This is it, ladies and gentlemen! The NBA has officially announced that the In-Season Tournament will start in the 2023 – 24 season. In this format, teams will be grouped and will play various games this season that will count towards the tournament. There will be a monetary prize for the winner of this tournament.

There are three groups per conference for the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament. First, we'll be taking a look at Group A, which features the Philadelphia 76ers, the Atlanta Hawks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Indiana Pacers, and the Detroit Pistons. Who are the best players in East Group A? Let's find out.

5. Tyrese Haliburton

The Indiana Pacers are a bit of an enigma to the casual NBA fan. They were one of the more forgettable teams last season. Having a 35-47 record isn't exactly a good reason for fans to follow you. However, one name stood out in particular as the bright spot in Indiana: Tyrese Haliburton.

Brought over from the Kings as part of the Domantas Sabonis trade, Haliburton has been the young star that the Pacers have badly needed. After a solid second-half stint in 2021, the point guard broke out in the 2022-23 season. Haliburton averaged a double-double of 20.7 points and 10.4 assists per contest, leading him to an All-Star selection. His herky-jerky and streetball-esque style of play endeared many fans to him.

Give him some time, and Haliburton will easily be higher in this list. For now, though, Haliburton sits comfortably in the fifth spot.

4. James Harden

Truth be told, we're not sure if James Harden will even don the Sixers' colors for the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament. Harden's trade request has taken a turn for the worst. Philly is refusing to trade him, and the star is burning all of the bridges he has with the team. This team is falling apart at the seams.

At the moment, though, James Harden is a Sixer, and he's the second-best player on the team. Having a player of Harden's caliber is a luxury for any team. While he's not the same dominant presence that won the MVP years ago, he's still a mega-talented player. He averaged 21 points per game and dished out 10.7 assists, taking control of the team when Joel Embiid was injured.

Concerns about a potential decline due to age (he's 33 years old) and injuries surround Harden. There's also the matter of his supposed choker tag. There's a reason why the Sixers are trying so hard to keep Harden in the fold, though: he's an integral part to this team's plans.

3. Trae Young

After being in the headlines over the last few years, Trae Young has seemingly taken a step away from the spotlight. The Atlanta Hawks were almost an afterthought last season, flying under the radar due to their mediocre record. However, just because his team was not good does not give you a free pass to ignore Young's heroics.

A 26.2 PPG scorer who also dishes out 10.2 assists is a player that sits on the fringes of an MVP conversation. That is exactly what Trae Young did last season for the Hawks. It's a shame that the rest of the team struggled last season, but it's clear that Young is up to the task of being the franchise leader.

That 2022-23 season saw Young's efficiency tank a little bit (both from the field and the three-point line). If Young becomes much more efficient with his scoring… oh boy.

2. Donovan Mitchell

There was a time last season where Donovan Mitchell was getting serious consideration for MVP honors. That was completely warranted: Mitchell started the season hot for his new team. The Cavs were the best team in the East, and talks of a championship run started permeating the air.

While Mitchell ultimately ended up bowing out of the MVP race (losing to the number one player in this list), his production in 2022 is nothing to scoff at. The Cavs star averaged 28.3 points per game, along with 4.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. He had a TS% of around 61% as well: a sign of his efficient scoring from all over the field.

If the Cavs want to twin the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament (or even the real deal!), they need Mitchell to keep this performance up.

1. Joel Embiid

This isn't even up for debate.

Yes, you can mock the second-round exit memes. You can make jokes about Joel Embiid being a choker. Even with all of those criticisms, the Sixers star is still the best player in their NBA In-Season Tournament group.

There's a reason why Joel Embiid won the MVP award last season. The Sixers star averaged a whopping 33.1 points per game while grabbing 10.7 boards per game. He also added 1.7 blocks and one steal per contest. The only one who was able to challenge Embiid's status was the overwhelming presence of Nikola Jokic.

Injuries and poor play have limited Embiid and Sixers' ability to go deep. With all the turmoil surrounding the Sixers… it's fair to wonder if Embiid will even retain this spot in the middle of the season, since he could request a trade.