Ranking the Superteams of Kevin Durant in the NBA: Warriors and Thunder Top the List

• Kevin Durant joined the Warriors in 2016 to form one of the strongest lineups in NBA history
• He later transferred to the Brooklyn Nets, forming a new Big Three with Kyrie Irving and James Harden
• Durant, Harden, and Russell Westbrook led Oklahoma City to an NBA Finals appearance

The term "superteam" first entered the consciousness of NBA fans in 2010 when LeBron James shockingly left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat.

He partnered with fellow Olympians Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, forming a lethal Big Three in South Beach.

That decision paid dividends for James, who went on to win his first two championships with the Heat.

No one has embraced that concept more in the NBA than Kevin Durant. He has been part of a superteam for almost his entire NBA career, with the former MVP taking his talents from one franchise to another.

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As he begins his stint with the Phoenix Suns, we look at Durant’s ''superteams'' in the NBA and rank them based on their strengths and accomplishments.

1. Golden State Warriors (2016-19)

Kevin Durant shocked fans in 2016 when he decided to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder and join the Golden State Warriors.

The two teams faced each other just months earlier in the Western Conference Finals, with the Thunder losing in seven games. Oklahoma City squandered a 3-1 lead in that series, a collapse that caused Durant to make a switch.

That decision was significant for Durant as he and the Warriors dominated the NBA for the next two seasons. Golden State got some revenge against Cleveland after losing to them in the 2016 NBA Finals, beating them in the championship round the following two years.

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Durant made a Warriors team that finished 73-9 in the 2015-16 season impossible to stop. The death lineup of Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, and Draymond Green caused plenty of headaches to their opponents, given their ability to stretch the floor with their outside shooting.

Many argued that Durant was just a luxury addition for the Warriors and that they could still have won championships without him. That argument was laid to rest in the 2019 NBA Finals when the Warriors lost to the Raptors in the championship series after Kevin Durant tore his Achilles tendon.

That was the only season Durant did not win an NBA title during his stint with Golden State.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (2010-12)

One of the greatest what-ifs in NBA history is the young Oklahoma City team of the early 2010s. Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook were fast becoming problems for other teams in the league back then, particularly in the Western Conference.

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The trio showed what they could do in the 2011-12 Playoffs, leading OKC to a surprising Finals berth. The Thunder battled back from a 2-0 series deficit in the West Finals to stun the San Antonio Spurs in six games.

Durant, Harden, and Westbrook averaged 66.2 points in that series to seal a title clash with the Miami Heat. The experience of Miami’s Big 3 proved too much for them, though, as the Thunder bowed to the Heat in five games.

Despite the loss, the expectation was that OKC would be back in the Finals and even win a championship soon, given the young age of their star players.

Unfortunately for Thunder fans, that did not materialize with general manager Sam Presti trading Harden before the start of the 2012-13 season.

Concerned with the luxury tax, Presti chose to send Harden to the Houston Rockets. Just like that, the Harden-Westbrook-Durant experience was over for the Thunder. Oklahoma City lost out on a future league MVP and failed to reach the Finals since that trade.

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3. Brooklyn Nets (2021-22)

Durant and Harden did reunite later in their careers, with the two MVP winners joining forces in Brooklyn. Alongside Kyrie Irving, they formed one of the most potent trios in league history.

Unfortunately for Brooklyn fans, they played just 16 games together during their time with the Nets. They went 13-3 during that period.

Superteams are judged by what they accomplish during the playoffs, and for this particular trio, they only won one series in the postseason. The three stars have gone their separate ways, with Irving, Durant, and Harden playing in Dallas, Phoenix, and Philadelphia, respectively.

4. Phoenix Suns (2023-present)

The jury’s still out on Durant’s latest superteam experiment in Phoenix. On Wednesday, he debuted for the Suns, scoring 23 points in Phoenix’s 105-91 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

It will be interesting to see how Durant will co-exist with Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton. The Suns have one of the best starting lineups in the league right now, and anything less than a championship will be a disappointment for them.

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Booker rejects superteam tag

Sports Brief recently reported on Devin Booker’s reaction to the Suns being called a superteam.

He rejected that tag, saying Durant is the only All-Star in their lineup.

Booker believes being called a superteam would only distract the Suns from their ultimate goal of winning the championship.