😱 Kevin Durant & Kendrick Perkins HOT With LeBron James for Telling James Harden To Leave OKC! 😱

In a recent discussion on the Netflix series Starting Five, Kevin Durant did not hold back his feelings about LeBron James and his alleged role in James Harden’s exit from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Durant’s comments reflect a deep-seated frustration with how some players in the league, particularly LeBron, have navigated their relationships and influence over younger talent.

Durant pointed out that when Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets, many NBA stars, including LeBron and Dwyane Wade, publicly congratulated him, but Durant believes their sentiments were insincere.

“What pissed me off is LeBron and Dwyane sending tweets out like, ‘Congrats to my bro James, he got his,’ when they were just happy that we weren’t together anymore,” Durant said.

He felt that the other players were relieved to see the Thunder’s formidable trio of Durant, Westbrook, and Harden disbanded, as they were a significant threat to their dominance in the league.

Kendrick Perkins, who played alongside Durant in Oklahoma City, backed up these claims, recalling how the atmosphere around Harden’s departure was charged with psychological warfare.

Perkins revealed that during their time at the Olympics, Durant expressed concerns about losing Harden, indicating that LeBron and Wade were pushing Harden to seek his own team.

Perkins stated, “He knew before James and the tweets came out… Braun and Dwyane were telling him that he needed his own team.”

This notion of “psychological warfare” highlights the competitive nature of the NBA, where established stars often exert influence over younger players.

Perkins argued that the narrative around Harden’s departure was not solely about basketball; it was also about the business side of the game.

Harden was in a position to demand a max contract, and with the Thunder’s roster dynamics, it became clear he would not be able to achieve that while playing behind Durant and Westbrook.

Durant’s frustration is compounded by the fact that the Thunder had just made it to the NBA Finals, and many believed that if they had remained together, they could have shifted the balance of power in the league.

The Miami Heat had defeated them in the Finals, but Durant speculated that with Harden still on the team, their trajectory could have been different.

“If we would have stayed together, then the balance of power would have shifted,” Durant asserted.

While some may argue that Harden’s decision to leave was a natural progression for a player seeking to establish himself as a franchise star, the influence of established players like LeBron cannot be overlooked.

The conversation around Harden’s departure raises questions about loyalty, ambition, and the nature of player relationships in the NBA.

Perkins noted that while players are often friends off the court, the competitive nature of the league can lead to complex dynamics that affect decisions on and off the court.

As the discussion continued, it became clear that both Durant and Perkins believe that Harden’s departure was influenced by more than just a desire for a bigger contract.

They argue that the environment created by other stars, particularly LeBron, played a significant role in shaping Harden’s career trajectory.

Perkins emphasized that while Harden’s agents may have pushed him towards maximizing his earning potential, the conversations and influences from established players were also crucial in his decision-making process.

Ultimately, the debate over LeBron’s influence on Harden’s career and departure from the Thunder highlights the intricate web of relationships in the NBA.

As players navigate their careers, they must balance personal ambitions with the dynamics of friendship and competition.

The fallout from Harden’s decision continues to resonate, as both Durant and Perkins reflect on what could have been if the Thunder had remained intact.

In conclusion, the comments from Durant and Perkins shed light on the often unseen pressures and influences that shape player decisions in the NBA.

As the league evolves, the relationships between stars and the impact they have on each other’s careers will remain a topic of discussion among fans and analysts alike.