Each NBA Franchise’s All-Time Starting 5

Oklahoma City Thunder / Seattle SuperSonics

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Seattle still isn’t over losing its basketball team, as the franchise developed a rather rich history playing under the “Sonics” name for 40 seasons. The three defining players of Seattle’s NBA run are Jack Sikma, Gary Payton, and Shawn Kemp. The latter two led Seattle during the 90s — which saw the Sonics reach the postseason eight years in a row. Sikma was the team’s best player in the 80s and was named a Hall of Famer after an illustrious 14-year career which included nine seasons with the Sonics. Since the team moved to Oklahoma City, two league MVPs have highlighted the Thunder era. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are two of the great players of the last 20 years and would have been extremely fun to watch alongside the likes of Payton and Kemp.

Milwaukee Bucks

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Milwaukee’s two NBA Championships came 50 years apart, and this lineup features each duo that led the Bucks to an ultimate victory. It doesn’t get much better than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. The duo only played ten total seasons in Milwaukee (the start of Abdul-Jabbar’s career and the end of Robertson’s), but delivered the franchise a title and are among the greatest players to ever live. Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was the driving force for the ’21 championship, but he couldn’t have gotten it done without three-time All-Star Khris Middleton. Middleton hit several clutch shots down the stretch of Milwaukee’s title run. The last spot goes to one of the best defenders in league history — no, not Jrue Holiday — two-time Defensive Player of the Year Sidney Moncrief.

Miami Heat

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A fairly straight-forward lineup as this five-man group highlights the past, present and golden age of the Miami Heat. Alonzo Mourning’s arrival in Miami helped kickstart a run of successful seasons, as the Heat reached the playoffs in each of the center’s first six years with the club. In 2006, a young shooting guard named Dwyane Wade helped the team capture its first NBA title. He was later joined by two close friends — LeBron James and Chris Bosh — who led the team to two additional championships. While the Heat experienced a bit of a lull following James’ departure and Wade’s retirement, six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler has helped guide the franchise back to relevancy — most notably leading the Heat to NBA Finals appearances in 2020 and 2023.

Orlando Magic

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In the case of the Orlando Magic, this is a franchise whose two best players were exclusively centers. Orlando has made the most out of winning the NBA Draft Lottery, selecting two all-time big men with the No. 1 overall pick. Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard may have each exited Orlando on rocky terms, but both players were completely dominant while donning a Magic uniform. Penny Hardaway and Tracy McGrady made a combined eight All-Star appearances (in just 10 years) with Orlando despite each dealing with a bevy of injuries throughout their tenures. Nick Anderson earns the final spot as an underrated contributor throughout the 90s. He’s Orlando’s all-time leader in games played (692) and steals (1,004), and trails only Dwight Howard for the franchise leader in points.

Washington Wizards

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Without a doubt, a Washington all-time lineup must begin with the dynamic duo of Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. Two members of the NBA 75th Anniversary team, Unseld and Hayes led Washington to its most recent title in 1978. However, we would be remiss if we did not mention another legend of the franchise in Gus Johnson who led the team during its days in Baltimore. The backcourt comes down to three more recent guards — John Wall, Bradley Beal and Gilbert Arenas. While Arenas may have had the highest ceiling, he also had the lowest floor and quickest departure. Wall was a five-time All-Star with the Wizards. Beal was with the franchise for 11 years and averaged over 30 PPG during the ’20 and ’21 seasons.

Denver Nuggets

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Denver’s team is headlined by a trio of gifted scorers, a traditional point guard, and a two-time MVP. Thompson, English, and Anthony all knew how to score the basketball at a high rate. David Thompson’s 73-point single-game effort has only been bested by Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant, Alex English was the league’s Scoring Champion in 1983, and Carmelo Anthony is the 10th all-time leading scorer. Lever played for the Nuggets during the high-scoring 80s, and was routinely among the league leaders in assists and steals. And then there’s Nikola Jokic, the greatest passing big man of all-time who has already won two regular season MVPs and a championship.

