"Kevin Durant gets mad at me when I point it out!" - Charles Barkley reveals why he puts LeBron James and KD's superteam-hopping in same bracket
Kevin Durant recently joined another superteam. After leaving the OKC Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2016, KD was the most hated player in the world. However, he has done it again by forming another lethal team in Phoenix.
Charles Barkley, a basketball legend and analyst, believes that Durant shouldn't have joined superteams. However, Barkley also thinks that there is no difference between Durant joining the Suns and LeBron James joining the Miami Heat in 2010.
Here is what the former NBA star said on "First Take" with Stephen A. Smith:
"There is no difference," Barkley said. "Kevin [Durant] gets mad at me when I point this out. If you go back and look at LeBron ... he said, 'I had to win a championship without Dwyane [Wade] to get respect.' I hold Kevin Durant to the same criteria."
Barkley also pointed out how Kobe Bryant wanted to win the championship without Shaquille O'Neal. Kobe and Shaq won three titles together, but Bryant eventually led the LA Lakers to two more titles without the star center.
Kevin Durant shouldn't have joined the Phoenix Suns
Durant joined the Warriors back in 2016, forming the most amazing superteam in NBA history. The star forward joined a team that already had Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
To make the situation difficult for him, the Warriors knocked out Durant in the playoffs just a few months before he joined them. This was a heartbreaking move for the fans by the 13-time All-Star and many started hating him because of it.
Charles Barkley says there is no difference between LeBron going to the Heat and KD going to the Warriors 👀 https://t.co/bwJWslatnD
Charles Barkley implied that Kevin Durant shouldn't have joined the Phoenix Suns. The Hall of Famer thinks that the 4-time scoring champion needs to win a championship as a leader:
"He's gonna have to win a championship when he's the leader of the team and he's the best player," Barkley said. "If he wants to be on a level with LeBron and Kobe and those guys, he's gonna have to be the best player as the leader."
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Barkley clarified that the stress of being a team leader is a big deal. Role players don't have to put up with that stress, but it's Durant's job to be a leader and win it all despite all the pressure.
Durant will play alongside several stars
Durant will play alongside several stars in Phoenix. Devin Booker is one of the most lethal scorers in the league while his backcourt partner, Chris Paul, is a fantastic playmaker.
The Phoenix Suns also have Deandre Ayton, who's a double-double machine and a great defender. Additionally, the Suns are 33-29, good enough for the fourth spot in the Western Conference, and were in the NBA Finals less than two years ago.
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Durant will most likely make his Suns debut on Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets. Considering that the Hornets are one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, the 2-time NBA champion will likely be on minute restriction.