One of the more interesting sports topics to discuss is “who’s the best player in a given franchise’s history?” When talking about the vaunted Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA, many would say that person is Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Others may argue for Kobe Bryant, Jerry “The Logo” West or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which makes for a spirited debate.
PointAfter took that discussion 11 steps further by pegging each NBA franchise’s best 12-man roster of all time. Using a combination of All-NBA team nods, All-Defensive teams earned, All-Star appearances, championship rings and overall contributions to the organization in question, we determined the best possible roster in each team’s history. Longevity with the franchise carried a lot of weight, but a short stint of brilliance was not always overlooked.
We pegged a starting five before filling out the bench. And while positions were important, we did have to get creative in some instances to get the best players in the starting rotation when the “next-best” player was not close to the same level.
In the scope of this exercise, years spent in the ABA were included. For instance, we considered a player’s career spent in the ABA and NBA for the Indiana Pacers franchise. For organizations that moved from place to place — the Lakers moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, for example — we tracked the franchise back to the beginning and included those players as well.
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Seattle SuperSonics were considered the same franchise for the purpose of this breakdown. The history of the New Orleans Pelicans and Charlotte Hornets, however, gets a bit more convoluted. The Pelicans track back only to the 2002-03 Hornets season, when they moved from Charlotte, while today’s Hornets include the Bobcats years and the throwback Larry Johnson Hornets days.
After locking in each team’s 12-man roster, PointAfter ranked the teams by adding up the win shares — a player statistic that estimates the amount of wins a player contributed each season — of each player during his time spent with the franchise in question.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, statistics researched come from the most recent team media guides and Basketball Reference. For active players, their win share total is accurate as of March 15, 2016.
#30. New Orleans Pelicans
PG – Chris Paul
SG – Baron Davis
SF – Jamal Mashburn
PF – David West
C – Anthony Davis
BN – Peja Stojakovic
BN – P.J. Brown
BN – Tyson Chandler
BN – Jamaal Magloire
BN – Jrue Holiday
BN – Ryan Anderson
BN – Eric Gordon
Total Win Shares: 298.9
#29. Charlotte Hornets
PG – Baron Davis
SG – Dell Curry
SF – Glen Rice
PF – Larry Johnson
C – Alonzo Mourning
BN – Anthony Mason
BN – Muggsy Bogues
BN – Gerald Wallace
BN – Eddie Jones
BN – Kemba Walker
BN – Jamal Mashburn
BN – David Wesley
Total Win Shares: 338.7
#28. Toronto Raptors
PG – Kyle Lowry
SG – DeMar DeRozan
SF – Vince Carter
PF – Chris Bosh
C – Antonio Davis
BN – Damon Stoudamire
BN – Tracy McGrady
BN – Doug Christie
BN – Anthony Parker
BN – Jonas Valanciunas
BN – Jose Calderon
BN – Jerome Williams
Total Win Shares: 343.9
#27. Minnesota Timberwolves
PG – Terrell Brandon
SG – Wally Szczerbiak
SF – Sam Mitchell
PF – Kevin Love
C – Kevin Garnett
BN – Tom Gugliotta
BN – Sam Cassell
BN – Tony Campbell
BN – Christian Laettner
BN – Stephon Marbury
BN – Ricky Rubio
BN – Al Jefferson
Total Win Shares: 393
#26. Memphis Grizzlies
