If LeBron James appears in enough games by the All-Star break, he will likely get voted into the game. The fans will vote for him, and his peers probably will, too. Luka Doncic will get in, too. But LA getting three All-Stars seems unlikely, which means James’ presence could ruin Austin Reaves’ first potential All-Star appearance.
Perhaps the Lakers will just get three guys in the game. That would solve all the problems. Or maybe James won’t play in enough games to warrant a selection. That would also make things easier. But with how stacked the Western Conference is, if James and Doncic get in, Reaves could end up getting snubbed.