Earlier this summer, before Kevin Durant re-signed with Golden State, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reported that LeBron James texted K.D. about potentially teaming up in Los Angeles. Per Smith, Durant wasn't interested at the time.
"I'll tell you what I did hear," Smith said, "is that behind the scenes, Kevin Durant was like, 'Why would I do that? As far as I'm concerned, LeBron James is a big-time player, what have you, but the way I look at it, I should be perceived as the best in the world.'"
But Skip Bayless—Smith's former co-host on First Take—seems to think Durant could change his mind about joining LeBron by next summer. On Fox Sports 1's Undisputed Thursday, Bayless said he has heard Durant is "open to listening" to the Lakers in 2019.
"I was also told that Kevin is open to listening next year depending on what happens," Bayless said. "What will the Lakers look like with LeBron? What will it play like? What will it feel like? It could be a disaster. Will DeMarcus Cousins work or not work in Golden State?"
When LeBron signed with the Lakers, Durant said it was a "perfect next step for him." He seemed happy for his friend.
"He's kind of breaking down the barriers of what an NBA superstar is supposed to be," Durant said. "You feel like you're supposed to play it out in one spot, and I think he did a good job of giving you different chapters and it's going to make his book even more interesting when it’s done."
Durant and James have been workout partners during the offseason for years. Needless to say, this is still a major longshot—and the report would mean more if it were coming from, say, Adrian Wojnarowski or Shams Charania. Given all the heat Durant has taken for joining the Warriors, we can't imagine he'd team up with LeBron.
