Trae Young, Scottie Barnes named injury replacements for Eastern Conference

Scottie Barnes will be appearing in his first All-Star Game, while Trae Young will be in his third.

NEW YORK — Toronto Raptors forward-guard Scottie Barnes and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young have been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as injury replacements on the Eastern Conference team for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.  The two players will replace Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and New York Knicks forward Julius Randle.

Toronto’s Scottie Barnes and Atlanta’s Trae Young have been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as injury replacements on the Eastern Conference team for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.

The two players will replace Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and New York’s Julius Randle. pic.twitter.com/ZkP7gZmbhj

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 6, 2024

The 73rd NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of the Indiana Pacers.  The classic matchup between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference will air at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the United States and reach fans in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages.

Barnes, the 2021-22 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, has been named an NBA All-Star for the first time.  In his third NBA season, the 6-7 Barnes is averaging career highs of 20.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.48 blocks and 1.24 steals in 35.3 minutes in 50 games.  He joins 2024 NBA All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks as the only NBA players to have at least 1,000 points, 400 rebounds, 250 assists, 50 blocks and 50 steals this season.  Barnes has already set a career high in three-pointers made in a season (95) and is shooting a career-high 36.5% from three-point range.

Young has earned his third NBA All-Star selection in six NBA seasons, all spent with the Hawks.  He is averaging 27.3 points and career highs of 10.9 assists and 1.47 steals in 36.6 minutes in 45 games.  Young, the reigning NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week, ranks eighth in the NBA in points, second in assists and seventh in both steals and minutes per game, and he is fourth in three-pointers made (154).  The 6-1 Young has recorded an NBA-high 490 total assists – a category he also led in each of the previous two seasons.

Embiid (lateral meniscus injury in left knee) and Randle (dislocated right shoulder) will not play in the NBA All-Star Game after being selected as a starter and a reserve, respectively.  Eastern Conference head coach Doc Rivers of Milwaukee will select a reserve from the East roster to replace Embiid in the starting lineup.