The conversation is ostensibly about NBA superstar Kyrie Irving and his next moves after an ignominious ouster from the 2019 NBA playoffs. But as with all NBA basketball conversations, it drifts quickly in the direction of two guys you may have heard of: Kevin Durant and LeBron James. The spark, as it often does, comes from commentator Charles Barkley who pointed out that Irving didn’t rise to the occasion as the Celtics leader, and that Irving had his “best years ever with LeBron [in Cleveland].”
The question that followed might sound strange to anyone watching the NBA Playoffs without their ear stuck to the NBA rumor mill. But here it is: “Who would make a better teammate for Kyrie, Kevin Durant in New York or LeBron James in LA?”
Wait, what? Isn’t Kevin Durant busy trying to win his third straight NBA title as an unstoppable forward for the Golden State Warriors? Yeah but that’s just pit stop according to the NBA Analysts at FS1.
When Sarah Kustok balks (a little) at the assumption — “are we assuming KD’s going to New York already?” she asks — the entire table (Nick Wright, Jenna Wolfe) says yes so fast they may as well be saying “duh.” (Note: Football Hall of Famer Chris Carter nods his head yes, but stays quiet.) Yes, “that’s the assumption [that KD will be in New York],” they say.
