For much of the season, Nets star Kevin Durant didn’t want to see the team’s Big Three broken up, but it’s clear last week’s James Harden trade wouldn’t have occurred without Durant’s blessing, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
“KD didn’t want to get rid of James,” a person familiar with the situation told Fischer. “But he knew it was over.”
According to Fischer, while Durant was disappointed by Harden’s poor conditioning in training camp and his Media Day comments about wanting to test free agency, the situation was fine for a while. However, with Kyrie Irving unavailable for much of the first half and Durant and Harden taking on increased responsibilities, a strain developed between the two stars, writes Fischer.
Ultimately, the Nets’ brutal recent slump and Harden’s “freelancing behavior” forced Durant to recognize that a change needed to be made, according to Fischer, who says KD had called general manager Sean Marks by last Thursday morning to suggest something needed to be done.
“Kevin’s the one that pulled the trigger with this,” a second source told Fischer. “Kevin’s the one that said, ‘Do this deal.’ There was growing concern that this entire season would be lost and then they’d lose James for nothing.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Durant is consulted on every major Nets decision and was “instrumental” in the team’s selection of Cam Thomas at No. 27 in the 2021 draft, per Fischer. Sources tell Bleacher Report that Durant also lobbied Brooklyn to permit Irving to play in road games after the team initially didn’t allow Kyrie to suit up for any games to start the season.
- Irving’s unwillingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to play and the Nets’ decision to allow him to be a part-time player didn’t sit particularly well with Harden, according to Fischer. “Kyrie not being held accountable and Kyrie being allowed to do whatever he wants. James, being his age, knows he doesn’t have any time to waste to get his first championship,” a source close to Harden told Bleacher Report.
- Before they agreed to a deal with the Sixers, the Nets hoped to land Matisse Thybulle as part of their trade package and gauged rival teams’ valuations of the young forward, Fischer writes. However, 76ers personnel were adamant about not including Thybulle (or Tyrese Maxey) in any offer.
- One front office source who spoke to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com suggested that a difference in playing styles was one factor in why things didn’t work in Brooklyn. “James Harden wants spacing on the court,” the source said. “That’s all he cares about. ‘I need spacing. I need shooters all around me.’ … And Kevin Durant wants defensive guys, because he doesn’t need spacing. He just catches and shoots over people. It’s a different mentality of how to go about it. They’re all right. Of course you want defense and size. But for James Harden to score 40 points and have 15 assists, he needs shooters everywhere and a lob catcher at the rim. So everybody wants to play their way.”
- The Nets were in good spirits on Monday after snapping an 11-game winning streak with a blowout win over Sacramento, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. Nets guard Bruce Brown suggested a “team-bonding event” in Miami over the weekend helped change the team’s attitude. “The locker room, it’s just a great vibe in there right now,” Brown said. “I don’t know what it is, everything just shifted after the trade deadline. Everybody likes everybody, so it’s just great.”
- Seth Curry and Andre Drummond had impressive Nets debuts as starters on Monday and are bullish on the team’s chances to contend, especially once everyone is available, writes Friedell. Brooklyn was without Durant (knee), Irving (vaccination status), and Ben Simmons (reconditioning) for the victory over Sacramento. “We have a great group of guys,” Drummond said. “Guys that are missing right now, we got to wait for them to get healthy, but once everybody gets back I think we’ll be very, very good and make a very good push in the playoffs.”
When KJ will pull tha trigga on KI is next?
Obviously it’s gonna feel good to snap a long losing streak, but shorthanded or not they were still playing a team they should beat 8 out of 10 times.
This will be the downfall of the NBA, giving a single player that much say on how to run the franchise. If you’ll notice, the Lakers are self destructing because of LeBron. It’s not a pickup game with someone picking all his buddies. You have to be a cohesive unit, playing offense and defense. Not the All star game.
@old
it said KD was consulted not that he’s controlling the decisions. relax. LBJ brought a chip to the team. he didn’t destroy the Heat nor the Cavs.
Uh, the comment was that this is destroying the league, not any one team. Competitive balance is damaged by the players ‘teaming up’ and acting as general managers. So of course some teams will benefit, others will not.
Must be a very slow downfall, superstars have been consulted for decisions concerning coaching, signing and trades for as long as I can remember and I’ve been watching for over 35 years.
KD learning the hard way that the chemistry the Warriors home grown big three have is not easy to replicate.
Above is my username on the court.
Gary for 3, 3, 3 !!
Writers are coming out of the woodwork saying that fit matters. Where’s the add-up-the-allstars-and-the-most-will-win attitude now? “It’s proven fact”
@×%
fit always matters. LBJ was able to turn 3 different teams into champs within 2 years. however, it’s hard to sustain winning with salary caps and sometimes egos involved who think thru could do even better on other teams. Caruso, Kyrie, KD.
It’s a combination. You need stars that fit.
Obviously that is a very rare bird. Not everybody can be Steph Curry or Draymond Green and take a back seat. Klay Thompson will get his shots no matter who’s on the floor. But of course he’s a willing passer.
It’s high risk to trade all avail future first round picks for stars
Clippers
Lakers
76ers
@Sullivan
what’s truly the value of those pics if in the late rounds? those teams struggled because of health issues not for a lack of draft pics? Clippers missing Kawhi and George. Philly missing Simmons because of his mental weakness. Lakers with AD and to a lesser extent, LBJ injures. Westbrook being unable to change his playing style to fit the team.
There are no basketball reasons why “things didn’t work in Brooklyn”? When all 3 played, the team was practically unbeatable, on the scoreboard anyway.
If the Simmons deal works out down the line (probably a pipedream this year), BKN can likely point to KD signing his extension as critical. Without it, he might have continued to oppose the trade, looking only at this season knowing he could just leave at the end of the year if Harden didn’t come around.
The Nets snapped an 11-game winning streak with a win? Proofreading is your friend.
“Kyrie not being held accountable and Kyrie being allowed to do whatever he wants” is a gripe that James Harden—that’s James Harden—has.
Being a hypocrite doesn’t make him wrong. Jerkass Has A Point.
For sure. For once I could relate to Harden when I read about the sage.