The era of superteams is in the NBA’s past with the league shifting to one filled with dynamic duos. Many of the best players have decided to join forces while others had superstars come to them. Nevertheless, the league is preparing for its most competitive and intriguing season yet. On that note, with all the talent being spread across all teams, it’s clear that some duos are better than most. Let’s take a look at Part I of the Top-20 NBA Duos for the 2019-20 season.
#20: Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon
Combined 2018-19 season stats: 36.8 points, 19.4 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.7 steals.
At the bottom of this list, we have the young Orlando Magic duo. Vuvevic and Gordon are the two players that drove the Magic to the playoffs last season. The forward-center combo isn’t necessarily something other teams have to fear. Aaron Gordon was somewhat underwhelming for Orlando in the postseason. But, for Nikola Vucevic, he’s only going to improve after having a career year in 2018-19. There’s a reason that this duo is at the bottom of this list. They simply aren’t one of the best the league has to offer.
And, with that, there isn’t much to say about them. Vucevic has a fantastic upside in terms of where his skillset can take him next. However, for him and Gordon to truly be a threat, Gordon will need to improve dramatically. He should be at the point where many consider him a top-10 power forward in the league. Some of the duos on the list were just formed this past offseason. That isn’t the case for these two. They must continue to make each other better from the start of the new season. Both are talented big men, but together, they’ve proven they aren’t as formidable of a duo as some others on this list.
#19: Trae Young and John Collins
Combined 2018-19 season stats: 38.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 1.3 steals.
Trae Young and John Collins are two players who are going to take the league by storm in the coming years. Both have a lot of room to grow and are already critical parts in the Hawks’ season. Young is going into his second year in the league. He’s already established himself to be a reliable scorer and playmaker for the Hawks. Beside him is John Collins who, at 20 years old, almost averaged a 20-point double-double last season.
These two young players make each other better. Young came into the league with his game needing much maturing which John Collins helped greatly. On the flip side, Collins benefitted as well from having a player like Young because of the easy shots that are set up for him. Evidence of that fell in Collins’ 35.7% shooting from behind the arc last season. In today’s NBA, big men need to know how to shoot the rock. With Collins, he’s a player who’s expected to grow in that aspect, making him a better overall scorer. That’ll make Young an even better playmaker.
This duo is ranked low on the list because of their lack of consistency on the court. It’s obvious that Trae Young is a great shooter from 3PT, but he needs to learn to score efficiently from everywhere on the court. That includes from midrange and the paint. This compromises the duo overall because when Young can’t score, defenses are hesitant to double onto him. That forces him to put the rock into Collins’ hands to work by himself. It’s evident that Collins can rebound and play defense. However, Young can’t have the burden on him that he had last year.
Collins is entering his third year in the league and will need to develop into a scoring threat for the Hawks. An average of 20 PPG was great for Collins, but he only played 61 games. So, health is also going to be big for this duo to flourish. Young can’t do all of the shot-making on his own. Number #19 is a good spot for this duo for now, but their potential can certainly put them in the company of the league’s best.
#18: Zach Lavine and Lauri Markkanen
Combined 2018-19 season stats: 42.4 points, 13.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 1.7 steals.
An argument can be made that Zach Lavine and Lauri Markkanen are one of the most underrated duos in the league. For some reason, you hear little to no talk regarding how good this duo is and/or could be. If the trend hasn’t been established already, most of the younger duos are at the bottom of the list. That’s simply because they have a ways to go until they’re among the league’s elite. The same goes for Chicago’s young duo.
Zach Lavine only played 63 games last season while Lauri Markkanen played in an even worse 52 games. Staying healthy is clearly a problem for this young duo who like other young duos, have much potential. Lavine proved to the NBA that he’s a formidable scorer, averaging a quiet 23.7 PPG. His skillset brings him to be not only one of the most explosive drivers in the NBA but a solid 3PT shooter as well (40%).
Complimenting him is Lauri Markkanen, one of the best shooting big men in the league. He draws his fair share of comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki, which is suitable if he can just stay healthy. After the health, he needs to put his focus into being a more efficient scorer because 43% from the field just won’t cut it. He’s standing at 7′ and 240 pounds as one of the more athletic big men the league has. His growth this season should translate him to be a dominant scoring threat for Chicago. Alongside Lavine, Markkanen should see his game grow and vice versa. This duo needs to stay healthy to be dominant and effective. That has been their biggest problem.
#17: De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield
Combined 2018-19 season stats: 38.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 2.3 steals.
This Sacramento Kings duo provides all of the upsides you can want from your young players. Each year, they both grow and flourish on the court, improving their game in a variety of ways. De’Aaron Fox was a contender for Most Improved Player after making huge jumps in his averages for points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, field goal percentage, and three-point percentage. Buddy Hield should’ve been in the conversation after making jumps in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, field goal percentage, and three-point percentage as well.
Fox and Hield form one of the league’s best young backcourts because they mesh so well together. The Kings were close to a playoff appearance last season which wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of these two. Fox is one of the fastest players in the league who can both drive and shoot on the opponent at a very efficient rate. To add to that, he’s the Kings’ best defender.
