Kevin Durant and Steve Nash seemingly have their opinions on what went improper in Brooklyn.
The pair really mentioned simply that Tuesday on a podcast, with the previous breaking down why the Nets’ Massive Three broke up.
Nets basic supervisor Sean Marks constructed a superteam with Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden that misplaced in Recreation 7 of the 2021 Jap Convention semis when Durant’s toe was on the road for a possible game-winning 3-pointer, and the latter two have been damage.
Nash was famously dumped by the Nets in November 2022 after Durant had demanded his firing.
Then, Durant requested a commerce the next February.
Now, Nash — who co-hosts the “Mind The Game” podcast with LeBron James — requested his former star what he recalled about that point.
“We had this conversation in Portland I think right before a game, and I’m like, ‘Who am I spending my next five years with?’” mentioned Durant. “I had simply signed that deal, you had simply signed a deal. It felt like we have been safe, however all the pieces else round us was going to s–t.
“Not in a bad way, we’ve got GMs going to other teams, we’ve got coaches going to other teams, we’ve got players forcing trades, we’ve got bringing Ben Simmons, he’s back (Durant pointed to his back while saying this line). There was so much bulls–t around us. I felt like we were locked in on the same page and understanding we were trying to do something special here, but … and I feel like your hands were tied a lot because as a coach you had to deal with so much.”
Nash handled Irving’s refusal to stick to New York’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which made him ineligible for dwelling video games in 2021-22.
After which Harden passive-aggressively forcing his manner out that February, not telling the Nets he needed a deal till two days earlier than the Commerce Deadline, leaving them to swap him for the chronically-injured Simmons.
And, after all, Nets followers are as conversant in “Ben Simmons is back” as Durant is, with the purpose guard’s start-stop restoration from again woes a relentless problem.
It was noteworthy that Nash interrupted Durant, interjecting “I didn’t get to coach as much as I wanted to.”
That might be a double entendre. Did Nash imply the very fact the Massive Three solely logged 16 video games collectively? Or that his tenure was abruptly minimize quick by Durant requesting his ouster? Or that he spent extra time placing out fires than teaching?
“That’s what it was: I didn’t feel like we got the full Steve Nash like I wanted, like you probably wanted. I feel like it was just too many distractions in a way, and you know you can’t win that way,” Durant replied. “However I felt like we had nice intentions although. I really feel like we cared sufficient. I really feel like day-after-day we have been attempting to push towards successful a championship. It was an incredible vibe in there.
“It’s some of the best times I’ve had. That first year, that’s why I signed that deal. That first year, man, most fun ball I had. Some of the most fun ball I had playing in my life. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed playing in Brooklyn a lot. I loved playing for Brooklyn. But it’s just so much around the guys who were committed to the situation. I felt like we were committed, but everybody else wasn’t. It just was weird.”
Durant didn’t point out Irving’s absences or Harden by identify, however he alluded to the latter demanding a commerce (Irving did so the next season, lastly forcing Durant to be the final star out the door).
For his half, Nash — who hasn’t coached since — mentioned he struggles with how you can view his Nets tenure, and admits he appears like he failed Brooklyn.
However he additionally acknowledges that there have been many issues out of his arms.
Nonetheless, Durant — who just lately advised the group at Fanatics Fest that he was a “Net for life” — freed Nash of any blame.
“Hell, no. Come on man,” mentioned Durant. “I just think your hands were tied too many times. You had to be a super, a principal more so than anything, you know what I’m saying? You just couldn’t like inject your basketball, you know what I’m saying? Just everything that you have basketball, I didn’t feel like you could inject that into everybody in the way that we all envisioned just because of the distractions.”
