Two Be or Not to Be: The 5 Best NBA Pairs That Should Be Playing Together
Derrick Rose and the other members of Team USA have given NBA fans a breath of fresh air to different players on the same team.
It is fun to play around on 2K10 or the NBA trade machine and try to see what players you can send from one team to another.
But what players would fit best together being paired on the same NBA team?
Derrick Rose is one half of a Dynamic Duo, but who's his running mate?
Two Be or Not to Be: The 5 Best NBA Pairs That Should Be Playing Together
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The FIBA tournament has allowed NBA fans to view a few of their dream teammates matched up together.
Yes, everyone wonders what it would be like to have a team of the best; Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant, etc.
And we have been lucky enough to see this conglomeration during the 2008 Olympics.
But unless you are the Miami Heat, or have crazy skills in association mode in NBA 2k11, we usually don’t get a chance to see some great players teamed up with each other.
Seeing the “B-Team” has been refreshing in a sense. We get to see players who are not necessarily all franchise players play together.
Some of them are teammates, like Durant and Russell Westbook.
Some used to be teammates, like Kevin Love and Westbrook at UCLA. But it made me think of what players would be a dream duo to have on a team?
I made a few rules:
1. They can not be or have been teammates on an NBA team. Where is the fun in hypothesizing about something that has already happened?
2. No top 10 players in the league, so no LeBron’s, Durant’s, Kobe’s or anyone who has won an MVP. (Rose is the only one close to this).
3. No rookies. We haven’t seen enough to really judge them and how they will do in the NBA… as much as I would like to put Evan Turner and Wes Johnson here together.
4. The odds at the end of the pairing are just a random guess at how likely it could happen.
5. Anderson Varejao and Andrea Bargnani
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Tis the season for FIBA basketball, so I decided I would put one international pair together.
Dirk Nowitski is too easy of an international player to choose and he’s probably still one of those top 10 players and a former MVP winner.
So I am scraping the bottom of the barrel, and coming up with these two.
I like Varejao a lot. He’s one of the top defensive big men in the NBA. Can handle switches to quicker guards on screen and rolls, but also handle the guys who post up.
Defensively, he’s about as good as you get for bigs besides guys whose names rhyme with Light Coward.
Offensively, he can put back with the best of them. Which is a great asset to have on a team.
You need someone who can take advantage of lazy defensive rebounders, which the NBA has no shortage of.
The problem: that is his only real offensive move. Varejao is an OK finisher at the rim in transition and during a pick and roll, but his inability to consistently balance the pick and roll with hitting a jumper makes this more of a parlor trick than Houdini’s water torture cell.
Bargnani has been a man without a position since he came in the league. He plays like a small forward.
His ideal position is probably power forward, but he has played behind Chris Bosh his entire career.
So Bargnani plays center when he has been in the game, where he becomes completely over matched against any decent big man from a one on one standpoint.
The silver lining is that Bargnani was actually a serviceable shot blocker back in Italy, and has been attempting to work on bringing back this aspect of his game.
If Bargnani can become an able help side shot blocker, like Chris Anderson does for Kenyon Martin and Nene in Denver, then all Bargnani would need is someone with the size, strength, and foot quickness to defend the post for him, freeing him to time his blocks.
Despite his identity crisis, Bargnani is still a serviceable player. When Toronto offered him the contract extension, I was a little worried. Kind of a lot of money for a guy who is probably a sixth man at best.
But with the free agency bonanza that happened this summer and his production last year, the contract isn’t looking nearly as bad as we thought.
That said, I don’t know if he will ever live up to deserving the full 12 million in his final season. He averaged 17 points a game last season and shot 37% from the three.
Stretch 4’s are kind of like having a rook (the horse) in chess. It does something unique and makes it harder to strategize against.
Big men who can hit the 3 bring out their defenders and open up the lanes for people to penetrate.
Just look at the Magic who have Dwight in the middle and just surround outside shooters who open up the post for him like Rashard Lewis does at the power forward spot.
When you take in these factors, Bargnani can be an important building block for the team.
