By Tim Bontemps | ESPN, 2024-11-21 21:00:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
几十年来，“三巨头”作为 NBA 球队核心的概念一直是联盟的一个显著特征。
金州勇士队的斯蒂芬·库里(Stephen Curry)、克莱·汤普森(Klay Thompson)和德雷蒙德·格林(Draymond Green)。迈阿密热火队的勒布朗·詹姆斯(LeBron James)、德维恩·韦德(Dwyane Wade)和克里斯·波什(Chris Bosh)。波士顿凯尔特人队的凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)、保罗·皮尔斯(Paul Pierce)和雷·阿伦(Ray Allen)。并非每支球队都能拥有这种级别的天赋。但无论阵容如何，评估一支球队的前三块基石都是衡量球队健康状况的指标——无论现在还是未来。
考虑到这一点，我们着手确定所有 30 支球队的核心三名球员，并将他们相互比较。一些球队的核心，例如我们顶级梯队中的两支球队，是不言自明的。而确定排名靠后的球队——例如由未来名人堂成员领衔的三支西部竞争者，或处于重建不同阶段的球队——则不仅仅是确定每支球队中天赋最高的三名球员那么简单。
注：多种因素（包括球员的年龄、合同和在球队的预期未来，以及每支球队在其发展周期中的位置）共同决定了哪些球员构成了每个核心。
跳转到梯队：
准备争冠 | 约基奇梯队 | 精英，但存疑 | 当打之年的天赋 | 传奇领衔的球队 | 冉冉升起的新星 | 停滞不前 | 伤病疑问 | 未来可期，但尚未证明 | 重建球队
准备争冠
- 波士顿凯尔特人： 杰森·塔图姆(Jayson Tatum)、杰伦·布朗(Jaylen Brown)、德里克·怀特(Derrick White)
核心平均年龄： 28.4
卫冕冠军凯尔特人队是几支可能拥有除列出的三名球员之外其他选择的球队之一，因为他们的阵容还包括前全明星球员朱·霍勒迪(Jrue Holiday)和克里斯塔普斯·波尔津吉斯(Kristaps Porzingis)。但最终，这支球队是围绕着塔图姆和布朗的侧翼天赋打造的，而 30 岁的怀特是控球后卫的长期答案。尽管明年夏天可能面临财务悬崖，但塔图姆、布朗和怀特应该会成为波士顿未来几年争冠的基础。
- 俄克拉荷马雷霆： 谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大(Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)、杰伦·威廉姆斯(Jalen Williams)、切特·霍姆格伦(Chet Holmgren)
核心平均年龄： 24.2
即使拥有如此强大的阵容，雷霆队也有着清晰的前三巨头：一位真正的 MVP 候选人吉尔杰斯-亚历山大，以及两位拿着新秀合同的最佳球员——侧翼威廉姆斯和中锋霍姆格伦。自凯文·杜兰特(Kevin Durant)-拉塞尔·威斯布鲁克(Russell Westbrook)-詹姆斯·哈登(James Harden)三巨头时代在俄克拉荷马城结束以来，已经过去了 12 年多；这组球员可能是自那以后联盟最好的年轻核心，并且至少应该在本世纪剩余的时间里保持在一起。
地球上最好的球员
- 丹佛掘金： 尼古拉·约基奇(Nikola Jokic)、贾马尔·穆雷(Jamal Murray)、阿隆·戈登(Aaron Gordon)
核心平均年龄： 28.9
穆雷的开局缓慢，戈登仍然是一位精英角色球员，但丹佛能排在这个榜单的第三位，是因为约基奇的独特天赋。可以说，他一个人就足以在这个榜单上排名更高。但在穆雷尤其能恢复到丹佛 2023 年夺冠期间所展现的精英状态之前，掘金队只能排在第三位。
精英，但存疑
- 达拉斯独行侠： 卢卡·东契奇(Luka Doncic)、凯里·欧文(Kyrie Irving)、德里克·莱弗利二世(Dereck Lively II)
核心平均年龄： 26.4
当达拉斯在 2023 年交易截止日期前签下欧文时，还不清楚这支球队将如何找到另一块基石来与他们的动态后场组合搭配。莱弗利横空出世，帮助达拉斯自 2011 年以来首次打入 NBA 总决赛。东契奇和莱弗利应该会在接下来的十年里继续合作，但欧文在下赛季拥有 4200 万美元的球员选项。
