On February 15, the NBA announced that Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony would replace Cavaliers forward Kevin Love for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star game. This was decided after it was released that Love would miss six weeks after he injured his left knee and underwent surgery.

Melo has averaged 23.2 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists this season and will be making his tenth trip to the All-Star game, second among active players to Lebron James’ thirteen trips.

Anthony has been the subject of trade rumors all season due to friction between him and Knicks president Phil Jackson. Jackson has been disappointed with Anthony’s lackluster play and tweeted last week: “Bleacher’s Ding almost rings the bell, but I learned you don’t change the spot on a leopard with Michael Graham in my CBA daze.”

This was certainly directed at Anthony as he has not been able to get Jackson’s Knicks to live up to lofty expectations after they added Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Brandon Jennings in the offseason.

The Wizards’ Bradley Beal was upset by the decision to name Anthony to the All-Star team saying, “But the process of it does not make sense. If they reward winning, then I don’t understand how the decision was made” according to Candace Buckner of the Washington Post.