LeBron James is one of the greatest players of all time, having captured 4 championships and 4 regular-season MVPs. The undisputed greatest small forward of all time, King James has dominated the league for nearly two decades. Despite being a sensational scorer as a 6’9” powerhouse at 260 lbs, James is mainly known as a pass-first superstar who makes others around him better.
- 10. Devin Booker
- 9. Zach LaVine
- 8. DeMar DeRozan
- 7. Nikola Jokic
- 6. Damian Lillard
- 5. Kyrie Irving
- 4. Paul George
- 3. Kawhi Leonard
- 2. Stephen Curry
- 1. Kevin Durant
- Next
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James has also been a star who is not afraid of recruiting and playing with other elite players, going against the norm of trying to one-up anyone as much as possible. LeBron likes to uplift others, whether on or off the court, and that has been the driving force behind his Hall of Fame career. Because of his willingness to recruit top players, James has played with some incredible Hall of Fame talent including the likes of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook among others.
Dwyane Wade, Kyrie Irving, and Anthony Davis all stand out as the best players that James has played with; but there are some current players in the game today that would be perfect partners for The King. While it is very unlikely that LeBron will get a chance to play with these players, it would be to his benefit if he somehow placed himself in a position to play alongside his perfect teammates.
10. Devin Booker
2021-22 Statistics: 26.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Quite possibly the best shooting guard in the game outside of James Harden, Devin Booker is balling out of his mind this year. The Phoenix Suns’ MVP candidate is putting up solid scoring numbers at 26.7 PPG on 38.3% from three and has a great ability to create his own shots.
Thanks to Booker’s superb offensive player, the Suns have held onto the best record in the Western Conference despite the absence of Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul. Devin is a player that excels on or off the ball, making him a dream teammate for LeBron James who is a willing passer.
9. Zach LaVine
2021-22 Statistics: 24.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.5 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Zach LaVine is a player that LeBron James makes no secret of admiring because he has the tools to be an elite offensive player and also someone a team can build around. The lengthy shooting guard has always had a sniper in his arsenal, shooting 38.9% from three this year.
LaVine’s ability to space the floor and create his own shot paired with his incredible athleticism could give LeBron James a modern reincarnation of Dwyane Wade. LaVine running on the break to spot up for threes or attack the rim for posters gives LeBron a dream teammate, to say the least.
8. DeMar DeRozan
2021-22 Statistics: 28.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 5.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG
While DeRozan cannot space the floor from three as well as his teammate Zach LaVine, he is an elite offensive player who can lead the offense as the primary scorer. For a 37-year-old LeBron James in his final years, that makes DeRozan a perfect teammate.
James can trust DeRozan to not only create his own shots from mid-range or around the rim but also take over in the clutch. The King has struggled in clutch moments this season because he isn’t necessarily the best shooter on the court, and DeRozan could relieve him by nailing shots from mid-range.
7. Nikola Jokic
2021-22 Statistics: 27.0 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 7.9 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG
What could be better than a player with an all-time great basketball IQ? Two players with all-time great basketball IQs. Nikola Jokic is the best passing center we have ever seen, and he makes the game look so easy with his ability to make others around him better.
A contender for the MVP award this season, Nikola is literally carrying the Denver Nuggets to the playoffs almost singlehandedly. The Serbian superstar would form an all-time great partnership with LeBron James because both stars are large and powerful figures with unselfish basketball ability.
6. Damian Lillard
2021-22 Statistics: 24.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 7.3 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Anytime LeBron James gets a chance to play with an all-time great shooter (Kyrie Irving, Kyle Korver, Mike Miller), he usually wins a ton of games and even championships. Giving James a player of Damian Lillard’s caliber almost guarantees another NBA title for The King.
Lillard is not only an elite three-point shooter, but he can create his own offense and lead a championship team in scoring as long as he has help in other areas. LeBron and Lillard would be impossible to prepare for because The King cannot be stopped when he attacks the rim while Dame cannot be left alone from the perimeter.
5. Kyrie Irving
2021-22 Statistics: 27.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Obviously, Kyrie Irving had a ton of success alongside LeBron James in Cleveland. When Irving was younger and perfectly suited for a sidekick role, LeBron James had the confidence to take over games knowing he had a Hall of Fame guard by his side to back him up.
James also had one of the most clutch players in the league by his side, and Kyrie often came through in the clutch for his team. An elite shooter and shot-creator, Kyrie would be one of the best possible teammates for LeBron James in this moment of time. Irving can lead the team in scoring at this stage, and James already has chemistry with him as championship teammates. A reunion with Kyrie is extremely unlikely considering their break-up was not the greatest, but it would absolutely work if it happened.
4. Paul George
2021-22 Statistics: 24.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG
An elite two-way player and a rather underrated All-Star, Paul George could bring to the table everything that LeBron James needs right now. At age 37, The King cannot bring much to the table on the defensive end and is not the most consistent shooter from deep.
The 7-time All-Star Paul George can cover James on defense, while also spacing the floor from the perimeter and also scoring around the basket. A duo with James and George is a perfect fit because they will literally blow teams out of the water on both ends of the floor. In fact, in terms of two-way dominance, this duo is the second-best possible answer for James. And that is because one player could take this partnership to another level.
3. Kawhi Leonard
2021-22 Statistics: DNP
As great as Paul George is as a potential future Hall of Famer, Kawhi Leonard brings an entirely different level of dominance on both ends of the floor. The Claw is a 2-time Defensive Player of the Year and a 2-time Finals MVP, meaning he has proven to be the best defender in the league and the best player on a championship team on multiple occasions.
A team that features LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard cannot be beaten, because every facet of the game is covered. Leonard is a bigger and stronger player than George and is a much more controlled offensive player. Kawhi and LeBron would win championships together at this moment in time, but unfortunately, it will not happen since Leonard plays for the rival Clippers team.
2. Stephen Curry
2021-22 Statistics: 25.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG
LeBron James recently mentioned that Stephen Curry would be the player he would love most to play with and there is no secret why. Steph is not only the greatest shooter in NBA history but the most spectacular point guard in the league. The point guard can create his own offense from anywhere on the court, and that makes him the best possible partner for LeBron James.
Steph is not having his best season from the floor in terms of shooting percentage, but he is still making 38.0% from three. With LeBron leading the offense, Curry can be the recipient of open looks and that would spell the end of the competition if that happened.
1. Kevin Durant
2021-22 Statistics: 29.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 6.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG
As the best all-around scorer in the league, Kevin Durant would be a nightmare for defenses if he had arguably the greatest floor general since Magic Johnson by his side. For years, Durant was a spectacular force alongside Russell Westbrook, a player without the most efficient style of play.
With LeBron, KD would literally destroy teams because he will be confident that he will always receive the ball in the best positions. Even at 37, James is a capable scorer as evident by his 30.3 PPG average this year. With James drawing double-teams and playing primary playmaker, we could see the best of Kevin Durant and that spells NBA championship glory for The King.