- 密尔沃基雄鹿： 扬尼斯·阿德托昆博(Giannis Antetokounmpo)、达米安·利拉德(Damian Lillard)、布鲁克·洛佩斯(Brook Lopez)
核心平均年龄： 33.7
6胜9负的雄鹿队没能在这个榜单上排名更高，这表明了密尔沃基阵容的整体状况，尽管阿德托昆博场均得分达到了职业生涯最高的 31.4 分，命中率高达 60.1%。利拉德场均得到 25.3 分，但当他在场时，密尔沃基每百回合净负超过 5 分。洛佩斯仍然被视为三分球威胁和防守支柱，但他的投篮命中率比上赛季下降了几个百分点。另一个可能的选择，克里斯·米德尔顿(Khris Middleton)，受伤了。与费城一样，密尔沃基的超级巨星天赋被其未来巨大的疑问所掩盖。
- 费城 76人： 乔尔·恩比德(Joel Embiid)、保罗·乔治(Paul George)、泰瑞斯·马克西(Tyrese Maxey)
核心平均年龄： 29.8
如果这是 NBA2K，并且你可以关闭伤病，那么将这三人组排在这个榜单的首位将是一个合理的论点。但在恩比德和乔治的伤病史以及费城糟糕的开局之间，这三人组在这个榜单上不可能排名更高。目前，他们的上升空间让他们保持在这个位置——尽管在费城 2 胜 12 负的开局中，上升空间并不多。
当打之年的天赋
- 纽约尼克斯: 杰伦·布伦森(Jalen Brunson)、奥杰·阿奴诺比(OG Anunoby)、卡尔-安东尼·唐斯(Karl-Anthony Towns)
核心平均年龄: 28.2
纽约继续围绕布伦森建队，尼克斯队增加了一位全明星空间型大个子唐斯，为他们充满活力的后卫创造了更多的操作空间。第三个位置可以给米卡尔·布里奇斯(Mikal Bridges)，这位尼克斯队今年夏天用五个首轮签从篮网队交易来的侧翼防守悍将，但我们将在阿奴诺比今年夏天签下了一份新的五年 2.125 亿美元的合同后，把这个位置给他.
- 克利夫兰骑士: 多诺万·米切尔(Donovan Mitchell)、达柳斯·加兰(Darius Garland)、埃文·莫布里(Evan Mobley)
核心平均年龄: 25.5
克利夫兰可以很容易地让中锋贾莱特·阿伦(Jarrett Allen)占据这三个位置中的一个。但考虑到年轻基石加兰和莫布里的强劲开局，他们在米切尔身边获得了认可。在新教练肯尼·阿特金森(Kenny Atkinson)的带领下，加兰和莫布里都迎来了职业生涯最好的开局，而米切尔的出场时间也是职业生涯最少的。
- 孟菲斯灰熊: 贾·莫兰特(Ja Morant)、德斯蒙德·贝恩(Desmond Bane)、小贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson Jr.)
核心平均年龄: 25.6
孟菲斯拥有一个典型的三巨头，控球后卫莫兰特、侧翼贝恩和大个子杰克逊，2023 年的最佳防守球员。几个赛季前，孟菲斯可能会与波士顿和俄克拉荷马城争夺榜首，但在经历了明星球员两年的伤病和莫兰特的禁赛之后，灰熊队还有很多路要走。然而，如果灰熊队能够争夺联盟的头号种子并在季后赛中有所作为，情况可能会迅速转变。
- 明尼苏达森林狼: 安东尼·爱德华兹(Anthony Edwards)、杰登·麦克丹尼尔斯(Jaden McDaniels)、鲁迪·戈贝尔(Rudy Gobert)
核心平均年龄: 26.6
爱德华兹是另一位独特的天才，仅凭他一人就应该让他的球队获得更高的排名。但森林狼队在他之外的核心阵容存在疑问。戈贝尔刚刚签下了一份三年续约合同，但他即将进入 35 岁。麦克丹尼尔斯一年前签下了一份五年续约合同，在 2022-23 赛季三分球命中率达到 39.8% 之后，他的投篮命中率连续第二个赛季下降。
传奇领衔的球队
- 洛杉矶湖人: 勒布朗·詹姆斯、安东尼·戴维斯(Anthony Davis)、奥斯汀·里夫斯(Austin Reaves)
核心平均年龄: 32.7
如果这份榜单是关于选择只针对本赛季或赢得一场比赛的二人组，那么詹姆斯（即使是联盟中最年长的球员）和戴维斯的组合将接近榜首。但很难预测湖人的未来会怎样，无论他们的阵容多么有天赋，尤其是在詹姆斯本人宣布退役不远之后。
- 金州勇士: 斯蒂芬·库里、德雷蒙德·格林、布兰丁·波杰姆斯基(Brandin Podziemski)
核心平均年龄: 31.0
勇士队紧挨着湖人队是有原因的；他们在库里和格林的问题上基本上处于相同的情况。虽然金州的整体阵容更好，但格林不如戴维斯，而且这只是一个三人练习，这意味着勇士的整体深度没有被计算在内。尽管如此，勇士队的开局很棒，并且有资源在明年的某个时候为库里和格林增加一名球星。
