Are you ready for All-NBA selection chaos? Plus, key injury update for Timberwolves

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 03: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots a jump shot over the reach of Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of a game at Fiserv Forum on April 03, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
By Zach Harper and Shams Charania
Apr 9, 2024

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I’m old enough to remember when the solar eclipse was just Wemby’s hand blocking an orange sphere. 🖐️👽

All-NBA Chaos

We want positionless voting, right?

For years, many of us have called for All-NBA teams to better reflect the league. We didn’t want to remain pigeonholed into selecting centers when the NBA world has long been positionless. Now, as we prepare to make ballot selections and figure out who will end up where for All-NBA consideration, I have already started to wonder if this does in fact improve the process. Or does it just bring about a lot of chaos?

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We were talking about it on yesterday’s BasketBuds episode of The Athletic NBA Show Podcast. Myself, Jay King and former NBA player Josh Huestis were trying to figure out which selections could be from players on the bubble for All-NBA consideration. I walked away from it feeling a little confused and, at times, even a bit overwhelmed. First and foremost, we can probably all agree on the five players making All-NBA First Team: Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum are likely going to be the five.

Maybe you want to make an argument for Anthony Edwards over Tatum? It’s possible you believe Kevin Durant should be in the top five. Ultimately, though, individual production, play and team success favoring Tatum is hard for any other options to overcome. From there, things get complicated.

Quick reminder: You must play 65-plus games to qualify for All-NBA honors, meaning Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell, Kyrie Irving and Trae Young are all out off the rip.

We have 10 spots left. Jalen Brunson, Durant and Edwards are all getting selected. Jaylen Brown will make the cut. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and LeBron James should each make it. Domantas Sabonis has to be there. And, if all of those play out (for the sake of argument), we are left with one spot left before we even mention Steph Curry. And he has to be acknowledged, right?

Guys like Paolo Banchero, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Davis, Tyrese Maxey, Zion Williamson, Devin Booker and Alperen Şengün (63 games but out for the season, so he should loophole into consideration) would all then get snubbed except for one. Rudy Gobert, who has led the league’s best defense and has helped Minnesota contend for the No. 1 seed, should probably earn an honor, especially since he’s likely to win his fourth career Defensive Player of the Year award (would tie Hall of Famers Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace for most ever). Will Gobert squeeze all of those other guys out? Will Damian Lillard make it? De’Aaron Fox? Have I missed anybody?

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In trying to analyze this, something about the wide-open space of allowing anybody – regardless of position – into the mix makes this seemingly more difficult. I thought this would make it easier, but the new voting process has me missing some structure. Maybe it’s just because it’s new, so I need to correct the way I examine this stuff. But I’m looking at the ballot and can only wonder if we actually want it this way? Did we know what we were asking for? We need justice for big men! That is, of course, unless voting goes fine and we decide it’s fun.

We’ll return to these thoughts with our own awards soon enough. If you reach out with your own selections, we’ll consider them for publication!

The Latest From Shams

Optimism in Minnesota

Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns participated in a team scrimmage Sunday, his first since injuring his knee in early March, league sources tell me. He hasn’t played since March 4.

I’m told Towns, who is averaging 22.1 points and 8.4 rebounds this season, is close to returning to action, and there’s optimism in Minnesota that Towns will play before the playoffs begin. The Timberwolves (54-24) have four games left in their regular season, including a key road game Wednesday night against the Nuggets, who have an identical 54-24 mark. Minnesota ends the regular season Sunday against Phoenix.

Elsewhere, Isaiah Thomas’ comeback is complete, as league sources tell me the Suns plan to sign the veteran guard for the rest of the season. The 35-year-old has completed two 10-day deals with Phoenix after spending time with Utah’s G League squad, the Salt Lake City Stars

Back-to-Back Chips

The UConn Huskies are dominating this era

UConn absolutely dominated college basketball this season. The Huskies just went back-to-back by being even more impossible to stop in this tournament than what we saw in last season’s run. They’re the first men’s team to repeat since the 2006-07 Florida Gators. UConn won six NCAA Tournament games this year, each by at least 14 points. To clinch the title, the Huskies beat Zack Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers, 75-60, and really took it to them in the second half, a staple of many games for the Huskies.

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San Diego State, Illinois, Alabama and Purdue were all manhandled by UConn at various points in the second half. The Huskies absorbed 37 points and 10 rebounds from Edey while locking down the entire perimeter. Purdue made one 3-pointer on seven attempts all game, with the lone make coming in the first half. Purdue made the 27th most 3-pointers and shot the second-best percentage in college basketball.

Tristen Newton, Cam Spencer and Stephon Castle were too much for Purdue’s perimeter, and Donovan Clingan was able to brush off getting physically dominated by Edey en route to winning his second straight title. As the women’s tournament was revered and lauded, the men’s tournament kind of just came and went, partially thanks to UConn’s dominance and mostly, in my opinion, due to a lack of great talent in the men’s game.

Looking at what happened (beyond UConn’s run) and looking at the 2024 draft class, the men’s game needs a dramatic influx of freshman talent to galvanize the on-court product. Incoming freshmen like Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, Khaman Maluach, Tre Johnson and many more will help such a boost. Maybe that influx of talent will shake the stranglehold Dan Hurley and the Huskies currently have on men’s college hoops.

Goodbye, Houston

The Rockets took a leap. Do they have another?

The late-season push by Houston wasn’t quite enough, as the absence of Şengün eventually caught up to the Rockets (38-40, 11th in West). They were eliminated from the Play-In Tournament this past weekend, but that doesn’t stop us from feeling great about where the team is headed. Let’s send the Rockets into the summer with a pretty bow tied on their season.

Houston’s bright spot from this season? The Rockets have several. Şengün (21 years old) is a legitimate star. Third-year guard Jalen Green (22) took a big leap halfway through the season. All of the veteran additions were big wins for the front office. Ime Udoka is the perfect coach for them. Jabari Smith Jr. (turns 21 next month) continued to look good. Amen Thompson (21) had a great finish to his rookie year. The Rockets were great defensively all season.

Key free agents for Houston: Jeff Green (team option), Jae’Sean Tate (team option), Reggie Bullock, Boban Marjanović, Aaron Holiday

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Biggest position to address: Houston really needs shot-making. This was one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA (24th in true shooting percentage). The Rockets didn’t even make shots around the rim. They also didn’t make many 3s (17th overall), namely from the corner (last). Just bring in some floor-spacing.

What’s the draft pick situation? Their pick is headed to the Thunder (rich keep getting richer), but the good news is the Rockets get the Nets’ pick, which should fall in the top 10.

Will they have cap space? They will not, but they have plenty of space under the luxury tax.

2023-24 yearbook quote:

Bounce Passes

Mavericks teammates are starstruck by what Luka and Kyrie are doing out there.

Naz Reid is making a real push for Sixth Man of the Year, and this is where it all started.

Here’s a fantastic read on Marc Gasol getting his Grizzlies jersey retired.

Screen Game (All times Eastern)

  • Main Screen: Warriors–Lakers (10 p.m. TNT). The Lakers would have to go on the road to the Chase Center for the first Play-In game if they lose this matchup.
  • Second Screen: Kings-Thunder (8 p.m.). Give me a healthy Thunder team here, and this one could be a classic.
  • League Pass Game of the Night: Clippers-Suns (10 p.m.). The Clippers can pretty much sew up the No. 4 seed with a win, and the Suns are still trying to hold onto a top-six spot. Full schedule here.

(Top photo: John Fisher /  Getty Images )

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