Will Trae Young (left) and Tyrese Maxey be named East All-Star reserves this season?
Regularly, NBA.com writers weigh in on important stories and trending topics from around the league.
Who are the Eastern Conference All-Star reserves?
Editor's note: All-Star reserves will be officially announced Thursday night on TNT (7 p.m. ET).
steve ashburner
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
- Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
- Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
- Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
- Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Julius Randle, New York Knicks
When I submitted my media ballot to the league, Brunson is the starter here, so he's an automatic choice here. The others' cases are self-evident: either second-line players on top prospects (Maxey, Brown) or mainstays on teams at the next tier (Adebayo, Banchero, Mitchell). The toughest game for me was Randle's old school impact versus Trae Young's score/pass combo game. The Knicks' team success worked in Randle's favor.
brian martin
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
- Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
- Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
- Julius Randle, New York Knicks
- Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
When choosing a starter, I debated Brunson or Maxey as the second guard behind Tyrese Haliburton. Now that Damian Lillard is a potential starter, I'm using them as reserve guards. In the front court, Brown takes second spot on Celtics, especially Kristaps Porzingis, who has missed double-digit games. Bam Adebayo has numbers and versatility on both sides.
Randle will likely be replaced due to a shoulder injury, but he will be recognized here. Donovan Mitchell was an easy choice as a wild card. He was there with Brunson and Maxey as must-have pick guards. There were several candidates in the final slot. Trae Young, Derrick White and Scottie Barnes were considered, but Banchero was the choice, leading the Magic above .500 as they approached the 50-game mark.
Sean Powell
- Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
- Julius Randle, New York Knicks
- Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
- Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
- Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Let's not waste a quick explanation (Mitchell, Brunson, Maxey, Brown, Adebayo, Randle) and get straight to the point. Biased pick, it would be Young. I can see why people despise him, as if Hawks is swooning because of him (which he isn't). Regarding Atlanta's place in the standings, I placed more emphasis on team performance for big awards (MVP, defense, All-NBA, etc.) than All-Star. So the pick-and-roll maestro, who averages 27 points and 10 assists, will be in the mix. Sorry, Paolo Banchero. Your time has come.
John Schuman
- Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
- Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
- Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Julius Randle, New York Knicks
- Derrick White, Boston Celtics
The top three candidates, Brunson, Maxey and Mitchell, are all guards. Randle is the only candidate in the frontcourt to pen, with Adebayo and Brown both candidates despite having smaller resumes than they did a year ago. The last spot will be whiteBecause defense and efficiency are important, and the best teams in the league are at their best with him on the floor. The Magic's success lies in their defense and good bench play, so Paolo Banchero will miss out on a spot, but with Randle injured, he could get a spot either way.
Michael C. Wright
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
- Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
- Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
- Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
- Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
An argument could be made that both Brunson and Mitchell deserve to be starters. The same goes for Maxey, who is the frontrunner for the Kia Motors Most Valuable Player award. These three deserve to be All-Stars. That's because each player in the trio plays a key role on a top-five team in the Eastern Conference. Brown, a two-time All-Star, is a legitimate co-star with Jayson Tatum on the East's best team. He belongs. Julius Randle, Myles Turner, and Kristaps Porzingis each deserve consideration for the final three spots. But the NBA All-Star Game is all about entertainment. So, Adebayo, Banchero and Young are suitable. In that perspective.