- 菲尼克斯太阳: 德文·布克(Devin Booker)、凯文·杜兰特(Kevin Durant)、布拉德利·比尔(Bradley Beal)
核心平均年龄: 31.8
另一个很容易这样排名的组合，部分原因是菲尼克斯的三位顶薪球星之外的球员天赋匮乏。杜兰特再次因肌肉受伤而缺席，这次是小腿，而比尔一直在处理肘部和小腿问题。就像上面的湖人和勇士一样，太阳的三巨头如果以一场比赛或一个赛季的时间表来衡量，排名会接近榜首。但在多年的时间跨度内，菲尼克斯的计算方法就不同了。
冉冉升起的新星
- 奥兰多魔术: 保罗·班凯罗(Paolo Banchero)、弗朗茨·瓦格纳(Franz Wagner)、杰伦·萨格斯(Jalen Suggs)
核心平均年龄: 22.9
班凯罗因斜肌受伤而缺席，但在赛季初一直打着全明星级别的比赛。奥兰多希望班凯罗-瓦格纳组合最终能与波士顿的超级巨星侧翼组合塔图姆和布朗相媲美，而萨格斯可以说是联盟中最好的防守后卫。他的三分球——上赛季命中率为 39.7%，但本赛季出手次数更多，命中率为 30.4%——最终可能决定他和这三巨头的上限。
- 印第安纳步行者: 泰瑞斯·哈利伯顿(Tyrese Haliburton)、帕斯卡尔·西亚卡姆(Pascal Siakam)、本尼迪克特·马图林(Bennedict Mathurin)
核心平均年龄: 25.9
哈利伯顿是球队的门面，西亚卡姆在上赛季被交易来之后，今年夏天签下了一份顶薪合同，这使得他们两人自动成为这里的选择。第三个位置本可以有几个方向，但最终落到了马图林身上，他在第三个赛季以场均 19.6 分，命中率 53.6%（三分球命中率 46.3%）的出色表现开始了这个赛季，看起来像是与哈利伯顿在步行者后场长期合作的潜在人选。
- 圣安东尼奥马刺: 文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)、德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)、斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)
核心平均年龄: 21.7
对目前的马刺核心进行分层是一项棘手的练习。一方面，文班亚马是每支球队都会选择用来开始他们的球队的球员。卡斯尔在新秀赛季的开始几周展现出了闪光点，而瓦塞尔在春季接受足部手术后终于回到了球场上。这是一个只要再有一个高顺位选秀权，再加上文班亚马再发展一年，下赛季就能轻松提升在这个榜单上的排名的组合。
- 休斯顿火箭: 阿尔佩伦·申京(Alperen Sengun)、里德·谢泼德(Reed Sheppard)、阿门·汤普森(Amen Thompson)
核心平均年龄: 21.5
休斯顿的核心是最难确定的，因为阵容中充满了有趣的球员，无论是在未来还是在火箭 11 胜 5 负的开局中。弗雷德·范弗利特(Fred VanVleet)和狄龙·布鲁克斯(Dillon Brooks)一直是球队建立防守特色的关键部分。小贾巴里·史密斯(Jabari Smith Jr.)是前榜眼秀，拥有大前锋的原型身材，并且有能力拉开空间和防守。塔里·伊森(Tari Eason)和卡姆·惠特莫尔(Cam Whitmore)在替补席上提供了活力。最终，选择的是申京——上个月刚签下了一份长期续约合同——以及休斯顿最近的两个高顺位新秀。汤普森，一个改变比赛的防守型新秀，加入了谢泼德，休斯顿希望他能在进攻端提供类似的影响。
停滞不前
- 萨克拉门托国王: 达龙·福克斯(De’Aaron Fox)、多曼塔斯·萨博尼斯(Domantas Sabonis)、基根·穆雷(Keegan Murray)
核心平均年龄: 26.6
自从萨博尼斯在 2022 年与步行者的交易中来到萨克拉门托以来，他和福克斯已经成为联盟中最具活力的后卫-大个子组合之一。虽然 35 岁的德玛尔·德罗赞(DeMar DeRozan)在他来到国王队的第一个赛季中开局火热，但穆雷是萨克拉门托相信有机会在未来几年升至全明星级别的球员。但在两年前的首轮出局和上赛季的附加赛出局之后，这组球员能否将萨克拉门托从竞争激烈的西部混乱的局面中解救出来还有待观察。
年龄和伤病疑问
- 新奥尔良鹈鹕: 锡安·威廉姆森(Zion Williamson)、德章泰·穆雷(Dejounte Murray)、特雷·墨菲三世(Trey Murphy III)
