The newly minted Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jimmy Butler threatens Gordon Hayward’s spot on the Western Conference All-Star team. The same scenario goes for the trade which netted Oklahoma City Thunder Paul George from the Indiana Pacers. On the other coast, the NBA’s Eastern Conference now has two vacant All-Star spots for a forward.
Second, both the Wolves and the Thunder, along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets, are in same Northwest Division as the Utah Jazz. While only the Thunder pose a serious threat for the top spot in the division, the more imminent effect arises from the Jazz playing the most games during the season against teams within its own division.