Minnesota Timberwolves

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Minnesota’s frontcourt spots seem fairly locked into place. Kevin Garnett is an obvious choice as he’s the franchise’s only MVP and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary team. While he never led Minnesota to a postseason appearance, Kevin Love posted monstrous individual numbers and made three All-Star teams with the T’Wolves. Karl-Anthony Towns was a key member in ending the 14-year playoff drought and was a home run No. 1 overall pick for the franchise back in 2015. The team’s two other No. 1 overall picks — Andrew Wiggins (technically drafted by Cleveland) and Anthony Edwards — take up the last two spots. Wiggins due to production (third-most points scored in franchise history) and Edwards based on early returns (two All-Star nods at 22 years old).

Portland Trail Blazers

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While the Blazers have been struck with rotten injury luck over the years — Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, etc. — the team has had its fair share of breathtaking talents. Perhaps none more impactful than Bill Walton, who despite only playing four years in Portland (due to multiple injuries of his own) led the franchise to its only championship in 1977. Joining Walton in the frontcourt is LaMarcus Aldridge who logged nine fruitful seasons with the Blazers before continuing his successful career with the Spurs and Nets.

With the backcourt consisting of two point guards, a natural 2-guard in Clyde Drexler is asked to step into the small forward role here. The 10-time All-Star went toe-to-toe with all of the elite guards of the 90s. The same goes for Terry Porter, who wasn’t an elite player by any means, but a steady hand for 10 years and was able to make two All-Star teams with the Blazers. With Porter running the point, Damian Lillard is free to launch deep three-pointers to his heart’s content. Lillard has played almost his entire career in Portland and will undoubtedly be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he decides to call it quits.

Utah Jazz

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Of course, the Jazz lineup must start with Karl Malone and John Stockton — the dominant pick-and-roll combo who defined the best stretch of Utah basketball. The duo combined to play 37 seasons with the Jazz. Stockton is No. 1 all-time in career assists (and steals) and Malone ranks third in points all-time behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James.

The other three spots in the lineup are a bit trickier. ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich enjoyed his best years with the New Orleans Jazz (25.7 PPG over five seasons) before the team moved to Utah during his final year. Adrian Dantley also had no trouble scoring, averaging just under 30 PPG during his seven years in Utah. All six of Dantley’s All-Star nods occurred during his time with the Jazz. Rounding out the lineup is three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert who ended up being a steal for the Jazz — the French native was the 27th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft.

Dallas Mavericks

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While this Dallas lineup might be lacking in rebounding and rim protection, there’s plenty of offensive firepower and playmaking savvy to go around. Nobody exemplifies those traits more than current Dallas star Luka Doncic who is already well on his way to an all-time great career. Of course, Doncic still has a ways to go to catch Dirk Nowitzki for “Greatest Maverick Ever.” Nowitzki cemented himself as such after leading Dallas to an NBA title in 2011. However, he couldn’t do it alone as fellow Hall of Famer Jason Kidd was a stabilizing force for the title-winning club. Kidd played eight total seasons in Dallas — the most of any team during his career. Rolando Blackmon and Mark Aguirre were stars of the 80s who combined to make seven All-Star teams. The pair were the top two players on the 1988 Mavericks team that was one game away from making the NBA Finals.

Houston Rockets

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Houston has been home to some of the most unique and era-defining players over the years. Absolutely nobody would want to face this team. Playmaking savant James Harden is surrounded by a scoring machine in Tracy McGrady and three of the most dominant big men of their eras. The four retired stars are all in the Hall of Fame. Harden will join them shortly after his career comes to a close. In total, this five-man group has a combined 50 All-Star appearances, 39 All-NBA selections, five MVPs, and five scoring titles. Olajuwon and Ming played (virtually) their entire careers in Houston, while the other three each had their longest NBA tenure with the Rockets.

Memphis Grizzlies

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Memphis’ lineup shakes out a bit like Miami’s team — a modern star, a former star, and the trio that defined the team’s best run. The modern star, of course, is two-time All-Star Ja Morant. The star point guard appears to be a franchise cornerstone for a team still in search of its first NBA Finals appearance. If you can believe it, Pau Gasol actually played more regular season games with the Grizzlies than he did with the Lakers. When Pau was drafted in ’01, the Grizzlies had never made the postseason. He eventually led them to three playoff berths.

