Update: An NBA spokesman denied that Jimmy Butler rejected an All-Star invitation.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver named the great Pacman Domantas Sabonis as Kevin Durant’s All-Star replacement.
What about Heat winger Jimmy Butler, Bucks winger Khris Middleton, the great Bam Adebayo of Heat, the guard at Hawks Trae Young or the guard at Bucks Jrue Holiday?
Ethan Skolnick of Five Reasons Sports Network:
For those who were wondering why Jimmy was not nominated for the All-Star team when Durant left and it was Sabonis, I can say that the NBA wanted to name him for the All-Star team.
Do you basically know what he made known to the NBA?
He would not go, unless Bam did.
Butler is an excellent teammate for players like Adebayo, who share his mindset. This report makes Butler look even better.
But I am not convinced that Butler rejected an invitation from the All-Star.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement requires selected players to play in the All-Star game, unless they are injured or have another reason that the commissioner considers acceptable. The NBA did not announce consequences for Butler. Especially due to complaints from other All-Stars about playing, the league would probably not give Butler permission. That said, the NBA does not announce all fines.
Silver also usually postpones the coaches’ reserve vote when appointing substitutes for injury. The Eastern Conference coaches gave preference to the players who are having the best seasons, rather than the best players. Sabonis played 50% more games than Butler. This is very important when judging the quality of the season. Therefore, Butler – the best player – could easily have fallen behind Sabonis in relation to Silver.
Even though Butler rejected an All-Star invitation, he did not necessarily do so out of loyalty to Adebayo. Butler was left out of an All-Star game in normal times. He is now coming out of an exhaustive bubble race and coronavirus-related absence. He may just want a break.
Butler is scheduled to take his chance. At that point, someone predisposed to support Butler can try to frame him in the most flattering terms possible (he earned All-Star status, he put his teammate first) – accurately or not.
But I don’t need that report to know that Butler deserved to be an All-Star.