As is, unfortunately, typically the case the week before the NBA All-Star Game, Adam Silver had some decisions to make regarding injury replacements for this coming weekend’s festivities in San Francisco.
With Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo out through the All-Star break with a calf strain and Mavs star Anthony Davis out with an adductor injury, Silver would need to add a player to the All-Star roster from each conference — even with the new mini-tournament format that features three teams drafted by the Inside the NBA crew. On Monday, Silver made the selection in the East, putting Hawks guard Trae Young on Team Chuck in place of Antetokounmpo, rewarding the NBA’s assists leader with his fourth All-Star selection.
Young is averaging 23.5 points and 11.4 assists per game for the Atlanta Hawks, as he has been at the center of everything Atlanta is doing offensively this season with Dejounte Murray now in New Orleans. He — and Jalen Johnson, who had an All-Star case before he was lost for the season with a shoulder injury — has led the Hawks to a 25-28 record as the All-Star break nears despite a number of injuries and has Atlanta firmly in the Play-In race out East in ninth currently.
The other candidates for the replacement spot in the East were Tyrese Maxey, Franz Wagner, and Jarrett Allen, but Young, as the NBA’s assists leader, had the most compelling case and earns a trip to San Francisco. As for the replacement pick out West, that will have to wait until Davis is officially ruled out, as his injury timeline has not been announced by the Mavericks yet as he continues to go through tests.
