5. All-Star replacement
Let’s get the least important bit out of the way first: DeMarcus Cousins going down for the year means someone will have to take his place on LeBron James‘ All-Star team.
That player will come from the Western Conference, and will be chosen by commissioner Adam Silver.
If DeMarcus Cousins is not able to play in the All-Star Game, and hopefully he can, Adam Silver — not LeBron James — would pick the injury replacement.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 27, 2018
The main question, particularly in a conference loaded with All-Star “snubs,” is who will take his spot? There are plenty of worthy candidates in the West, including Chris Paul, Paul George, Lou Williams, Devin Booker, Nikola Jokic and C.J. McCollum.
More than likely, the next-leading vote-getter among the reserves from the head coaches’ vote tally will take his place.
Would really rather talk about All-Star implications later ... but since so many of you are asking be advised that the league does often turn to the next-closest reserve in the coaches’ voting when it’s time to make an injury replacement selection
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 27, 2018
However, given that Silver gets to make the choice and is sensible when it comes to these kinds of equations, it seems most likely that he’d select a frontcourt player to replace Cousins, a center. That doesn’t necessarily mean a center, but a small forward, power forward or center could be on the table.
PG-13 may have been classified as a guard when All-Star voting began, but he seems like the best choice at this juncture. CP3 missed too many games, Lou Will’s All-Star case doesn’t quite stack up to George’s and Devin Booker’s team hasn’t won enough games.
Jokic is another possible frontcourt candidate, but his numbers have taken a hit this year and George’s stellar two-way play for a surging Oklahoma City Thunder team gives him the edge as Cousins’ most likely replacement in the All-Star Game.