Four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson is seemingly upset with Kevin Durant after his former teammate recently said the 2026-27 Philadelphia 76ers are more “talented on paper” than the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors.
Speaking at a Team USA camp over the weekend, Durant argued that the newly stacked Sixers boast more firepower on paper than the 2016–17 Warriors. He pointed out that Philadelphia can roll out four elite scoring threats in LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey—unlike his former Golden State squad, which featured only three 20-point scorers in himself, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
“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,” Durant said, via ESPN’s Ben Golliver.
“[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,” added the two-time NBA champion.
Klay Thompson Rips Kevin Durant
On Monday night, Durant doubled down on his earlier comments while arguing with a fan on Instagram. This time, KD seemed to suggest that prime Klay Thompson was not as good as Jaylen Brown, who was an MVP candidate last season.
“It ain’t close, lmao. Joel, MVP. Jaylen Brown, recent Finals MVP, Tyrese Maxey, All-Star the last 3 years. We ALL know what Bron does,” Durant wrote.
“Klay Thompson never a MVP candidate in anything, 22 PPG,” he continued. “Draymond, 14 PPG, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists; Steph an MVP just like Joel was. I don’t get how the Warriors team is better on paper.”
Klay Thompson didn’t take kindly to being name-dropped by Durant.
“Aye man, u good? What u using my full government [name] for?”
Kevin Durant Stirs Up Warriors Fans
Besides doubling down on his take that the 2026-27 Sixers are more talented than the 2016-17 Warriors, Durant took the opportunity to defend his decision to join Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in 2016.
Notably, Durant felt fans used a double standard—criticizing him for joining a stacked team while giving LeBron James a pass.
“but I get most of yall are bron fanatics and whenever I speak on basketball it triggers u because u believe I stole 2 chips from LeBron and that would’ve made his goat case even better, but most of the time yall never pay attention to what I say, just respond emotionally,” he wrote on Instagram.
LeBron James has yet to respond to Durant’s comments.
ESPN’s Stephen A Smith, among other analysts, has ripped Durant for comparing the Sixers to the Warriors, given the ages and injury histories of the stars involved. While James turns 42 in December, Joel Embiid has failed to play 40 games a season since 2022-23, and Tyrese Maxey has yet to advance past the second round of the playoffs. Smith argued that James and Brown are the only proven winners on the Sixers.
“You can make a legitimate argument that Philadelphia is only the third or fourth-best team in the NBA,” Smith said on Monday.
“Nobody said that when Kevin Durant joined Golden State.”
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