The Detroit Pistons were on the receiving end of terrible news as star point guard Cade Cunningham was diagnosed with a collapsed lung, ruling him out for the foreseeable future. The Pistons have a 49-19 record and are the No. 1 seed in the East, with Cunningham’s 24.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 9.9 assists leading them to this position.
With Cunningham playing 61 qualifying games this season, he needs four more appearances out of the remaining 14 Pistons games to be eligible for postseason awards such as MVP and All-NBA.
If Cunningham is healthy and able, he will look to meet the 65-game limit any way he can, but we need to contend with the possibility that he might not make it back in time. We’ve seen players miss as few as seven games with a collapsed lung and as many as 12 games, so Cunningham’s ideal window would be somewhere in the middle.
If the 24-year-old guard fails to qualify, it means a spot on the All-NBA First Team is likely going to be available. Cunningham was widely expected to be a lock alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama. Luka Doncic’s recent form and the Lakers’ success mean the NBA’s scoring leader this season will likely also be a First Team selection.
Let’s take a look at the five players who are likely contenders to take the final spot on the positionless first team.
1. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
A name some people have already been floating as a potential selection ahead of Luka Doncic, Celtics’ swingman Jaylen Brown has had an incredible campaign by leading the franchise to the No. 2 seed in the East despite Jayson Tatum being out with a torn Achilles for most of the season. He’s averaging 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game, and has proven he can be a high-level No. 1 option by himself.
With Boston’s success, Brown’s numbers, and his status as one of the few true elite two-way players in the league, it’s obvious to see why he deserves this spot. There is a conversation to be had about how reintegrating Tatum into the starting five will affect his production, but we haven’t seen any drastic shift in that over the six games Tatum has played since returning.
Brown is already a very strong candidate to make the First Team alongside Cunningham, so his absence should basically make his case undeniable for this season.
2. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards is carrying the Minnesota Timberwolves in an extremely challenging Western Conference with averages of 29.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, despite him being the clear focus of almost every defensive unit he’s faced this season. Edwards has developed into one of the best scorers the league has, with his three-point shooting increase in particular causing an increase in his overall scoring numbers.
He’s in the middle of a career season while also being a high-level defender, so it’s hard to argue he doesn’t belong on the First Team. Unfortunately, the Timberwolves’ record will need to improve into a definite top-four position for Edwards’ argument over Brown to be stronger. They’re both being deployed in similar roles, but Edwards’ offensive burden is much higher given the defense-oriented makeup of the Timberwolves roster.
Edwards is yet to make an All-NBA First Team appearance in his six-season career, and this season has been the best argument he’s had for a selection yet.
3. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have been disappointing to many as the No. 3 seed in the East, but nobody has watched them this season and felt Jalen Brunson was a cause for their problems. The 29-year-old guard is averaging 26.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists, carrying the Knicks offense with a first-year head coach and a wildly different style of play than he was used to under Tom Thibodeau as his head coach.
Brunson has proven to be extremely adaptable and has single-handedly won games for the Knicks based on his scoring prowess. His defensive ability is underrated for a small guard, as he’s prone to being picked on in isolation, but overall, is a positive team defender.
A spot for Brunson on the First Team was going to be challenging in all circumstances where the Knicks weren’t the No. 1 seed, but he has a very real opportunity at cracking that team with his performances this season. If the Knicks can take advantage of the Pistons’ situation and cover up the five-game standings deficit to steal their No. 1 seed, Brunson’s case will be self-evident.
4. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell has consistently been one of the best guards in the regular season over the last few years but he often gets overlooked. He finally got an All-NBA First Team selection in his career last year, but the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ 42-27 record for the No. 4 seed in the East has hurt his chances of repeating that feat this season. He’s averaging 28.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists this season.
If someone needs to replace Cunningham, Mitchell is an interesting option. He’s been one of the most consistent two-way guards in the NBA this season, with the Cavaliers’ early-season struggles coming down to the team’s structural issues instead of Mitchell in particular. The James Harden trade rectified that, as the team’s been on fire since the trade deadline.
If this momentum continues and Mitchell is a highly productive star, it’s hard to imagine him getting passed over.
5. Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
When it comes to pure stats and impact, one could argue that Kawhi Leonard is more important to the LA Clippers than any of these players to their teams. The Clippers have a 4-11 record when Leonard sits this season, as the 34-year-old forward has found ways to play 54 games this season while averaging a career-high 28.2 points with 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Leonard is also in danger of missing the games played requirement, as he’s currently out with an ankle injury but listed as day-to-day. Leonard’s expected to be back soon and fulfil the 65-game requirement to stay in contention for a First Team spot. He deserves it based on impact and production, but it’s hard to say it’s First Team material if the Clippers are a Play-In Tournament.
We’ve seen Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander share the First Team backcourt in a year where they both missed the Playoffs, so individual brilliance does shine through sometimes. If that happens this season, it’s hard to argue that any of these players have been as strong as Leonard this season.
