The NBA’s Best Batman and Robin Duos

Joel Piton
1 hour ago
9 min read

For years, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were my standard for NBA tandems—a homegrown one-two punch that eventually grew from promising young wings into champions. Now, with the two officially split up, the league’s duo hierarchy suddenly feels wide open. And that got me thinking: who is actually the best Batman-and-Robin pairing in basketball right now?

We're firmly in the superteam era. Teams aren’t just chasing Big Threes anymore. Some are trying to stack three, four, even five All-Stars onto the same roster. But underneath all of that roster-building, the two-star Jordan-Pippen formula is still alive and well. One Batman. One Robin. Two players capable of carrying the squad every night. So with a new season approaching and one of the league’s premier partnerships officially coming to an end, it’s time to reset the board.

Here are the 10 best NBA duos heading into next season.

Keyonte George & Lauri Markkanen (UTA)

This is my sleeper pick. Lauri Markkanen quietly went off last season, but injuries limited him to just 42 games, making it easy to overlook the fact that he was pouring in roughly 27 points per night. His long-term future in Utah is uncertain, but one thing hasn’t changed: Markkanen remains one of the league’s most efficient high-volume scorers. At 7 feet tall, his combination of size, shooting and movement makes him one of the most unique offensive weapons in basketball. Then there’s Keyonte George, who may be on the verge of becoming an All-Star. At just 22 years old, George broke out for 23.6 points per game as a low-maintenance scoring guard who doesn’t need much room to get his shot off. If this trajectory continues, the All-Star game doesn't feel that far away.

The biggest thing holding this duo back has simply been circumstance. They haven’t played enough games together, and Utah hasn’t always had the roster around them to turn individual production into meaningful wins. That could start to change with more talent entering the picture, including one Darryn Peterson. There are bigger names elsewhere on this list, but don’t sleep on Utah. If Markkanen stays healthy and KG takes another step forward, this could be the beginning of a long scoring partnership, and one of the league’s biggest surprises next season.

Tyrese Haliburton & Pascal Siakam (IND)

Just one year ago, Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam helped carry Indiana all the way to the NBA Finals. Last season showed just us that their partnership was the Pacers. Without Haliburton, the Pacers fell off a cliff, finishing with just 19 wins and struggling to recreate any pace, creativity or offensive flow that made them so dangerous. Indiana also lacked a true high-level scorer beyond Siakam, and the defense never consistently reached the standard of a serious contender.

Siakam still did his part. He averaged 24 points per game, earned another All-Star selection and remained one of the league’s toughest two-way forwards. Haliburton, meanwhile, is one of basketball’s best playmakers, capable of controlling tempo, creating easy looks and turning Indiana’s offense into something much more dynamic.

This duo still deserves a spot in the top 10. The ranking has to be low because Haliburton is returning from a major injury and there is no guarantee Indiana immediately looks like the team that reached the Finals, or even a playoff team. But when Haliburton and Siakam are both healthy and locked in, we already know what the ceiling looks like.

Trae Young & Anthony Davis (WAS)

Trae Young and Anthony Davis are another tandem we haven’t actually gotten to see yet, largely because injuries kept Davis off the floor for virtually all of last season. But if both are healthy next season, this could quietly become one of the most entertaining pairings in basketball. Washington already has an exciting future after securing the No. 1 overall pick, but adding two legitimate All-Stars gives that young core some serious veteran firepower. Young remains one of the league’s premier playmakers—a pass-first point guard who can manipulate defenses, create opportunities from seemingly nowhere and still won’t hesitate to pull from well beyond the arc.

Davis, meanwhile, remains a devastating interior threat well into his 30s. He’s still capable of giving you 20-plus points a night, protecting the rim at an elite level and, perhaps most importantly for this partnership, finishing everything around the basket. Pair one of basketball’s best lob passers with one of its premier lob threats, and the possibilities are limitless. Health will determine everything. Young and Davis have yet to establish any chemistry, and between Sarr, Kyshawn and Tre Johnson, Washington’s roster still has plenty of growing to do. But if AD can stay on the floor, don’t be surprised if this becomes one of next season’s sleeper duos.

