LeBron James‘ prolonged free agency saga dominated headlines last month before he ultimately signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the move has continued to spark debate, with Kevin Durant weighing in and comparing James’ decision to his own controversial move to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.
ESPN’s Ben Golliver shared a clip of the Rockets forward on X (formerly Twitter), where Durant gave his thoughts after being asked about the 76ers’ championship chances during a media appearance.
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“Kevin Durant on LeBron James’s 76ers: ‘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. They have got four 25-point scorers on this team. So, hell yeah, I think they’re going to be a contender,'” Golliver wrote, quoting Durant.
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The post quickly turned heads as NBA fans weren’t convinced by Durant’s comparison and clowned him in the comments.
“No wonder he became washed. Lol, doesn’t know basketball 76ers ain’t nobody. Even with washed-up LeBron James,” a fan wrote.
While James’ arrival does give Philadelphia the look of a superteam alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown, many fans argued Durant’s comparison overlooked one key difference. James is joining the 76ers at 41 and in the latter stages of his career, whereas Durant joined the Warriors in his prime.
Even so, James’ arrival could still prove significant, with many viewing him as the final piece Philadelphia needs in its pursuit of a first NBA championship since 1983.
Kevin Durant looks ahead to the new season before showing love to LeBron James’ move to the 76ers
Kevin Durant had a mixed first season with the Houston Rockets. While he led the team in scoring, the forward failed to play consistently during the playoffs as the Rockets were eliminated in the first round.
Following the disappointing end to the season, the forward shared his eagerness to get going during an interview on Saturday.
“I’m enjoying my time off. Can’t wait to get back to the season,” Durant said. “Should be fun, man. A lot of movement this summer with players, coaches. So it should be some fresh new identities in the league. We got a great rookie class coming in, too. So I can’t wait.”
The forward also showed love for Bron’s move to Philly during the conversation.
“Happy for him. You know, it’s a great decision for him to go to a team that has a good chance to win,” he added.
With Durant eager to begin the new campaign, fans will also be looking forward to the Rockets’ matchup against James and the 76ers next season.
Edited by Arian Kashyap
