Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard LeBron James (6) and guard Kevin Durant (7) react in the second half against France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena.
When LeBron James announced that he’d play the next two seasons, and likely the rest of his NBA career, for the Philadelphia 76ers, it surprised the entire basketball world.
That includes Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant, who, like James, is one of the faces of his generation and who has built a strong relationship with his fellow superstar.
Durant discussed the move at a USA Basketball event on Saturday, and while he has high expectations for James and the Sixers, he also wants to make one thing clear.
Kevin Durant Wants To Make It Clear That LeBron James Joined A Superteam
When Durant made the stunning decision to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors in 2016, the move was highly criticized.
Fans and media alike complained that Durant was joining a “superteam” and, in particular, one that had just beaten him and the Thunder in the playoffs.
Now, Durant wants to make it clear that he believes James is doing something similar.
“The last time they put three 20-point scorers on a team, they said it was unfair, which was the [Warriors] team I was on,” Durant said. “[The 76ers] have got four 25-point scorers on this team. So, hell yeah, I think they’re going to be a contender. They’re going to be a fun team to watch. It’s going to be League Pass-worthy.”
Technically, Durant is correct. James is joining a team with three other bona fide stars in Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid, as well as a seemingly budding star in V.J. Edgecombe.
However, the situations aren’t exactly comparable.
For one, the Sixers haven’t won a championship the way Golden State did in 2015, or even reached the NBA Finals the way that the Warriors did in 2016 when they fell to James and the Cavaliers.
In fact, Philly hasn’t even made the Eastern Conference Finals in the past 25 years. Obviously, the hope and expectation will be that James changes that this season.
Meanwhile, Durant says he had no idea James would choose Philadelphia.
“I didn’t know at all,” he said. “LeBron is stealth like that. I know there’s a lot of noise around him, but you never know what’s on his mind. I’m happy for him. It’s a great decision for him to go to a team that has a good chance to win. Philly is a great fanbase, a great market, and it’s great for the league. There were so many eyes that were tuned in to his decision.”
Even so, Philadelphia figures to be a force to be reckoned with this season.