Paolo Banchero & Franz Wagner (ORL)

For the last few seasons, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have felt like one of the East’s next great Batman-and-Robin pairings—we’re just still waiting for the final breakthrough. During the regular season, the talent is clear. Both are 6'10" forwards with insane shot creation ability for their size, three-level-scorers and enough upside to make Orlando feel like a sleeping giant. The problem has been availability and postseason results. Wagner was limited to just 34 games last season, which made it hard for Orlando to be taken seriously. Banchero, meanwhile, continues to look like a future superstar, but Orlando is still waiting for that one defining leap that pushes the Magic beyond being a tough first-round out.

This upcoming season is crucial for all the wrong reasons. We know these two kids have serious potential. But now? The production has to translate when it matters most. Orlando needs Banchero and Wagner healthy, consistent and ready to carry the load every night. If that happens, this duo could easily climb much higher than seventh. But for now, they remain one of the league’s most talented pairings still searching for that next gear.

Anthony Edwards & LaMelo Ball (MIN)

Buckle up, because Minnesota might be guaranteed, must-watch television next season. The first and third picks from the 2020 NBA Draft are now united, bringing together two of the most electrifying personalities—and offensive talents—in basketball. LaMelo Ball brings an entirely different flavor to the Timberwolves. He’s an All-Star-caliber playmaker with crafty handles, limitless range and one of the most unpredictable games in the league. Defenses never quite know whether he’s about to pull from the logo, thread a pass through traffic or completely improvise something that wasn’t there a second earlier.

Then there’s Anthony Edwards, Minnesota’s fearless leader who combines freak athleticism and explosive scoring ability with the kind of swagger and energy that can change the feel of an entire game. He isn’t afraid of the clutch, isn’t afraid to speak his mind and certainly isn’t afraid to attack whoever is standing in front of him. The biggest question is how quickly their styles mesh, but the potential is ridiculous. Ball can take some of the playmaking burden off Edwards, while Edwards gives LaMelo the most dangerous scoring partner he’s ever had. If the chemistry clicks, Minnesota won’t just be good—they’ll be one of the most entertaining teams in basketball.

Luka Doncic & Austin Reaves (LAL)

With LeBron and AD gone, a new era has officially begun in Los Angeles. This is Luka's team now, and he wasted no time embracing that responsibility, leading the NBA in scoring at roughly 33 points per game last season while continuing to operate as one of the league’s most gifted offensive players. The Lakers are semi-rebuilding and have made sure to stock up on scorers this offseason. But Luka's leading man is going to be Austin Reaves—one of the NBA’s best development stories. A.R. has gone from an undrafted hopeful to one of the shiftiest and craftiest guards in basketball, averaging a whopping 23.3 points per game last season and erupting for a 51-point performance along the way. Reaves can score off the dribble, get defenders off balance and punish teams when too much attention is directed toward Doncic.

Offensively, there may not be many backcourts capable of matching their sheer firepower. Both can create for themselves, initiate offense and completely take over a game when they get rolling. The question is what happens on the other end. Neither is known for defense, and both dealt with injuries last season, so durability and perimeter resistance remain legitimate concerns. Still, if Doncic and Reaves can stay healthy, the Lakers have more than enough offensive ammunition to contend near the top of the Western Conference—and potentially make a serious push for the division crown.

Giannis Antetokounmpo & Bam Adebayo (MIA)

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo haven't played a single game together yet, but don't be surprised if we're having a completely different conversation about this pairing three months from now. On paper, this has the potential to be one of the most terrifying defensive tandems the league has seen in years. The portfolio speaks for itself. Adebayo has earned six All-Defensive Team selections, while Giannis is a former Defensive Player of the Year with five All-Defensive selections of his own. Both can switch, protect the rim, erase mistakes and turn seemingly open looks into shots headed toward the cheap seats. Good luck finding somewhere comfortable to attack when those two are sharing the floor.

