Utah Jazz: Answers to 10 Big Questions at Midseason
By Ryan Aston
Will Hayward and/or Gobert make the All-Star roster?
As a Top 5 team in the West, the Jazz are definitely deserving of some All-Star representation and, in my estimation, both Hayward and Gobert have earned their spots. Whether or not they actually get them could be another matter entirely.
In my mind, their chances boil down to a couple of factors, assuming neither is named an All-Star starter. First, there’s the question of how many players the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers send to the game. I feel like the combined number should be around five or six, but it could be as many as eight or nine. Right off the top, things start to get tricky for the Jazz duo (and less than great for the league, in my opinion).
The second thing to watch, and one that is difficult to gauge, is how Western Conference coaches will view good players on bad or underperforming teams, i.e. Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and Damian Lillard. I think all three are proven All-Stars. If all three make it, however, it could mean that one or both of Hayward and/or Gobert get left out.
The last thing to consider is injuries. For example, does someone like Blake Griffin play in the All-Star Game after missing time and, if not, does a Jazz player get the call as an injury replacement?
Time will tell.
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