核心平均年龄: 25.7
我们将进入一系列年龄或伤病影响其未来的球队，从新奥尔良和威廉姆森开始，他在 2023 年第二次入选全明星后再次因腿筋受伤而缺席。穆雷今年夏天被交易来担任球队的首发控球后卫，而墨菲上个月获得了一份四年 1.12 亿美元的续约合同，这使得他们两人都领先于布兰登·英格拉姆(Brandon Ingram)，后者处于合同的最后一年，并且自休赛期以来一直是交易传闻的对象。
- 迈阿密热火: 吉米·巴特勒(Jimmy Butler)、巴姆·阿德巴约(Bam Adebayo)、泰勒·希罗(Tyler Herro)
核心平均年龄: 29.1
希罗迎来了职业生涯最好的开局，场均得到 24.2 分，命中率超过 48.6%，但这组球员排名靠后是因为巴特勒的年龄、伤病史和合同状况的综合作用——他下赛季拥有球员选项。阿德巴约仍然是联盟中最全能的大个子之一，正如我们在今年夏天的美国队中看到的那样，但这组球员在过去几个赛季已经走到了巴特勒所能带他们走到的最远的地方，在另行通知之前，情况依然如此。
- 洛杉矶快船: 科怀·伦纳德(Kawhi Leonard)、詹姆斯·哈登(James Harden)、伊维察·祖巴茨(Ivica Zubac)
核心平均年龄: 32.1
单凭知名度，很难相信这组快船球员排名如此之低。但伦纳德何时能回到球场上尚不清楚，哈登现在已经 35 岁了，不再是他曾经的全明星后卫，尽管他仍然是一个高质量的首发控球后卫和组织者。祖巴茨已经成为一名出色的双向中锋，但也没有长期上升空间。
未来可期，但尚未证明
- 多伦多猛龙: 斯科蒂·巴恩斯(Scottie Barnes)、伊曼纽尔·奎克利(Immanuel Quickley)、格雷迪·迪克(Gradey Dick)
核心平均年龄: 23.2
巴恩斯去年成长为一名全明星球员，而奎克利是在与尼克斯队的阿奴诺比交易中来到这里的，并获得了一份五年 1.75 亿美元的合同，成为球队控球后卫的长期答案。迪克已经填补了加里·特伦特二世(Gary Trent Jr.)今年夏天留下的首发位置，并且给人留下了深刻的印象，场均得到 18.7 分，并作为侧翼可靠的得分选择。
- 夏洛特黄蜂: 拉梅洛·鲍尔(LaMelo Ball)、布兰登·米勒(Brandon Miller)、马克·威廉姆斯(Mark Williams)
核心平均年龄: 22.7
如果这组球员能够保持健康，他们可以迅速提升在这个榜单上的排名。鲍尔在过去几年一直受到脚踝伤势的困扰，但他已经回到了球场上，并在新任教练查尔斯·李(Charles Lee)的带领下表现出色。米勒刚刚经历了一个令人印象深刻的新秀赛季，看起来像是侧翼的潜在长期球星。这里真正的问题围绕着威廉姆斯，他拥有成为一名有影响力的中锋的所有工具——并且与鲍尔完美契合——但他已经因伤缺席了将近一年。
- 底特律活塞: 凯德·坎宁安(Cade Cunningham)、杰登·艾维(Jaden Ivey)、罗恩·霍兰德(Ron Holland)
核心平均年龄: 21.8
在新教练 J.B. 比克斯塔夫(J.B. Bickerstaff)的带领下，底特律正朝着积极的方向发展。这是由坎宁安领导的，他一直在打出职业生涯最好的篮球。艾维也是如此，在蒙蒂·威廉姆斯(Monty Williams)手下经历了一个起起伏伏的赛季后，他迎来了一个出色的开局。底特律的第三个位置可能有几个方向，但我们会选择霍兰德，新任管理层和总经理特拉扬·兰登(Trajan Langdon)的第一选择。
重建球队
- 犹他爵士: 劳里·马尔卡宁(Lauri Markkanen)、基翁特·乔治(Keyonte George)、沃克·凯斯勒(Walker Kessler)
核心平均年龄: 23.9
犹他的核心是由全明星球员马尔卡宁领导的，他签下了一份五年续约合同，继续担任球队的门面。但除此之外还有很多工作要做，因为犹他正在开始漫长的重建，并希望在今年的选秀中获得前五顺位之一。在那之前，他们将专注于乔治和凯斯勒的发展，并希望前锋泰勒·亨德里克斯(Taylor Hendricks)在上个月赛季报销的伤病后能够完全康复。
- 亚特兰大老鹰: 戴森·丹尼尔斯(Dyson Daniels)、杰伦·约翰逊(Jalen Johnson)、扎查里·里萨谢尔(Zaccharie Risacher)
核心平均年龄: 21.4
