Kevin Durant shared his blunt perspective on the failure of the Brooklyn Nets’ superteam, which included himself, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. During the Mind the Game podcast released Tuesday, Durant described how

“everything around us was going to s–t,”

highlighting the turmoil behind the scenes that contributed to the collapse of the team’s ambitious project.

Challenges Faced by the Nets During the Superteam Era

Durant pointed to several factors that hindered the Nets’ success, such as the evolving efforts by other NBA teams to strengthen their rosters. Brooklyn’s struggles were further complicated by the difficulties in fitting Ben Simmons into the lineup at the start of the 2022-23 season. These issues contributed to a lack of cohesion that prevented the team from reaching its potential.

Former Nets head coach Steve Nash, who appeared on the same podcast, expressed regret over his limited opportunity to coach the team, saying,

“I didn’t get to coach as much as I wanted to.”

Durant echoed this sentiment, adding,

“we didn’t get the full Steve Nash like I wanted.”

Recent History and Key Events Leading to the Nets’ Decline

The Brooklyn superteam managed only a single playoff appearance with Durant, Irving, and Harden playing together before internal problems grew. Irving’s refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine caused him to miss the first 35 games of the 2021-22 season and restricted his availability to away games upon his return. Meanwhile, Harden became frustrated and was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in February 2022 amid reports of disagreements with Irving. Durant also challenged Harden about his physical conditioning during their time together.

Durant’s request to be traded during the 2022 offseason marked a turning point, though he remained with the Nets at the start of the 2022-23 season. Ultimately, both Durant and Irving were traded by the 2023 deadline, signaling the complete disassembly of the superteam.

Durant’s Reflection on His Time with the Nets

Durant described his first season playing with Brooklyn after missing the entire 2019-20 season due to an Achilles injury as

“some of the most fun ball I’ve had playing my whole life.”

However, he acknowledged the team was never able to recapture that early promise, with their 2021 trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals standing as the high point before the team unraveled.

Our Reader’s Queries

Q. Has Kevin Durant ever scored 50?

A. On April 2, 2022, Kevin Durant scored over 50 points in a game against the Hawks.