The NBA announced major changes to the 2018 All-Star game format this week in the hope of adding more intensity to the contest.

For the first time in the showpiece event's history, there will not be an Eastern Conference vs Western Conference matchup and players from both sides will be able to line up alongside each other.

There will still be 12 players from each conference but the teams will be selected by two captains who will be the top vote-getters from the east and west.

They will select from the pool of All-Star starters - who will be selected by the fans (50 percent), media (25 percent) and players (25 percent) - and reserves - who will be chosen by head coaches.

The new draft system has added a new level of intrigue to the occasion as the captains will undoubtedly make headlines for who they pick or more importantly, who they don't.

If LeBron James continues his streak as the leading vote-getter in the east, it'll be fascinating to see if he chooses his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Kyrie Irving after he requested a trade this summer and was offloaded to the Boston Celtics.

As yet, it's unclear if this aspect of the All-Star revamp will be televised but recently, Cavs shooting guard J.R. Smith offered a word of caution to the league about how they should go about it.

"That's a hard situation to put guys in. I don't think they're going to release who got picked first. You can't do that," Smith said. "(Being picked last) That's not the best feeling to have if you're an All-Star guy. I don't think they really thought that thing through all the way."

The veteran believes the NBA should release the teams in confidence and not air it out for the public to see as it could have negative effects.

"No, they should not put it on TV. They should not do that. It creates unwanted drama, and unnecessary drama," Smith added. "It's a great format. I like the way they did it, but at the same time ... say Anthony Davis gets picked last on whichever team.

"How do you think he feels about that? As an All-Star, you made the All-Star (team), you're pretty much taking the joy from it away, and now you're making it a problem between me and such and such person because you picked me last. If I was doing it, I wouldn't put it on TV."

How this playground-style theme plays out is arguably more interesting than the game itself as there is still no guarantee that it'll create a competitive game.

But kudos to the league for addressing the issue and attempting to make a change for the benefit of the fans.