The players we’d most like to see in the Big 3’s new season

After months of social media uproar following Crawford being mired in free agency following a 51-point game to end the 2018-19 season, he finally signed with the Brooklyn Nets, played one game in the bubble, suffered a hamstring injury, and it looks like his NBA career is all but officially over.

Crawford just turned 41 in late March, but you could argue no one is more perfect for this league than Crawford, who is legitimately one of the most exciting NBA players we’ve seen this millennium. In fact, put him and Thomas on a backcourt together; you’ll get an automatic view from many. Put Nate Robinson on the same team, too, while we’re at it.

The UConn legend and NBA veteran is currently without an NBA team despite being a productive pro over his career. After being a first-round draft choice in 2014, Napier embarked on a six-year career as an undersized floor general averaging over seven points and nearly three assists per game. His last NBA taste came in the 2019-20 season, where he suited up next to Thomas on the Wizards, as well as the Minnesota Timberwolves. As far as counting stats go, 2019-20 was actually a career year for Napier, who posted 10.4 points and 4.7 assists across 56 games.

Napier also played in the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup, representing Puerto Rico.

While we’re at it, let’s get him in there with JJ Barea, Renaldo Balkman, and Carlos Arroyo as part of a fully Puerto Rican squad. When Carmelo Anthony is ready in the future, he can join them, too.

If you follow international basketball, you know Jimmer Fredette’s been busting ass outside of America, especially in China, for the better part of the past five seasons. Indisputably one of the most enjoyable college athletes to watch this past decade, the BYU alum was picked 10th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft (sandwiched in-between Kemba Walker and Klay Thompson, wow) and embarked on an underwhelming five-year journey, mainly with the Sacramento Kings, before going to China.

In the Chinese Basketball Association, where he currently plays, he’s again leading the Shanghai Sharks. But it’s likely that a Fredette return to the states likely won’t be in the NBA — he last played six games with the Phoenix Suns in 2018-19 — it would be a welcome surprise to see him in the Big3.

Honestly, Jeremy Lin, like most of this list, should probably be on an NBA roster. He hasn’t been in the NBA since the 2018-19 season, where he was the Toronto Raptors’ third-string point guard and won an NBA title. During the 2019-20, he played in China with the Beijing Ducks, averaging over 22 points and close to six rebounds and assists.

The production is actually pretty similar to what he’s done in nine G League games this season, where he’s posted about 20 points per game along with 6.4 assists. He also has shooting splits of 51 / 43 / 88.

Also: Imagine Lin on a team coached by Kenyon Martin years after all this.

Before this piece went up, reports came down indicating that Isaiah Thomas had signed a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. Because it’s only a 10-day, we’ll keep him on the list… for now. For his sake, ideally, he’d still be in the NBA by the time Big3 season rolls around.

Thomas was one of the NBA’s leading scorers five seasons ago when he memorably averaged 28.7 points per game with the Boston Celtics, leading them to the Eastern Conference Finals, then being subsequently moved to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the famous Kyrie Irving deal. Most recently, in the NBA, he logged 40 appearances with the 2019-20 Washington Wizards, 37 of which were starts, though he only averaged 23.7 minutes per contest. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers mid-season and waived before playing a game in L.A.

More recently than even that, Thomas played alongside Johnson representing Team USA in the FIBA AmericCup 2022 qualifiers, which were played several weeks ago.

If you’re a real one and remember State of Nate, you know that Big3-alum Nate Robinson and Thomas are tight...

... so it would be cool to see them as teammates in the Big3 if his NBA venture doesn’t work out in New Orleans.