Rockets GM has issue with All-Star voting that won't see Harden start

If any franchise knows about the flaws of the NBA's All-Star voting process, it's the Houston Rockets.

For years during the Yao Ming era, Rockets players would have inflated vote totals due to large contingents of Chinese voters - the league even introduced ballots in Chinese for the first time - who rooted for the Rockets. This seems like conjecture, but the evidence was there, with Yao even being voted in one season in which he had played just five games and was out injured.

The tables have turned some and the Rockets are coming out on the short end of fan voting this season, something that's rubbed general manager Daryl Morey the wrong way. Because fans have to vote for two guards and three frontcourt players rather than just five players, Rockets star James Harden finds himself outside of the Western Conference starting lineup.

Morey's referring to a change from the old format of two guards, two forwards and a center, which many complained was too misrepresentative when voting totals came in. Because Harden is listed as a guard, he has to compete with Steph Curry and Kobe Bryant for votes, and even though he's fourth overall in West voting, he wouldn't - and won't - be a starter.

That's unfortunate considering Harden is leading the league in scoring with 27.7 points per game, is averaging 6.1 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.9 steals as well and has led the Rockets to a 22-9 mark despite the team missing three starters for long stretches of play. Morey's correct that Harden has been one of the league's MVPs so far, but getting the starting nod probably isn't that big a deal since he'll be on the All-Star roster without a doubt.