3. Golden State Warriors: Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green
No Big 3 on this list comes close to logging the experience together that the Splash Brothers and Draymond Green do. None of the trios seem likely to catch the Golden State Warriors’ core either. One day, however, this run will come to an end and basketball will be the sadder for it.
The addition of Chris Paul shakes up the Warriors roster in a major way. As long as Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are healthy, however, Paul should likely be relegated to the role of a sixth man, therefore not cracking the Big 3 that will go down with the likes of the San Antonio Spurs’ in terms of all-time greatness.
Curry and Thompson are two of the most lethal shooters in the history of the NBA. Attempts to double or even triple one of them just creates more space for the other, or another player on the roster to cut through. It’s there Curry’s wizardry as a guard shines through.
Shooting is one of the skills that doesn’t seem to wane over time, making the relatively old basketball legs of Curry and Thompson less problematic. So long as they’re in San Francisco, they will remain elite offensive options.
Green had the opportunity to leave during the offseason, but ultimately re-upped with Golden State, keeping the dynasty’s core together. It’s no secret what the Warriors get with Green: a hard-nosed mentality (sometimes too hard-nosed) with strong defense and the ability to do virtually everything besides score in bunches. That has value on a roster otherwise full of shooters.
This trio has been together for a dozen years. The end seemed nigh a couple of years ago before the Warriors reeled off a title run. Last year was much different, though, and doomsayers are once again saying the end of this core is coming.
Golden State is clearly interested in doing all it can to keep this Big 3’s championship window open for as long as possible. Expect those efforts to bear fruit.