2022-2023 was the last season that the All-NBA Teams were voted on with positions in mind and no requirement for minimum games played. These teams featured 5 players who would not qualify for All-NBA under the new CBA rules. Additionally, numerous players may have moved up or down an All-NBA Team had it already been positionless voting.
Looking towards the 2023–2024 season, which players will take a leap and make All-NBA for the first time, which will make All-NBA again after missing out last season, and which will be omitted entirely due to performance or inability to qualify?
Potential All-NBA Caliber players who are likely to miss the 65-game minimum to qualify (all players listed have not played 65+ games in any of their previous three seasons, keeping in mind that the 2020-2021 season was a slightly shortened season):
LeBron James (55, 56, 45), Steph Curry (56, 64, 63), Kevin Durant (47, 55, 35), Kawhi Leonard (52, 52, 57), Anthony Davis (56, 40, 36), Kyrie Irving (60, 29, 54), Paul George (56, 31, 54), Jimmy Butler (64, 57, 52), Zion Williamson (29, 61, 24), Ja Morant (61, 57, 63), and will play less than 65 games this season due to suspension.
While a few of these superstars could make it more of a priority to hit the 65 game mark (where they must play 20+ minutes), it is impossible to project any of them to be All-NBA with their injury/rest history. After removing the 10 players above from contention, we looked at the next best 30 players, catching anyone and everyone who could potentially make All-NBA. These were the 15 players who missed the cut for All-NBA Team honors:
Domantas Sabonis, Julius Randle, Lauri Markkanen, Jrue Holiday, Jamal Murray, Bam Adebayo, James Harden, Jaren Jackson Jr., Tyrese Haliburton, Karl-Anthony Towns, Khris Middleton, DeMar DeRozan, Darius Garland, Mikal Bridges, Zach LaVine
Now to showcase which players project to make an All-NBA Team for the 2023-2024 season!
All-NBA Third Team – Jalen Brunson
Although Julius Randle was the New York player who made All-NBA in 2022-2023, if you ask any Knicks fan who their best player was last season, the answer you will get is Brunson. Coming over from Dallas last year, Brunson averaged 24.0 PPG and 6.2 APG on 41.6% shooting from three-point range.
He put the idea of Damian Lillard coming to New York to rest with how well he played and how nice of a contract he is on for New York. Instead the Knicks are reportedly waiting for a bigger wing or a big man to become available to help elevate New York alongside Brunson, not in place of him.
Brunson will also likely be taking the reins of starting PG for Team USA this offseason at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. If he is able to help Team USA make a deep run and medal at the World Cup, the traction for him to have a great season and get a ton of All-NBA votes will be off and running. If he helps Team USA win the gold medal, he becomes an instant fan favorite.
All-NBA Third Team – Pascal Siakam
The two-time All-NBA forward enters his eighth season in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors and has a huge contract extension looming. After falling just short of the All-NBA Third Team in 2022–2023, he was no longer eligible for a new contract this summer. However, if he holds out for a bigger deal, he can once again earn himself a supermax deal if he makes All-NBA this upcoming season.
There are rumors that Siakam could be traded before the season begins, but Toronto is typically very stingy with their better players and will never trade Siakam. He is a two-time All-NBA player and averaged 24.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 5.8 APG last season.
Siakam can also likely see his numbers increase in 2023-2024 now that Fred VanVleet’s 19.3 PPG and 7.2 APG have left for Houston. Specifically, his scoring output and playmaking could be on further display since playing through the post with Siakam is now the best, and potentially the only, effective offense Toronto has to offer.
All-NBA Third Team – Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards is still just 21 years old right now and is one of the best up-and-coming players in the NBA. He is poised to further enhance his game next season, and he was already a borderline All-NBA guard last season. In fact, under the new CBA, Edwards, along with Brunson and Siakam, would have been on the All-NBA Third Team based on voting.
Kobe Bryant popped during his 22-year-old season, and it isn’t crazy to think that Edwards could do the same in 2023–2024. After being selected 1st overall in 2020, Edwards has improved his PPG, APG, RPG, SPG, FG%, and 3FG% every season that he has been in the NBA.
