Tim Bontemps, ESPNNov 21, 2024, 08:00 AM ET

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.