Dirk/Love/Duncan/ZBO/Griffen/LMA are the ones in contention this year, all but Griffen/Dirk should be able to qualify as a C too. Duncan's last year should have been his last in the all star game so LMA has quiet tough competition to get in but I think he'll do it.
Durrant is a forward also, remember. I think last season was the last sympathy vote for Duncan. As long as a couple of those guys slide to center. I think he'll make it! Shit Yao will probably be voted the starter though, huh?
Its forward not SF and PF? Hmm didn't remember it being that way but even if it is the all star SF in the west are Durant and??? umm.... Rudy Gay?
I think LaMarcus has a good chance. 1) It is fully his team now. That gives him a good chance to equal or improve on last years numbers. 2) He was considered nationally to be an All-Star "snub" last season. 3) He might play a lot of center this year and could be picked for that position. Last year forwards and centers for West: Durant Carmelo (traded to East) Yao (retired) Dirk Gasol Blake Griffin Tim Duncan Kevin Love (was the injury replacement for Yao) So the West had 8 forwards and centers. East had 7. Baring injury (of course); Durant and Dirk should be locks. After that, I think it is pretty wide open for the remaining slots. Who is listed at center or forward can make a really big difference in who makes the team. If the West were to pick the 8 best "Bigs", for example and list Gasol, Aldridge or Duncan at center - everyone deserving can make it. In the West, the better forwards are better than the top centers. So, of the guys listed above, there could be room for anywhere from 6 of them (8 forwards and centers, two moved to center) to as little as 3 of them (7 forwards and centers, 2 center slots going to true centers, ie Bynum). 3 to 6 slots for Gasol; Duncan, Griffin; Love; LaMarcus; plus other guys like Bynum, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Al Jefferson, Rudy Gay, Nene, Lamar Odom and Gerald Wallace! We don't know what is happening to Gasol, what team will he be on, what is his role, will he be listed forward or center,etc.. His year could start out great, giving him an All-Star berth, or it could be a terrible year. Duncan is still a sentimental favorite, but his numbers were not up to the rest of the West bigs. If he doesn't improve his numbers the season, he could fall off the team.
It all depends on whether he gets out of the gates quicker this year than in year's past. Those slow starts are a killer for a mid-season recognition like All-Star voting.
Masbee--kind of funny to me to think Gerald Wallace is in All Star contention talks, but he was one in 2010 the last time he played with Felton. As crowded as it is in the West, I don't see it happening. But he'll be on the ballot and I'd love for him to play well enough to get a vote or two.
