Trae Young and Scottie Barnes will be replacing Julius Randle and Joel Embiid in the Eastern Conference All-Star team

Sadly, neither Julius Randle nor Joel Embiid will be part of this upcoming All-Star game due to injuries. However, their replacements are nothing short of spectacular and they are here: Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes will be making his debut as an All-Star, and the return of Trae Young to this event after two years and being called by the fans as one of the biggest snubs this season, after being left out from the Eastern All-Stars bench.

After the controversy surrounding the selection of the reserves for the next All-Star game, Trae Young will finally return to play in an All-Star game after 2 seasons. The last time Trae participated in the competition was in the 2021-2022 All-Star season.

Young has been putting up spectacular numbers throughout the season, and has been steadily improving his stats year after year.

Atlanta Hawks' point guard had been relegated in the voting of substitutes for the Eastern Conference, but now he will be able to share the stage with Doc Rivers. While the Hawks have had some trouble getting a foothold, Ice-Trae certainly deserved a spot among the stars.

Scottie Barnes has elevated his game in his third season with the Toronto Raptors. Despite his team entering a roster rebuild, the 22-year-old has continued to do more than well, averaging career highs in all stats: 20.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists to go along with 1.48 blocks and 1.24 steals in 50 games this season.