There is an insane amount of talent in the NBA at the moment, made glaringly evident when we take a step back and think about where things were 10 or 20 years ago. The difference is stark. Not to take away anything from the great players back then, but the talent pool now has never been deeper.
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It’s so deep that the league is reportedly set for its first vote on expansion. That vote will take place next week, and the goal is to grow the league to 32 teams by adding franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas.
All this talent has made for some difficult choices when it comes to NBA awards season. Last year’s battle for the MVP between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic was an all-timer, for instance. And more names have inserted themselves into the race this year. First Team All-NBA is going to be a bloodbath.
There are only five spots to go around, which means voters are going to have to make some difficult choices. On this morning’s First Take, Kendrick Perkins shared his current list, and it didn’t include Luka Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, who has been especially red-hot lately.
“You have SGA, I have Jokic, I have Jaylen Brown, I have Cade Cunningham because [the Pistons] have the best record in the Eastern Conference, and I have Wemby [Victor Wembanyama],” said Perkins.
“[The Spurs] are second in the West. So Luka doesn’t make my First Team All-NBA. I would have him on my Second Team,” he stated.
Luka, who won Rookie of the Year in 2019, before rolling off five straight First Team All-NBA selections. That streak ended last year because injuries kept him from meeting the 65-game threshold to be eligible. He’s currently averaging 32.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 8.5 assists for a team that’s third in the West. Could he really be left out of the First Team?
With the names Perkins rolled off, it’s feasible. SGA, Jokic, and Wemby seem like locks, which then leaves two spots for Luka, Cade, and Brown. He didn’t even mention Anthony Edwards, who also has an exceptionally strong case. So five guys for two spots. That means three will be snubbed no matter what.
It’s possible Big Perk composed his list the way he did to rage-bait Lakers fans. But then, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Luka could lead the league in scoring and still not make the cut. The talent pool is so deep, you see. And it’s getting deeper every year.