在这个练习中，亚特兰大处于一个迷人的位置。特雷·杨(Trae Young)仍然是一个控球奇才，显然是球队的门面。但在本赛季之后，他的合同只剩下一个保证的年份，老鹰队的未来更多地与其年轻球员联系在一起：里萨谢尔，六月份选秀的状元；丹尼尔斯，今年夏天穆雷交易中的主要回报球员；以及约翰逊，他上个月获得了一份五年 1.5 亿美元的续约合同。
- 华盛顿奇才: 巴布·卡林顿(Bub Carrington)、亚历克斯·萨尔(Alex Sarr)、比拉尔·库里巴利(Bilal Coulibaly)
核心平均年龄: 19.7
如果这是一份关于未来五年及以后的榜单，华盛顿的排名会高得多，因为新秀卡林顿和萨尔以及二年级前锋库里巴利本赛季都展现出了闪光点。奇才队将输掉很多比赛，并准备在明年六月再次增加一个高乐透签，但这个组合的长期潜力有很多值得期待的地方.
- 波特兰开拓者: 斯库特·亨德森(Scoot Henderson)、谢顿·夏普(Shaedon Sharpe)、多诺万·克林根(Donovan Clingan)
核心平均年龄: 21.0
波特兰处于一个奇怪的位置。亨德森、夏普和克林根是最明显的长期基石，但他们与球队薪水最高的三名球员位置重叠：分别是安芬尼·西蒙斯(Anfernee Simons)、杰拉米·格兰特(Jerami Grant)和德安德烈·艾顿(Deandre Ayton)。就像华盛顿一样，我们会看看这组球员未来的发展，但这里肯定有天赋。
- 芝加哥公牛: 科比·怀特(Coby White)、约什·吉迪(Josh Giddey)、帕特里克·威廉姆斯(Patrick Williams)
核心平均年龄: 23.4
公牛队在这个榜单上处于无人区。怀特已经成长为一名非常有生产力的球员，成为一个可以打有球和无球的高出手次数和高命中率的三分球威胁。但他本赛季的薪水为 1200 万美元，下赛季的薪水为 1290 万美元，这意味着在他 2026 年成为不受限制的自由球员之前续约他——他在休赛期有资格签署一份四年约 9000 万美元的合同——并不是板上钉钉的事情。吉迪是在今年夏天与亚历克斯·卡鲁索(Alex Caruso)的交易中被交易来的，但没有签下续约合同，他的未来充满了不确定性。威廉姆斯今年夏天签下了一份五年 9000 万美元的合同，但他目前正在处理另一处足部伤病，本赛季两分球命中率为 35.4%。
- 布鲁克林篮网: 尼克·克拉克斯顿(Nic Claxton)、诺亚·克劳尼(Noah Clowney)、卡姆·托马斯(Cam Thomas)
核心平均年龄: 23.0
篮网队正处于重建的起点，刚刚开始组建他们未来的核心——他们在 2025 年选秀中的首轮选秀权无疑是其核心。托马斯场均得到近 24 分，也可能成为其中一个因素，这取决于他明年夏天的受限制自由球员身份，而克劳尼是一个有趣且运动能力强的年轻大个子。在克拉克斯顿今年夏天签下了一份四年 1 亿美元的合同后，我们会稍微倾向于他来完善这个三人组，但布鲁克林在接下来的几个月里应该会在交易市场上保持活跃。
点击查看原文：NBA roster tiers - Stacking all 30 teams' top three stars
NBA roster tiers - Stacking all 30 teams’ top three stars
For decades, the concept of a big three as the core of an NBA team has been a defining characteristic of the league.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green with the Golden State Warriors. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Miami Heat. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen with the Boston Celtics. Not every team is going to have that level of talent. But no matter the roster composition, taking stock of a team’s top three building blocks is an indicator of franchise health – both now and into the future.
