The Second Best Player For Every NBA Team: Andrew Wiggins Becomes The Best Warriors Player After Stephen Curry

Every team has a face. That player takes the heavy burden of leading the team. A superstar can only get a team so far. If the team wants to be truly great, they need a number two. That player could also be at superstar status, but it’s clear they are a complement to the star on the team. The word sidekick seems disrespectful because a lot of these players are at All-Star status. Some teams don’t have that type of player which explains why they are at the bottom of the standings.

There is nothing wrong with being the second-best player on the team as long as they get the credit deserved. Maybe, Scottie Pippen didn’t get that recognition and that is why he is sour all these years later. Not here. We recognize that a lot of these teams would not be where they are without these players. For the Kevin Durants, LeBron James, and Stephen Currys of the world, they need that second player to help carry the team to the top.

These are the second-best players for each team.

Atlanta Hawks – John Collins

The Hawks bring in Dejounte Murray, who was an All-Star last season, but he has not proven that he can mesh with this group just yet. Collins went to the Conference Finals with this core and has been consistently successful. Collins averaged 16.2 points per game, which was top-10 among all power forwards. He also contributed 7.8 rebounds and recorded 16 double-doubles. If Murray and Trae Young can mesh, it could help take the pressure off of Collins and get him back to shooting over 40% from three-point range.

Boston Celtics – Jaylen Brown

Brown would be the best player on a lot of teams. His only issue is he is playing with Jayson Tatum, who could be an MVP candidate this season. Brown was an elite shooting guard last year. His 23.6 points per game were fifth among shooting guards. Brown also contributed 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He could get better at the free throw line, shooting 75.8%, but every player is human.

Brooklyn Nets – Kyrie Irving

When Irving is on the floor, he is in the conversation for the top 15 players in the league. Irving averaged 27.4 points per game in 29 appearances. His points per game total rank third in the league among point guards, trailing just Luka Doncic and Trae Young. The issue is the extra that comes with Irving. If he can be distraction-free, count the Nets as contenders again. This is a player that made the 50-40-90 Club in 2021. He shot 46.9% from the field, 41.8% from three-point range, and 91.5% from the free throw line in those 29 appearances. Keep an eye out for a great season for Irving if he plays each game.

Charlotte Hornets – Terry Rozier

While nobody is hating on the play of Rozier, it goes to show why the Hornets have a tough time competing. LaMelo Ball is truly the best player on this team after two years. Rozier is a player you would want on your team, but not as your number two. Rozier averaged 19.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Those are solid numbers, but his lack of defensive abilities limits him as an overall star. If the Hornets cannot find success this year, keep an eye out for Rozier’s name floating around the trade circles.

Chicago Bulls – Zach LaVine

The Bulls awarded LaVine with the largest contract in franchise history. He owns one playoff appearance, last year, and has never made the second round of the playoffs. Now, he is a $200 million player with a lot of fans asking for him to prove it. On paper, LaVine is sound offensively. He averaged 24.4 points, which was third among shooting guards. With DeMar DeRozan coming off a sensational season, LaVine remains the second-best option, especially when DeRozan led the league in total points.

Cleveland Cavaliers – Darius Garland

The former lottery pick turned into an All-Star for the first time last year. Without Collin Sexton taking the bulk of the shots, Garland saw his offensive game rise. He averaged 21.7 points ad 8.6 assists. His assists average was the fourth-best among point guards. With Donovan Mitchell coming to town, Garland can move to be the second-best offensive option. It will be interesting to see if this pairing can work.

Dallas Mavericks – Christian Wood

With the Rockets, Wood was asked to score. His 17.9 points per game were sixth among centers and he did that by shooting 50.1% from the field. Wood is one of the few centers in the league that can shoot from outside. He tied Karl-Anthony Towns with 4.9 three-point field goal attempts per game. His 1.9 made threes were second-most among those at the position and he made 39.3% of his shots. With Luka Doncic leading the way, this could be the pairing that the Mavericks hoped they had when they acquired Kristaps Porzingis years ago.

Denver Nuggets – Jamal Murray

Despite not playing last season, Jamal Murray remains the second-best option on this team. Murray has not made an All-Star team just yet, but he has the talent to do it. When Murray was healthy, we saw his best season in 2020-21 when he averaged 21.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and shot 40.8% from three-point range. Players are different when they come back from injuries, so we will have to monitor his resurgence from tearing his ACL. If Murray is not his old self, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon will be in the mix for this title.

Detroit Pistons – Bojan Bogdanovic

The Pistons made a move to acquire the 33-year-old small forward. Bogdanovic averaged 18.1 points per game and has consistently shot close to 40% from three-point range. The Pistons are young with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. This move could be used to provide the kids with a veteran presence. What they also did was bring in their second-best player.

Golden State Warriors – Andrew Wiggins

It’s time to give Andrew Wiggins his flowers. Klay Thompson’s arrival solidified the team as a championship contender. Draymond Green was nearly benched in the Finals. Both players are All-Star talents though. With Stephen Curry on the team, he will be the best player until someone takes that title from him. Wiggins was an All-Star last year and was the second-leading scorer in the Finals, as well as the leading rebounder. That included playing great defense. In a contract year, this could be the best we see from him.

Houston Rockets – Kevin Porter Jr.

Jalen Green is the best player on this team despite being a second-year pro. Jabari Smith should be a name to watch after being selected with the No. 3 overall pick. As for Porter, he averaged 15.6 points per game and appears to be finding his groove as an offensive player. At 22 years old, he has a lot of room to grow. Assuming he can continue to mature, Porter could develop into an All-Star in the future.

Indiana Pacers – Myles Turner

Turner led all centers in blocks with 2.8 per game. He is not just the best shot-blocking center at the position, but in the entire league as well. Consistently, Turner has made it known he is one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. With Tyrese Haliburton taking over as the face of the franchise, Turner will get a chance to prove his worth. Turner will be a prized trade chip this year.

Los Angeles Clippers – Paul George

The Clippers’ success hinges on the health of George, Kawhi Leonard, and John Wall. All three players haven’t played a full season in a long time. In 31 games, George averaged 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. While Leonard hasn’t played since the 2021 playoffs, this remains his team if he is healthy. George, who is another All-Star, is the perfect player to have as your number two if you are chasing an NBA championship.

Los Angeles Lakers – Anthony Davis

Davis hasn’t played a full season in two years. When healthy, Davis was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. On top of that, he brought 23.2 points and 9.8 rebounds. With 2.2 blocks, he was a two-way player that made everything about the Lakers better. It all comes down to his health. With LeBron James remaining the best and Russell Westbrook looking to improve his role, Davis might be the most important player on this roster.

Memphis Grizzlies – Jaren Jackson Jr.

For the first time in his career, Jackson played a full season. For four years, Jackson battled injuries, but when he was there with the team, the Grizzlies were a top-2 team in the Western Conference. Jackson averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. His defense was the central cog in helping the Grizzlies’ defense. The team is going to be without Jackson for about the first month of the season potentially. Hopefully, the team can have Dillon Brooks or Desmond Bane step up while he is gone.

Miami Heat – Bam Adebayo

Among centers, Adebayo owned the fifth-best scoring average with 19.1 points per game. He also contributed 10.1 rebounds and made an All-Defensive Team. The Heat is in a great spot right now. The team has Kyle Lowry, Victor Oladipo, and Tyler Herro on the roster alongside their All-Star centerpiece in Jimmy Butler. When you have these many choices, it helps with the overall team. That is why the Heat were the No. 1 seed last year.

Milwaukee Bucks – Khris Middleton

The third-best scoring small forward in the league was Middleton. The only players that scored more than 20.1 points per game were All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Jayson Tatum. For nearly a decade, Middleton has been the number two to Giannis Antetokounmpo. That pairing helped lead the Bucks to an NBA championship. With the core of that championship team in place, the Bucks will be in contention for another shot at the title. With Middleton playing like an All-Star, the Bucks could be a 60-win team.

Minnesota Timberwolves – Anthony Edwards

The Timberwolves will be led by Karl-Anthony Towns. While Rudy Gobert is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and D’Angelo Russell is a former All-Star, the second-best player on this team is Anthony Edwards. The former No. 1 overall pick is turning into a star on notice. At 21 years old, he averaged 21.3 points per game. With a few more veteran pieces, this team will be vastly improved. If Edwards leaps to stardom, Minnesota could be in the top quadrant of the West next year.

New Orleans Pelicans – Brandon Ingram

While Zion Willamson has not played since the 2020-21 season, we have to go off of what he did during that year and assume that is his regular way of playing. Assuming Williamson can play each day, that leaves Ingram as the team’s second-best player. While CJ McCollum is a sound player in his own right, Ingram has made an All-Star appearance in comparison to the zero appearances from McCollum. Ingram can also rebound and has a nice stroke from midrange. The Pelicans are banking on this All-Star tandem of Ingram and Williamson to work out.

New York Knicks – RJ Barrett

Julius Randle remains the best player on this team. After all, he was an All-Star once with the Knicks. Meanwhile, the Knicks are waiting for Barrett to break out like Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, the two picks selected before him. Barrett averaged 20.0 points per game for the first time last year. This is not a bad player but he has a feel for him similar to CJ McCollum. He is a borderline All-Star but on the bottom end of the line. We will see what year four brings to the table.