As for Buddy Hield, he’s proven to be the Kings’ resident sharpshooter. Given the fact that Hield at times feeds off the playmaking ability of Fox, it makes sense as to why they compliment each other greatly. Why are they so low though? They haven’t reached that next level yet. As of now, they’re like a knockoff version of Lillard and McCollum who are higher up on the list. That doesn’t mean they don’t have the potential to reach that level, though. Both have ways to go to be considered among the NBA’s elite duo. In the current climate of the league, that mass growth must start this season.
#16: Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam
Combined 2018-19 season stats: 31.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 2.3 steals.
You can argue that Toronto had a big-three last season with Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, and Kawhi Leonard. Now that Leonard has departed, that leaves the Raptors with a dynamic duo of their own. Lowry has received a lot of criticism for his past postseason performances. But, what people fail to realize is that Lowry has been an All-Star with Toronto for the past five seasons. He’s a terrific veteran PG who showed he can get it done in the most critical moments. Without Leonard by his side, he’s going to have to step up from his performances over the past few years. As for Pascal Siakam, he won MIP for a reason. His size, athleticism, and ability to score efficiently all played a part in the Raptors’ championship season.
Both of these players held it down on their own when it mattered most. For that reason and more, this duo should be one to watch this upcoming season. Lowry is an established veteran who’ll probably make his sixth straight All-Star appearance behind an improved season. And, with Siakam, if he can show the growth he did this past season, he can certainly fill some of the gap left by Leonard.
This duo has basically established itself as one to be watched this season. Leonard and Danny Green are the only notable pieces that left the team. This puts the responsibility of defending the title on Lowry and Siakam. At #16, this duo is expected to have the PG elevate the game of the young PF. Even if Lowry slows down, he’s still able to perform like an All-Star. Siakam’s game should grow from both learning from and playing with Lowry. Expect this duo to be in All-Star conversations this season.
#15: DeAndre Ayton and Devin Booker
Combined 2018-19 season stats: 42.9 points, 14.4 points, 8.6 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.8 steals.
DeAndre Ayton and Devin Booker are one of the best young duos on this list. Ayton had an impressive rookie season himself. The only downside was the fact that Trae Young and Luka Doncic took the spotlight away from him. After averaging a double-double last season (only one in his class to average double-digit rebounds), Ayton is in line to take the next step to become one of the best centers in the NBA. Even though that title is far down the line, he has all the tools to truly have a breakout season of his own.
That’s only one half of what makes this duo special, though. Booker is basically a walking shot-maker with his elite ability to put the ball in the hoop. The problem with him is that no matter how good his stats are, they don’t translate to wins. This duo is a younger, much-worse version of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. That comparison may be far-fetched, but that’s what they have the potential to become.
Ayton led all rookies last season with a 20.5 PER while Booker had a 20.2. Although they come in at #15, they’ll certainly be within the top-five in years to come. Why? Their age. Devin Booker is only 22 years old, and Ayton is 20 years old. This gives them more than a decade in the league to grow and establish themselves as one of the best duos in the NBA.
For now, they’re still young. Whether a duo can string together victories for their team is a factor that plays into these rankings. With Booker and Ayton, no matter how great their numbers are, they must be able to win. Booker has been a victim of the empty stats methodology which is just great numbers meaning nothing at all. That trend needs to be put to a halt if not only Booker and Ayton want to be successful, but the Phoenix Suns as well.
#14: Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis
Combined 2018-19 season stats: 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 0.3 blocks, and 1.1 steals (Kristaps Porzingis missed the entire season due to an ACL injury).
Luka Doncic and Kristap Porzingis make up the first duo on this list that we haven’t seen play together. Although Porzingis was traded to the Mavericks last February, he was still recovering from a torn ACL. According to teammate Dorian Finney-Smith, Porzingis is healthy and should be ready to go for the new season.
For those who forgot the type of player he is, Porzingis was an All-Star averaging 22.7 PPG before his injury. He stands at 7’3″ and possesses the ability to handle the ball, plays substantial defense, be athletic, and shoot from behind the arc. If anything, Porzingis has already established himself as someone who’ll be a star in this league. That’s part of the reason why he and frontcourt teammate Luka Doncic make such a potentially dominating duo.
Doncic took the league by storm last year. His averages of 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists propelled him to be regarded as one of the best teenagers in NBA history. He’s quickly become one of the better young players in the game. That alone makes the prospect of him joining forces with Porzingis interesting.
Both are foreign players with the potential to grow into staple All-Stars in this league. They’re 20 PPG scorers with skill sets that make them a threat on the court together. Porzingis is easily one of the best shooting big men in the league. With his versatility, the 7′ unicorn is going to be a scary player to guard. Last year, Doncic’s playstyle saw him have a natural drive-and-kick tendency. With Porzingis as the first option on such plays, that makes the duo one to fear this season. With the expected growth that each player is expected to have, the sky is the limit.
#13: Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum
Combined 2018-19 season stats: 41.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.3 steals.
