Ranking the Utah Jazz Big 3 among the NBA’s best trios

Los Angeles Lakers Big 3: Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook

Combined average 2020-21 PER: 21.9

Go ahead folks. Assemble the angry mob and ready the pitchforks. We completely understand.

This is, undoubtedly, one of the starriest Big 3s assembled in NBA history, with an astonishing five combined MVP awards (granted, four of those belong to Lebron James). The combined average PER of 21.9 is impressive enough, but especially so when considering that Russell Westbrook’s mark of 19.5 fell well short of his career average of 23.2, likely a consequence of adjusting his game to fit with Wizards star scoring guard Bradley Beal.

On a related note: Russell Westbrook will have to adjust his game to fit with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, too.

Remember that whole fit variable we discussed in the preamble? For the most part, we were talking about these Lakers. Last season, Russell Westbrook posted a Usage % of 30.2, which was actually his lowest mark since his sophomore year. Meanwhile, LeBron’s Usage % clocked in at an even higher 31.9%.

Can two players account for 62.1% of a team’s total usage? Especially when one (Westbrook, if you couldn’t guess) boasts 30.5% three point shooting over his career? Where does it all leave Anthony Davis?

The Utah Jazz carry no such fit concerns. Mike Conley Jr. is a mid-usage point guard who is equally effective on and off the ball, Gobert is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate whose primary offensive value comes from setting screens, and Mitchell is the clear-cut offensive alpha.

The Los Angeles Lakers may carry more star power than the Utah Jazz, but that doesn’t boost their Big 3 ahead of the Jazzmen in these rankings.