Kevin Durant thinks LeBron James may be exactly the kind of star who can make the Philadelphia 76ers work.
James’ summer move to Philadelphia changed the shape of the league right away. He signed a two-year, $8 million veteran minimum deal, a steep pay cut that gives the Sixers a core built around LeBron, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown, who came over in a blockbuster trade from the Boston Celtics.
Durant, speaking on Boardroom Talks, pointed to James’ willingness to take that bargain deal as a sign that he understands what it takes to fit into a contender.
"He understands how to put a winning basketball team together," Durant said. "He's been in the league for 24 years.
He should know how to understand how to do that. And then he knows how to put himself in position to be successful.
And I feel like for him to take a minimum says a lot about his mindset and how he's going to come into the team."
For Durant, the big issue isn’t whether the Sixers have enough scoring. It’s how that scoring gets sorted out once the season starts. With multiple high-end options on the same roster, somebody has to give a little.
"They need a connector of guys, somebody that understands, all right, everybody's not going to average 25 points on this team," KD added. "It's going to be nights you going to be the man.
It's going to be nights where you got to be the second guy, but it's going to be moving parts throughout the whole season. Everybody's role is going to change.
And I think LeBron understands that."
Durant also drew a comparison to the championship Warriors teams he was part of in 2017 and 2018, saying this kind of top-end depth is rare. He said having four 25-point scorers on one roster is something the league hasn’t seen since those Golden State runs.
That leaves the same central question hanging over Philadelphia heading into opening night: can all that talent buy into the same script?
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Kevin Durant is already seeing the appeal of the Sixers latest swing, and he is not shy about where he thinks it can lead. In weighing in on LeBron James joining Philadelphia, Durant called the setup a juggernaut, pointing to the mix of star power, experience and leadership as the kind of foundation that can change a teams outlook quickly.
From Durants perspective, the details matter almost as much as the name on the jersey. He noted that LeBron taking a minimum contract gives the Sixers a rare blend of talent and flexibility, while also giving them the benefit of a championship-winning coach and front office behind it. For Philadelphia, the bigger question now is whether all of those pieces can actually turn promise into the kind of season Durant believes is there to be had. [Read more 🡒]
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The problem for Philadelphia is that Browns scoring volume is not easy to replace, and the Celtics are betting they can spread that responsibility around while leaning on Georges two-way impact. If that works, Boston could still be a major problem for the Sixers in the East, especially if the new rotation finds its footing quickly. Even after the trade, there is enough talent in place to make Philadelphia wonder whether the path past Boston really got any easier. [Read more 🡒]
Former Sixers Are Raising The Stakes On Joel Embiid's Next Run
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Patrick Beverley added to the optimism after watching recent workouts and speaking positively about what the Sixers could be. For a team that has spent plenty of seasons under a microscope, having former players publicly boost the outlook only sharpens the expectations. The roster looks different, the confidence around it is rising, and now the pressure on Embiids next opportunity feels even more pronounced. [Read more 🡒]