NBA: How the greatest Big 3 of all-time was cut short

On June 28th, 2007, the Seattle SuperSonics selected the 6-foot-9 lanky small forward out of Texas with the second pick in the NBA Draft. Durant only played one season for the Longhorns, but he immediately became the face of the franchise.

The SuperSonics would go onto win only 20 games in the 2007-2008 season, but Kevin Durant did win the Rookie of the Year award. He averaged 20.3 points per game for the season.

On June 26th, 2008, the SuperSonics selected Russell Westbrook, a sophomore point guard out of UCLA. Additionally, with the 24th overall pick (from Phoenix), the SuperSonics selected Serge Ibaka.

As we know, the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Oklahoma City Thunder. There was a small improvement in the 2008-09 season, as the team went onto win 23 games.

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On June 25th, 2009, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected James Harden, a sophomore shooting guard out of Arizona State.

The 2009-10 NBA Season began the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook-James Harden era. The Thunder added 27 wins to the 23 wins that they had the previous year, and earned the 8th spot in the West. They eventually lost to Kobe and company in six games, as the Lakers went on to win the title. Scott Brooks earned the Coach of the Year Award.

This was Kevin Durant’s first taste of the postseason. Durant only shot 35 percent from the field in the six games against the Lakers, and only 28.6 percent from deep. After averaging 30.1 points per game during the regular season, he only averaged 25 points for the playoffs. Westbrook averaged 20.5 points per game in the playoffs, while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from long range. Harden only averaged 20 minutes for the playoffs off the bench, as he averaged 7.7 points of his own.

The 2010-11 season resulted in an appearance to the Western Conference Finals as the four seed. The Thunder defeated the Nuggets in five games, then the Grizzlies in seven games, but fell to the eventual Champions in the Mavericks in five games. Durant improved his numbers from the prior postseason, averaging 28.6 points, on 44.9 percent from the field, and 33.9 percent from deep in 17 games.

Although Westbrook improved his playoff scoring to 23.8 points, his field goal percentage and 3-point percentage both went down significantly. Harden averaged 13 points off the bench in the 17 games. Getting to the Western Conference Finals was an immense accomplishment for this franchise, as they continued to improve year after year with the young core they had established.

The 2011-12 shortened NBA season led the Thunder to the 2nd seed in the West, and a trip to the NBA Finals. James Harden won the 6th Man of the Year award, averaging 16.8 points per game for the regular season They swept the Mavericks, beat the Lakers in five games, and then the Spurs in in six games. However, they eventually lost to Lebron James and the Miami Heat in five games in the NBA Finals.

The Heat, who were extremely hungry after losing to the Mavs in the previous year, won four straight games after losing the first game of the series. Durant averaged 30.6 points in the Finals, shooting 54.8% from the field. Westbrook averaged 27 points and Harden averaged 12.4.

This Thunder squad, highlighted by the big three of Durant, Westbrook, and Harden had improved every season. Durant and Westbrook were only 23 years of age in their first NBA Finals appearance, and Harden was only 22. This young core was just getting their feet wet, and they were destined to be great for years to come.

Unfortunately, money became an issue, and the Thunder elected to pay Serge Ibaka a four-year deal worth $48 million in August of 2012, opposed to paying James Harden. Harden (fresh off a 6th man of the year award), was traded to the Rockets when contract extension conversations failed. And so, the big three era ended. Just like that. Harden only started seven games in his career for the Thunder (no postseason games).

We got cut short of the greatest, and most talented big three of all-time

Thabo Sefolosha was the starting shooting guard for the Thunder, due to his perimeter defense. We never got to see James Harden get a real opportunity to showcase his talents in Oklahoma City. This backfired for Sam Presti and company. The Thunder didn’t realize the severity of trading Harden, and the player that he would eventually become. Harden has averaged over 25 points per game for the Rockets in his five seasons, and has become a franchise player. In fairness to the Thunder organization, everyone knew Harden was good, but most didn’t realize he would be as good as he is now. However, they failed to lock Harden up long-term after having his best season.

Now, with just Durant and Westbrook, the Thunder failed to ever get back to the NBA Finals. Westbrook collided with Patrick Beverley in the first round of the 2012-13 playoffs, tore his right meniscus, and was ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs. Westbrook only played two playoff games, and the Thunder lost to the Grizzlies in the following round. The Thunder went back to the conference finals in the 2013-14 season (Durant’s MVP year), but lost to the eventual champions, the Spurs, in six games. It always seemed as though the Thunder lost to the future champions (Lakers, Mavericks, Spurs).

A Jones fracture, ankle injuries, toe injuries, and eventual foot surgery cut Durant’s 2014-15 season short. The Thunder failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2008-09 NBA Season. Without Durant, Westbrook could not do enough on his own to bring the Thunder to the postseason. We all know about the 3-1 epic collapse in the 2015-16 Western Conference Finals. Durant and Westbrook did not show up until it was too late in Game 7, and they fell to the Warriors, losing three straight games.

Now, only Westbrook remains on the Thunder. They are all in their primes on their respective teams. Durant and Westbrook are both 28, while Harden is 27. It can be argued that they are all top fiver players in the world today. Durant has an MVP, while Westbrook and Harden are the two favorites to win the MVP this season. A lot has happened since their 2012 Finals appearance. Durant is in the Finals again, but with his new squad out in the Bay Area.

The Durant-Westbrook-Harden big three core was only together for three years, and their final year resulted in a Finals appearance. They were bound to get back to the Finals again, and not just once, but several more times. They got a taste of what the Finals was like, and got the necessary experience to know what it would take to come out as champions in the future.

They watched Lebron celebrate, and it was their turn to come back the following year and contend for another championship. However, they never got that opportunity. Just imagine what the Thunder would look like today if all three were still on the roster. How many championships would they have since their 2012 appearance? Westbrook and Harden were both top five in usage rate this year, they are ball dominant players.

They need the ball in their hands, more so than Durant. However, they were able to get to the Finals in 2012, and definitely would have done it again.

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We got cut short of the greatest, and most talented big three of all-time. Better than Bird, McHale, Parish. Magic, Kareem, Worthy. Duncan, Ginobili, Parker. And all the other great big threes. None of them touched Durant, Westbrook, Harden. We only got a small sliver of what they could have been.

They were so young in 2012, and had so much potential. We never got to see that potential come into fruition. This Thunder team was built organically through the draft. And with a blink of an eye, their big three was gone.