Kevin Durant mentioned “a variety of s–t” was inaccurate concerning the reporting surrounding his offseason commerce request. However he admits he was upset and had doubts concerning the Nets’ route, earlier than lastly coming round.
The Brooklyn star rescinded his request to be traded or have coach Steve Nash and normal supervisor Sean Marks fired. He has settled into coaching camp and is attempting to place the entire melodrama of his making behind him.
That might take a minute.
“Can we transfer on previous that sooner or later?” Durant mentioned Friday. “I imply, I do know it’s an fascinating story. I do know that it took up a lot of the offseason and the drama sells, I get that. However I didn’t miss any video games. I didn’t miss any practices. I’m nonetheless right here. So hopefully, we will transfer previous that.”
When requested how he managed to maneuver previous having his star participant attempt to get him fired, Nash mentioned he by no means believed the reviews had been 100% correct. Durant went a step additional, albeit with no specifics.
“It’s a variety of s–t that was inaccurate,” Durant mentioned. “However I don’t need to undergo it proper now. We don’t [have] that a lot time proper now.”
This story isn’t going away anytime quickly, regardless of the Nets’ greatest efforts. Thus far in camp they repeatedly have referred to themselves as a household — whether or not it’s coordinated is open to interpretation — and Durant toed that celebration line.
Durant met with Nash, Marks and Nets proprietor Joe Tsai on Aug. 22 in Los Angeles to hash issues out. And when requested what was mentioned to assuage his doubts, Durant revealed the assembly could have been brief, however the dialogue that swayed him wasn’t.
“Properly, I used to be upset and, as a household, they understood that I used to be upset,” Durant mentioned. “Among the stuff they agreed with, so we talked about it. And it was over a few months, couple of weeks in the direction of the tip of that the place we talked about it. We got here out and voiced all our considerations about how all of us may be higher, and it simply labored out from there. I’m glad I’m right here now.”
The actual fact Durant continues to be right here — in a league the place stars who demand trades nearly invariably get them — has shocked some. So — aside from the four-year, $192 million extension that kicks on this season — why precisely did Durant relent?
For a similar purpose he inked the deal within the first place.
“I felt like we had a superb staff,” Durant mentioned. “I felt like this can be a place that I mentioned I wished to be, and we’re beginning to set one thing up sooner or later to be a strong staff. So, to be trustworthy, I believed it was nonetheless an important possibility, too.
“I didn’t need it to get in the best way of the video games being performed. I nonetheless love my teammates, love enjoying on the Barclays. So I felt prefer it regardless goes to be a simple choice to return again and play, as a result of I like to hoop. This has been a superb atmosphere for me the final two years, although I had some doubts. However total, it I nonetheless like to return in right here and get work in. So I simply checked out that.”
The cynic would possibly recommend Durant additionally checked out what would’ve been left on the gutted roster of any staff that dealt for him, and realized the Nets have been superior — particularly after the return to well being of Ben Simmons and Joe Harris.
“Take a look at it within the grand scheme of issues,” Durant mentioned. “We haven’t been wholesome in any respect for 2 years. It’s been every playoffs we’ve had main guys simply miss minutes: Not simply function gamers, guys that make some huge cash.
“If you’ve obtained $50 million in your bench this final playoffs with Joe and Ben, after which playoffs earlier than that (Kyrie Irving and James Harden). I need to see what our staff seem like in full with guys being wholesome and us having just a little little bit of continuity. So we’ll see what occurs.”
The NBA might be watching, and gained’t transfer on till they see.
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