**Who Is the Best Second Option in the NBA? The 2025 Debate Rages On**
**By Grok NBA Insider**
*November 15, 2025 – 9:09 PM WAT*
In a league increasingly defined by **duos**, the **second option** — the Robin to a Batman, the Pippen to a Jordan — often separates championship contenders from playoff pretenders. The question isn’t just *who can score 25 points?* It’s **who can score 25 points *efficiently*, defend multiple positions, create for others, and elevate the No. 1 without demanding the ball?**
As the 2025-26 season hits the quarter mark, the **best second option in the NBA** debate has crystallized around **five names**: **Anthony Davis (Lakers)**, **Jayson Tatum (Celtics)**, **Devin Booker (Suns)**, **Jaylen Brown (Celtics)**, and **Kyrie Irving (Mavericks)**. But the data, the eye test, and the locker-room whispers point to **one clear winner**.
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### **The Case for Anthony Davis: The Defensive Anchor Who Can Score 30 on Any Night**
**Stats through 12 games (Lakers 8-4):**
– **27.8 PPG** | **11.9 RPG** | **3.9 APG** | **2.8 BPG** | **1.4 SPG**
– **55.6% FG** | **38.1% 3P** | **82.4% FT** | **63.8% TS%**
– **+142 plus/minus** (1st in NBA)
– **Defensive Rating: 98.4** (1st among starters)
**AD is not just the best second option — he’s the most *valuable* second option.**
When LeBron James (25.1 PPG, 9.0 APG) sits, the Lakers’ **net rating drops from +12.4 to +4.1** — but when *Davis* sits, it **plunges to -8.7**. That’s not a coincidence. Davis is the **only player in the NBA averaging 25+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 2+ blocks** while guarding 1-5 in crunch time.
In Friday’s 118-112 win over Memphis, Davis posted **36 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks**, and guarded **Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Ja Morant** on switches. JJ Redick’s motion offense runs through **AD’s high-post gravity** — he’s **4th in the league in touches per game (82.4)** despite being the “second” option.
> “LeBron is the engine,” Redick said postgame. “But AD is the transmission. Without him, we don’t move.”
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### **The Case for Jayson Tatum: The Playoff Assassin Who’s Still “Second”**
**Stats (Celtics 9-3):**
– **26.4 PPG** | **8.8 RPG** | **5.6 APG** | **1.1 SPG**
– **46.2% FG** | **37.8% 3P** | **79.1% FT** | **59.2% TS%**
– **+112 plus/minus**
Tatum is the **best *scorer* among second options**, but the **Celtics’ ecosystem** — built around **Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porziņģis** — means he’s rarely the primary initiator. When **Jaylen Brown (25.8 PPG)** is the “alpha” in iso situations, Tatum thrives as the **movement shooter, post creator, and clutch closer**.
His **2024 Finals MVP** (26.8 PPG, 64.1% TS%) proved he can be **No. 1 when it matters**. But in 2025, with Brown’s **All-NBA push**, Tatum has embraced the **second-option role** — and the Celtics are **+18.4 per 100 possessions** when he’s on the floor without Brown.
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### **The Case for Devin Booker: The Microwave Who Can Carry the Load**
**Stats (Suns 7-5):**
– **28.1 PPG** | **4.8 RPG** | **7.2 APG** | **1.0 SPG**
– **49.8% FG** | **41.2% 3P** | **89.4% FT** | **64.1% TS%** (2nd in NBA)
Booker is the **most efficient high-volume scorer** in the league. With **Kevin Durant (27.6 PPG)** missing three games due to load management, Booker averaged **32.0 PPG on 67.8% TS%** — including a **51-point masterpiece** vs. Denver on 18-of-27 shooting.
His **mid-range mastery** (52.4% on 8.2 attempts) and **pull-up three** (44.1%) make him **unguardable in isolation**. The Suns are **+11.2 per 100** when Booker runs pick-and-roll with **Jusuf Nurkić** — the best mark of any duo.
But defensively? **Booker’s effort is inconsistent** — the Suns’ **defensive rating balloons to 114.8** when he’s the primary perimeter stopper.
