Knicks' Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns deserve my All-Star vote

Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson of the Knicks look on during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 13, 2024. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The NBA has been in full All-Star promo mode and the teams are no different, touting their players on social media, begging for votes and stating cases for a spot.
I have a ballot this year and don’t get the “your vote counts as three” or “support the home team” push, but as a media member I do have one odd emotion — Am I being a homer if I vote for two Knicks?
So in the mode of transparency I’m going to work through my ballot and my reasoning here — and take the rocks that come my way.
EAST
Frontcourt
The three selections here are so easy with injuries clearing much of the field that would have earned consideration. So it’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum and Karl-Anthony Towns.
There are a few off this group who will make the roster — Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen of Cleveland, maybe Pascal Siakam and even Jalen Johnson — but it’s a clear line between the top three and the rest.
Backcourt
This is where it gets complicated. First, while I’m in line with the fan vote in the frontcourt, LaMelo Ball isn’t getting my vote. He won’t for the top two spots and it’s not close.
The two spots here are going to players who not only are near the top of statistical categories, but are the clear leaders on and off the floor for their teams. And that second part is the differentiator between my two choices and a number of players who deserve consideration and almost certainly will earn a spot in the game, just not in the starting five on the voting.
These players include Cleveland’s Darius Garland, Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard, Atlanta’s Trae Young and Detroit’s Cade Cunningham.
But my vote goes for Donovan Mitchell of Cleveland and Jalen Brunson. And I hope anyone who reads me and has blamed me for being negative during the 17-win seasons realizes that Brunson and Towns are objectively clearly deserving.
WEST
Frontcourt
Much tougher than the East, there is one clear pick in Denver’s Nikola Jokic. And then it comes down to sorting through the standings, statistics (including games played) and also throwing in the parameters we used in East guards such as leadership.
So some like Alperen Sengun, Domantas Sabonis and Jaren Jackson might get reserve spots. But the real tough decision is measuring Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Anthony Davis against Victor Wembanyama. I’ll go with Durant and LeBron this time — and assume the other two will be in the game.
Backcourt
The easiest choice among all the picks this year is the first guard spot — going to OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is deservedly a front-runner for MVP honors at the midpoint of the season. But the second spot? Luka Doncic has played just 22 games so he’s out. De’Aaron Fox is putting up numbers but also has been floated in trade rumors as Sacramento already swapped out coaches. So I’ll narrow it to Anthony Edwards, Kyrie Irving and Steph Curry. Curry is getting a spot with the game in San Francisco so we’ll just acknowledge that and put him in there and figure the other two are headed for reserve roles.
Perimeter problems
The Knicks moaned after the loss to Minnesota Friday about their three-point defense — with good reason, having surrendered 22-for-40 from beyond the arc to Minnesota, which was without Donte DiVincenzo, their hottest shooter from long range of late.
But it’s not a one-night problem. The Knicks have surrendered 37.8% from beyond the arc this season, fifth worst in the NBA and are tied for ninth in the most threes allowed (13.8 per game).
“There’s always room for improvement in every single aspect of our game and we’re not going to just single that out,” Brunson said. “It may have looked like that tonight but as a team we just need to be locked in and for me I have to be locked in as well. It starts with me.”
“There’s always room for improvement,” OG Anunoby said. “We can always get better. Sometimes we were there and they made the shots. Sometimes we weren’t there and they didn’t make the shot. That’s just how it went. But they made more shots than missed.
“I guess they’re just making shots so I guess we’re not doing a good job of closing out. We got to improve on that”
Trade talk
The Knicks issues with depth have been apparent all season long and while they’ve managed to avoid any injury issues related to it, the starters have played long minutes and kept the team on the right path at 27-16. But they need help — whether internally or before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
Getting that help though remains a tough ask. Mitchell Robinson remains the key — either coming to help, backing up Karl-Anthony Towns or playing alongside him. But Robinson remains in limbo where he has been for most of last season and this one. He is rehabbing with little clarity on when or if he will return to the lineup.
The Knicks certainly know better than anyone what his status is. But speaking with league sources, other teams have little faith that he's not a risk without seeing him on the floor. And that risk is the same for the Knicks and for other teams. Who will trade for Robinson when he’s had repeated foot and ankle injuries? And can the Knicks count on him to get healthy and stay healthy?
It’s not just Robinson’s status that holds up his trade possibilities. But Precious Achiuwa just cleared the deadline which now opens him up for trades and Jericho Sims wouldn’t mind finding a new home with more opportunities. The Knicks are hesitant to move one of them until they know if they have Robinson back. One thing that seems likely now is that Robinson won’t be in a game before the deadline.