A day after his former coach, Steve Kerr, chastised NBA players for making a mockery of the All-Star-starter voting process, Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes chimed: "I don't think it was a good idea" for players to vote.
This year, for the first time, votes by NBA players accounted for 25 percent of the balloting. Among the regularities: Nearly 100 players got one vote apiece from themselves or a peer; 128 players did not vote for LeBron James; 154 players did not vote for Kevin Durant.
"I saw some of those results," Barnes said Tuesday. "Whether it was teammates voting for each other, whether it was guys not giving credit to another guy, I don't know how fair it is.
"Then again, leaving it all in the media's hands or leaving it all in the fans' hands, there has to be a balance somewhere. But the player vote is interesting, for sure."
Kerr on Monday said he was disappointed in players, adding: "They've asked for a vote and a lot of them just made a mockery of it. I don't know what the point is."
A vote of NBA coaches determines the All-Star non-starters. Those players will be announced on Thursday.
For the record, Barnes said he did, in fact, vote for James and Durant, who, fortunately, received starting nods.
"Those guys are on two of the best teams in the league. I don't see how they missed the ballot (of some players)."
So should players get a vote in the future? Does what occurred this year hurt the credibility of the voting process?
"I mean, that's ridiculous," Barnes said. "We have to do a better job, if we're going to be taken seriously. Some people might take it as a joke but you get guys on the best teams in the league, leading their teams, I don't see how you'd have an All-Star game without them on there."
