The NBA All-Injury Team Would Win the Championship this Year
By Bobby Burack
Remeber when it was believed it would take a special type of scenario to prevent the Warriors from hoisting the trophy once again? How about a hypothetical team?
It was feared last night after a non-contact injury that All-Star Jimmy Butler had torn his ACL, while it turns out it was instead a meniscus tear. However, he still will be out for an extended period of time.
Along with Butler, the NBA season has been filled with major injuries to many of its top talent. Whether they are expected back, or on the shelf for the remainder of the year, the list is full of superstars.
If a hypothetical team with all of the players currently sidelined due to injury was formed, would any team be able to stop them?
The Rules: The players eligible for this list include players that have not yet returned from missing lengthy time due to injury or are expected to miss at least a month going forward. This team will use a nine-man rotation come playoff time.
At the point guard position, it would be 5x All-Star and one of the most athletically gifted players in the NBA, John Wall. Filling out the backcourt with him would be the recently injured Jimmy Butler. Together, they would be right there with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and James Harden and Chris Paul as the best backcourt in the NBA.
Who would ever imagine Wall and Butler being the third and fourth best players a team, because the number one option here will be Kawhi Leonard. Already this team would feature the two best two-way players in the NBA, but there is more…
At Center will the most complete big in the game in DeMarcus Cousins, who was a legit MVP candidate before his devastating injury. Most of the teams in the NBA cannot and will not guard Boogie.
Joining the four superstars in the starting lineup will be a toss-up between Gordon Hayward and Kevin Love. Hayward gets the nod here but Love will see significant playing time off the bench.
The NBA All-Injury team would push to have the best starting five in the NBA along with Golden State’s lineup of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Zaza Pachulia.
But not only would the starters be a nightmarish lineup for the top coaches in the NBA, the role players off the bench would wreak havoc.
Along with Love – a player that can stretch the floor, hit big shots, and dominate the boards – Reggie Jackson would lead the second unit becoming the most effective sixth man immediately upon formation.
It just speaks to how great this team would be that Paul Millsap would the eighth option … eighth!
The rest of the rotation would be highlighted with defensive ace Andre Roberson who will see value minutes on some the league’s top scorers.
This team may have the best combination of offense, defense, athleticism, and star-power that recent memory can process.
With time to gel and develop chemistry, this nine-man rotation would become the 2017-18 NBA Champions.