Larry Bird: I could never imagine joining Magic Johnson

Pacers president Larry Bird said he could never imagine trying to join Magic Johnson as a player.

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Pacers president Larry Bird, talking about his playing career, said he could not have imagined making a move similar to Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Warriors.

Bird, a three-time NBA champion, made the comments on Sirius XM NBA radio. Durant, a former MVP, has come under some criticism for joining a Warriors team that won 73 games last season.

“I know back in the day, I couldn’t imagine going to the Lakers and playing with Magic Johnson. I’d rather try to beat him,” Bird said. “I could never imagine myself going and joining another team with great players, because I had great players and I was in a great situation.”

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Bird certainly played with great players, having starred alongside NBA legends Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and Bill Walton during his career. Bird’s Celtics famously battled with the Lakers throughout the 1980s.

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Durant signed a two-year deal with the Warriors earlier this week.