'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Many superstar free agents this summer either joined a team or were traded to a team with another superstar. For instance, Anthony Davis was traded to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first round draft picks which means that LeBron James and AD are finally on the same team.
Furthermore, Kawhi Leonard managed to convince Paul George to join him on the Clippers whilst Russell Westbrook was traded to the Rockets and is now reunited with his former OKC teammate James Harden.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were a pair that were correctly predicted to be teaming up but the fact they both chose to sign with the Brooklyn Nets disgusted the New York Knicks fans. The Knicks were projected to sign at least one superstar this summer with the amount of cap space they had, but at least they signed a solid group of role players who fit well around the young and talented RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and Kevin Knox.
Having said that, let us look at the top 5 duos in the NBA right now:
Honorable mentions (injured players in bold):
DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge (SAS)
Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis (DAL)
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson (GSW),
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant (BKN),
Trae Young and John Collins (ATL)
#5 Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton
After the Milwaukee Bucks lost Malcolm Brogdon and Nikola Mirotic this offseason, reigning Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo and All-Star shooting guard Khris Middleton will be relied upon even more on offense.
Overall, I think the Bucks will get slightly worse as a team but the duo of Giannis and Middleton will be more dominant on both ends of the floor. In particular, I expect Khris Middleton to improve his postseason performance because he was quite underwhelming versus the Raptors in last season's Eastern Conference Finals.
#4 Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum
Lillard and McCollum have been amongst the top backcourts in the league for a long time now. Lillard is obviously the better of the two guards as he is a superstar whereas McCollum is a borderline All-Star, however, if one of them is having an off night, the Blazers still have a great chance to win because the other one will be having a great night the same game.
Also, if both of them are on fire, look out because they'll blow the opposition away. On the other hand, one of the reasons why this backcourt is a top 5 pair in the league is that the Blazers front office hasn't surrounded them with a strong enough supporting cast.
Perhaps that is why the Blazers have not entered the conversation of championship contention yet. Things may change this year with the addition of Hassan Whiteside though.
#3 James Harden and Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook wanted out of OKC after the Paul George trade and the team gladly accepted his decision as they go into a full rebuild by trading Westbrook for aging point guard Chris Paul (who will be traded to another team sooner or later) along with a couple of draft picks.
Hopefully, Mike D'Antoni slightly adjusts his offensive system so that Westbrook can make use of the 3-point shooters that he never had during his whole career in OKC and not take even more 3s himself.
Westbrook is a very inefficient shooter so if he allows the other guys to do most of the shooting whilst he attacks the rim for a basket or finds an open teammate, that would make the Rockets a much better team. They would then be able to compete with the LA teams, the Denver Nuggets, and the Utah Jazz.
#2 Kawhi Leonard and Paul George
Not only did Kawhi Leonard shock the league when he signed with the Clippers when the media expected him to either re-sign with Toronto or form a big 3 with LeBron and Anthony Davis in the Lakers, but he also recruited superstar forward Paul George who managed to convince OKC to trade him to his preferred destination: the LA Clippers.
The eventual package that the Thunder received was Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a record-setting number of picks. Leonard and George are amongst the best two-way forwards in the league so since they joined a team that has an amazing group of role players, Doc Rivers may have a championship team in his hands.
#1 LeBron James and Anthony Davis
This pair is a match made in heaven that will power the Lakers to title contention following a very disappointing, injury-plagued season that saw the team miss out on a playoff place in an extremely competitive Western Conference.
LeBron is one of the greatest players of all-time and currently in the late prime of his outstanding career whilst Anthony Davis is in the middle of his prime at age 26; hence he's seen as the future of the franchise.
With LeBron being the playmaker and Davis being the dominant two-way big man that he is, it is fair to say that these two will be the best duo in the league this upcoming season.
