Kevin Durant declares that LeBron James can stay in the league for 4-5 more years

LeBron James and Kevin Durant have become the NBA's elder statemen as they have dominated the league for the past two decades. Considering James is already 41, he continues to be one of the best players in the league. Durant is the same, as he is in his late 30s, but he is still one of the best scorers.

During the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers' matchup on Wednesday, LeBron secured the victory for the Lakers. He had a magnificent performance, getting 30 points on a hyper-efficient 13-of-14 from the field. On the other hand, Durant struggled, as he essentially got shut down in the fourth quarter.

Durant feels James can stay in the league until his mid-40s

Over the years, James and Durant have had many fierce battles. Wednesday was yet another chapter in their story, but there were some new characters. While LeBron stood out for the Lakers, Luka Doncic was the player who took over for Los Angeles, as he scored 40 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out 10 assists. 

On the other end, the Rockets had Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun picking up the slack, as KD struggled. Unfortunately for Durant, LeBron had a stellar night, as he propelled the Lakers to the victory alongside his younger co-star.

MORE: Kevin Durant blamed himself for the Rockets' loss to the Lakers

After the game, Durant celebrated his friendly rival for the longest time. He spoke about his rival's impressive longevity and how he could stay in the league as long as he wants. Of course, 41 is an advanced age for any top-tier athlete, but Durant believes James could go longer.

"I think he could play until he's 45 years old. I don't think he'll be around that long, but I think he could play for another four to five years, to be honest. It's not a surprise anymore," Durant said after the Rockets' second loss to the Lakers in just as many nights.

"At his age, 41, but he looks great out there. When you love the game as much as he does, you'll do anything to stay locked in and on top of your game. He's very inspiring as a human being."

Moving forward, LeBron will continue to be one of the best players on the Lakers roster. Of course, Doncic and Austin Reaves are poised to take over as the younger players, but James will always have a chance to be a big contributor due to his skill set and natural talent.

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