The 2020 NBA All-Star Game is fast approaching, and the Eastern and Western All-Star team starters have been named. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks will start for their respective conferences with reserves expected to be named soon.
While seeing the "Greek Freak" top the ballots is not surprising, the other slots are likely to be up for debate. Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors round up the Eastern Conference frontcourt with Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat at fourth.
Butler has been having a terrific season with the Heat. However, some believe he should be among the top vote-getters. It appears that his history played a role in the whole thing if the words of NBA legend Charles Barkley are to be believed.
For Barkley, Butler should be recognized for lifting the Heat. However, he also said that the reason why the 30-year-old is behind on voting is that colleagues don't like him.
Charles Barkley makes the case for why @JimmyButler was snubbed from the East's #NBAAllStar Starters pic.twitter.com/wL782VxtmZ — TurnerSportsPR (@TurnerSportsPR) January 24, 2020
"Jimmy Butler should be starting. Not just because of the numbers, just because of what he brings to the team (Heat), he gives them identity.
Why was Jimmy Butler 6th in player voting? Charles Barkley: “Because they don’t like him. They think he’s annoying.” — Five Reasons Sports Network (@5ReasonsSports) January 24, 2020
Butler has not exactly been the kind of player that other NBA players would like. He does have a history of conflicts that date back to his stints with the Chicago Bulls and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Most know the infamous rant where he criticized the young core of the T-Wolves, particularly Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. Just recently, he got into it with T.J. Warren of the Indiana Pacers, something that resulted in the ejection of the 26-year-old forward.
All that aside, it comes as a surprise why the four-time NBA All-Star has not raised any kind of tantrum with the Heat. Best of all, the Heat are the hands-down surprise for the 2019-20 NBA season, Heat Nation noted.
Either way, Butler is expected to be part of the Eastern Conference All-Star team. He may not be a starter, but showing what he's got as well as the impact he brings can still be seen even coming off the bench.
