The All-Star rosters were announced Thursday night, and as always, there were plenty of snubs.
However, there is still work to be done to finalize the lists.
Two injury replacements will likely need to be named: one for 76ers center Joel Embiid, who is currently out with a meniscus injury, and another for Knicks forward Julius Randle, who has a dislocated right shoulder.
It would be up to commissioner Adam Silver to name those two Eastern Conference players, and he has a long list to choose from. Here are your four best options.
Ranking All-Star Injury Replacements for Joel Embiid and Julius Randle
1. Trae Young, Falcons
There they have There have only been two seasons in NBA history. where a player has failed to make an All-Star team while averaging 25 points, 10 assists and 55 percent true shooting. The first was Young’s season last year. The second is Young’s season this year.
Young was widely considered one of last year’s biggest snubs. He went out and raised his numbers even more, averaging 27.0 points and 10.9 assists per game. He’s one of the best offensive players in the league, but he still couldn’t be recognized when the coaches selected the reserves on Thursday.
He’s certainly not a defensive stopper, but Young’s 6-1 size makes it very difficult for him to make an impact on that end of the floor. Despite those limitations, he has been better lately.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder has He publicly praised Young’s defensive effort in the media, urging people to “change the narrative” given the way he sacrificed his body, picked players all over the court, and played well both with and without the ball. Young has also made several game-saving defensive plays this season.
Trae Young has always been a strong defensive performer for the Hawks this season.
These are some of his best saves in critical late-game situations ? pic.twitter.com/4csUJOJxfi– joe schmidt (@Joe_Schmidt07) January 12, 2024
The Hawks haven’t been a great team, but Young has done everything they’ve asked of him and more. He has been one of the top 12 players in the East.
2. Kristaps Porzingis, Celts
The Celtics have the best record in the league, giving them a strong case for a third All-Star in addition to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Porzingis should be that guy.
Brown got the nod over Porzingis, but Porzingis has arguably been the most important Celtic this season. The big man has averaged 19.4 points with good efficiency, using his 35.0 percent shooting from deep to help spread the floor.
Porzingis has made life much easier for Tatum and Brown by giving them an easy target to hit on pick-and-rolls while also being able to get his own in the post and draw a lot of fouls when trying to finish inside the arc. .
Porzingis has been stellar defensively, averaging 1.9 blocks per game. It’s a huge reason why the Celtics have kept a top three defense.
3. Scottie Barnes, Raptors
Barnes took the reins of the Raptors and put up All-Star numbers in the process. He averages 20.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Only five players have reached those marks this season. The other four (Nikola Jokic, Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic) were selected as obvious starters for the team.
What makes Barnes’ case even stronger is that he arguably has more impact on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive one. He is an extremely versatile defender who has stopped guards and centers, sometimes within the same possession. He has become a great weak-side rim protector, flying in to help teammates who get beat off the dribble. And he is an engine of chaos, ranking 10th in the league in total steals.
4. Pascal Siakam, Pacers
Siakam made the All-Star Game last year due to injury. It would be a good story, since this year’s game will be played in Indiana. He also deserves to get in because of his production. He is averaging 22.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists on the year.
As a coach, there aren’t many 6-8 player forwards out there. Rick Carlisle noticed when the Pacers acquired him. He is one of the best players in the league when it comes to getting to his spots to score, that is, the mid-range zone. He’s fantastic in transition. And while his defense hasn’t been at the level of previous seasons, he’s still a talented player on that end of the floor.
