The New Orleans Pelicans have a deep roster with star talent at the top, especially once Zion Williamson returns.
Other than perhaps the Clippers with Kawhi Leonard, no team in the Western Conference will be getting an addition as potentially impactful as Zion Williamson, who is a generational talent when he is healthy.
Williamson, along with Brandon Ingram and veteran CJ McCollum, gives the Pelicans one of the best “Big 3’s” in the entire NBA, and when you factor in Herb Jones and Jonas Valanciunas, the Pels’ starting five is going to be a force.
The Western Conference is balance and loaded with talent, with no clear front runner and a number of teams that could battle for the conference crown.
But which one has the best “Big 3?”
I looked at the 12 teams in the West that have an obvious “Big 3” which not every team does. To qualify, a team needs to have three players who are clearly their best guys, so Dallas, Utah and San Antonio were left out.
New Orleans Pelicans: Best “Big 3” in the Western Conference
#12: Sacramento Kings
- Domantas Sabonis
- De’Aaron Fox
- Keegan Murray
These three haven’t yet played together but should finally give the Kings a “Big 3” to build around, as Sabonis is an All-Star, Fox is a scoring machine and rookie Keegan Murray looks like the frontrunner for rookie of the year.
#11: Houston Rockets
- Jalen Green
- Kevin Porter Jr.
- Jabari Smith
If we were doing “Best YOUNG Big 3” the Rockets would be near the top of the list, as this group has a ton of potential and could be one of the reasons the Southwest Division takes over the NBA soon.
#10: Portland Trail Blazers
- Damian Lillard
- Jerami Grant
- Anfernee Simons
Lillard and the Trail Blazers are trying to bounce back and the addition of veteran forward Jerami Grant will help. Simons is coming off a breakout season, but health will ultimately dictate how good this trio can be.
New Orleans Pelicans: Best “Big 3” in the Western Conference
#9: Oklahoma City Thunder
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Chet Holmgren
- Josh Giddey
This one is theoretical as well since these players haven’t played a minute together yet, but the potential is certainly there. SGA is already a star, Holmgren looked amazing on both ends in Summer League and Josh Giddey was one of the top rookies in the league last year. After tanking for what seems like 100 years, the Thunder may finally be ready to compete.
#8: Denver Nuggets
- Nikola Jokic
- Jamal Murray
- Michael Porter Jr.
If these three are all healthy, this group will be much higher, but Murray missed the entirety of last season with injury and MPJ has so far missed nearly two full seasons in his career and has never played more than 61 games in a season.
#7: Los Angeles Lakers
- LeBron James
- Anthony Davis
- Russell Westbrook
It may seem insane to rank three Hall-of-Famers this low, and if the Lakers stay healthy, they will be much higher. But that is a big IF, and it’s very possible Westbrook won’t be on the roster by the time the season starts. Even if he is, these three have not been a great fit, and those Lakers’ picks from the Davis trade are starting to look even better.
New Orleans Pelicans: Best “Big 3” in the Western Conference
#6: Los Angeles Clippers
- Kawhi Leonard
- Paul George
- John Wall
If healthy, you could talk me into this being the best “Big 3” in the NBA, but that health is far from certain. Kawhi just missed a full season with an ACL injury and is now 31-years-old. Paul George played 31 games last season and is 32-years-old. Wall didn’t play at all in two of the last three seasons and is also 31-years-old. The Clippers have a very deep and talented roster, so they can probably get away doing a ton of load management with these three, and if they can keep them healthy, the Clippers are one of the frontrunners in the West.
#5: Memphis Grizzlies
- Ja Morant
- Jaren Jackson Jr.
- Dillon Brooks
- Demond Bane
Ok, so I cheated here, as the Grizzlies don’t really have a “Big 3” especially if Jackson Jr. is injured. After Morant they have three guys who are all really good, so I am putting Memphis this high based on Morant’s greatness, their overall quality depth at the top and the hope that Jaren Jackson Jr. will return strong from his injury.
#4: Minnesota Timberwolves
- Anthony Edwards
- Rudy Gobert
- Karl-Anthony Towns
After trading for Gobert, Minnesota has a formidable “Big 3,” though the two bigs still have to show that they can play together. But the talent is there, especially with Edwards poised to be an MVP candidate soon.
New Orleans Pelicans: Best “Big 3” in the Western Conference
#3: New Orleans Pelicans
- Brandon Ingram
- Zion Williamson
- CJ McCollum
The same injury caveats obviously exist for Zion Williamson, but if he is healthy, this is a “Big 3” that is hard to top. All three guys could average around 25 points per game next season, and all three are guys who can get their own shot or create for teammates. Like so many teams in the West, the Pelicans’ success will simply come down to health, as they have one of the best “Big 3’s” in the entire NBA.
#2: Phoenix Suns
- Devin Booker
- Chris Paul
- DeAndre Ayton
You could probably argue for Mikal Bridges over Ayton, but either way the Suns have one of the top “Big 3’s” in the West. Booker is an MVP candidate. Chris Paul is still one of the best point guards in the league, and the Suns should be a Finals contender once again next season.
#1: Golden State Warriors
- Stephen Curry
- Klay Thompson
- Draymond Green
Until someone knocks them off, the defending champions still have the best “Big 3” in the league, though their window for more titles is starting to close. Curry is one of the best players of all time, Klay should be back to full strength next season, and Draymond is still a force defensively.
The New Orleans Pelicans could end up atop this list if everything goes right next season, but for now they are still chasing the Suns and Warriors.