Kevin Durant, the current Rockets star, just dropped a bombshell comparison that has the entire league scratching its head, straight up lumping the 2026-27 Philadelphia 76ers into the same talent tier as his legendary 2016-17 Golden State Warriors. Seriously. He actually said that out loud. This claim immediately became one of the more ridiculous assertions we’ve heard in a minute, and we gotta break down why.
Durant’s “Contender” Rationale Is Wild
It all kicked off when Durant got asked if the 76ers, who just added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to go alongside Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and V.J. Edgecombe, should even be considered a championship contender. His response? “For sure. … Hell yeah, I think they’re going to be a contender.” Okay, fair enough, they’re stacked, anyone with working eyeballs can see that much. They’re definitely a contender, no question. Where Durant absolutely loses the plot, though, is in his reasoning. He said, and I quote: “Last time they put three 20-point scorers on a team, they said it was unfair, which was the team I was on. [The 76ers] got four 25-point scorers.” He’s referring to those 2016-17 Warriors, claiming that’s the “last time.” Cue the collective eye roll from every basketball fan out there.
History Repeats, But Durant Misses It
This is the kind of stuff that makes you question if great players really understand team construction outside of their own immediate experience. The source even points out how funny it is that Durant said “the last time” about his Warriors, because dude, he’s been on **two** teams since those Warriors that also included three 20-point scorers. Come on! It’s almost like a selective memory when it fits the narrative. It just goes to show what we already know: great players do not make great general managers. They often believe their definition of a “great player” is the only one. Remember back in 2014 when LeBron James was obsessed with UConn point guard Shabazz Napier, even leading to the Heat trading for Napier in a bid to keep LeBron? Yeah, Napier started 55 games in six forgettable seasons before washing out. LeBron was also a “driving force” behind the failed experiment that was Russell Westbrook to the Lakers. So, take those superstar talent evaluations with a massive grain of salt, because sometimes, they’re just seeing what they wanna see.
So, while the 76ers are absolutely loaded for 2026-27 and sure look like a contender, this conversation is far from over. Everyone’s gonna be watching how that “four 25-point scorers” claim actually plays out on the court and whether Durant’s unique math holds up. We’ll see if this wild take becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, or just another reminder that even the best players have some questionable hot takes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply