Kevin Durant Has One Word for Jaylen Brown’s Fit With the 76ers

Kevin Durant isn’t overthinking this one.

The 14-time All-Star was asked about Jaylen Brown landing in Philadelphia after the Celtics shipped him to their bitter rivals in a blockbuster trade. Durant’s response was immediate and blunt.

“Dangerous.”

That’s the word Durant used when NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark brought up Brown joining Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. And considering Durant has played with and against all three guys, his opinion carries weight.

Brown spent his entire career in Boston, where he built a reputation as one of the league’s elite two-way wings. But the Celtics’ rivalry with the Sixers meant he was Public Enemy No. 1 in Philly for years. Now he’s on the other side, and he knows he has to win over a fanbase that used to boo him every time he touched the ball.

Kevin Durant says he’s not surprised the trade happened.

“You can’t be stunned. It’s the NBA, man. Luka Doncic got traded in the middle of the night. Nothing’s out of the realm for me anymore as an NBA player,” Durant said, referencing the shocking Mavericks-Lakers deal that went down under the radar back in February.

The biggest question around the Sixers right now is how Brown fits alongside Embiid and Maxey. All three are high-usage players who need the ball to be effective. But Durant sees it differently. He thinks Brown’s ability to play off the ball, defend multiple positions, and score in transition actually makes Philadelphia more versatile.

“It’s going to be exciting. I’m happy for him. A fresh start. Philly fans are going to love him,” Durant added. “Philly fans have the most passion.”

The Sixers didn’t stop with Brown. They also brought in Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and Ariel Hukporti during the offseason. But they lost Paul George, who went to Boston in the Brown deal, plus Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, and Quentin Grimes. So the roster looks completely different than it did a year ago.

Brown has already stated publicly he’s ready to run through a wall for Philadelphia. That kind of talk plays well in a city that demands effort above everything else. Whether the on-court fit works as smoothly as Durant predicts is something we’ll find out soon enough.

Training camp starts in October.