Kevin Durant: LeBron James, Lakers Are a 'Sexier Story' Than Warriors

Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant understands that the new is usually going to generate more headlines than the old in the sports world.

While the Warriors have become the gold standard in the NBA with four straight NBA Finals appearances and three championships, LeBron James' decision to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers—one of the league's marquee franchises—added a layer of intrigue to the 2018-19 campaign.

Durant said James and the Lakers are the "sexier story" than the Warriors, per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, and noted that Golden State free-agent addition DeMarcus Cousins' Achilles injury, which will keep him sidelined for the start of the season, took away some of the spotlight from the defending champions.

It is understandable why one would see James joining the Lakers as such a sexy storyline.

He is coming off eight straight NBA Finals appearances as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat and was the dominant force in the Eastern Conference who snuffed out potential contenders in Chicago, Indiana, Boston and elsewhere as he established himself as one of the greatest players in NBA history.

Now he is in the Western Conference for the first time and will attempt to restore the Lakers to their former glory. The likes of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor, among others, built the franchise to historic heights, but it hasn't even been to the playoffs since the 2012-13 campaign.

This season will present a new challenge for one of the all-time greats with the 33-year-old James likely on the back end of his career.

Durant shouldn't worry, though, because fans and pundits will have plenty to say about the Warriors come playoff time—if not sooner—given their roster. Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have been unstoppable over the past two years, and they should have Cousins down low by the postseason to round out a virtual All-Star team.

James may be generating headlines now, but Durant and the Warriors appear poised to lift another Larry O'Brien Trophy.