Phoenix Suns, the worst Big 3 of all time?

Diego Jiménez Rubio | Thu, 01/02/2025 - 14:58

Phoenix Suns, worst Big 3 in history. Photo: gettyimages

NBA franchises often strive to assemble stars, believing that talent is everything. However, the tactical fit of each player is not simple, and history is full of examples of Big 3 setups that have been major failures. The Phoenix Suns are vying to be the most pronounced with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.

Many NBA fans may spontaneously recall failed projects led by three big stars. One of them was the Garnett, Pierce, and Deron Williams era with the Nets, and a decade later, the union of Irving, Harden, and Durant. The Lakers also have experience in this, with Gasol and Howard failing to click with Kobe, as well as the legendary gathering of Nash, or the Big 4 assembled by the Lakers in 2004 with Bryant, O'Neal, Payton, and Malone.

In any case, there are plenty of arguments to consider the current Phoenix Suns as having assembled the worst Big 3 of all time. Interestingly, the individual performances of each of them are not far below expectations, with the main issue being the team's struggle in defense and the lack of playmaking when all three are on the court. Injuries have prevented this trio from showing even more evidence, with Bradley Beal being the one who disrupts everything.

In the 197 minutes they have played together, they have a Net Rating of -4.3, ranking as the 24th best team in the NBA. When analyzing their defensive and offensive performance, it is clear that they are far from what could be expected from a team with three such spectacular talents. The management of the Phoenix Suns must reflect deeply on how to resolve this situation if they do not want Kevin Durant and Devin Booker to become frustrated and seek another destination.

When Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal share the court, the Suns are a below-average team:

109.3 OffRtg (24th)
114.3 DefRtg (20th)
-4.3 NetRtg (24th)

Playing only 197 minutes together due to constant injury issues, this big three has been a disaster for Phoenix. pic.twitter.com/R7KHy31kju
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) January 1, 2025