit a title-sealing shot over the other’s head in the last two years (Irving’s was a little more famous, of course). Seeing as James is the other captain, however, it is almost a certainty that Curry ends up with Irving as the last pick of the starter portion.
7. DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan solves the point guard redundancy issue, but still brings the same borderline ball-hoggish tendencies of Irving. Curry plays every game with shot hunters in Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, but that relationship is more reciprocal due to the space they provide Steph and the defense they play behind him. With DeRozan, it’s more of a one-way street.
6. James Harden
We’re getting closer to the kind of guard Curry likes to play with. Harden defends even less than DeMar, but he certainly stretches the floor as a shooter, as he is on pace to be the first player other than Curry to lead the league in 3s since 2011-12. As one of the game’s best passers and pick-and-roll playmakers, he can also serve as the virtual point guard while Curry moves off ball.
Curry would be thrilled to get Harden late, but he is still not taking any guard above the five forwards and bigs that are on the table.
5. DeMarcus Cousins
We’ve seen what Cousins can do with E’Twaun Moore, Darius Miller and Ian Clark cutting and running off screens. Imagine what he could do with Curry.
There are several reasons, however, that he comes in below the other top big men. Cousins is not a big lob threat, nor is he the type of rim protector that Curry — whose team is an immediate defensive disadvantage to LeBron’s — needs.
4. Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid is a slightly worse Cousins on offense. He dominates in the post and can attack from the perimeter, but isn’t spacing the floor or setting up Curry like Boogie would.
This is still no contest for Steph though. Embiid’s dynamite rim protection and willingness to run the floor make him the type of center Curry needs to play his style and win this game.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
This is the first player that Curry will consider with his first pick. Giannis and Steph in transition would be a sight to behold, not to mention them playing off each other as drivers and cutters in the half court. And if winning the game is the goal, which we are pretending it is, how do you pass on best available guy to defend the captain of the other team?
Antetokounmpo is a little more ball-dominant and worse as a shooter than the two guys above him, but those are his only drawbacks. Also, as an added bonus for Curry, he would avoid all possibilities of this happening again:
2. Anthony Davis
Maybe it would be to fan the flames of the recent Tim Kawakami-inspired chatter, or maybe it would be because Curry wants to play with the best big man in basketball. Either way, Davis is his first pick if James does the expected and takes Kevin Durant No. 1.
All of the devastating lobs we’ve seen from Jordan Bell, JaVale McGee, Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli over the past few years? Those are all because of the bodies that Steph pulls into orbit. Imagine AD in that role, not to mention the complementary ball handling, floor-spacing, floor running, rebounding and dynamic defense he brings.
1. Kevin Durant
If James does not take Durant No. 1, Curry will.
For one, he said he will. Both before the season and since being named captain.
Secondly, if he does not, Durant will know. Do you really think LeBron is not petty enough to whisper to Durant during the All-Star Game practice that he took him in the second round? And do you really think Durant is not petty enough to care? Curry wants no part in that drama.
Thirdly, there’s a reason the Warriors are arguably the best team of all-time: You cannot construct a better duo than Curry and Durant in today’s NBA. Not possible. Certainly not if James isn’t on the board, and maybe even if he is.
Next: The 50 greatest NBA players of all time (updated, 2016-17)
Steph might secretly hope LeBron takes KD first, so he has a chance to play with someone different for a change. But if Durant is available, this is a done deal.