For years, big threes were all of the rage in the NBA. During the 2000s-2010s, most championship teams had a trio of star talent that led them to victory, and the rest of the roster was usually filled out with role players and depth pieces. The Boston Celtics won a championship this way with Paul George, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, and the Miami Heat further emphasized the need for a big three when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh all teamed up.
Even the Golden State Warriors formed a dynasty with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green leading the way (although Kevin Durant was present for two of their championships). Roster building is starting to look much different, though. The NBA’s newest collective bargaining agreement makes it harder to pay three superstars, and big threes are expensive.
Additionally, the importance of depth has been on full display in recent seasons. A lot of big threes consist of pricy, aging stars, and although those teams have a lot of talent, they haven’t always delivered on expectations because injuries affect older players and it is hard to build a complete roster when you have expensive veterans.
Teams such as the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, and Milwaukee Bucks have been prime examples of this in recent years. Despite all having a championship-caliber big three, all three of those teams were bounced in the first round last year. Even so, you need star talent in the NBA, and there can be a case made that the more you have of it, the better. Even if the big three philosophy is being de-popularized, it certainly hasn’t gone by the wayside quite yet. Here are the 15 best big threes in the NBA, only accounting for a team’s star trio and not their entire roster.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey
The Philadelphia 76ers went on a spending spree in the offseason, and it is evident in their big three. Philadelphia only had a few players under contract for the 2024-25 season coming into the offseason, but they invested heavily in free agency and completed an impressive draft, and it left them with arguably the best offseason in the NBA.
Their defining moves were to re-sign Tyrese Maxey, extend Joel Embiid, and sign Paul George off of the open market. The transformed roster is highlighted by what is the best star trio in basketball. Maxey and Embiid, of course, have played together in Philadelphia for the last few seasons, but last year was Maxey’s breakout campaign.
Maxey put up 25.9 points per game in what was a Most Improved Player winning season, and now he is established as a superstar. Embiid and George have been superstars for a long time already. Embiid has a case as the best player in the NBA not named Nikola Jokic. He has an MVP to his name, and two more seasons finishing second in voting for the most prestigious individual regular season award in the NBA.
Embiid’s ability to put the ball on the floor is unlike anything we’ve seen from a center before. He is also a capable outside scorer, too. Additionally, Embiid provides traditional big man things like elite rim protection and rebounding. George will slide right in between the two as an incredible third option.
The former Los Angeles Clipper fits in any rotation because of his versatile offensive skill set and defensive prowess, but he will surely thrive a little extra in Philadelphia with all of the open looks he will get while defenses are focused on Maxey and Embiid.
Health is the one concern with this big three. Both Embiid and George have struggled staying on the floor in recent years. The 76ers stars have the potential to run through the rest of the league, but there is also a chance that they won’t be able to stay healthy and share the floor together at the right times, which could lead to playoff disappointments similar to what we’ve become accustomed to with the 76ers in recent years.
2. Phoenix Suns
Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal
The Phoenix Suns ranking as the second-best big three in the NBA will be a controversial take, considering they were massive disappointments last year. We think the team deserves another season to prove themselves and their big three’s greatness, though. After all, many fans were predicting Phoenix to have one of the best big threes ever when they traded for Bradley Beal last season.
Beal’s struggles in his first season with the Suns were a big reason the team didn’t live up to expectations. The shooting guard again dealt with injury woes, and he had his worst statistical season since his early NBA days. At times, the former Washington Wizard didn’t look like a great fit alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker because all three players are ball-dominant and need the ball in their hands to thrive, which often left Beal as the odd man out.
We still think this trio can work, though. Durant is one of the best scorers of all time, if not the best, and Booker is well on his way to that claim as well. With a year in the Suns’ system under his belt, Beal could be in for a bounce-back season, too. Beal will only be guarded by opponents third best defenders, which will open things up for him to thrive.
Plus, the addition of a true point guard in Tyus Jones (and Monte Morris) will allow the stars to focus on scoring. Phoenix forced Booker and Beal into playmaking duties that they weren’t used to last year. Meanwhile, Jones and Morris are the league’s two best assist-to-turnover ratio players, so they will be able to set the table for their stars and get them into ideal positions to thrive.
Based on last year’s production alone, the Suns’ spot in the top two isn’t warranted. This is a prediction, though, and we still believe Phoenix can make a deep run in the playoffs with this star-studded roster.
3. Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson
The Dallas Mavericks made the NBA Finals last year because of their incredible duo featuring Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Now, they have a legitimate big three, as they added Klay Thompson in the offseason.
Thompson – who is already one of the best shooters ever – will be getting a lot of open looks from deep this year because Doncic and Irving are two of the best isolation players ever. Both guards demand tons of defensive attention, and they can both get to the rim and collapse defenses with ease.
Doncic seems due for an MVP because of the massive numbers he puts up year in and year out, and Irving has seemingly finally found a home that he can thrive in. Irving’s ball handling and below-the-rim finishing abilities are unmatched, and he seems to be loving his time playing alongside Doncic.
The one concern with Dallas’ big three is their defense. Irving doesn’t have great size, especially for the two-guard spot, and Doncic’s defensive effort and talent have always been questioned. The Mavericks were a great defensive team after the trade deadline last year, but they lost their best perimeter defender (Derrick Jones Jr.) in free agency.
While Thompson is an upgrade overall, he isn’t the same player he once was on the defensive end. Injuries and age have sapped Thompson of some of his athleticism, so the once elite defensive player is now pretty mediocre on that end.
4. Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White
The defending champion Boston Celtics won their league-record 18th championship last season because their entire team was stacked, not just their big three. Obviously Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the two main stars, but it was actually hard to even decide who completes the team’s trio.
Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday both had cases, but Derrick White had such an impressive season last year that we went with him as the team’s third star. White’s defense was vastly important to Boston, and his offensive numbers were a little bit better than Holiday’s.
Brown and Tatum are paid like the star duo that they are. Brown is the highest-paid player in league history, and Tatum will take that title when his new contract extension kicks in. The star wings are ushering in an era prioritizing forward play. They can both do it all on the basketball court. From defense to shooting to driving, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are two of the most complete players in the league.
Boston should be favored to win the NBA Finals again this year, and potentially for years to come. That is not just because of their big three, either, but because of their team as a whole. Regardless, their three best players still lands them in the top five of this list.
5. Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr.
Nikola Jokic is the best player in the NBA. The now three-time MVP is well on his way to being one of the very best players in NBA history. The center from Sombor, Serbia, can do it all, and that is why he is breaking records left and right. Jokic is the best passing big man ever, his soft touch is mesmerizing, and he is a better defender than given credit for.
As long as Jokic is in town, the Nuggets will be relevant, but it is his chemistry with Jamal Murray that makes the team so special. Both players pick up their games come playoff time. Murray is a clutch shotmaker who always seems to play at his best when it matters the most. Their two-man game is next to none in the NBA, and it his enhanced by one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA.
That sniper is Michael Porter Jr. We gave the three-point specialist the slight nod for Denver’s big three over Aaron Gordon, although there is a case to be made that the power forward is the third-best player on the team.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert
Although the Nuggets rank one spot above them on this list of best big threes, the Minnesota Timberwolves actually knocked Denver out of the postseason last year. The construction of Minnesota’s Big Three is interesting, as it features two centers. Karl-Anthony Towns is now playing the power forward position because of the presence of Rudy Gobert.
Their games couldn’t be more different, either. Towns is arguably the best shooting big man we’ve ever seen, whereas Gobert is now a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, which cements his place as one of the best defensive players in NBA history.
The best player of the bunch is Anthony Edwards, though. Edwards already has a case as a top-five NBA player, and he is only getting better. Edwards is a true two-way star and he has the talent to be the best player on a championship-winning squad.
7. Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren
The sky is the limit for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s big three. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren are all already good, but they are only getting better. Gilgeous-Alexander finished second in MVP voting last year in what was the Thunder’s breakout campaign.
With an unmatched driving ability and a fantastic mid-range shot, the point guard transformed Oklahoma City from an up-and-coming team to legitimate championship contenders. Chet Holmgren also finished second in voting for a major award. The 2022 second overall pick missed his first season, but he had a fantastic rookie season in year two, which led to him only falling short of Victor Wembanyama in Rookie of the Year voting.
Holmgren exceeded all expectations early. He demonstrated fantastic shot-blocking skills while proving that he can bang with the big boys. Jalen Williams is still one of the most underrated players in the NBA. Williams, who was drafted in the same class as Holmgren, averaged 19.1 points per game in year two.
8. Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton
A year ago, the Milwaukee Bucks might have ranked as the best NBA trio coming into the 2023-24 season, but they had somewhat of a disappointing season. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are clearly two of the best players in the league, but they didn’t mesh together as well as expected. It resulted in a second straight first-round exit.
Lillard, in particular, had a down season. Still, you can expect a bounce-back year from one of the best point guards ever. Lillard is incredibly clutch and has unimaginable range from beyond the arc. Although he is getting older, in theory, he should still be the perfect fit with Antetokounmpo.
The Greek Freak is an athletic specimen. He is pushing 7-foot tall, yet he runs like a guard. He is as strong as a center, too. These traits make him nearly impossible to stop in both the paint and in transition.
We do think that Antetokounmpo and Lillard will play better together than they did last year. The problem with the Bucks big three is that the third member, Khris Middleton, is clearly regressing. Middleton’s defense, three-point shooting, mid-range shooting, and athleticism have all declined in recent years, and he probably won’t ever become the All-Star caliber player again that he was when the Bucks won the NBA Finals. The Bucks’ championship window is closing, so the big three in Milwaukee need to make some noise while they can.
9. New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Julius Randle
With the addition of Mikal Bridges, the creation of the Villanova Knicks is complete. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges, along with Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, were all collegiate teammates, and they won two National Championships as a team (Hart was only there for the first). The latter two of those players didn’t make our cut for New York’s big three, though, as Julius Randle still deserves to be called one of the stars on the Knicks.
Randle has been loved as much as he has been hated by Knicks fans. Sometimes, he gets the efficient shot-chucker label, but other times, his importance as a bruising scorer is evident. Randle missed the end of last season as the Knicks were catching a grove, so it will be interesting to see how he meshes with the team this season.
Jalen Brunson is the megastar on the Knicks. The lefty has an old-school, unorthodox game, but it works, as he established himself as one of the best players in the league last year. He and Bridges were Villanova’s two best players in 2018, and they might be the Knicks’ two best players this year.
The Knicks gave up a huge haul of draft picks to land Bridges. The move was highly praised, though, as Bridges seems like a perfect fit for a Tom Thibodeau-led squad. Bridges is an elite defensive player, and he showcased a lot more on offense during his time with the New York Knicks.
The ranking doesn’t take into account what OG Anunoby provides to this team, but he is worth mentioning as he narrowly missed out on making the cut for New York’s big three. Like Bridges, Anunoby is a premier defensive player who can stretch the floor and knock down jumpers on offense.
10. Memphis Grizzlies
Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr.
The 2023-24 season was a lost one for the Memphis Grizzlies because of injuries. The team had the worst case of the injury bug that I’ve ever seen, but their big three will help remind fans this season why they are one of the best teams in the NBA. Last season, Ja Morant only played in nine games, Desmond Bane only suited up 42 times, and Jaren Jackson missed 16 games. Together, the Grizzlies will have a much better season and even compete for the number one seed. The team was the two seed in each of the two previous seasons prior to last year.
Morant, if he can get his act together, can become the face of the NBA. He has unrealistic athleticism which makes him one of the best slashers we’ve seen in a long time. His backcourt partner is a marksman from deep, but Bane can score in a lot more ways than just from beyond the arc.
Although he was the healthiest last year, Jackson Jr. has been the most prone to injury in the past. When he is healthy, though, he is one of the best stretch bigs in basketball. Defensively, Jackson Jr. is an incredible rim protector, and he even won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023.
11. New Orleans Pelicans
Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray
Will Dejounte Murray prove to be the piece that was missing for the New Orleans Pelicans? The Pelicans traded for the ex-Atlanta Hawk to add a third star and form a big three. Murray didn’t work out alongside Trae Young, but he is still an All-Star caliber player, and his fit in New Orleans is much cleaner.
Murray joins Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram to form a star trio. Injuries have continuously hit Williamson at the worst times, but he still has the potential to be one of the best players in the NBA. The former number-one pick is unstoppable in the paint due to his superior athleticism and strength.
Ingram has also struggled with injuries at times, so he and Williamson often haven’t shared the floor when the Pelicans needed them to. Ingram’s length allows him to shoot over the top of defenders, which is part of why he is such an excellent isolation scorer. Now, New Orleans needs to have a healthy season from their stars, or they might have to blow up this big three. Ingram has heard his name in trade rumors because he is a free agent at season’s end.
