Kevin Garnett Claims Era Of Big Three In NBA Is Over

Kevin Garnett has never been one to mince words, and on a recent episode of KG Certified, the former NBA champion delivered a firm message to today’s front offices: the Big Three era is dead. 

According to Garnett, building around three superstars is no longer the formula to win championships. Instead, teams need depth serious depth. The blueprint now, in his eyes, lies with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers, and Boston Celtics.

"The recipe is from OKC and what Boston did and what Indiana's doing. You gotta have depth now. Ain't no more 'three, we gotta have three.' No, no, no. We gotta have nine. This the new script right here."

"Think about the Warriors. You remember when the Warriors had S-Dot, Igoudala, they had like, remember how they had like four guys come off the bench? I'm talking about how the Warriors used to start this little long thing where they had like a solid nine." 

"That's what OKC and that's what the Pacers look like to me. They have a solid nine, ten, and they can really put a whole five in there and give you a whole start. I don't think none of the Pacers played over 34 minutes." 

Garnett’s comments come at a time when the 2025 NBA Playoffs have been defined not by top-heavy superstar teams, but by deep, balanced rosters. The Pacers, for instance, have reached the NBA Finals with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam as their stars, but it’s the contributions from their bench from TJ McConnell, Obi Toppin, Ben Sheppard, and others that have sustained them. 

No one on the Pacers is playing over 34 minutes per game, yet they continue to run teams out of the gym with fresh legs and relentless energy.

The Thunder, meanwhile, boast arguably the most complete rotation in the league. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might be the MVP frontrunner, but his success is magnified by what surrounds him. 

Elite defenders like Lu Dort and Alex Caruso, efficient wings like Jalen Williams and Aaron Wiggins, dominant centers like Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, and reliable backups like Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace. Garnett was quick to point out that this isn’t a three-man show. 

It’s nine or ten guys, all capable of starting on most NBA rosters, buying into one system.

Even the Celtics, often considered a team with a Big Three in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis, won through depth last season. It was Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard who constantly swung games with clutch plays and elite defense. 

Garnett emphasized that it’s the presence of these types of role players that have separated Boston from more top-heavy contenders like the Phoenix Suns or the Lakers, teams that built around stars but lacked consistent help from their benches.

Paul Pierce, joining Garnett on KG Certified, highlighted how the new CBA makes it financially impractical to build Big Threes under the current salary cap. 

Teams that do so quickly find themselves strapped for depth and flexibility. Garnett agreed, pointing out how hard it is now to pay three max guys while still fielding a competitive supporting cast.

As the Pacers and Thunder continue their postseason runs, Garnett’s theory is being validated in real time. 

The “Big Three” narrative that dominated the 2010s may be fading. What’s emerging instead is a league where versatility, depth, and cohesion across the rotation matter more than ever, a shift even the loudest voices in the league can’t ignore.