Now, imagine these two together. Varejao pick and roll with a guard while Bargnani spaces the floor. Varejao can handle the other team's best offensive player and rebound, easing the load for Bargnani in his two weakest areas and letting him use his length to swat shots.
Despite all of these factors, I would still not build a team around these two guys. Neither is dominant or can take over a game on either end. But if I have an all star wing and/or point guard,
I wouldn’t mind having these guys as my third, fourth, or fifth best player on the team. The game plan would definitely favor a run and gun or at least some international style of play.
Odds – 1 in 8, This could actually happen. Both teams are kind of rebuilding, Toronto or Cleveland could absorb the contracts easily enough, and maybe offer a protected first rounder or Miami’s first round picks to make it work.
Toronto can probably bounce back easier, so I would say it is more likely to see Varejao go to the Raptors, allowing Bargnani, Davis, Johnson and Varejao to make a decent young four-man rotation, that at the very least, would be fun to watch.
4. Gilbert Arenas and Brandon Roy
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This is going to be the one post people will least appreciate the pairing. Gilbert Arenas has one of the biggest and worst contracts on the market. He’s struggled to ever really lead a team deep in the playoffs.
He’s not a true point guard and has only played 47 games over the past 3 years. The Wizards would do back flips if they could unload Arenas’s contract, meanwhile I think most Blazer's fans would freak out.
And let’s not be unrealistic, Arenas would go to the Blazers. Roy is not going to the Wizards, unless they part with Wall, which won’t happen.
But when you break it down, there are silver linings. Arenas has had problems being a true point.
He still put up about 6 assists a game when he played a full season, but Arenas is what he is: a scorer.
Roy could be the perfect compliment to him. Roy acts a major ball handler and facilitator of the offense, basically playing point guard part of the time.
Andre Miller has been great the past couple of years, but he’s 34, and unless he found the fountain of youth in a Benson Bubbler, I don’t see him playing long at a high level.
Arenas is only 28 and should be in the prime of his career. We should remember to that Arenas was a force for those Wizards’ playoff teams when healthy, averaging 28 and 29 points a game in his last two full seasons.
The Blazers were willing to hand Hedo Turkoglu a ton of money to be a scorer, ball handler and outside threat on their team, why not redirect that towards the point position?
With the addition of Wes Mathews and return of the emerging Nicholas Batum and rookie Luke Babbitt at the wing positions, the Blazers are set for a wing counterpart for Roy.
They need someone who can score and the point position makes the most sense.
In the west, it is basically the Lakers and everyone else (Yes, even you Thunder). We all know it, many of us begrudgingly so.
The Lakers have length to play big on their frontcourt, and they have great defense on the wing against shooting guards and small forwards, so what do you do? Point guard.
Deron Williams had games of 24, 15, 28 and 21. Not too bad, except for that one outlier of 15. Westbrook averaged 20 points as well against the Lakers.
They eventually had to use Kobe to defend against Westbrook because Derek Fisher had no chance. I also don’t see Steve Blake shutting down arenas anytime soon.
Gilbert and Roy would be one of the most formidable backcourts in the league. Combining skill and talent which not many teams in the west can compete with. They won’t be the most athletic combo, and injuries are a worry, but I think it is worth the risk to see the damage these guys can do potentially averaging 50 a game between the two of them.
The problem would be if Arenas’s ego could handle being second string to Roy, who has been the unquestioned leader of the team since being drafted.
The entire rest of the team, Batum, Mathews, Greg Oden, Lamarcus Aldridge, and Marcus Camby all seem to have the personality where they would be willing to work as a team and wouldn’t mind giving up a few shots to appease Arenas.
However, the only way this works is if everyone realizes its Roy’s team.
Odds: 1 in 5 Why so high when there have been no talks? New GM’s usually like to make a splash when they come in. Make the team their own, and try to prove they can win early.
Rich Cho worked for the Thunder, so maybe he will follow the Presti model and let the young guys develop, but I can see him getting desperate to make a move around the trade deadline to get over the hump.
Even if it means four more years of paying Arenas 20 million plus. It’s not like Paul Allen doesn’t have the money.