The’s next duo brings us another elite scorer paired with a young player who’s growing every day. Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum are one of the league’s newest duos and one that no one expected to see. Walker joined the Boston Celtics in July with championship expectations. As someone who ranked 10th in the league in scoring (25.6 PPG), Walker has failed to make his teammates better. To be honest, this duo ranks as high as it does mostly because of the individual skill sets of each player. Regarding how well they may mesh together, that’s something that raises some concern.
Tatum is only 21. He’s been in some of the league’s brightest lights, including playing in the ECF his rookie year. To add to that, he was arguably the best player on that Celtics team after both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward went down with injuries. Somehow though, this past season didn’t see Tatum continue that play. Almost all of his numbers took a dip from what they were both in the 2017-18 regular season and postseason. You’d think that having a player such like Irving would elevate the game of Tatum. That was false. And, now that the Celtics’ best player is a lesser version of Irving. It really is questionable as to how good Tatum and Walker can be together.
There’s no doubt that Kemba Walker is a star in this league. He can score in a variety of ways and cut up any opposing defense thrown at him. But, like the previously ranked Devin Booker, it hasn’t translated to wins.
Seeing Tatum and Walker together on the court can quickly turn into a situation where Tatum’s abilities are suppressed. This would be because of the ball-dominant playstyle that Walker brings to Boston. However, if Walker can adapt to the system of HC Brad Stevens, then both he and Tatum can grow as players.
For this duo to flourish, Walker must adjust his game to fit the Celtics’ system of spreading the ball around. We’ll be seeing Walker not only play better basketball himself but having an impact on the teammates around him. Tatum will grow as well as fulfill the scary potential that he and Walker have when playing alongside one another. This spot seems right for the Celtics’ duo considering they’ve yet to play together. If all goes right in Boston, it’ll be because this duo exceeded expectations.
#12: Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond
Combined 2018-19 season stats: 41.8 points, 23.1 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 2.4 steals.
Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond are probably the most underrated duo on this list. The Pistons are one of the more irrelevant teams in the NBA even after a postseason appearance this past season. That doesn’t change the fact that they have a dominant big man duo in their lineup.
Despite playing less than a season together in Detroit, both players have seemed to mesh just fine. Drummond has already established himself as one of the NBA’s most elite rebounders. He isn’t known for being a potent scorer, but he makes up for it with his work on the glass. He’s been the most prolific rebounder in the league for the past seven seasons for a reason.
The rebounding strengths of Drummond create even more opportunities for Blake Griffin. It’s difficult enough for players to grab rebounds with both Griffin and Drummond in the paint. However, what gets overlooked is the fact that last season was one of Griffin’s best seasons. We saw him develop even better ball-handling skills, better passing vision, and most of all, an outside jump-shot.
Half of this duo has opponents worrying about an interior threat that can rebound, score, and play efficient defense. The other half can do all of those same things but with even more athleticism, versatility, and explosion.
Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond are made to play with each other. Both can unquestionably be All-Stars next season and can lead the Pistons to back-to-back playoff appearances.
#11: Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley Jr.
Combined 2018-19 season stats: 44.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 0.7 blocks, and 1.7 steals.
To cap off the Part I of the Top-20 NBA Duos for the 2019-20 season, we have a duo consisting of an established veteran and rising young star. Mike Conley was traded to the Utah Jazz this offseason, putting him alongside Donovan Mitchell. In his two seasons in the league, Mitchell has shown that he’s soon to be a star. He averaged 24 points in his sophomore year which is impressive as the Jazz’s best player.
Utah landed the fifth seed which was partially due to the efforts of Mitchell. However, Mitchell didn’t make an All-Star game appearance, even though nearly all of his numbers took a step up from his rookie year. As previously discussed with other young players, Mitchell is expected to make a huge jump in his play. That stance holds true because of who he has in the backcourt with him.
Conley spent 12 seasons in Memphis. The closest he ever got to being a contender was in 2013 when the Grizzlies got swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the WCF. Conley has always been one of the better PGs the NBA has to offer. And, on a contending team such as the Jazz, his 20+ PPG average shouldn’t slow down anytime soon. At 31 years old, he’ll truly get to show what he can do on this contending Utah squad. That’s especially true under the direction of Quin Snyder.
Conley and Mitchell’s dynamic is one that’s expected to go smoothly. Unlike other duos, I have no concerns regarding how this duo meshes. Both can score the ball efficiently. Having Conley on the court will give Mitchell the time and space that he needs to operate. Mitchell feeds off getting to the rim. Conley will be giving him more chances to convert high-percentage looks.
Mitchell hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface of the player he can become. This duo isn’t #11 because of the individual skill sets of each player, but because Conley can greatly assist Mitchell in reaching his full potential. He also is coming off the best season of his career.
Conley and Mitchell are simply a duo who should find success from the first game. They each possess skills that’ll elevate the game of the other. And, behind the duo, the Utah Jazz can contend for a top-three seed in the West.
Wrapping it Up
This is only the bottom half of the top-20 duos in the NBA. You can make a firm argument that some of these pairings deserve to be in the top-10. Do you think this list is accurate? Who was ranked too high and/or too low? Let me know.