With that in mind, we set out to determine all 30 teams’ core three players and where they fall in comparison to one another. Some teams’ cores, such as the two in our top tier, are self-explanatory. Determining those further down the list – such as three Western Conference contenders led by future Hall of Famers or franchises in various stages of their rebuilds – relied on more than just identifying each team’s three most talented players.
Note: A combination of factors (including players’ ages, contracts and projected futures with the franchise as well as each team’s place in its developmental cycle) helped determine which players made up each core.
Jump to a tier:\
**Championship-ready | The Jokic tier\
Elite, with questions | Prime-age talent\
Legend-led teams |** Rising young cores\
Stuck in the middle | Injury questions\
Promising but unproven | The rebuilds
Championship-ready
1. Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White\
Average core age: 28.4
The defending champion Celtics are one of several teams that could feature options beyond the three listed, given the roster also includes former All-Stars Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. Ultimately, though, this is a team built around the talents of Tatum and Brown on the wing, and White, 30, is the longer-term answer at point guard. Despite the potential financial cliff coming next summer, Tatum, Brown and White should be the basis of a contender in Boston for years to come.
2. OKC Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren\
Average core age: 24.2
Even with their stacked roster, the Thunder have a clear top three of Gilgeous-Alexander, a bona fide MVP candidate, plus two of the best talents on rookie-scale contract talents in Williams on the wing and Holmgren in the middle. It has been more than 12 years since the end of the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook-James Harden troika in OKC; this group might be the league’s best young core since then and should be together for at least the rest of the decade.
Best player on the planet
3. Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon\
Average core age: 28.9
Murray is off to a sluggish start and Gordon remains an elite role player, but Denver is in third place on this list because of the singular talents of Jokic. It could be argued he, by himself, is enough to be even higher on this list. But until Murray, in particular, can return to the elite form he displayed during Denver’s 2023 title run, the Nuggets will have to be satisfied with third.
Elite, with questions
4. Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II\
Average core age: 26.4
When Dallas acquired Irving just before the 2023 trade deadline, it was unclear how this team was going to find another building block to pair with its dynamic backcourt. Enter Lively, who burst onto the scene as a rookie, helping Dallas reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011. Doncic and Lively should be together through the rest of the decade, but Irving has a $42 million player option for next season.
5. Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez\
Average core age: 33.7
The fact that Antetokounmpo’s career-high average of 31.4 points on 60.1% shooting is not enough for the 6-9 Bucks to be higher on this list is indicative of the overall state of Milwaukee’s roster. Lillard is scoring 25.3 points per game, but Milwaukee is being outscored by more than five points per 100 possessions with him on the court. Lopez is still seen as a 3-point shooting threat and a defensive presence, but his shooting percentages are down by several percentage points from last season. The other possible option, Khris Middleton, is hurt. Like in Philadelphia, Milwaukee’s superstar talent is overshadowed by massive questions about its future.
6. Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey\
Average core age: 29.8
If this was NBA2K, and you could turn off injuries, there would be a legitimate argument to have this trio top this list. But between Embiid and George’s history of injuries and Philadelphia’s awful start, this trio can’t be any higher on this list. For now, their upside keeps them here – though there haven’t been many ups in Philadelphia’s 2-12 start.
Prime-age talent
7. New York Knicks: Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns\
Average core age: 28.2
New York continues to build around Brunson, and the Knicks added an All-Star stretch big man in Towns to create even more operating space for their dynamic guard. The third spot here could go to Mikal Bridges, the wing stopper the Knicks traded five first-round picks to acquire this summer from the Nets, but we’ll give Anunoby the nod after he signed a new five-year, $212.5 million this summer.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley\
Average core age: 25.5
Cleveland could easily have center Jarrett Allen in one of these three spots instead. But given the strong starts for young building blocks Garland and Mobley, they get the nod next to Mitchell. Under new coach Kenny Atkinson, both Garland and Mobley are off to the best starts of their careers and Mitchell is playing the fewest minutes of his.
9. Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr.\
Average core age: 25.6
Memphis boasts a prototypical big three with a lead guard in Morant, a wing in Bane and a big in Jackson, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year. A few seasons ago, Memphis would have been battling with Boston and Oklahoma City atop this list, but after a two-year run of injuries to stars and the suspension of Morant, the Grizzlies have ground to make up. Things could turn fast, however, if the Grizzlies can contend for the conference’s top seed and make noise in the postseason.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert\
Average core age: 26.6
Edwards is another singular talent who, by himself, should warrant a higher ranking for his team. But Minnesota’s core beyond him has question marks. Gobert was just signed to a three-year extension but is entering his mid-30s. McDaniels, who signed a five-year extension a year ago, is in the midst of a second straight down season as a shooter after hitting 39.8% of his 3-point attempts in 2022-23.