PG – Mike Conley
SG – Tony Allen
SF – Shane Battier
PF – Zach Randolph
C – Marc Gasol
BN – Pau Gasol
BN – Shareef Abdur-Rahim
BN – Rudy Gay
BN – Mike Bibby
BN – Michael Dickerson
BN – Jason Williams
BN – Mike Miller
Total Win Shares: 402.6
#25. Brooklyn Nets
PG – Jason Kidd
SG – Vince Carter
SF – Julius Erving
PF – Buck Williams
C – Brook Lopez
BN – Derrick Coleman
BN – Drazen Petrovic
BN – Kenyon Martin
BN – Richard Jefferson
BN – Keith Van Horn
BN – John Williamson
BN – Deron Williams
Total Win Shares: 454.6
#24. Los Angeles Clippers
PG – Chris Paul
SG – Randy Smith
SF – Danny Manning
PF – Blake Griffin
C – Bob McAdoo
BN – Elton Brand
BN – DeAndre Jordan
BN – World B. Free
BN – Norm Nixon
BN – Corey Maggette
BN – Terry Cummings
BN – Chris Kaman
Total Win Shares: 482.3
#23. Orlando Magic
PG – Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway
SG – Tracy McGrady
SF – Grant Hill
PF – Dwight Howard
C – Shaquille O’Neal
BN – Horace Grant
BN – Nick Anderson
BN – Dennis Scott
BN – Scott Skiles
BN – Rashard Lewis
BN – Jameer Nelson
BN – Hedo Turkoglu
Total Win Shares: 505.8
#22. Denver Nuggets
PG – Fat Lever
SG – David Thompson
SF – Alex English
PF – Carmelo Anthony
C – Dikembe Mutombo
BN – Bobby Jones
BN – Kiki Vandeweghe
BN – Dan Issel
BN – Marcus Camby
BN – Ralph Simpson
BN – Larry Jones
BN – T.J. Dunn
Total Win Shares: 529.4
#21. Miami Heat
PG – Tim Hardaway
SG – Dwyane Wade
SF – LeBron James
PF – Chris Bosh
C – Alonzo Mourning
BN – Shaquille O’Neal
BN – Glen Rice
BN – P.J. Brown
BN – Eddie Jones
BN – Rony Seikaly
BN – Ray Allen
BN – Udonis Haslem
Total Win Shares: 549.3
#20. Washington Wizards
PG – John Wall
SG – Gilbert Arenas
SF – Gus Johnson
PF – Elvin Hayes
C – Wes Unseld
BN – Caron Butler
BN – Greg Ballard
BN – Jeff Ruland
BN – Paul Chenier
BN – Rod Strickland
BN – Chris Webber
BN – Walt Bellamy
Total Win Shares: 552.8
#19. Cleveland Cavaliers
PG – Mark Price
SG – Kyrie Irving
SF – LeBron James
PF – Larry Nance
C – Brad Daugherty
BN – Terrell Brandon
BN – Zydrunas Ilgauskas
BN – Austin Carr
BN – World B. Free
BN – Shawn Kemp
BN – Jim Brewer
BN – Hot Rod Williams
Total Win Shares: 595.8
#18. Portland Trail Blazers
PG – Terry Porter
SG – Brandon Roy
SF – Clyde Drexler
PF – LaMarcus Aldridge
C – Bill Walton
BN – Maurice Lucas
BN – Sidney Wicks
BN – Damian Lillard
BN – Jim Paxson
BN – Rasheed Wallace
BN – Geoff Petrie
BN – Jerome Kersey
Total Win Shares: 605.4
#17. Sacramento Kings
PG – Oscar Robertson
SG – Mitch Richmond
SF – Jack Twyman
PF – Jerry Lucas
C – Chris Webber
BN – Tiny Archibald
BN – Otis Birdsong
BN – Wayne Embry
BN – Peja Stojakovic
BN – DeMarcus Cousins
BN – Tom Van Arsdale
BN – Sam Lacey
Total Win Shares: 658.3
#16. Milwaukee Bucks
PG – Oscar Robertson
SG – Sidney Moncrief
SF – Marques Johnson
PF – Vin Baker
C – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
BN – Ray Allen
BN – Ricky Pierce
BN – Terry Cummings
BN – Bob Dandridge
BN – Glenn Robinson
BN – Michael Redd
BN – Brian Winters
Total Win Shares: 661.8
#15. New York Knicks
PG – Walt Frazier
SG – Earl Monroe
SF – Carmelo Anthony
PF – Willis Reed
C – Patrick Ewing
BN – Bernard King
BN – Richie Guerin
BN – Dave DeBusschere
BN – Michael Ray Richardson
BN – Allan Houston
BN – Charles Oakley
BN – Bill Cartwright
Total Win Shares: 685.2
#14. Indiana Pacers
PG – Freddie Lewis
SG – Reggie Miller
SF – Paul George
PF – George McGinnis
C – Jermaine O’Neal
BN – Mel Daniels
BN – Danny Granger
BN – Roger Brown
BN – Billy Knight
BN – Dale Davis
BN – Detlef Schrempf
BN – George Hill
Total Win Shares: 689
