Kevin Durant has officially picked a fight with his past. The former Golden State Warriors superstar recently jumped into the debate over whether the 2026-27 Philadelphia 76ers are more talented on paper than the 2016-17 Warriors.
His answer was emphatic: essentially, yes, and it isn’t close. Durant pointed to Joel Embiid‘s MVP resume, Jaylen Brown‘s recent Finals MVP, Tyrese Maxey‘s All-Star status and LeBron James‘ obvious greatness.
“My point was, before you saw the teams I was on play together, they set high expectations on us and rightfully so. So when the reporter asked the question of ‘are they contenders?’, that was my response. It was a dumb question.”
“Ain’t close lmao. Joel, MVP recently. Jaylen brown, recent Finals MVP; Tyrese Maxey, All-Star the last three years. We all know what Bron does. Klay Thompson, never an MVP candidate in anything, 22ppg. Draymond, 14ppg, seven rebounds, six assists; Steph an MVP just like Joel was. I don’t get how the Warriors team is better on paper,” Durant explained his stance.
He also took a shot at his former teammates, noting that Klay Thompson was never an MVP candidate and that Draymond Green’s scoring numbers didn’t jump off the page. Green, as expected, was not one to back down and fired back:
“That’s KD giving them their respect… You have to understand the way KD views basketball. The way KD views basketball is very Uncle Drew-ish; this game will and always will be about buckets,” said Green on his podcast. “So he’s going to mention the 25-point scorers. He also said the Sixers are better on paper than the 2016-17 Warriors. I don’t know that I can agree with that, and I don’t really think it works”, according to Green.
That argument is going to get people talking. And, to be fair, the 76ers’ starting five is ridiculous.
The names stand out. Tyrese Maxey. VJ Edgecombe. Jaylen Brown. LeBron James. Joel Embiid.
Philadelphia has four players with legitimate All-Star-level resumes or expectations and a 20-year-old former No. 3 overall pick who averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a rookie.
But there’s an important distinction here. We’re comparing what those Golden State players actually were at the time against what Philadelphia’s players are projected to be entering next season.
And that’s where Durant’s argument gets considerably more complicated, so let’s go position by position.
Point Guard: Stephen Curry vs. Tyrese Maxey
This is where the 76ers have a tremendous young star, and still lose the comparison.
Stephen Curry entered the 2016-17 season as the reigning two-time MVP, including the first unanimous MVP season in NBA history. After averaging 30.1 points the previous season, he adjusted to Durant’s arrival and still averaged 25.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in 2016-17 while making 316 3-pointers.
And then the postseason happened.
Curry elevated his production to 28.1 points, 6.7 assists, and 6.2 rebounds during the 2017 playoffs as Golden State went 16-1 and won the championship.
Maxey is no slouch.
He averaged 23.7 points and 5.9 assists in the 2025-26 playoffs after posting 28.3 points and 6.6 assists during the regular season, and he’s only 25.
But Curry is a better player. Peak Curry’s shooting gravity changed the entire geometry of the court.
Maxey is an excellent scorer and increasingly dangerous creator, but he isn’t bending defenses quite like the greatest shooter basketball has ever seen. 2016-17 Curry wins this matchup, even if he will struggle to contain Maxey on the other end.
Advantage: Warriors
Shooting Guard: Klay Thompson vs. VJ Edgecombe
This is the matchup where Durant’s argument gets especially spicy because we’re talking about 2016-17 Klay Thompson.
Thompson averaged 22.3 points per game that season and was one of the premier perimeter shooters and defenders in the league. The year before, he had averaged 22.1 points while shooting 42.5% from three, and Golden State entered 2016-17 knowing exactly what it had in him: an elite catch-and-shoot weapon who could also take difficult assignments defensively.
Edgecombe’s rookie campaign was impressive.
He averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists, shot 35.4% from three and made 75 starts while playing 35.0 minutes per game. That’s a very serious first season for a 21-year-old.
But we are comparing a promising rookie to one of the best two-way shooting guards in NBA history during his prime.
Klay was capable of scoring 30 without needing the offense built around him. He could explode for 40-plus points and guard at a high level.