Legend-led contenders
11. Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves\
Average core age: 32.7
If this list was about picking duos for only this season or for winning a single game, the combination of James (even as the league’s oldest player) and Davis would be near the top of the list. But it’s hard to predict what the future holds for the Lakers, no matter the talent on their roster, especially after James himself has announced that retirement is not far off.
12. Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski\
Average core age: 31.0
There’s a reason the Warriors are right next to the Lakers; they’re in essentially the same situation with Curry and Green. And while Golden State’s overall roster is better, Green isn’t as good as Davis, and this is only a three-player exercise, meaning the Warriors’ overall depth isn’t counted. Still, the Warriors have gotten off to a great start and have the resources to add a star alongside Curry and Green some time over the next calendar year.
13. Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal\
Average core age: 31.8
Another group that was easy to rank this way, in part because of the paucity of talent on the roster outside of Phoenix’s trio of max-contract stars. Durant is once again sidelined by a muscle injury, this time his calf, while Beal has been dealing with elbow and calf issues himself. Like the Lakers and Warriors above them, the Suns’ trio would rank near the top in a one-game or one-season timetable. But over a multiyear span, it’s a different calculus for Phoenix.
Rising young cores
14. Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs\
Average core age: 22.9
Banchero is sidelined by an oblique injury but had been playing at an All-NBA level to begin the season. Orlando hopes the Banchero-Wagner tandem will eventually be comparable to Boston’s superstar wing duo of Tatum and Brown, while Suggs is arguably the league’s best defensive guard. His 3-point shooting – he shot 39.7% last season but is off to a 30.4% start this season on higher volume – could ultimately determine his, and this trio’s, ceiling.
15. Indiana Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin\
Average core age: 25.9
Haliburton is the face of the franchise and Siakam was signed to a max deal this summer after being acquired last season, making the two of them automatic options here. The third spot could’ve gone in a few directions but ultimately went to Mathurin, who is off to a terrific start with 19.6 points per game on 53.6% shooting (46.3% from deep) in his third season, looking like a potential long-term fit next to Haliburton in the Pacers’ backcourt.
16. San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle\
Average core age: 21.7
Tiering the current Spurs core is a tricky exercise. On one hand, Wembanyama is the player every team would choose to start their franchise. Castle has shown flashes in the opening weeks of his rookie season, while Vassell is finally back on the court after foot surgery in the spring. This is a group that, with another high pick and another year of development for Wembanyama, could easily rise up this list next season.
17. Houston Rockets: Alperen Sengun, Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson\
Average core age: 21.5
Houston’s was the most difficult core to determine, as the roster is full of interesting players both in the future and during the Rockets’ 11-5 start. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks have been key parts of creating the team’s defensive identity. Jabari Smith Jr. is a former No. 2 pick with prototypical size at power forward and the ability to space the floor and defend. Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore provide sparks off the bench. Ultimately, the choices are Sengun – just signed to a long-term extension last month – and Houston’s two most recent high draft picks. Thompson, a game-changing defensive prospect, joins Sheppard, whom Houston hopes can provide similar impact on offense.
Stuck in the middle
18. Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray\
Average core age: 26.6
Since Sabonis arrived in Sacramento in a trade with the Pacers in 2022, he and Fox have become one of the league’s most dynamic guard-big combinations. And while 35-year-old DeMar DeRozan is off to a hot start in his first season with the Kings, Murray is the player Sacramento believes has a chance to ascend to All-Star level in the years to come. But after a first-round exit two years ago and a play-in tournament exit last season, it remains to be seen whether this group can lift Sacramento out of the muddled pack in the ultra-competitive West.
Age and injury questions
18. New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III\
Average core age: 25.7
We are headed into a run of teams where either age or injury impacts their futures, beginning with New Orleans and Williamson, who is once again sidelined by a hamstring injury after making his second All-Star team in 2023. Murray was acquired to be the team’s lead guard this summer, while Murphy was given a four-year, $112 million extension last month, putting them both ahead of Brandon Ingram, who is in the final year of his contract and has been the subject of trade rumors since the offseason.
19. Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro\
Average core age: 29.1
Herro is off to the best start of his career, averaging 24.2 points on over 48.6% shooting, but this group is down here because of the combination of Butler’s age, injury history and contract status – he has a player option for next season. Adebayo remains one of the league’s most versatile bigs, as we saw with Team USA this summer, but this group has gone as far as Butler could carry it the past few seasons, and until further notice that remains the case.
