Larry Bird says he never would've teamed up with Magic Johnson

Whenever an NBA superteam is formed, public reaction from retired superstars is sure to follow. Boston Celtics legend and current Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird chimed in on Kevin Durant's defection to the star-studded Golden State Warriors, saying joining a rival isn't something he ever entertained.

"I know back in the day I couldn't imagine going to the Lakers and playing with Magic Johnson," Bird told Sirius XM NBA Radio on Friday, as transcribed by ProBasketballTalk's Kurt Helin. "I'd rather try to beat him. But, you know, these guys are different and I understand a lot of it and it's within the rules so they can do whatever they do."

Bird's viewpoint is hardly surprising. After LeBron James joined the Miami Heat in 2010, legends like Johnson and Michael Jordan said pretty much the same thing. However, it's also worth noting in the cases of Bird and Magic, neither ever had any reason to leave the Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.

Johnson won his first of five NBA titles in his rookie year, playing alongside the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bird took home the first of three championships in his second season, forming a Hall of Fame foundation with Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.

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Bird and Johnson also dealt with the fact there was no free agency in the NBA until 1988. Bird conceded to Sirius XM that despite his involvement with the players' association's fight for free agency, he never would've left the Celtics.

"I can remember years ago we were fighting, when I played, for free agency, you know, pure free agency so there'd be more movement," Bird said. "But 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."