Superstar players make the NBA’s world go around. If you’re hoping to win an NBA championship in any given season, you’re likely to need at least a pair of them.

At the same time, they need to be able to play together. Talent may be the most important factor in determining a team’s success, but fit is a close second. A general manager can’t just throw a bunch of big names together and assume that they’ll be able to go all the way:

After all, just look at the 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers. They were basically a case study in that concept.

All told, few trios in NBA history have had more combined career MVP votes than LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook. It didn’t matter. The Lakers went on to win 33 games and miss the playoffs. They’ll be desperately searching for answers this summer.

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Most expect them to find them by dealing Westbrook: after all, he seemed to have the hardest time co-existing with LeBron James.

On the other hand, what if they tailored the roster to fit Westbrook instead?