The NBA's next first-time All-Stars? Best bets, players knocking on the door and long shots

The Case: Flagg averaged 25.2 points, 7.2 boards, and 5.3 assists over his final 26 full games last season. He was already one of the game's 15 to 20 best players for a stretch of his rookie year. With Kyrie Irving back , his efficiency should improve even more. And even putting aside Kyrie, Flagg could take a leap in Year 2 of his career regardless.

The Hurdle: If Irving's return isn't what the Mavericks are expecting and the team struggles again, the team might not win enough games for voters to give Flagg the nod over players on winning teams. All-Stars will inevitably be in Flagg's future, it's just a matter of when.

The Case: Gordon was averaging 20.3 points while shooting 45.2% from 3 and playing his typically excellent defense to begin last season, all before a hamstring injury derailed his year. But the way the year started hasn't left my mind. Gordon was doing all his typical off-ball scoring alongside Nikola Jokić , but also doing more off the dribble in the post, out of isolation, and in pick-and-rolls. If that type of production carries over to this season, and if he stays healthy, the Nuggets could have first-time All-Stars in consecutive years.