Millions gained and lost as All-NBA Teams announced

Klay Thompson was clearly peeved at being snubbed. Photo / Twitter.

One of the most important days of the NBA calendar happened Friday (NZT) as the All-NBA Teams were announced.

Being selected to one of the three five-man outfits, which are voted on by the media, directly impacts the earning ability of NBA stars, who qualify for enormous extensions by being named among the game's leading players.

Firstly, the teams.

First Team: Stephen Curry (Golden State), James Harden (Houston), Paul George (OKC), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee), Nikola Jokic (Denver)

Second Team: Kyrie Irving (Boston), Damian Lillard (Portland), Kawhi Leonard (Toronto), Kevin Durant (Golden State), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia)

Third Team: Russell Westbrook (OKC), Kemba Walker (Charlotte), LeBron James (LA Lakers), Blake Griffin (Detroit), Rudy Gobert (Utah).

Walker was the final selection but all that matters is that he made it. By doing so, he became eligible to receive a five-year contract extension worth about $221 million from the Hornets if he opts to stay in Charlotte, a reward the NBA put in recently as further incentive to keep players with their current teams.

The Hornets could have offered him about $30 million less if he wasn't selected and failed to earn the criteria for the largest possible contract.

KLAY: 'WHATEVER, I'D RATHER WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP'

Golden State's Klay Thompson, Washington's Bradley Beal and Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns were also in position to cash in with those lucrative extensions, but none was an All-NBA selection.

You can see how much it hurt Thompson when he was informed of the news at a press conference as he shook his head when hearing Walker claimed the final guard spot.

"That's cool and all but when you go to five straight finals — I respect those guys — but when you go to five straight it takes more than a couple of All-NBA guys. It's an all-time team," he said.

"But whatever, I'd rather win a championship than be third team All-NBA.

"It is what it is. I can't control it. Do I think there's that many guards better than me in the league? No."

Thompson will be about $30 million poorer as a result. Instead of a five-year, $221 million supermax from Golden State, the most the Warriors can offer him now is five years for $191 million.

Klay Thompson learns he didn’t make All-NBA (“Oh I didn’t?”) and is clearly a little ticked (it affects his next contract): “When you go to five straight Finals, it takes more than a couple All-NBA guys...Do I think there are that many guards better than me? No.” pic.twitter.com/bW5DiBavo1

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 23, 2019

LEBRON'S FIRST TEAM STREAK ENDS

LeBron James was voted to the third team, tying the NBA record with his 15th All-NBA selection.

James has been a lock for most of his career, but was no sure thing after an injury-shortened first season in Los Angeles.

His streak of 11 consecutive seasons as a first-team player, a record he shared with Karl Malone, came to an end.

He did, however, make his 15th consecutive appearance on the All-NBA roster — joining Kobe Bryant as the only players to make that many teams in consecutive fashion.

The 15th All-NBA nod also tied James with Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan for the most in league history.

The second-longest active streak now belongs to Curry, who's been on each of the past six All-NBA teams. That means he wouldn't be able to catch Bryant and James' longevity mark until 2028.

Lillard, a second-team selection, can get more than $190 million over four years with a new contract in Portland.

There was no doubt MVP favourite Antetokounmpo was making the First Team but the impact is still worth mentioning. The Greek Freak now qualifies for a five-year extension starting in 2021-22 that would be worth $247.3 million and see him earn $56.3 million in the final year of that deal.