Who should replace DeMarcus Cousins on Team LeBron for 2018 All-Star Game?
By Dave Daniels
The NBA will soon have to decide who to replace DeMarcus Cousins with in the 2018 All-Star Game.
DeMarcus Cousins had a fantastic season, but it ended for him recently after an injury to his Achilles. It’s hard not to feel bad for Cousins and the fans in New Orleans, because having two starters in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game would have been phenomenal for them. But the NBA is a wheel that never stops turning, and they must now decide who will replace Cousins in the lineup. LeBron James drafted the big man due to the league format changing this season, and so it will be interesting to see if NBA commissioner Adam Silver seeks out LeBron’s opinion on who the league will pick.
It will also be fascinating if the NBA selects someone from the Western Conference since that is where Cousins currently plays. There are a lot of quality options no matter which way the wind blows.
If the NBA restricts the selection to the West, then the obvious contenders are Chris Paul, Paul George, Nikola Jokic and Clint Capela. Paul’s the standout in that group, but that is mainly because he is the most likely to throw up 20 alley-oops during the game. He’s a dynamite player too, who has turned the Houston Rockets from a playoff team to a contender. George would also be a worthy selection, but the NBA (or LeBron) might decide they would rather go with a big man like Jokic or Capela.
The potential players from the Eastern Conference include Andre Drummond, Kemba Walker and Otto Porter.
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CP3 seems most likely to get the nod. There are a lot of reasons to pick him other than the alley-oops. His team is second in the Western Conference standings, and they have a ridiculous record when Paul is in the lineup. It also can’t be overlooked that he is a close friend with James. The league should decide on a replacement within the next few days, but condolences to Cousins. He was having a truly amazing season, and he deserved to be honored for it over All-Star weekend.