30. Charlotte Hornets: Terry Rozier and P.J. Washington
The Hornets are short on options for 5-on-5, so it only makes sense that their 2-on-2 pairings are weak too. There is some upside here though; Scary Terry has experience creating mayhem at high levels without sucking defensively, and Washington was one of the best defensive rookies in the league this year with a developing jumper.
The offense will mostly be predicated on Rozier, the most volatile lead scorer in this competition. But Washington can’t be completely selfless either; he will have to attack opponents’ weak links when they get switched onto him, just like he did in college.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kevin Love and Kevin Porter Jr.
Let’s get weird. Cleveland’s two best players are bigs, but playing both would put them at a functional disadvantage. Love gets the nod over Andre Drummond for his superior shooting and playmaking, and Porter Jr. is awarded a spot over Collin Sexton because he can defend a wider spectrum of players at 6-foot-4 and 213 pounds.
These two have their work cut out for them though. Love isn’t very quick guarding out on the perimeter, nor is he a stout anchor at the rim. He will have to do a lot of work offensively to make up for that. As for the rookie, he’ll have to be equally aggressive on offense while also putting those physical talents to the test.