De’Aaron Fox on NBA holding All-Star game: ‘I think it’s stupid’

The NBA is scheduling an All-Star game.

Shams Charania of The Athletic:

The NBA and NBPA have agreed to host the All-Star Game on March 7 in Atlanta, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Sides are finalizing details of the plan as soon as Thursday.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2021

Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, via Jason Jones of The Athletic:

I’m going to be brutally honest, I think it’s stupid. If we have to wear masks and do all this for a regular game, what’s the point of bringing the All-Star Game back?

But obviously money makes the world go round so it is what it is. I’m not really worried about, if I’m voted in, so be it.

You know you get fined if you’re supposed to be in it and you’re not hurt and decide not to play? That’s a hefty fine so hell yeah I would play in it. I hope I don’t fined for staying that. S[***].

The NBA and players’ union were discussing an ability for selected All-Stars to opt out this year, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. It’d be terrible optics for the league to fine a player for not playing in this exhibition amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Presumably, the union has a firm grasp that most of its top players would play. Otherwise, it’s a mistake to hold this event. Though the union did a questionable job of gauging its membership’s willingness to report to the bubble before agreeing to the Disney World restart, the union tends to have a better sense of what its star players want.

Now, I’m almost rooting for De’Aaron Fox to get selected just to see what he’ll do. He has a chance. But the odds are against him.

Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic will almost certainly claim three of the 4-6 slots in the West. That leaves 1-3 slots for players like Fox, Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, Mike Conley and C.J. McCollum. Fewer if Paul George – another All-Star lock – is considered a guard.