LeBron James joined the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million veteran minimum contract in July 2026, at age 41 [1, 2, 3, 4]. This move formed a 'Big Four' of LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, and Tyrese Maxey, each averaging at least 25 points per game last NBA season [1, 2, 3, 4].
Kevin Durant compared the 76ers’ four 25-point scorers to the Golden State Warriors teams he was on which had three 20-point scorers. He recalled that Warriors team was criticized as "unfair," and said, "They 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" [1, 2].
Durant said he was unaware beforehand of LeBron's decision to join the 76ers. "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. 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 added [2, 3].
Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, and Tyrese Maxey each averaged at least 25 points per game last season while LeBron has averaged 25 or more points in 20 of his 23 NBA seasons, most recently in 2023-24 with the Lakers [1, 2, 3, 4]. The 76ers have not won an NBA championship since 1983, and LeBron aims to become the first player to win titles with four different franchises [2, 3].
Oddsmakers rank the 76ers among the top contenders to win the 2027 NBA title [2, 4]. Durant has also expressed interest in competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and adding a fifth Olympic gold medal to his collection [2, 5, 6].
Durant made these comments publicly on August 1 and 2, 2026, at a USA Basketball Foundation charity event in Southern California, shortly after LeBron announced his decision to join Philadelphia on July 24 [2, 5, 6, 7].
