5. De’Aaron Fox/Buddy Hield, Sacramento Kings
De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield have emerged as a talented rising backcourt in the NBA and in a few short years, they will be deemed as the best. Their blend of speed, athleticism, and elite shooting resulted in a successful season for the Sacramento Kings.
Finishing with a 39-43 record was a sign of good fortune for the future. Fox finished the season averaging 17.3 points and 7.3 assists as the floor general. While Hield was a 20 point per game scorer and shot 42 percent from beyond the arc – amongst the best of them. He finished fourth in 3-pointers made behind the elite players of the league (James Harden, Steph Curry, Paul George).
In a league highly dependent on pace and space, this backcourt fits the mold perfectly. The Kings finished third in the league in offensive pace, led by their speedster Fox, and sixth in offensive scoring, averaging 114.2 points per game.
In this backcourt’s second year together they improved Sacramento’s win total by 12 games while displaying All-Star level talent. At such an early stage in their careers, the tandem has found ways to transition their success into wins. In their third year together, the duo will continue to ride their momentum into stardom and have the Sacramento Kings competing for the playoffs again.