Oklahoma City Thunder – Josh Giddey

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander owns this team for now, but with his hurt, that means that it is going to be the next man up. That leaves Giddey as the team’s best player. When SGA comes back, Giddey can slide back into his role. With that said, it’s nice to have a 6-foot-8 point guard at 19 years old be your second-best player. Giddey averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. Those are Ben Simmon’s numbers on offense. All Giddey needs to do now is become a better defender.

Orlando Magic – Cole Anthony

The second-best player on this team comes off of the bench? For now, yes. Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac should be returning to the starting lineup. Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner will likely keep their spots as well. As for Anthony, he should be a player to keep an eye on for the Sixth Man of the Year Award if he stays in his sixth-man role. With 16.3 points and a career average of 39.3% from three-point range, Anthony is not an ordinary bench player. With Anthony closing out games, it could be very beneficial to his career.

Philadelphia 76ers – James Harden

Joel Embiid was the MVP runner-up last year. While James Harden is a star in his own right, this is Embiid’s team until Harden does something to prove otherwise. Even if Harden tried to take it over, Embiid would probably not let him, so here we are. Either way, having Harden as the second-best player just shows how talented this team could be. Harden averaged 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 10.5 assists in 21 games with the 76ers. Let’s see what a full season with Philly will look like after an offseason to get comfortable with the team.

Phoenix Suns – Chris Paul

The second-best player on the team led the NBA in assists. It’s a nice problem to have if you are the Suns. Devin Booker gets the nod for the best on the team after his First-Team All-NBA appearance. Paul is a Hall of Famer that ranks in the top 3 in assists. The Suns won 60 games last year and that is why. Their second-best player is one of the top talents in the league. With the team hungry to get back to the NBA Finals, look for Paul to be extra hungry as he strives for his first championship ring.

Portland Trail Blazers – Jerami Grant

The Trail Blazers have been selling in the recent year. The team has traded away CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, and Robert Covington. In the offseason, the team made a deal to acquire Jerami Grant to pair him alongside Damian Lillard. With the Pistons, Grant averaged 19.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in 47 games. Grant will need to prove that these numbers weren’t because he was just with a bad team. Then again, after the year the Trail Blazers had, he might be joining a similar situation. Still, a healthy Damian Lillard goes a long way, so this pairing with Grant could be something special.

Sacramento Kings – Domantas Sabonis

For the time being, Sabonis has not earned the title to be the best player on the team. When he arrived, the Kings lost more games than won. The team went 5-10 and Sabonis averaged 18.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and shot 55.4% from the field. All of those numbers look great, but it needs to translate to wins. Granted, the team was not winning with De’Aaron Fox leading the way. With Fox, Sabonis, and Harrison Barnes, the Kings faithful this is enough to bring the team out of the playoffs exodus, a curse that has been around since 2006.

San Antonio Spurs – Jakob Poeltl

The Spurs unloaded Dejounte Murray for a haul of prospects and that leaves Keldon Johnson as the team’s best player. While Doug McDermott is a seasoned veteran, the rise of Jakob Poeltl has not gone unnoticed. It was a career year for the 26-year-old last season when he averaged 13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. Among centers, Poeltl was 11th in double-doubles. With the Spurs needing a heavy workload this season, Poeltl is due for his best season yet.

Toronto Raptors – Fred VanVleet

The best player on the team goes to Pascal Siakam. He was a starter for the 2019 championship team. He is a great two-way player and a central part of the team’s success. Another major piece is VanVleet, who was a reserve for that 2019 team. However, VanVleet has come into his own. Last year, VanVleet led all shooting guards with 3.7 made three-point field goals. VanVleet beat out the likes of Klay Thompson and Donovan Mitchell.

Utah Jazz – Mike Conley Jr.

Now that Bojan Bogdanovic is gone, all eyes will be on where Mike Conley Jr. winds up. The Jazz is in full rebuild mode. As the year goes on, Collin Sexton will move into the role of the team’s best player. He is the best offensive player on the team and will have the bulk of the offensive responsibility. With all of the talent traded away, that leaves Conley and Jordan Clarkson as the only other options. Conley’s resume includes being the all-time leading scorer for the Grizzlies and coming off of making an All-Star appearance in 2021. A team will be happy to include him on their championship run.

Washington Wizards – Kristaps Porzingis

Bradley Beal is the man of Washington. With an expensive contract extension in place, the Wizards are all in on the face of the franchise. With that said, Beal has averaged two seasons of at least 30 or more points per game. The hope is that Porzingis can be an All-Star tandem with Beal. In 17 games, Porzingis averaged 22.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks. Beal was absent for those games. Seeing them play together could be great for both players. There remains All-Star potential in him. Playing alongside an All-Star didn’t’ work in Dallas. Maybe, it will work in Washington. 

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