12. Sacramento Kings
Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan
Another team with a newly formed big three is the Sacramento Kings. Their prized new addition is DeMar DeRozan, but his offseason signing was polarizing for some. On the one hand, DeRozan is a six-time All-Star who is coming off of a 24 point-per-game season as the top dog with the Chicago Bulls.
He is one of the best mid-range shooters in NBA history, and he seemingly still has plenty left in the tank. On the other hand, though, DeRozan is now 35 years old. Defense has never been his calling card, and he is joining a team that wasn’t great on that end to begin with. DeRozan’s lack of a three-point shot (although it improved last year) makes him an interesting fit on a new team, and we’ve never seen him as a third option like he will be on the Kings.
While we need to wait and see what DeRozan’s fit in Sacramento will look like, we know how Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox are as a duo. Sabonis put up massive numbers last season while operating at the top of the key. His 19.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 13.7 rebounds per game (which led the NBA) led to him being a fringe MVP candidate. Sabonis has been compared to a mini-Nikola Jokic, but he actually had one more triple-doubles last season (26) than the MVP did.
Fox has a very different skill set, and it compliments Sabonis well. Fox is arguably the fastest player in the NBA, which makes him a threat off of the bounce and in transition. He is also a knock down three-point shooter, though, so that combination makes him a nightmare matchup for defenses. The Kings’ big three will thrive on offense this year; the question is, will they be able to hold up on defense?
13. Miami Heat
Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro
The Miami Heat finished as the eight seed and lost in the first round last season. The year prior, they were a seven-seed. That might make you think that their big three is overrated, but they always tend to show up when it matters most. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo led Miami to the NBA Finals in 2023, and they did it while Tyler Herro was on the sideline with an injury.
The trio made another Finals appearance back in 2020. Miami’s big three is a perfect representation of Heat culture. Butler, Adebayo, and Herro are all gritty players who do the little things to win basketball games. Butler, specifically, is known for his hard-nosed attitude, pure determination, and defensive excellence.
Although he is still the leader of the team, there is a case to be made that Butler is no longer the best player on the Heat. We think that honor belongs to Adebayo. The center is not only one of the best defensive players in the NBA, but his offense is expanding year by year. Adebayo showed more flashes of a jumper than ever before last year, and he has long been a solid passer for the five position.
Herro is one of the most talented young players in the NBA, but he needs to string together a healthy season. After missing most of the 2023 playoffs with injury, the shooting guard only suited up in 42 games last season.
14. Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves
If this ranking was only about the best NBA duos, the Los Angeles Lakers would rank much higher. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are not only two of the best players currently in the league, but they are two of the best players ever. James’ resume speaks for itself. He has four championships, four MVPs, and many many more accolades to his name.
James is still going strong, and he might have a little extra motivation this season, as he will be suiting up with his son, Bronny James, in Los Angeles. Davis, on the other hand, is among the most elite defensive players in the NBA. He is coming off of a 76-game season, which is the most games he has played in a season in his entire 12 year career.
The question mark with this trio is the third option itself. D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura both have cases as James and Davis’ third option, but we think it is Austin Reaves.
Reaves, while a good player, is probably the worst third option on this list. Reaves is an impressive shooter and a solid playmaker, but he is pretty far off from superstar status, and that holds the Lakers back on this list.
15. Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ big three of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley just missed out on the top 15, meaning the Indiana Pacers grab the final spot in this ranking. The Pacers big three was formed at the NBA trade deadline last season when the team traded for Pascal Siakam.
Indiana went on a run after the addition of the star power forward. He was clearly the missing piece, and his presence resulted in an Eastern Conference Finals appearance for the Pacers. Now, optimism is high for the future of the team.
Tyrese Haliburton provides the biggest glimmer of hope, though. Haliburton led the league in assists last season (10.9 PPG), as he established himself as arguably the best playmaker in basketball. Indiana has a high-powered offense, and it is largely because of how impressive Haliburton is on that end.
The Pacers’ defense needs to improve this season, but it has the potential to do so because of the third member of their big three. Myles Turner is an All-Defensive team candidate year in and year out. Twice the center has led the league in blocks. Indiana has the luxury of their center shooting threes, too.
Turner locks down the paint on defense, and he spreads the floor and hits long bombs on offense. The combination is both rare and vital in making the Pacers system work. With a full year of Siakam, it is possible that the Pacers will skyrocket up this list, especially if they make another deep postseason run.
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