Kevin Durant says LeBron James’ surprise move to the Philadelphia 76ers should be seen as a big win for the league, and he believes the team has enough star power to contend for a championship. Speaking on Saturday, August 1 at the USA Basketball Foundation x RX3 Charity’s 3×3 tournament, Durant said he was caught off guard by the deal but quickly turned to praise for the decision.
James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers on July 24, a move that immediately drew attention well beyond Philly. Durant’s reaction was calm and measured, but his point was clear: Philadelphia has become a must-watch team, and the NBA is better off when a player of James’ stature creates this kind of noise.
Durant: Philadelphia has the pieces to contend
Durant said he did not know about the move beforehand, adding: “I didn’t know at all,” before describing James as someone who keeps his plans private. “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,” he said.
The Houston Rockets forward then focused on the basketball side of the decision. “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,” Durant said. “There were so many eyes that were tuned in to his decision. It’s only gonna help us as a league.”
Why the Warriors comparison matters
Durant also linked the 76ers’ new profile to the kind of star-loaded teams that have shaped modern NBA debate. “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,” he said.
That comparison is telling because Durant is suggesting Philadelphia may have crossed into the same territory of overwhelming offensive talent. He took that idea even further, saying: “[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. It’s gonna be fun to watch. I can’t wait to see it.”
For the 76ers, that is the whole point. Star power changes expectation, and Durant’s verdict was not just that James improves the team, but that he gives Philadelphia a genuine shot at the title.
LeBron’s own words explain the move
James had already laid out the thinking behind the decision in his own comments. “I thought I was done when the season ended,” he said, explaining that he needed time to think before realizing he still had more to give.
He added: “This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to give. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.”
That is why Durant’s reaction lands so strongly. He sees the move as both a basketball statement and a league-wide moment. It has already drawn wide attention, even from President Donald Trump, and it now leaves the 76ers with a new level of scrutiny. The question from here is simple: if Philadelphia really does have four 25-point scorers, can anyone stop them when the postseason pressure arrives?