If he makes yet another jump from his 24.6 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 5.8 RPG averages (36.9% shooting from beyond the arc) that he had last season, he is in a great spot to make All-NBA and truly take over as Minnesota’s alpha dog. There is also still a small chance that the Timberwolves will move on from Karl-Anthony Towns soon, which would allow Edwards to fill up the stat sheet even further.
All-NBA Third Team – Trae Young
In what feels like a do-or-die season for Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks, he will have as good a chance as ever to make All-NBA due to the number of elite players who probably won’t hit the minimum game threshold. Young led the NBA in total assists last season with 741, and only the NBA Finals MVP, Nikola Jokic (678 assists), was within 100 assists of catching him.
The one-time All-NBA guard was second in the NBA in APG (10.2), behind just James Harden (10.7 APG). Additionally, Young was 8th in the NBA in PPG (26.2). The Eastern Conference Finals run of 2020–2021 feels longer than three seasons ago, but perhaps John Collins departure will be an addition by subtraction and some of the younger Hawks players can finally pop.
Ideally, the Hawks will need to perform better this season to make this a reality, but both Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made the All-NBA First Team in 2022–2023 with losing records, so it is a possibility even if the Hawks struggle yet again.
All-NBA Third Team – De’Aaron Fox
The one mainstay on the 2022–2023 All-NBA Third Team is De’Aaron Fox. The Kings had two All-NBA players last season, mostly due to incredibly good injury luck throughout the regular season, the voting system that benefited Fox’s teammate, Domantas Sabonis, and their drastically outperforming expectations.
This upcoming year, it is likely that only Fox gets the nod from the voters under the new positionless voting style, unless the Kings remain a top three seed in the incredibly tough Western Conference. Averaging 25.0 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 4.2 RPG last season, his numbers were solid, but it was not even his best statistical season of his career. So how did Fox earn his first All-NBA honors? It was his efficiency and clutch statistics that carried his All-NBA case and allowed him to be the first ever winner of the Jerry West Clutch Player of the Year Award.
He has also noticeably bulked up a bit this offseason, which will be important for his durability. Prior to last season, Fox had missed the 60-game mark in each of the previous three seasons, so the 65-game minimum could also be a factor in Fox repeating as an All-NBA player.
All-NBA Second Team – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SGA had an extremely good statistical year in 2022–2023 and has almost single-handedly pushed up OKC’s rebuild timeline. He averaged 31.4 PPG, 5.5 APG, and 4.8 RPG on 51% shooting from the field. While his three-point shooting is still inconsistent, he is getting to the rim at an elite level and also racking up a ton of free throws every game (10.9 per contest last year).
Each passing season, Gilgeous-Alexander makes the Paul George trade for the Los Angeles Clippers look worse and worse. Not only is SGA younger and more reliable than George, but he now has as many All-NBA First Team selections as him.
The young Canadian guard also hit multiple game-winners throughout the season and was named to the All-NBA First Team last season, despite OKC having just a 40-42 record. He will represent the Canadian National Team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup this offseason, alongside a crowded backcourt of Jamal Murray, RJ Barrett, Dillon Brooks, and Lu Dort.
Starting on Team Canada should allow SGA to have some nice momentum entering the 2023–2024 season, along with a better supporting cast, most notably Chet Holmgren.
All-NBA Second Team – Devin Booker
Devin Booker was one of the breakout players of the 2023 NBA playoffs. Exploding for three 45+ point games in the first two rounds of the playoffs, he ultimately ended up averaging a remarkable 33.7 PPG and 7.2 APG. Booker also did so on 58.5% shooting from the field, 50.8% shooting from behind the arc, and 86.6% shooting from the FT line.
Due to these historically great playoff stats, some may argue that next season he will be the best player on the Suns ahead of Kevin Durant. While he did have an injury-riddled 2022–2023 season, playing in just 53 games, his statistics and efficiency were both still comparable to 2021–2022, when he made the All-NBA First Team.
Bradley Beal and Durant may both eat into his shots and touches next season, so Booker might not have All-NBA First Team upside, but the talent is definitely there, and he should still be good for 26+ PPG, 4+ APG, and 4+ RPG on even higher efficiency than last year. If Beal and Durant miss time like they both tend to do throughout the season, he could be in line to have an even bigger season as well.
All-NBA Second Team – Damian Lillard
The Trail Blazers-Lillard saga is still ongoing, as he has requested a trade specifically to the Miami Heat, but Portland’s front office does not seem to be in a rush to abide by his wishes. Does this impact Lillard’s ability to make the All-NBA team next season? Not particularly. After Lillard was drafted 6th overall in 2012 out of Weber State, he has become a seven-time All-NBA guard who can play both on the ball and off the ball as needed.
Dropping 71 points in a game, like Lillard did last season, never hurts your case either. Anywhere that Lillard gets shipped, whether that is South Beach or somewhere else, should be a spot that allows Lillard to shoot the lights out and showcase his playmaking.
He might not average the prolific 32.2 PPG that he did when he made the All-NBA Second Team last season, but he should eclipse 27+ PPG and 7+ APG regardless of his home. The only scenario where he does not make All-NBA is if he suffers another injury or if the Blazers or Lillard think that it is best for him to not suit up until a trade is finalized.
All-NBA Second Team – Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell’s first season with the Cavs was remarkable. Posting career highs in PPG (28.3), FG% (48.4%), and 3FG% (38.6%), he was one of the best offensive players in the entire league. Unlike Rudy Gobert in Minnesota, it is clear that this team suited Mitchell better than the Utah Jazz, and he has instantly become the best Cavs player since LeBron James left for the second time.
Since joining the Cavs, he has also looked slightly more engaged on the defensive side of the ball. In 2022–2023, Mitchell recorded a 71-point game as well, matching Lillard’s masterpiece exactly. Those two are both currently tied for the 8th highest scoring game in NBA History.
Mitchell’s numbers did take a big dip in the playoffs, unfortunately, but he has proven that he can perform well in the playoffs in prior seasons (more specifically in the NBA Bubble). He was still named All-NBA 2nd team in 2022-2023 for his elite regular season. As Darius Garland and Evan Mobley both get better around him, Mitchell should continue to shine as well.
All-NBA Second Team – Jaylen Brown
Jaylen Brown is expected to sign the biggest contract in NBA history soon, worth up to $304 million. Is he worth that much money? Looking at Boston’s game 7 loss against Miami, where he shot 34.8% from the field, 1/9 from three, and turned the ball over eight times, definitely not. With that being said, he did just have the best season of his career and made the All-NBA Second Team in 2022–2023.
Brown averaged 26.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 3.5 APG on 49.1% shooting (all of which were career highs) and showed flashes of being a top 10 player in the NBA. He is likely only this high in the pecking order because of his availability, something that many of the other superstar wings in the league do not possess, but sometimes availability is the best ability.
Regardless, the Celtics should be a top-3 seed in the East again, and Jaylen Brown will be a big reason why, especially after the Celtics decided to trade long-time Celtic Marcus Smart to Memphis.
All-NBA First Team – Joel Embiid
After the Denver Nuggets’ championship run, most would agree that it is now safe to say that Nikola Jokic is the best center in the NBA, not Joel Embiid. However, that does not mean that Joel Embiid’s MVP award last season was invalid or that he will not continue to be an absolute monster on the NBA court.
He looks to build off of his league-leading 33.1 PPG from last season and get back up to the 37%+ three-point shooter that he was in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 (last season he shot an inconsistent 33%). After not playing in 65+ games in any of his first six NBA seasons, he has had two consecutive seasons where he has been very reliable. If this trend continues, Embiid will be good for 30+ PPG, 10+ RPG, and 4+ APG again next season.
The unknown factor that could cause more problems than even Embiid’s injury risk is James Harden’s problem. After opting out of his contract and demanding a trade, as well as Doc Rivers getting fired, the team chemistry on the 76ers continues to be shaky. Luckily, Nick Nurse is an elite coach who should set up Embiid to be successful and can hopefully help lead a deeper playoff run.
