At the time he was drafted, Michael Carter-Williams was positioned to be a superstar in the NBA. As a bigger guard with phenomenal passing skills, the former ROTY was on track to be the face of the Philadelphia 76ers' franchise until injuries eventually derailed his career.
As a result of recurring foot and knee injuries, primarily to the left side of his body, Michael Carter-Williams found himself bouncing around several teams in the league. While this led to his eventual exit from the NBA in 2023, like many other role players, this experience allowed him to play alongside some exceptionally talented individuals.
This aspect of the journeyman's career only came to light during his recent appearance on " Run It Back ," where Michael Carter-Williams was asked to create a starting lineup (with a sixth man) comprising his former NBA teammates. Needless to say, the former first-round pick's answer surprised the panel, as he shared:
"I think CP (Chris Paul) at the one. We're talking prime, obviously? Yeah, CPs are in there. Dang. DWade, James Harden, Giannis, and Dwight."
A lineup consisting of Chris Paul , Dwyane Wade , James Harden , Giannis Antetokounmpo , and Dwight Howard is intimidating enough. But when asked to include his sixth man, Michael Carter-Williams confidently named Jimmy Butler to wrap up his rotation.
Having played on six different teams over his nine years in the NBA, Carter-Williams caught each player at different points in their careers. But when only considering their primes, this lineup is nothing short of monstrous.
At his peak, Chris Paul wasn't just one of the best point guards in the NBA; he was one of the best of all time . While possessing nifty ball-handling skills and a reliable shot from mid-range, Paul was known for his phenomenal court vision and unparalleled basketball IQ.
With averages of 19.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 9.1 assists, and 2.5 steals (league-high) per game in the 2011-12 season, the year he finished third in MVP voting, Michael Carter-Williams couldn't select a better player to be his point guard.
At shooting guard, the former ROTY selected Dwyane Wade. Although Wade was entering the final years of his career when he was teammates with Carter-Williams on the Chicago Bulls , during his prime, the two-time NBA champion was one of the league's best shooting guards.
Like several players on this list, it is challenging to zero in on Wade's "peak." However, when noting his performance in the 2008-09 season, where he averaged 30.2 points (league-high), 5.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game and finished third in MVP voting, Wade was unstoppable .
Interestingly, Michael Carter-Williams selects James Harden at the 3, an odd pick considering that Harden is a combo guard. However, since a 3-guard lineup seems to be the former NBA player's approach, the 2017-18 MVP deserves a mention.
Like Wade, simplifying Harden's peak to just one season would be doing him a disservice. When gauging his dominance between 2017 and 2019, during which he averaged 33.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game while winning three scoring titles and one MVP award, Harden was in a league of his own.
As formidable as Michael Carter-Williams' backcourt is, his frontcourt is equally noteworthy. By including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dwight Howard, the former NBA player essentially added two former DPOYs to fill out his big man rotation.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's peak is difficult to gauge since he is only 31. However, when noting the 2019-20 season, a year before his title-winning campaign, where he was named MVP and DPOY after averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, it is easy to see why Michael Carter-Williams selected him.
Much like Giannis, Dwight Howard's best years also came before he won the NBA title. Although he won his championship with the Lakers , Howard was at the peak of his powers during his last four years with the Orlando Magic.
With averages of 20.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game, Howard amassed several accolades, including three consecutive DPOY awards and two block titles. As a dominant force down low, Howard single-handedly led the Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009. Even though he lost, his average of 15.3 rebounds in the playoffs is unreal.
As impressive as Michael Carter-Williams' starting lineup is, his first man off the bench, Jimmy Butler, also deserves some attention. Aside from being a five-time All-NBA selection, Butler has been one of the NBA's most consistent playoff performers in the last decade.
Given his tendency to coast during the regular season, it is slightly difficult to narrow down his prime. However, during his stint with the Miami Heat , which included two runs to the NBA Finals, Butler's averages of 24.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game showcase why he deserves a place on this list.
