The Los Angeles Lakers' current young core share similarities the Oklahoma City Thunder had during their budding years, Golden State Warriors' wingman Kevin Durant pointed out in an interview with Mike Medina of the Orange County Register.
Durant, who pumped up 29 points on 11-for-19 shooting to help the Warriors score back-to-back wins over the Lakers at Staples Center on Friday, believes the Lakers' makeup is oozing with potential.
In fact, he thinks the Lakers' youth revolution is similar to what they had during his early years with the Thunder.
"I've been on a team like that. You're young and just want to go out there and have fun with the game with no expectations, Durant told OC Register.
You're just playing. It did wonders for me at that age, being around a bunch of guys that were just as hungry as me and wanting to win. But when we lost games, we weren't upset with ourselves. There weren't any feuds. We knew it was a process."
Durant along with Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka powered the Thunder to the upper echelon of the NBA, becoming a perennial title contender over the course of six to seven years.
Unfortunately, after several failed attempts to win the championship and departure of some of their key players, Durant eventually decided to change course and join the Warriors this summer.
As for the Lakers, the team is loaded with promising talents from top to bottom. D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr. are the cornerstone of this young squad.
While they are projected to become a major contender in 2 or 3 years, the Lakers are making a lot of noise so far, as they are off to a surprising 8-9 record.