Asked on Monday about Kevin Durant‘s reported offseason ultimatum to the Nets to either trade him or fire GM Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash, Nash downplayed the issue, likening it to a family squabble. The two-time NBA MVP offered a more in-depth answer on Tuesday when asked again about his relationship with Durant, as Nick Friedell of ESPN details.
“We’re good,” Nash said. “Ever since we talked, it’s been like nothing’s changed. I have a long history with Kevin. I love the guy. Families have issues. We had a moment and it’s behind us. That’s what happens. It’s a common situation in the league.”
Nash, who said he wasn’t “overly surprised” or “overly concerned” about the way the Durant saga played out, also pushed back on the idea that the star forward really wanted him fired.
“I never thought that was 100 percent,” Nash said, per Friedell. “There was a lot of things. It’s not black and white like that, so there was a lot of factors. A lot of things behind the scenes. A lot of things reported are not accurate. A lot of things that are reported are not 100 percent accurate. So you get fragmented bits of truth. You get things that are flat out not true. It happens. … So I never really get caught up in all that stuff.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- New Nets forward Markieff Morris said the perception around the NBA is that last year’s Brooklyn team was “soft,” per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Morris is hoping to bring grit and toughness to this year’s roster, and Nash believes the veteran will have an important voice in the locker room. “Markieff is a need for us, his presence, his personality,” Nash said. “He has a voice, he has an experience, he has an understanding of the game. That’s a need. We need guys that can speak to the group.”
- Camp invitee Yuta Watanabe told Japanese reporters this week that he hopes to be able to play a three-and-D role for the Nets this season, as Jordan Greene of NetsDaily writes. Watanabe, who is on non-guaranteed contract, isn’t a lock to make Brooklyn’s regular season roster — assuming the team retains its 12 players on guaranteed salaries and Morris, Watanabe would have to either beat out Edmond Sumner for the 14th spot or hope the club carries a 15th man despite the additional luxury tax penalty.
- In case you missed it, we passed along several of the most notable quotes from the Nets’ Media Day earlier this week.
Coach: Kevin Durant GM/President Cancer Irving, definitely sounds like the makings of a Championship. Let’s Go Nyets!
“Nash said ‘Ever since we talked, it’s been like nothing’s changed.'”
That’s the problem Steve: the horrible or non-existent in-game adjustments, ineffective rotations, and the fact Kyrie-and maybe KD as well-are prone to sulking, require changes if there’s to be any success this season.
Nash and his virtue signaling
Brooklyn hipster woke dialectic
Markieff Morris will definitely bring the toughness and grit. T.J. Warren will also bring toughness and grit.
Neither is expected to start, so will it be enough to rid them of the “soft” label?
Toughness and grit? A big mouth, extra fouls, more technical FTs against and a terrible shooter. Great
I feel sorry for the Nets fans. They will play great for few games and tease you, but we all know they are a time bomb especially Kyrie. He cant wait to come up with another drama. :)
Too bad for Morris he’s not a hockey player in the 197o’s. A modern NBA team’s personality is set by the guys who play the important minutes, with the most important assignments. Not a no-talent hack willing to take cheap shots.