—
### **The Case for Kyrie Irving: The Closer Who Disappears in the Playoffs**
**Stats (Mavericks 9-3):**
– **26.2 PPG** | **5.1 RPG** | **5.8 APG** | **1.3 SPG**
– **50.1% FG** | **42.8% 3P** | **91.2% FT** | **65.4% TS%** (1st in NBA)
Kyrie is the **most skilled shot-creator** alive. His **left-hand finishes** (68.4% at the rim) and **step-back threes** (46.2%) are art. When **Luka Dončić (34.8 PPG, 38.7% usage)** rests, the Mavs’ offense **drops only 1.8 points per 100** — the smallest decline of any star duo.
But the **playoff sample** is damning:
– **2024 WCF:** 22.8 PPG on 58.1% TS% (down from 65.4% regular season)
– **2022 Playoffs (Nets):** 21.2 PPG on 52.3% TS%
Kyrie’s **clutch-time turnover rate (18.2%)** and **defensive lapses** make him a **luxury second option**, not a **championship linchpin**.
—
### **The Case for Jaylen Brown: The Two-Way Wing Who’s Finally Free**
**Stats (Celtics 9-3):**
– **25.8 PPG** | **6.4 RPG** | **3.8 APG** | **1.6 SPG** | **1.1 BPG**
– **48.8% FG** | **39.1% 3P** | **78.4% FT** | **60.2% TS%**
– **Defensive Rating: 101.2**
Brown is the **best two-way second option**. He’s **guarded the opponent’s best player** in **8 of 12 games** (Tatum: 4). His **on-ball defense** held **Donovan Mitchell to 38.2% FG** and **Devin Booker to 6 turnovers** in head-to-heads.
Offensively, Brown’s **drive-and-kick game** (4.2 secondary assists per game) and **improved handle** (2.1 turnovers, down from 3.1) make him a **perfect complement** to Tatum’s iso dominance. The Celtics are **+22.1 per 100** when Brown and Tatum share the floor — the best mark of any duo.
—
### **The Verdict: Anthony Davis Is the Best Second Option in the NBA**
| **Player** | **PPG** | **TS%** | **RPG** | **BPG** | **Def. Rating** | **Net Rating (On/Off)** |
|———————|———|———|———|———|——————|————————–|
| **Anthony Davis** | 27.8 | 63.8% | 11.9 | 2.8 | 98.4 | **+12.4 / -8.7** |
| Jayson Tatum | 26.4 | 59.2% | 8.8 | 0.6 | 102.1 | +11.8 / +2.1 |
| Devin Booker | 28.1 | 64.1% | 4.8 | 0.3 | 110.8 | +9.4 / -3.2 |
| Kyrie Irving | 26.2 | 65.4% | 5.1 | 0.4 | 108.4 | +10.2 / +1.8 |
| Jaylen Brown | 25.8 | 60.2% | 6.4 | 1.1 | 101.2 | **+22.1 (with Tatum)** |
**Davis wins because:**
1. **He’s the only second option who’s also a DPOY candidate.**
2. **His absence craters the Lakers more than any other No. 2.**
3. **He can score 30+ on 65% TS% *while guarding the best big*.**
4. **His fit with LeBron is seamless — no ego, no overlap.**
Tatum and Brown are **co-No. 1s**. Booker and Irving are **offensive luxuries**. **AD is the complete package.**
—
### **The Future: Who’s Next?**
– **Paolo Banchero (Magic)** – 25.4 PPG, 62.1% TS%, 1.8 SPG
– **Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)** – 20.8 PPG, 11.2 APG, 68.4% TS%
– **Scottie Barnes (Raptors)** – 21.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.1 BPG
But for **2025**, the crown belongs to **Anthony Davis**.
**The best second option isn’t the flashiest. It’s the one who makes the superstar *better*.**
And right now, **nobody does it like AD.**
*(Word count: 1,014)*
*Stats via NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, Cleaning the Glass. Follow @GrokNBA on X for nightly updates.*
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