All-NBA First Team – Luka Doncic
Last year was an incredibly disappointing season for the Mavericks. After losing Jalen Brunson in free agency, Dallas was unable to spark the same team chemistry that they had when they made the Western Conference Finals in 2021–2022. Despite this, Doncic was one of the few bright spots.
Doncic went nuclear numerous times throughout the season, most memorably when he dropped a 60-point triple-double. He averaged 32.4 PPG, 8.0 APG, and 8.6 RPG on solid efficiency and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 2022–2023. Doncic will once again try to carry a mediocre Slovenia team in international play at the 2023 FIBA World Cup this off-season, whose second-best player is probably Vlatko Cancar.
This is honestly just what he and the Mavs needed, though. This will force Luka to stay in tip-top shape and keep him in form before the NBA season gets up and running. With the Mavs projected to improve from last season and Luka getting a full offseason to mesh with Kyrie Irving, he should find himself in this spot again next year.
All-NBA First Team – Jayson Tatum
The Celtics superstar has made the All-NBA First Team in back-to-back years, so the 25-year-old making it again this upcoming season should not come as a surprise. Last season, he had his best season of his career, averaging a career-high in PPG (30.1), RPG (8.8), and APG (4.6). The Celtics’ fell short of their ultimate goal of an NBA championship yet again, but the “what-if” factor of Tatum not rolling his ankle on the first play of game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals is still there.
While his 3-point shooting was highly unpredictable and he had his least efficient shooting season from beyond the arc, if he improves this and gets back to a league-average percentage on similar volume, he is easily averaging 32+ PPG and would be in the running to lead the league in scoring.
He should also be getting his running mate and best friend, Jaylen Brown, back on the team next season, which was not a certainty a season ago. Tatum is just now entering his prime, and that should be a very scary thing for the league.
All-NBA First Team – Giannis Antetokounmpo
At this point, Antetokounmpo is as consistent and reliable as it gets for an NBA superstar. In each of the last three seasons, he has averaged between 11.0 and 11.8 RPG and between 5.7 and 5.9 APG to go along with scoring outputs of 28+ PPG since 2019. Additionally, in three of the last four seasons, he has averaged exactly 55.3% shooting.
The two-time MVP is still elite defensively, too. He is mentioned in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation year in and year out, and next season should be no different. Despite the first-round exit against the eventual Eastern Conference Champions, the Miami Heat, the Bucks still project to be very good next year.
Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez are all set to return to assist Antetokounmpo in 2023-2024, which means their core that won the NBA title in 2021 is still intact. Offensively and defensively, the Greek Freak is a menace, and as long as he plays 65 games, the 28-year-old in the middle of his prime should be a lock for the All-NBA First Team.
All-NBA First Team – Nikola Jokic
For the first time in league history, we could see two true centers on the All-NBA First Team. The reigning Finals MVP missed out on making his third straight All-NBA first team appearance last season due to the old voting structure and Joel Embiid edging him out for the center spot.
Despite this, he proved all of the haters wrong in the 2023 NBA playoffs. Not only were his scoring and playmaking world-class, but his defense was also more than serviceable for a title team. Primarily, this was due to a great defensive scheme by Coach Michael Malone and Jokic’s ability to get deflections, steals, and kicked balls.
Falling just 0.2 APG shy of averaging a triple-double last season, he should find himself averaging 23+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 9+ assists again in 2023–2024. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter back to their full powers to start next season, as well as the Nuggets returning Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Aaron Grodon, and Christian Braun, there is even a chance Jokic leads the NBA in assists.
It will be interesting to see how seriously Jokic takes the regular season after the championship and if there is title fatigue in Denver as a whole. Either way, Jokic is simply too talented to not make the All-NBA First Team next year.
To recap:
All-NBA First Team:
C Nikola Jokic
PF Giannis Antetokounmpo
SF/PF Jayson Tatum
PG/SG Luka Doncic
C Joel Embiid
All-NBA Second Team:
PG/SG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG Devin Booker
PG Damian Lillard
PG/SG Donovan Mitchell
SG/SF Jaylen Brown
All-NBA Third Team:
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Anthony Edwards
PF Pascal Siakam
PG Trae Young
PG De’Aaron Fox