CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 16: LeBron James #2 of Team LeBron dribbles the ball while being guarded by Donovan Mitchell #24 of Team Giannis in the third quarter during the 69th NBA All-Star Game at the United Center on February 16, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz could host the All-Star Game with no All-Stars
The Utah Jazz may enter the 2022 NBA season with no All-Stars. After trading Rudy Gobert and coming close to dealing away Donovan Mitchell, the Jazz will enter the 2022-23 NBA season with zero current All-Stars, and no one is looking like they might take the spot.
I have high hopes for rookie Walker Kessler, but he won’t be a rookie All-Star, and Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley, Patrick Beverly, and Bojan Bogdanovic are nowhere close to playing at that level.
Utah Jazz could have zero All-Stars next season
Plenty of teams don’t have any All-Stars, but this is special because Vivant Arena, home of the Jazz, will host the festivities in 2023. Since the ABA/NBA merger, there have been 45 All-Star Games, with no game in 1999 due to the lockout. Of those 45 games, the hosting team has had a representative in the flagship game 29 times. In 2007, the game was in Las Vegas, which doesn’t host an NBA team. From 1990-1994, Miami, Charlotte, Orlando, and Minnesota all got to host the game, but those shouldn’t count since the home team was within five years of their inception, making it very hard to claim an All-Star.
The 1977 Bucks, 1978 Hawks, 1985 Pacers,1998 Knicks, 2000 Warriors, 2001 Wizards, 2003 Hawks, 2005 Nuggets, 2018 Clippers and Lakers, 2020 Bulls, and 2021 Hawks all hosted without a star of their own. If the Jazz trade Donovan Mitchell, they could be the next team on the list.
75% of all NBA All-Star Games have had the host team field at least one player. Only two of the last five had had the home team get a representative, so maybe the Utah Jazz will continue the very modern trend. If Mitchell stays, this could be a defining moment in his career, as national media rarely gives Salt Lake City any degree of attention. If Mitchell were to win All-Star MVP at home, however, he could cement his legacy as one of the top five Jazzmen ever.
