According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the notion of a LeBron James and Kevin Durant partnership with the Los Angeles Lakers is destined to remain a mere hypothetical scenario.

Windhorst addressed the idea proposed by his colleague Stephen A. Smith that the Lakers would have been the “perfect place” for Durant. In response, Windhorst unequivocally stated that there is “not really” a viable pathway for the 14-time All-Star to find himself in Los Angeles. He further emphasized that a trade involving Durant and Anthony Davis, which is the only financially feasible option, is completely off the table.c

During a meeting with reporters, Suns majority governor Mat Ishbia insinuated that the team is unlikely to make any drastic moves, beyond the termination of head coach Frank Vogel and the potential hiring of Mike Budenholzer, during the upcoming offseason. Ishbia confidently asserted that “the house is not on fire” and boldly claimed that 26 other teams would willingly trade their entire team, along with their draft picks and assets, for the Suns’ current roster as it stands.

In order for a Durant trade to materialize, it seems that he would need to take the initiative and initiate the first step, which presents a significant hurdle in terms of a potential move to the Lakers. Why would a player who has spent the majority of his NBA career tirelessly chasing after LeBron James decide to join forces with him? From a legacy standpoint, Durant would gain very little by winning a championship in Los Angeles. His accomplishments would likely be downplayed, much like his two titles and two NBA Finals MVP awards with the Golden State Warriors failed to provide the validation he sought.

Furthermore, this assumption also implies that the Lakers would substantially increase their championship odds by swapping Davis for Durant. However, it’s difficult to make that argument considering that even with James and Davis both healthy and performing well, the Lakers were unable to avoid slipping into the play-in tournament or suffering a first-round elimination at the hands of the Denver Nuggets.

Perhaps there was a time when the notion of Durant suiting up for the Lakers or aligning with LeBron held some plausibility. However, that window of opportunity has likely closed by now.