The Brooklyn Nets are dealing with one of the most tumultuous offseasons in their team’s history. They have had major changes over the years, including the trade for very old Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce back in 2013 that sacrificed the future of the franchise. They had a very successful offseason in 2019 when they snatched Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving from the New York Knicks.
That 2019 decision has plagued the franchise since, as they haven’t been able to transition their incredibly talented duo into even a Conference Finals appearance. KD and Irving have both expressed their desire to leave after years of tinkering around the squad has proved unfulfilling.
The Nets fired Kenny Atkinson and hired Steve Nash in 2020, following that up with a trade that sent the Nets’ depth away for James Harden. Assistant coaches like Mark D’Antoni and Ime Udoka have come and gone, with even Harden leaving the team this year. But one departure may have hurt KD more than anything else.
According to the NY Post, Durant’s relationship with the Nets had soured when the Nets fired Adam Harrington without consulting KD, not when Durant issued the ultimatum to Nets Governor Joe Tsai. Harrington was an assistant coach and Director of Player Development and had a good relationship with KD.
“The ultimatum he made is not what really caused the deterioration. It’s not the ultimatum itself,” the NY Post’s source said.
Durant, among other things, was not consulted on the Nets’ firing of assistant coach and director of player development Adam Harrington when the season ended, the source believes.
“There are simple things that erode a relationship. You fired someone he was close to and didn’t have a conversation about it,” the NY Post’s source said. (h.t NYPost)
The Nets seemed to have put themselves in a position where KD will not be coming back. Refusing to fire the 2 people KD doesn’t like and instead firing someone he does like is something that would send a message to the star.
Tsai has ruled the team with an iron fist and allegedly never consulted the players on personnel moves. That seems to have come at a cost for the Nets, as Durant and Irving both maintain unhappiness with the hiring of Steve Nash.