The team cannot be complete without some mention of the “Grit ‘n’ Grind” era. In this case, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley all deserve a spot in the starting lineup as they each played an integral role during a run that saw Memphis make seven-straight playoff appearances.

New Orleans Pelicans

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The Pelicans’ history stretches just 22 seasons and includes nine postseason appearances. The team hasn’t had a whole lot of time to develop a rich history. Though, there’s been no shortage of talent in New Orleans. Chris Paul, Jrue Holiday, and Anthony Davis are former Hornets/Pelicans who are still among some of the best players in the league today. The same goes for Zion Williamson when he’s healthy. While he’s played just over 150 career games, Williamson is the most electrifying star in team history and key to the franchise’s future. Filling in the final spot, David West gets the slightest edge over All-Star Brandon Ingram. West spent eight years in New Orleans and was a pivotal piece during the two best seasons in team history (’08 and ’09).

Atlanta Hawks

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What better way to kick off than with a lineup featuring five Hall of Famers? Wilkens, Hudson and Pettit carried the then St. Louis Hawks through the 1960s, collecting 26 All-Star nods between them. Though, the most popular Hawk of all-time is perhaps Slam Dunk Champion and seven-time All-NBA selection Dominique Wilkins — who leads the franchise in both games played (882) and points scored (23,292). Rounding out this group is big man Dikembe Mutombo. The shot-blocking savant only played four and a half seasons in Atlanta but earned three Defensive Player of the Year honors (’97, ’98, ’01) during that stretch.

Charlotte Hornets

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The Hornets aren’t exactly pulling from a deep pool of historically great talents. It’s been a franchise in constant rebuild ever since it reentered the league in 2004. Before that, Charlotte appeared to be a team on the rise following a span of seven postseason appearances in 10 years. In that span, the three players that defined Hornets basketball were the rim-protecting, two-time Defensive Player of the Year Alonzo Mourning, the sharp-shooting three-point champion Glen Rice, and the bruising forward Larry Johnson. Though the team has struggled mightily over the past two decades, two bright spots include Gerald Wallace — who led the team to its only postseason appearance during the Bobcats era — and four-time All-Star Kemba Walker.

San Antonio Spurs

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You can’t discuss the Spurs without starting with Tim Duncan. The five-time NBA Champion completely transformed the team as soon as he was drafted No. 1 overall in 1997. He joined 10-time All-NBA selection David Robinson who would go on to be a key member of the two early title teams. Later on, Duncan got help in the form of French point guard Tony Parker. The 2007 NBA Finals MVP, Parker’s speed and craft made him the perfect compliment to Duncan’s ground-bound game. In their most recent Finals run in 2014, Finals MVP honors went to Kawhi Leonard. Leonard played seven seasons in San Antonio and is one of the greatest development stories in league history. Taking the final spot in the starting lineup is George Gervin, one of the most brilliant offensive players the game has seen. This allows four-time NBA Champion Manu Ginobili to slide into his familiar Sixth Man role.

Chicago Bulls

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Chicago won six titles with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen at the helm. Their inclusions are obviously a no-brainer. Dennis Rodman joined that group for the final three titles and led the league in rebounding each season he was with the Bulls. Derrick Rose became the youngest MVP in league history in 2008, and is the only Chicago Bull to win the award other than Jordan. After a strong career in the ABA, 7-foot-2 Hall of Fame center Artis Gilmore spent his first six NBA seasons with the Bulls.

Cleveland Cavaliers

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The second lineup to feature LeBron James (who is Cleveland’s all-time leader in points, assists, rebounds, and steals, among several other categories), this Cleveland outfit is a bit more guard-heavy with an emphasis on outside shooting. Former teammates of James, both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love played a huge part in ending the team’s 40-year title drought. While they never reached the NBA Finals, the Mark Price and Brad Daugherty-led Cavs teams of the 90s were very competitive. Price and Daugherty were each All-Stars several times and played a combined 17 seasons with the Cavs. A supporting cast like this around James would have resulted in a ton of titles for Cleveland.