Wouldn’t Andre Miller and Joel Przybilla’s expiring contracts for Arenas (Maybe a first rounder) be fair if Arenas has proved that he can return to form by the trade deadline?
3. Al Horford and Joakim Noah
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I won’t waste too much time with this. We all saw the damage these two could do when paired together during their time at the University of Florida.
Horford is willing to bang in the post and put up points. Noah is an athletic beast who crashes the boards as well as anyone in the NBA.
Both rebound. Both play defense. Both can score, but don’t need the ball all the time.
Horford’s biggest problem since coming into the NBA has been the fact that he has been playing out of position like Bargnani.
While he can play center, and has shown great ability to do so, he is still over matched at times when playing against the bigger and longer centers.
Enter Joakim Noah. Noah would be able to defend the long centers like Howard, letting Horford work against easier matchups at the 4 spot.
Noah, on the other hand, has struggled to be a consistent scorer. Yes, he can score when he needs to and has the potential to even put up a 20 and 10 season if he really worked towards it and demanded the ball.
Honestly though, don’t you think Noah would be happier just being the defender and rebounder, helping his team with the dirty work? This is a guy who loves to scrap and fight and doesn’t care about being the focus.
I can’t even imagine him complaining about not being featured enough in the offense. Horford would then be able to get more touches in the post, instead of playing second string to Josh Smith in the frontcourt.
Noah lacks much of an outside game, but even when he is working the post, Horford can spread the floor with a decent mid range shot to keep the defenses honest.
And did I mention rebounding? These two both average at least 10 boards a game. Noah has 11 a game, while Horford is right at 10.
There are only a handful of teams that would be able to match up with their size and strength.
The Lakers, Celtics, and maybe the Magic just because Dwight, but really, that is it. Nets, Clippers, Mavericks, Rockets, and Blazers may have a shot, but all of them lack either experience, toughness, or athleticism to really match up for 40 minutes against this pair.
They are already friends and have a proven record of winning together. And no big egos in the way (OK maybe Noah has an ego, but not when it comes to needing the ball or being bigger than his team).
These guys went back to Florida just so they could have another year together in college and win another championship, what’s not to love about that (unless you are Greg Oden)?
They both have been positive influences in their locker rooms and willing to do what is best for the team.
These are the type of guys you would want to play with in a pickup game, because they make it fun to be their teammate and they win.
Odds: 1 in 100 - This is a generous 1 in 100 too. Both teams are going to lock up their young bigs for years to come. There is no chance of a trade since I don’t know what the other team has to offer.
Both teams have their roster basically set. Bulls also just brought in Carlos Boozer, and while they would almost certainly do a Boozer-for-Horford deal, the Hawks would never bite.
2. Andre Igoudala and Danny Granger
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There were reports of Igoudala getting traded this summer and still being on the trading block after the 76ers drafter Ohio State guard Evan Turner, who plays almost the same position and style as Iguodala.
One of the teams mentioned most were the Indiana Pacers as a potential trade partners. As Pacers fan, I can honestly say I was a little disappointed that the trigger was never pulled.
These two struggling teams are rarely on the TNT game of the week, but should AI and Danny be penalized for that? Both are what I call “bubble All-Stars.”
They play at an All-Star level and any year could make or miss the all star team because of new players, injuries.
But if either were on a successful team, there would be no question that they would make the teams.
Think Ray Allen before he went to the Celtics. Sure he made All Star games, and rightfully so, but no one would ever suggest to start him, because there was Kobe Bryant in the West.
Now, even with his struggles with age, he’s still a lock almost every year in the East, because he’s good, but also because he’s on one of the top teams.
Now if Jesus Shuttlesworth started playing for the Timberwolves, do you really see him being the same lock?
AI and Danny are the same. They both are dynamic players who are the go to guys for both of their teams, especially in the waning moments of a game.
Both have length, athleticism, and can play both win positions. Igoudala provides the ability to get to the rim, while Granger is always a threat from the outside.
Both were selected to be a part of the USA team, while Granger has struggled to get playing time, Igoudala has earned a starting spot with his defense and versatility.
I would love to see more of these guys together, but Coach K is not returning my calls.