20. LA Clippers: Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Ivica Zubac\
Average core age: 32.1
On name recognition alone, it’s hard to believe this Clippers group is this low. But it’s unclear when Leonard will get back on the court, and Harden is now in his mid-30s and is no longer the All-NBA guard he once was, though he’s still a quality lead guard and distributor. Zubac has become a good two-way center but also doesn’t have long-term upside.
Promising but unproven
21. Toronto Raptors: Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick\
Average core age: 23.2
Barnes blossomed into an All-Star last year, while Quickley came over in the Anunoby trade with the Knicks and was given a five-year, $175 million deal to be the team’s long-term answer at point guard. Dick has stepped into the starting spot vacated by Gary Trent Jr. this summer and is impressing, averaging 18.7 points and serving as a reliable scoring option on the wing.
23. Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams\
Average core age: 22.7
If this group can stay on the court, it could quickly move up this list. Ball has been hindered by ankle injuries the past couple years but is back on the court and playing well under first-year coach Charles Lee. Miller is coming off a very impressive rookie season and looks like a potential long-term star on the wing. The real question here surrounds Williams, who has all the tools to be an impact player at center – and a perfect fit with Ball – but has been sidelined by injuries for almost a year.
24. Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ron Holland\
Average core age: 21.8
Detroit is starting to move in a positive direction under new coach J.B. Bickerstaff. That’s led by Cunningham, who has been playing the best basketball of his career. The same can be said for Ivey, who is off to an excellent start after an up-and-down season under Monty Williams. The third spot in Detroit could go a few ways, but we’ll make it Holland, the first pick of the new front office regime and general manager Trajan Langdon.
Rebuilding
25. Utah Jazz: Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Walker Kessler
Average core age: 23.9
Utah’s core is led by an All-Star in Markkanen, who inked a five-year contract extension to remain the face of the franchise. But there’s plenty of work to do beyond that, as Utah is embarking on a lengthy rebuild and hopes to land one of the top five picks in this year’s draft. Until then, it will focus on the development of George and Kessler, and hope forward Taylor Hendricks can make a full recovery after a season-ending injury last month.
26. Atlanta Hawks: Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher\
Average core age: 21.4
Atlanta is in a fascinating position when it comes to this exercise. Trae Young remains a wizard with the ball in his hands and is obviously the face of the franchise. But with just one guaranteed year left on his deal after this season, the Hawks’ future is more directly tied to their young players: Risacher, the first pick in June’s draft; Daniels, the main player coming back in the Murray trade this summer; and Johnson, who received a five-year, $150 million extension last month.
27. Washington Wizards: Bub Carrington, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly\
Average core age: 19.7
If this is a list for the next five years and beyond, Washington would be much higher, as rookies Carrington and Sarr and second-year forward Coulibaly have all shown flashes this season. The Wizards are going to lose a lot of games and are set to add another high lottery pick to this mix again next June, but there’s a lot to like about the long-term potential of this group going forward.
28. Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan\
Average core age: 21.0
Portland is in a weird spot. Henderson, Sharpe and Clingan are the most obvious long-term building blocks, but they share positions with the team’s three highest-paid players: Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton, respectively. Like Washington, we’ll see what this group looks down the line, but there’s certainly talent here.
29. Chicago Bulls: Coby White, Josh Giddey, Patrick Williams\
Average core age: 23.4
The Bulls are stuck in no-man’s land on this list. White has blossomed into a very productive player, becoming both a high-volume and high-percentage 3-point threat who can play on and off the ball. But he’s owed $12 million this season and $12.9 million next season, meaning extending him – he is eligible to sign for four years and roughly $90 million in the offseason – ahead of his unrestricted free agency in 2026 is no sure thing. Giddey was acquired in the Alex Caruso trade this summer but wasn’t signed to an extension, leaving his future uncertain. Williams was signed to a five-year, $90 million deal this summer but is currently dealing with another foot injury and shooting 35.4% on 2-point shots this season.
30. Brooklyn Nets: Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney, Cam Thomas\
Average core age: 23.0
The Nets are at square one of a rebuild and just starting the process of putting together their future core – their first-round pick in the 2025 draft is undoubtedly the centerpiece of it. Thomas, who is averaging nearly 24 points per game, could be a factor in it, too, depending on his restricted free agency next summer, while Clowney is an intriguing, athletic young big. We’ll give the slight nod to Claxton to round out the trio after he signed a four-year, $100 million deal this summer, but Brooklyn should be active in the trade market over the next few months.
By Tim Bontemps | ESPN, via ESPN