Detroit Pistons

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A team rich in history, this seems like a fair balance of Detroit’s top talents. The guard spots cannot be altered. Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars are among the best backcourts in league history and were the driving force for back-to-back title-winning teams. All five players in this lineup are Hall of Famers, including recent inductee Ben Wallace — a four-time Defensive Player of the Year who served as the defensive backbone for Detroit’s run through the 2000s. Grant Hill is perhaps the most talented individual player in team history, winning Rookie of the Year honors in 1995 and earning an All-NBA spot in each of his final five seasons with the Pistons. Bob Lanier was a top center during the 70s, making seven All-Star appearances with the Pistons.

Indiana Pacers

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We’re stretching it a bit with this lineup, as it features no traditional point guard. However, this configuration is the only way to include the five most impactful Indiana Pacers in team history. Roger Brown and Mel Daniels are likely unfamiliar to newer fans of the game, but the two Hall of Famers dominated for Indiana during the team’s days in the ABA. After being one of the most iconic teams of the ABA, the Pacers found it difficult to transition to the NBA. That is until Reggie Miller was drafted and led Indiana to 15 playoff appearances in 16 seasons — including a trip to the 2000 NBA Finals. Jermaine O’Neal and Paul George are tied with Miler for the most All-NBA selections for a Pacer (3). O’Neal is the only Pacer to be named to an All-NBA Second Team.

Boston Celtics

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While the Celtics have a deep pool of players to choose from, making these selections didn’t end up being overly complicated. Four of the five spots are set in stone. Russell won 11 NBA titles, Cousy was the league’s premier point guard during the NBA’s infancy, Bird was a three-time NBA MVP and Havlicek served as a bridge between the franchise’s eras. Paul Pierce’s spot could be contentious among some Celtics fans. However, this is a franchise that is tied for the most championships in NBA history (17) but has just one title since 1986. Pierce earned MVP honors for the 2008 NBA Finals, helped end a 30-year drought, and played 15 seasons with the Celtics. That is more than enough for him to earn a spot in Boston’s starting lineup.

Brooklyn Nets

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When most basketball fans think of the Nets, the first player that comes to mind is typically Julius Erving. The man known as “Dr. J” was the star of the ABA, leading the Nets to two titles during the 70s. Following Erving’s departure, the team’s next star was Buck Williams who was named to four All-Defensive teams — all with the Nets. New Jersey had not made it to the NBA Finals until Jason Kidd took over as point guard in 2001. The Hall of Fame guard played more games with the Nets than any other team in his career. Believe it or not, the Nets’ all-time leading scorer is Brook Lopez. He also leads the franchise in blocked shots. With a rather shallow pool of players to choose from, we’ll round out the lineup with Kevin Durant. Durant brought relevancy to a Nets team that had been flailing since the move to Brooklyn.

New York Knicks

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Patrick Ewing headlines a Knicks lineup that embodies each period in the team’s history. Ewing is the team’s all-time leader in points, rebounds and blocks — and second-place isn’t particularly close in any of those categories. Willis Reed was awarded both Finals MVPs during New York’s two title runs, but he got a lot of help from lead guard Walt Frazier. Frazier was a seven-time All-Star with the Knicks and routinely upped his play in the postseason. The last two spots go to two all-time great scorers — Carmelo Anthony and Bernard King.

Philadelphia 76ers

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This 76ers outfit would not back down from anyone. Wilt Chamberlain and Joel Embiid have drastically different styles of play, but both became two-way phenoms due to their elite athleticism and fluidity at the center position. Charles Barkley was a matchup nightmare waiting to happen. Though shorter than a traditional power forward at the time, Barkley dominated the interior and was named an All-Star in each of his final six seasons with the 76ers.

Erving played his entire NBA career with the 76ers (11 seasons), making the All-Star team each year and winning a title in ’83. Over the last 40 years, the closest Philadelphia has been to an NBA title was during the 2001 season when league MVP Allen Iverson led the 76ers to a Finals appearance. Iverson played 12 years in Philadelphia, and no athlete has ever embodied the city’s relentless attitude better.

