J.R. Smith speaks out on Kevin Durant’s addition to the Golden State Warriors – “What the hell are we supposed to do?”

Golden State Warriors Media Day
Kevin Durant during his Golden State Warriors days

Former Cleveland Cavaliers player J.R. Smith recently aired his views on Kevin Durant’s famous move to the Golden State Warriors.

Durant joined the Golden State Warriors back in 2016, which shifted the power away from the Cavaliers, who were led by LeBron James. The Warriors were able to win three titles back-to-back, and Durant won two in a three-season spell that ended with a trade to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Cavaliers were the Warriors’ biggest rivals during this time, with the likes of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving going up against Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. However, Durant’s move made the Warriors a bit too strong, even for a star-studded Cavaliers side.

J.R. Smith, who spent four years in Cleveland, recently spoke about the move in an interview with HoopsHype. Smith was also part of the LA Lakers team that won the title in 2020. He claimed that Durant’s move made things a bit too difficult for LeBron and company:

“People thought it was going to be bad when CP (Chris Paul) went to the Lakers with Kobe (Bryant) and Pau (Gasol). When that happened, everybody was pretty much playing for second.
"Don’t get me wrong, in the heat of the battle, we’re thinking, we have a chance, and we can win, but at the same time, it’s like, 'What the hell are we supposed to do?' You’ve got three Hall of Famers, legit. What are you going to do?”

Kevin Durant to add to NBA titles with Phoenix Suns?

Kevin Durant has since made two big-money moves, first to the Brooklyn Nets and more recently to the Phoenix Suns. Durant has regularly been accused of forming superteams in order to land another championship.

At the Nets, he had the likes of Kyrie Irving and James Harden alongside him, forming one of the most fearsome offensive teams of all time.

Of course, things did not go to plan and the Nets were hampered by consistent injury issues with both Harden and Kevin Durant. This was apart from the disciplinary issues that Irving has been embroiled in.

Now, with the Phoenix Suns, Durant plays alongside one of the most talented teams in the NBA. With Chris Paul, Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton, the Suns have all the ingredients to finally land a championship that has eluded them in recent years. It would be Durant's first title since his Golden State Warriors days.

Stephen Curry and company have since added to their own kitty, and Durant will not want to be left behind by his modern contemporaries.

Both LeBron James and Curry have won twice the number of NBA titles as Kevin Durant. With both their teams having less than ideal seasons, Kevin Durant will favor his chances of increasing his tally.

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