And it's like they're defensive specialists only. Giannis remains a 30-point-per-game wrecking ball who can overwhelm defenses in transition or at the rim, while Bam has steadily expanded his offensive arsenal and become a dependable scorer in his own right. Put that offensive production alongside their versatility and physicality on defense, and Miami may have assembled something genuinely scary. For now, the lack of actual minutes together keeps them outside the top three. But if the chemistry clicks as quickly as the talent suggests it could, Giannis and Bam may not stay at No. 4 for very long.

Jalen Brunson & Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK)

Yeah, the Knicks have Mikal Bridges. Yeah, they have O.G. Anunoby. But make no mistake about it—Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are the engine that makes New York go. Fresh off an NBA title, putting them third almost feels disrespectful, especially considering how naturally their games flow. Brunson’s craftiness as a ball-handler forces defenses to collapse, and he’s never afraid to make the extra pass when Towns pops beyond the arc. KAT’s shooting creates the opposite problem: opposing bigs have to respect him all the way out to three-point range, opening enormous pockets of space for Brunson to operate in the lane and get to his spots.

Their pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop game became one of the most efficient and difficult two-man actions in basketball last season. Their chemistry is what separates them from simply being two stars on the same roster. Brunson and Towns actively make life easier for one another, and we’ve already seen that formula translate at the highest possible level. With a championship now on their resumé together, there’s a legitimate argument that No. 3 is actually too low.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Jalen Williams (OKC)

When healthy, there may not be a more perfectly balanced tandem in basketball than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Shai, the league’s back-to-back MVP, remains one of the most impossible covers in the NBA—a mid-range maestro with elite footwork, patience and an ability to manufacture points from virtually anywhere on the floor. His brilliance helped push Oklahoma City to 64 wins last season, even with Williams limited for much of the year. J-Dub is what makes this pairing especially dangerous. He can pressure defenses from either side of the floor, create his own offense and has developed into a legitimate 18-to-20-plus-point scorer, all while providing elite on-ball defense against some of the league’s toughest assignments.

There is very little overlap between what these two bring to the table; instead, their games seem designed to cover each other’s weaknesses. Most importantly, this isn’t theoretical. Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams were the driving forces behind a championship just one year ago. The only thing keeping them from the top spot entering next season is Williams’ limited availability last year and the unbelievable amounts of ammo put together by Denver’s duo. At full strength, though, Shai and J-Dub remain every bit capable of reclaiming No. 1.

Nikola Jokić & Jamal Murray (DEN)

At the top of the list sits the most proven tandem in basketball. Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray are no strangers to sharing the spotlight, but last season may have been their best collective year yet. Jokić remained firmly in the MVP conversation, averaging a triple-double while earning First Team All-NBA honors and another All-Star selection. Murray finally received some long-overdue individual recognition of his own, averaging 25 points per game, earning his first All-Star appearance and landing on the All-NBA Third Team. Together, the two powered Denver to a 54-28 record and once again established the Nuggets as one of the West's premier contenders.

Unfortunately, the loss of Michael Porter Jr. was rather evident in the postseason. The Nuggets record-breaking scoring forward Aaron Gordon only played three games. Injuries were a plague on an otherwise successful season. But somehow, these two still got together like peanut butter and jelly. It's hard to separate the two. Other pairings may be younger, more athletic or packing star power, but few can match the sheer combination of production, chemistry and proven success that Jokić and Murray bring to the floor. Going into next season, the NBA's longest-running Batman-and-Robin act still sits atop the throne.

Of course, nothing about this is permanent. Some of these tandems haven’t even shared the floor yet. People laughed at the Knicks before last season started. J-Dub only played thirty-three games last year. Tyrese hasn't stepped on the hardwood in over a year. Unexpected young stars make unexpected leaps, and the Free Agency period hasn't even ended. By December, this list could look completely different.

Batman can find a new Robin, Robin can become Batman, and sometimes a third star shows up and ruins the entire premise. But as we head into the 2026-27 season, these are the ten I'm rolling with. The order is set—for now.

The NBA regular season is creeping closer as the summer wraps up 🚨 Can't keep up with the drama? Be sure to stay tuned into Sportz Nation for your sports updates on all things basketball.

Thanks for reading!

-Joel Piton

(@jpiton7)