Edgecombe has the athleticism and defensive potential to make this interesting down the road. But today? Give me Klay.
Advantage: Warriors
Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Jaylen Brown
This is the one matchup where Philadelphia has a legitimate argument.
Brown is coming off a championship-level resume and was recently named Finals MVP. He averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in his limited 2025-26 regular-season sample for Philadelphia, according to NBA.com.
He’s powerful, explosive, physical and a legitimate two-way threat. But we’re talking about 2016-17 Kevin Durant.
Durant’s first season with Golden State produced 25.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.1 steals while shooting 53.7% from the field.
Then he went into the playoffs and averaged 28.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, scoring at least 30 points in all five Finals games and winning Finals MVP.
Durant was a 6’11” scoring machine who could shoot over virtually anybody, attack mismatches, defend multiple positions and operate alongside Curry without needing the ball every possession.
And there’s something almost funny about Durant arguing that Philadelphia is better than Golden State while also having to admit that he himself is the biggest reason the Warriors were so difficult to beat. The 2017 KD wins.
Advantage: Warriors
Power Forward: Andre Iguodala vs. LeBron James
This one isn’t complicated because it’s LeBron. Yes, Andre Iguodala was enormously important to Golden State.
His versatility, intelligence and defensive instincts helped make the Warriors’ lineup so difficult to attack. He could initiate offense, defend multiple positions and punish teams that went small.
But putting LeBron James on the other side is simply unfair.
Even entering the 2026-27 season at 41 years old, LeBron is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history. He averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in 2025-26 and earned All-NBA Second Team honors.
The age question matters. But Philadelphia isn’t asking LeBron to be the sole offensive engine. He would have Maxey, Brown and Embiid around him.
LeBron can focus on playmaking, attacking advantageous matchups, and picking his spots rather than carrying an entire offense. The King wins in the end.
Advantage: 76ers
Center: Draymond Green vs. Joel Embiid
This is probably the most fascinating matchup of the entire exercise. Because if we’re comparing pure individual offensive talent, Embiid wins by a landslide.
But if we’re comparing what each player meant to his team, things become much more interesting.
Draymond Green‘s 2016-17 numbers were modest by superstar standards: 10.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists while shooting 41.8% from the field. But he also averaged 2.0 steals and 1.4 blocks, won Defensive Player of the Year and was the defensive brain behind the league’s best team.
And his passing was critical.
Green could grab a rebound, push the ball, initiate offense and find Curry or Thompson before the defense was organized.
Embiid is a completely different monster. The former MVP averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in the limited 2025-26 sample available, but his availability remains the enormous question hanging over Philadelphia. He appeared in only 32 games.
At full strength, though?
Peak Embiid is the most individually dominant offensive player in this matchup. So yes, Embiid wins the individual matchup.
But Green may have been the more important piece to his team’s specific playing style.
Advantage: 76ers
Final Score
2016-17 Golden State Warriors vs. 2026-27 Philadelphia 76ers 3-2
Who Has The Better Team On Paper?
Durant is right about one thing: the 76ers’ starting five is ridiculous on paper.
Maxey is an All-Star-level guard. Brown is a recent Finals MVP. Embiid is a former MVP. LeBron is LeBron. Edgecombe is a former No. 3 pick who just put up 16-6-4 as a rookie.
But if the question is which starting five would I rather have on paper entering its respective season, the answer remains the 2016-17 Warriors, because the Warriors had something that doesn’t show up in a comparison.
Curry, Klay, or Green don’t need 25 shots. Iguodala didn’t need plays called for him, and Durant could give Golden State 25-30 points without disrupting any of it. That is terrifying.
Yes, Philadelphia has more size and physicality. It has a fascinating collection of stars and a young player in Edgecombe who could eventually become a major piece.
But Golden State had already solved the hardest problem in basketball: How do you get five stars to play like one team?
The Warriors had the answer and won the championship 16-1.
So, KD has a point but is ultimately incorrect here. 2016-17 Golden State wins the “better on paper” argument, and the gap gets even wider when you factor in fit, proven chemistry, and actual championship production.
