Kevin Durant has spoken candidly about his turbulent time with the Brooklyn Nets, calling it one of the most enjoyable yet challenging stretches of his career.
Appearing on the Mind the Game podcast hosted by LeBron James and Steve Nash, the two-time NBA champion reflected on the internal issues that led to his departure from the team.
When asked by Nash what he thought of their time in Brooklyn, Durant said the dysfunction surrounding the franchise became impossible to ignore.
“We were secure, but everything else around us was going to shit—not in a bad way,” Durant said, via HoopsHype, noting front office turnover, coaching changes, and players forcing trades as major obstacles.
Durant specifically mentioned the arrival of Ben Simmons and frequent organizational instability as factors that prevented the Nets from reaching their potential.
He expressed regret that Nash was unable to fully coach the team the way he wanted to because of constant distractions and outside noise.
“I didn’t think we got the full Steve Nash—like I wanted, like you probably wanted,” Durant told Nash.
Despite the turmoil, Durant described his first season in Brooklyn as one of the most enjoyable periods of basketball in his life.
He explained that the commitment he, Nash, and others showed initially gave him confidence to sign his long-term extension with the franchise.
“I felt like we had great intentions. I felt like we cared enough. I felt like every day we were trying to push toward winning the championship,” Durant said.
He added that while the core group was dedicated to building something special, the lack of cohesion elsewhere in the organization ultimately derailed their efforts.
Durant, who was recently traded to the Houston Rockets by the Phoenix Suns, closed his comments by acknowledging that at times he felt he let Nash and the team down.
“I enjoyed Brooklyn a lot. I loved playing for Brooklyn. But so much stuff happened around the guys that were committed to the situation,” Durant said.
