The New Orleans Pelicans have one of the top duos in the NBA in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have only played 25 games together as New Orleans Pelicans, but they are already the franchise cornerstones.
On paper, they are the perfect pairing. One is a bruiser who dominates the interior, while the other is a versatile scoring machine who can get buckets from anywhere on the floor.
If both can stay healthy, they have a chance to be the top scoring duo in the NBA in just their second season together, which would be quite an accomplishment.
Of course, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have plenty of competition for the league’s best duo.
We took a look at the top-16 pairs in the league to see where the New Orleans Pelicans’ stars rank.
DISCLAIMER: This list is complete opinion, so feel free to argue. I am sure there are ways to quantify this but I’m mostly looking at talent, potential and fit.
There were several I left off, including Bradley Beal/Russell Westbrook in Washington and James Harden/John Wall in Houston. It’s too messy and too early to know how those are going to work.
Shoutouts to Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell in Minnesota, LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan in San Antonio and Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis in Indiana, who are all on the fringe.
New Orleans Pelicans: Ranking Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram vs. NBA duos
#16: Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert
Mitchell and Gobert form one of the best “offense/defense” combos in the NBA, with Mitchell as the primary scorer and Gobert there to block every shot in the lane.
Gobert recently turned down a max contract extension, which is nuts considering there is no one out there who will offer more, so this duo may not be long for Utah.
It’s possible that Gobert will be traded at some point this season, so we may see Mitchell get another partner.
#15: Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
The Grizzlies have to be excited about their duo, which is one of the youngest on the list. Ja Morant was last year’s Rookie of the Year and Jackson has already evolved into one of the best stretch-fours in basketball and they are in their second and third season respectively.
Jackson Jr. has already had some injury problems, but if he can stay healthy, these two will rocket up this list in the next few seasons.
New Orleans Pelicans: Who is the NBA’s best duo?
#14: Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam
This is one of the more versatile duos on the list, as both of these guys can get it done on both ends.
Lowry is getting up there in age but is still one of the best defensive guards in the NBA and the engine that makes the Raptors go. You won’t find too many more clutch players and Lowry always steps up in the big games.
Siakam has evolved into an All-NBA wing, a guy who can do a little bit of everything on both ends. The Raptors will continue to contend year after year as long as Siakam is around.
#13: Devin Booker and Chris Paul
There is an argument that these two should be ranked higher, especially after the Suns’ performance in the bubble, but let’s wait and see them play a regular-season game together first.
We’ve not seen it, but there is no reason to think this pairing won’t work, as Chris Paul is still one of the best point guards in the NBA and Booker is one of the top scorers.
Paul is still crafty on defense, but Booker is not quite there yet as a defender, though he is getting better. The Suns were the darlings of the NBA bubble and it will be interesting to see if they can capitalize on that momentum and carry it into this season.
Having Chris Paul will help.
New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram ranked against NBA
#12: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown
The two “Jay’s” are two of the best wings in the NBA and they are both on the same team.
Depending on the night, you might argue which of these two is better, though Tatum certainly has a more well-rounded offensive game.
But Brown is an elite defender and knocks down 3-pointers at a high rate, so he is the ideal 3-and-D wing for the modern NBA.
Tatum is likely to make the All-NBA team this season and Brown could find himself on the All-Defense team if things work out right.
Either way, the Celtics have two young and talented wings to build around for the foreseeable future.
#11: Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson
I can already hear the Curry Truthers protesting this one, but the fact they are this high on the list even though Thompson is hurt shows how good they really are.
Thompson’s injury may have submarined any chance the Warriors had at a title, but when healthy the “Splash Brothers” are still a top duo. They are two of the best shooters of all time and Klay is a great defender as well.
I am not a fan of Golden State, nor their insufferable bandwagon fans, but it’s a shame that Thompson got hurt, as he and Steph would have made things very interesting in the Western Conference.
New Orleans Pelicans: Ranking Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram
#10: Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum
These two have been on this list for about a 100 years now and will remain as long as they continue to average over 50 combined points.
We’ve probably seen the ceiling of this duo, which is the Western Conference Finals, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be involved in some big games.
Lillard has proven himself to be one of the best playoff performers in the league and McCollum stepped up last year when Lillard was out.
These two don’t play much defense but there are few offensive duos in the league who are better.
#9: Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo
Some might say this pairing is ranked too high but did you watch the playoffs?
Defense matters and these are two of the toughest, most versatile defenders in the league.
Butler has proven himself to be a big game performer, a guy who can lead his team in scoring while shutting down the other team’s best player.
Adebayo came out of nowhere to emerge as a monster on defense, a guy who can guard just about anyone and can get points efficiently without needing the ball.
Miami rode these two (and all of their shooters) to the NBA Finals and will look to get back there this season.