Probably something to do with the drunken voicemail I left after he beat Butler and suggested to him where he could put that trophy.
You have to take a look at the mental aspect of pairing these two together as well.
While I think both players might have a bitter taste in their mouth playing for two of the most frustrating teams to play for (or watch from a fan perspective).
Neither has caught the PaulMelo virus, causing them to demand a trade. Both players have realized they are the leaders of their teams, came out and produced every night.
Both of them on the same team? They would have that help from each other, and be grateful for any success they may have.
Odds: 1 in 6, Sixers are going to want to unload his contract eventually and hopefully get something in return. Though I think Iguodala is a great player and they should learn to work him in, I still worry about him and Turner working together.
Pacers will have cap space and young assets next year, but they may want to work Granger and Rookie Paul George on the wings instead of chancing spending over ten million on Igoudala a season with a new collective bargaining agreement starting next summer.
On the over side, if the Sixers decided they want to win now, and would be willing to send a package including Evan Turner for Danny Granger, I think the Pacers would have to take a strong look at letting go of their franchise player to have a young starting five of Darren Collison, Evan Turner, Paul George, Tyler Hansborough, and Roy Hibbert. Sixers would immediately become a playoff team, but probably not a championship contender.
1. Eric Gordon and Derrick Rose
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You heard this a lot throughout the article, but one of the best combos to have on a team, is a guy who can drive and dish, and a guy who can knock down the outside shot.
These two former AAU teammates on team “Mean Street Express” did a lot of damage together. But did we expect anything less from the Illinois and Indiana Mr. Basketballs?
Rose is one of the best young point guards in the game, and most people’s favorite to be the best point in the game in five years (or less depending on how many Bulls fans are in the room).
He has shown over the past two years to be a force when he wants to. He took over games with both the 2009 Celtics and the 2010 Cavaliers playoff series.
When Rose wants to get to the rim, he does. Wade and he are the top two finishers in the game, using their balance and athleticism to hang in the air and adjust to defenders.
But every Batman needs his Robin. Gordon is a lights-out shooter. Anyone who says differently has not been watching team USA play in the FIBA games, where Gordon has been the featured reserve outside shooter over Stephen Curry.
But Gordon has been a sharp shooter his entire career. Even in high school, he was hitting 3’s from 5 feet beyond the arc, making it impossible for teams to defend.
Gordon averaged almost 17 points on 37% three point percentage over the past two years for the Clippers, showing the ability to fill up the stat sheet, while not even being actively featured on the team.
He had the third most field goal attempts at 12.6 behind Chris Kaman, 15.8, and Davis, 13.5.
But by far, the best part about this combo would be the athleticism. Gordon is one of the few players in the game who can stay up with Rose’s speed.
Fast breaks would take on an entirely new meaning with these two. They only average a steal a game each, but those two steals will become sports center Top 10s on the other end if they get room to run.
Baron Davis is a good player, but can’t set up Gordon for shots and easy buckets on the run the same way Rose would.
And we only had one year of Ben Gordon and Rose together, but that should give you a taste of what the New Gordon could do with Rose at point.
Eric Gordon just adds an added dimension of being a better finisher around the rim then Ben Gordon in addition to both players shooter’s touch.
Former teammates, Rose’s driving and passing complimented perfectly by Gordon’s deep threat and ability to finish in transition. This sounds too good to be true.
Still, it gets better. Have you ever seen these guys in interviews? They are two of the most down to earth guys you will ever see in the NBA.
I would say lack of a killer instinct may be a problem, but Bulls and Clippers fans (all 5 of them) would start a riot. They play to win, and competitiveness is not a problem.
Odds of this happening: 1 in 25. Rose is untouchable, and will be a Bull for life. That leaves Gordon to go to the Bulls, but after Gordon’s success in the FIBA tournament, he is going to be hard to get away.
The Bulls might have had a shot to throw some money at him when he’s a restricted free agent in two years, but they are not going to hold off to get him.
I also see the Clippers locking him up to a long-term deal. The 10% is really only because they may get a chance later in their careers, and, let’s be honest, it’s the Clippers.
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