5 most lethal NBA trios in 2023-24 after Damian Lillard's trade to Bucks
Following Damian Lillard's trade to Milwaukee, the Bucks are now one of the best NBA trios in the league with their impressive firepower on the roster. Be that as it may, the league is filled with incredible talent that can match up to the caliber of the Milwaukee Bucks.
As the 2023-24 regular season draws closer each day, teams will continue to prepare for the long road ahead with the goal of competing for an NBA championship. For the fans themselves, they are in for one exciting season with different matchups to keep their eyes on.
With that said, this article will look into the five NBA trios that look lethal ahead of the 2023-24 regular season.
Five lethal NBA trios for the 2023-24 regular season following the Bucks' acquisition of Damian Lillard
Here's a look at the five NBA trios for the 2023-24 regular season that are primed to make some noise around the league.
5) Los Angeles Lakers - LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves
This Lakers trio looked impressive when they eliminated the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors in the 2023 playoffs. Unfortunately, they came up short against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.
Be that as it may, this trio remains one of the best NBA trios because of the talent available. LeBron James is still incredible on the court, despite being 38 years of age. When healthy, Anthony Davis is one of the elite power forwards at both ends of the floor. Additionally, Austin Reaves impressed the most during the 2023 postseason and is primed for a big season following his max extension.
4) Denver Nuggets - Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon
Fresh off winning the Denver Nuggets' first NBA championship in franchise history, they still have one of the best NBA trios playing in the league today.
Nikola Jokic is still one of the most dominant big men in the game today, especially his production in the 2023 playoffs. Jamal Murray had an incredible bounce-back season, following his 2021 ACL injury with no signs of slowing down for next season.
Additionally, Aaron Gordon showed up in the 2023 NBA Finals when he averaged 14.0 points per game (60.4% shooting, including 55.6% from 3-point range) and 7.4 rebounds. His production is nothing to be taken lightly as he remains an important piece in the Nuggets' roster.
3) Phoenix Suns - Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal
During the offseason, this trio was a blockbuster move following Bradley Beal's decision to head to the Suns via his no-trade clause.
With Beal's addition to the team, the Phoenix Suns have an incredible offensive juggernaut of a trio as they also have Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Despite the disappointing second-round exit in the 2023 playoffs, the Suns now have another scoring option that is capable of averaging 20+ points per game. In Beal's last season with the Wizards, he averaged 23.2 points per game.
From the looks of it, each player on this Suns trio is capable of putting up huge numbers throughout the season that can easily cause problems in the league.
2) Boston Celtics - Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis
Following the third-round exit in the 2023 playoffs, the Boston Celtics needed to tweak something in the roster as they felt as if they were missing a piece. Enter the addition of Kristaps Porzingis.
During Porzingis' final season with the Washington Wizards, he averaged 23.2 ppg (49.8% shooting, including 38.5% from 3-point range) and 8.4 rpg. Despite losing Marcus Smart, who was one of their defensive anchors, the addition of Porzingis changes the Celtics' offensive and defensive looks.
Doubling Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown will easily lead to problems as it will leave the 7-foot-4 forward open. Their rim protection has also been improved as Porzingis' defense has improved tremendously since his rookie season. Similar to the Suns, this is one of the NBA trios capable of outscoring numerous opponents in their path.
1) Milwaukee Bucks - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton
Lastly, the most recent trade done in the league earns the number one spot on the NBA trios list. Enter the Milwaukee Bucks.
Following their first-round exit to the eight-seeded Miami Heat in the 2023 playoffs, the Bucks needed to change something to their roster. Similar to the Celtics' loss of Marcus Smart, the Bucks also lost one of their best defenders Jrue Holiday.
Be that as it may, they acquired a seven-time all-star in Damian Lillard, who will be able to help the team in crunch-time situations. That was particularly one of the many problems the team ran into during the regular season and postseason.
Additionally, the pick-and-roll actions between Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo are sure to cause some headaches in the league. This is coupled with the fact that the team's marksman from deep, Khris Middleton, is still on the team.