New Orleans Pelicans: Zion and Ingram vs. the NBA
#8: Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid
Once thought to be the future of the NBA, this duo has probably stayed at the same place on this list over the last few seasons.
Both are very good players but it has yet to translate into much team success as the insufferable “Process” rumbles on.
Simmons might be the best all-around defensive player in the NBA this season and Embiid isn’t far behind. Simmons still can’t shoot but he is a shot creator and a bully in the paint.
Embiid is probably the best center in the league and Simmons is a point guard in a power forward’s body. What’s not to like?
The 76ers would be foolish to trade either one of them for James Harden but it wouldn’t be shocking if they did.
#7: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving
If this list were made at the end of the season, these two very well could be on top, but I can’t put them much higher until I see them play a few games together.
Durant is probably the league’s best player when healthy and Kyrie is still one of the best pure scorers in the NBA. “When healthy” is going to be the tagline with these two, as their health is the only thing stopping them from taking over one of the top spots in the East.
Durant has also evolved into a plus-defender, though Kyrie is still awful in that department. It will be interesting to see how these two mesh, as that Harden trade is lurking if the Nets want to make a splash.
New Orleans Pelicans: Where Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram rank as a duo
#6: Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram
Ok, so all of the things I’ve said about some of the other duos are true of this one: they have only played 25 games together. They have both had health issues. Their success is going to hinge on the “when healthy” tagline as well.
But if they are? Look out!
Brandon Ingram looks like he has made a leap as a playmaker and defender, and he was already one of the top scoring wings in the game. He has every chance to make the All-NBA team this season and I will be shocked if he doesn’t.
Zion Williamson is one of the most unique and talented prospects since LeBron James. He gets 25 points as effortlessly as I’ve ever seen, often just barrelling his way through everyone for layups.
If Zion continues to shoot well from the free-throw line, these two could be the top scoring duo in the NBA this season.
Zion still needs to improve on the defensive end and obviously has to prove he can stay on the floor for a whole season, but these are two of the best under-25 players in the league and they are only going to get better.
It wouldn’t be shocking to see both of them make the All-NBA team this season.
#5: Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis
I considered flipping the last two, but Luka is just too good to ignore.
He is one of the frontrunners for MVP this season and it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Mavericks make a deep run in the playoffs.
His unicorn partner Porzingis is a 7-foot-2 guard who can score from all over the floor and defend the rim, making them the most unique duo in the NBA.
If we do this list again at the end of the season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the last two duos a little higher in the rankings.
New Orleans Pelicans: Ranking Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram against the NBA’s top duos
#4: Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic
If you don’t think these two should be ranked this high, then you didn’t watch the playoffs last year.
Denver went from middling playoff team to contender because of the play of these two. Murray has evolved into an all-around talent and can score from everywhere. He stepped up in the playoffs and emerged as one of the top guards in the NBA.
There is no one in the NBA like Jokic, a point guard in a seven-foot body who is one of the best playmakers in the NBA.
As long as Denver has these two, they will be in the thick of the Western Conference and could find themselves right back in the Western Conference Finals this season.
#3: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday
You could pair Giannis with just about anyone in the NBA and he would still make this list. Some would put Khris Middleton ahead of Holiday but I am not one of them.
Middleton is a very good player but he absolutely stunk in the playoffs last season, shooting under 40 percent from the floor. If Middleton played better, Holiday might not be a Buck right now.
Giannis is clearly the league’s best player, an absolute beast on both ends. There has never been anyone like him and he will likely win his third MVP this season unless voters just get weary of writing in his name.
Giannis is an offensive force and the league’s best defender, and Holiday is a great two-way guard, so together they are a powerful duo.
New Orleans Pelicans: Who are the NBA”s best duos?
#2: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George
It would be easy to rank these two lower considering they lost to the Nuggets pair last season, especially after George had another collapse in the playoffs.
But it is hard to find two more well-rounded players in the league, both are top-five at their position on both ends of the floor, which is a rarity.
Either one can be the best player on the floor regardless of who they are playing, and either could carry a bad team to the playoffs.
The Clippers will have a bad taste in their mouths after choking last season and want a chance to prove it was a fluke.
Even after George signed a massive extension in the offseason, I could see him jettisoned if the Clippers don’t get to the Finals this season. It is championship or bust this season for the Clippers whether George likes it or not.
#1: LeBron James and Anthony Davis
Is it still ok to hate Anthony Davis? Yes, yes it is.
LeBron is entering year 18 and is still the best player in the NBA on any given night. He led the league in assists last season while still putting up his gaudy all-around numbers.
Anthony Davis is a crybaby but you can’t deny his talent. When he is healthy and locked in, there are very few players in history who offer his combination of offense and defense.
As much as it hurts to say, the best two duos are in Los Angeles, but Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are putting out notice that they are here to claim the crown.