Kevin Durant Backs LeBron James on Phil Jackson's 'Posse' Comment: 'It Sounds Like a Downgrade'

Kevin Durant doesn’t believe Phil Jackson is a racist, but says he shouldn't be talking about other players outside of the Knicks to the media.

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USA Today Sports

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kevin durant

Kevin Durant has now doubled down on Stan Van Gundy's stance on Knicks team president Phil Jackson's controversial "posse"comment to describe LeBron James' inner circle earlier this week.

Durant spoke to ESPN's Chris Haynes about why he understands James lost respect for Phil following the "posse" comment, and defended his longtime friend about the matter. "I see why LeBron took offense to it." He added, "He doesn't just work on the basketball court; he puts his work in [off of it as well]. He's trying to set himself, his kids, his kid's kids up forever. So doing it for 10-plus years, to not associate what he's done with being an empire, I understand why he took offense to it."

James and his longtime business partner Maverick Carter took umbrage to Jackson's comment about his associates, family, and friends. KD agreed that this term tends to connote a group of people in a pejorative tone, but he doesn't believe Jackson is a racist.

"I don't think Phil is racist. I think he just used a bad word, and he shouldn't be talking about other players anyway on another team," Durant said. "But I don't think Phil, I don't think he meant it in a bad way, but it sounds like a downgrade to what they really are. I understand why [LeBron] was upset."

As the Knicks have begun yet another disappointing campaign currently under the .500 mark, Phil Jackson doesn't have the best approval rating from the team's fans for his fourth season in New York. This isn't the first time that Phil has taken a shot at Lebron in the press. But this situation should be a lessoned learned to leave LeBron alone, and that Phil should work to repair his growing reputation as a misguided executive lacking the fortitude and focus on the Knicks' best interest.

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