In a candid interview, Durant accused LeBron James and Dwyane Wade of celebrating the Thunder’s breakup in 2012, calling their social media support for James Harden’s trade to the Houston Rockets “fake love.”

According to Durant, LeBron and other league superstars were relieved to see the Thunder’s young core dismantled because they feared what the trio of Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Harden could achieve together.

To understand the gravity of Durant’s claims, we need to revisit the Thunder’s meteoric rise.

By 2012, Oklahoma City had become a powerhouse, led by a trio of young stars who seemed destined to dominate the NBA for years.

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Durant, Westbrook, and Harden were all under 24 years old and had just reached the NBA Finals, where they pushed LeBron’s Miami Heat to five games.

Despite losing, the Thunder’s potential was undeniable.

Durant himself admitted, “I was in a great space. Mindset was different. I’m coming in next year. Championship for sure in Oklahoma City.”

The Thunder’s chemistry was electric, their talent generational, and their hunger unmatched.

They were on the verge of building a dynasty that could have redefined the NBA.

But then, just before the 2012-2013 season began, everything fell apart.

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In a shocking move, the Thunder traded James Harden to the Houston Rockets over a contract dispute involving just a few million dollars.

For Durant and Westbrook, the trade was devastating.

Durant described the moment he found out: “I was mad as hell. These my dogs. You see what we just did these last three years. We were going to win a championship next year.”

Harden shared similar sentiments, calling the trade “sad” and admitting that he had envisioned a decade of championships with his Thunder brothers.

The trade not only shattered their dreams but also altered the trajectory of the entire NBA.

The Thunder’s dynasty was over before it began, and the league’s balance of power shifted dramatically.

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Durant’s recent comments highlight just how much the Thunder’s potential scared the rest of the league.

He accused LeBron and Wade of using Harden’s trade as an opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief.

“LeBron and D-Wade were so happy we weren’t together anymore,” Durant said.

“They knew we were on their ass.”

According to Durant, the congratulatory tweets from LeBron and other players were disingenuous, masking their fear of what the Thunder could have achieved if they had stayed together.

It’s hard to argue with Durant’s logic.

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At the time, the Thunder were ascending, while LeBron’s Miami Heat were in their prime but already facing a ticking clock.

LeBron was 27, Dwyane Wade was 30, and Chris Bosh was 28.

The Heat’s dominance was never guaranteed, especially with a younger, hungrier Thunder team nipping at their heels.

Durant, Westbrook, and Harden were improving every year, and their Finals appearance in 2012 was just the beginning.

If they had stayed together, the Thunder could have dominated the NBA for a decade.

But instead, the Thunder’s breakup cleared the path for other teams to thrive.

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LeBron won another championship in Miami before returning to Cleveland to win one more.

The Golden State Warriors emerged as a dynasty, winning four championships in eight years.

The Spurs added another title to their collection.

Meanwhile, the Thunder never returned to the Finals, and their once-promising future became a series of “what ifs.”

Durant’s frustration is understandable.

For over a decade, he has carried the weight of those “what ifs,” watching as the league celebrated individual achievements while mourning the loss of a potential dynasty.

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He admits that he and his former teammates have all maximized their individual potential—Harden won an MVP in Houston, Westbrook averaged a triple-double for an entire season, and Durant won two championships with the Warriors.

But none of them achieved the ultimate goal of winning a championship together in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder’s breakup serves as a cautionary tale for NBA teams.

It highlights the dangers of prioritizing short-term financial flexibility over long-term success.

The decision to trade Harden over a few million dollars will forever be remembered as one of the biggest mistakes in NBA history.

As Durant put it, “It wasn’t about no real money. A couple million dollars separated greatness from what-ifs.”

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Durant’s comments also expose the underbelly of NBA politics.

His accusation that LeBron and Wade were “scared” of the Thunder’s potential dynasty sheds light on how rivalries and fear shape the league.

The congratulatory tweets that Durant criticized as “fake love” reveal the psychological games that players and teams play to maintain an edge.

For Durant, those tweets were a painful reminder of what could have been—a dynasty that never got the chance to fulfill its promise.

The fallout from Durant’s revelation is sure to reignite debates about the Thunder’s breakup and its impact on the NBA.

Would the Thunder have won multiple championships if they had kept their Big Three together?

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Would LeBron have fewer rings?

Would the Warriors’ dynasty have even happened?

These questions may never have definitive answers, but they underscore the magnitude of what was lost when the Thunder traded Harden.

In the end, Durant’s comments are a testament to the bond he shared with Westbrook and Harden.

Despite their individual successes, all three players have expressed sadness over the breakup of their team.

For them, the Thunder’s potential was more than just a basketball story—it was a brotherhood, a shared journey that ended too soon.

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As Durant said, “These my dogs. That’s the part that gets overlooked in all the basketball analysis.”

The story of the Thunder’s Big Three is a reminder of the fragility of greatness.

Even the most promising dynasties can crumble under the weight of business decisions and egos.

For Durant, Westbrook, and Harden, the “what ifs” will always linger.

And for the rest of us, their story serves as a cautionary tale about the cost of lost potential.