#13. Dallas Mavericks
PG – Steve Nash
SG – Rolando Blackman
SF – Mark Aguirre
PF – Dirk Nowitzki
C – James Donaldson
BN – Michael Finley
BN – Derek Harper
BN – Josh Howard
BN – Jason Kidd
BN – Jason Terry
BN – Roy Tarpley
BN – Jay Vincent
Total Win Shares: 699.8
#12. Houston Rockets
PG – Steve Francis
SG – James Harden
SF – Tracy McGrady
PF – Moses Malone
C – Hakeem Olajuwon
BN – Clyde Drexler
BN – Yao Ming
BN – Ralph Sampson
BN – Rudy Tomjanovich
BN – Elvin Hayes
BN – Calvin Murphy
BN – Otis Thorpe
Total Win Shares: 720.3
#11. Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics
PG – Gary Payton
SG – Russell Westbrook
SF – Kevin Durant
PF – Spencer Haywood
C – Jack Sikma
BN – Ray Allen
BN – Detlef Schrempf
BN – Shawn Kemp
BN – Lenny Wilkins
BN – Dennis Johnson
BN – Gus Williams
BN – Serge Ibaka
Total Win Shares: 722.8
#10. Atlanta Hawks
PG – Pete Maravich
SG – Lou Hudson
SF – Dominique Wilkins
PF – Bob Pettit
C – Dikembe Mutombo
BN – Bill Bridges
BN – Al Horford
BN – Kevin Willis
BN – Dan Roundfield
BN – Mookie Blaylock
BN – John Drew
BN – Joe Johnson
Total Win Shares: 757.3
#9. Phoenix Suns
PG – Steve Nash
SG – Kevin Johnson
SF – Shawn Marion
PF – Charles Barkley
C – Alvan Adams
BN – Paul Westphal
BN – Jason Kidd
BN – Walter Davis
BN – Amar’e Stoudemire
BN – Connie Hawkins
BN – Dick Van Arsdale
BN – Dan Majerle
Total Win Shares: 759.8
#8. Golden State Warriors
PG – Stephen Curry
SG – Chris Mullin
SF – Rick Barry
PF – Nate Thurmond
C – Wilt Chamberlain
BN – Neil Johnston
BN – Paul Arizin
BN – Latrell Sprewell
BN – Tim Hardaway
BN – Tom Gola
BN – Klay Thompson
BN – Draymond Green
Total Win Shares: 775.7
#7. Chicago Bulls
PG – Derrick Rose
SG – Michael Jordan
SF – Scottie Pippen
PF – Bob Love
C – Artis Gilmore
BN – Joakim Noah
BN – Jerry Sloan
BN – Luol Deng
BN – Horace Grant
BN – Jimmy Butler
BN – Norm Van Lier
BN – Reggie Theus
Total Win Shares: 781.2
#6. Detroit Pistons
PG – Isiah Thomas
SG – Joe Dumars
SF – Grant Hill
PF – Ben Wallace
C – Bob Lanier
BN – Chauncey Billups
BN – Bill Laimbeer
BN – Tayshaun Prince
BN – Dave Bing
BN – Dennis Rodman
BN – Gene Shue
BN – Richard “Rip” Hamilton
Total Win Shares: 814.4
#5. San Antonio Spurs
PG – Tony Parker
SG – George Gervin
SF – Kawhi Leonard
PF – Tim Duncan
C – David Robinson
BN – Manu Ginobili
BN – Sean Elliott
BN – Alvin Robertson
BN – Bruce Bowen
BN – John Beasley
BN – Larry Kenon
BN – James Silas
Total Win Shares: 916
#4. Utah Jazz
PG – John Stockton
SG – Pete Maravich
SF – Adrian Dantley
PF – Karl Malone
C – Mark Eaton
BN – Andrei Kirilenko
BN – Deron Williams
BN – Jeff Hornacek
BN – Carlos Boozer
BN – Mehmet Okur
BN – Bryon Russell
BN – Paul Millsap
Total Win Shares: 923.5
#3. Philadelphia 76ers
PG – Allen Iverson
SG – Hal Greer
SF – Julius Erving
PF – Dolph Schayes
C – Wilt Chamberlain
BN – Charles Barkley
BN – Moses Malone
BN – Maurice Cheeks
BN – Billy Cunningham
BN – George McGinnis
BN – Larry Costello
BN – Andre Iguodala
Total Win Shares: 950.9
#2. Los Angeles Lakers
PG – Earvin “Magic” Johnson
SG – Kobe Bryant
SF – Elgin Baylor
PF – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
C – Shaquille O’Neal
BN – Jerry West
BN – George Mikan
BN – James Worthy
BN – Pau Gasol
BN – Gail Goodrich
BN – Jamaal Wilkes
BN – Michael Cooper
Total Win Shares: 1,259.5
#1. Boston Celtics
PG – Bob Cousy
SG – John Havlicek
SF – Paul Pierce
PF – Larry Bird
C – Bill Russell
BN – Robert Parish
BN – Kevin McHale
BN – Bill Sharman
BN – Dave Cowens
BN – Sam Jones
BN – Tom Heinsohn
BN – Kevin Garnett
Total Win Shares: 1,271.5