Toronto Raptors

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The first 17 years of Raptors history didn’t exactly go too well. The two biggest names produced from that era were Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. At one point, Carter was one of the top wings in the league and was named to six All-Star teams in seven years with the Raptors. Bosh nearly matched Carter with five All-Star appearances in seven years, but neither player won a ton of games for the Raptors. Two players who seriously helped turn the franchise around occupy the backcourt — Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

Under the two All-Stars, the Raptors made five-straight playoff appearances and led the Eastern Conference with 59 wins in 2018. However, the team didn’t finally get over the hump until Kawhi Leonard came to town. Leonard is the only player featured on this entire list who played just one year with the team he’s representing. However, Leonard deserves a spot in this starting lineup. Without him, the Raptors would still be without a title.

Golden State Warriors

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There isn’t too much to discuss about this lineup. Except, if you believe that Kevin Durant deserves a spot for basically sealing two title wins. However, the trio of Curry, Thompson and Green are locks for the team. Each one was drafted by the Warriors and played a major role in building a dynasty. Chamberlain has to make the team based on numbers alone. This is a guy who averaged 41.5 PPG and 25.1 RPG over six seasons with the Warriors. And, Durant can’t take Rick Barry’s spot. Barry was solidified when he took home MVP honors after his performance in the 1975 NBA Finals.

LA Clippers

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For nearly 40 years, Bob McAdoo was the only All-NBA First-Team selection in Clippers history. The all-time great center earned that distinction in 1975 — the same year he won NBA MVP. In 2012, Chris Paul became the second All-NBA First Team player in Clippers history and helped revitalize a pitiful franchise alongside high-flying power forward Blake Griffin. The pair engineered five-straight 50-win seasons after the franchise had never passed that benchmark previously. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George joining the team gave the Clippers hope of finally getting over the title hump. While they haven’t quite reached that milestone yet, they’re undoubtedly two of the most talented players to don a Clippers uniform. And, they helped the franchise reach its first ever Conference Finals. Baby steps.

Los Angeles Lakers

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The Lakers have what seems like an unlimited supply of Hall of Famers to select from. Elgin Baylor, Michael Cooper, Pau Gasol, Gail Goodrich, Jamal Wilkes, George Mikan, Anthony Davis and other great players in NBA history are left off the most exclusive lineup in this exercise. Not to mention, the game’s all-time leading scorer — LeBron James — must give up his spot to longer-tenured veterans. The end result is a five-man group that won a combined 19 titles during their time in Los Angeles. Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and Kobe Bryant are among the greatest guards to ever play the game — and each only suited up for the Lakers during their professional careers. Abdul-Jabbar and O’Neal joined the Lakers after beginning with other franchises, but both were dominant for title-winning teams. The Lakers’ backups would likely take down most of the other teams featured on this list.

Phoenix Suns

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Two former MVPs headline a Suns all-time lineup which would have no trouble scoring the basketball. Barkley was awarded league MVP in his first year with the Suns in ’93 and led the team to the NBA Finals that year. Nash won back-to-back MVPs in ’04 and ’05 as he helped engineer one of the most memorable teams of that era alongside Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudemire. Taking the final spot is Walter Davis, a six-time All-Star who is Phoenix’s all-time leader in points scored (15,666).

Sacramento Kings

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While Oscar Robertson gets a ton of credit for his run with the Bucks, he was at his absolute best as a Cincinnati Royal. It was with the Royals (before they were known as the Kings) that Robertson became the first player to average a triple-double for a full season. Robertson won league MVP in 1964 alongside teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Jerry Lucas. Lucas made three All-NBA First Team appearances with the Royals and was a member of the 75th Anniversary Team. Nate “Tiny” Archibald earned three All-NBA First Team selections, as well. Chris Webber is the most recent All-NBA First Team selection, becoming one of just five players in team history to earn that distinction. The last spot goes to Mitch Richmond who played seven years in Sacramento and made the All-Star Game in six of those seasons.