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Reading: Kevin Durant Reveals He Was Pissed When James Harden Left Brooklyn Nets
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Home > NBA News & Analysis > Kevin Durant Reveals He Was Pissed When James Harden Left Brooklyn Nets

Kevin Durant Reveals He Was Pissed When James Harden Left Brooklyn Nets

Kevin Durant revealed he was frustrated when James Harden left the Brooklyn Nets but has nothing but love for the former MVP now.

Ishaan Bhattacharya
Jan 9, 2024
4 Min Read
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Credit: Fadeaway World

Kevin Durant and James Harden are two of the defining NBA players of this generation. They have also been teammates on two different occasions, making the 2012 NBA Finals together on the OKC Thunder. Their more high-profile stint came on the Brooklyn Nets superteam from 2021 to 2022, which ended with Harden requesting a trade one season after landing in Brooklyn.

Durant has reflected on that departure, expressing his dissatisfaction at the time but claiming he’s moved on and has nothing but love for Harden.

“No doubt that I was pissed about the situation. I’m sure he was pissed about having to move teams again. When the smoke clears, you realize that’s somebody you came into the league with, somebody I really, really love as a brother… I want what’s best for him and his family going forward.”

Kevin Durant on James Harden and his departure from Brooklyn:

“No doubt that I was pissed about the situation. I'm sure he was pissed about having to move teams again. When the smoke clears, you realize that's somebody you came into the league with, somebody I really, really… pic.twitter.com/mt78ydrgpP

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 9, 2024

Harden joined the Nets in 2021 after ending a seven-year tenure with the Houston Rockets where he became a perennial MVP candidate. The Nets with Harden, Durant, and Kyrie Irving looked lethal when they played together, but poor health made sure that their 2021 playoff run would end in heartbreak.

Harden would become dissatisfied with the team when Irving decided to sit out most of the 2021-22 season due to the vaccine mandate in New York. This led to Harden requesting another trade, this time to the Philadelphia 76ers. His tenure in Philly ended in a similar way, requesting a trade after a season-and-a-half, getting his wish, and landing with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Durant stuck it out in Brooklyn for another season before being moved at the 2023 trade deadline to the Phoenix Suns.


James Harden Felt Justified In Leaving The Nets

The Brooklyn Nets experiment imploded within a season of Harden’s departure. He had rebuffed a contract extension with the franchise after being traded there, a decision that baffled many. But after the Nets blew up their roster last summer with both Irving and Durant leaving on acrimonious terms with Brooklyn, Harden took some shots at the franchise.

“Fast-forward to date, I don’t look like the crazy one. I don’t look like the guy or the quitter or whatever the media want to call me. I knew what was going on and I just decided to … hey, I’m not built for this. I don’t want to deal with that. I want to play basketball and have fun and enjoy doing it. And fast-forward to today, they’ve got a whole new roster.”

He is referring to multiple off-court distractions the superteam Nets faced in their two seasons together. The constant injuries to stars along with head coaching drama with Steve Nash and Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated took a toll on Harden. While it might have not been the best decision for winning a title, Harden did what he did to protect himself.

He and Irving have also been seen burying the hatchet after constant reports of the pair’s dislike for each other. Now, Harden, KD, and Irving are all competing against each other in the Western Conference, with Harden’s Clippers being the best team so far and Durant’s Suns have been the worst.

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TAGGED:Brooklyn Nets ArchiveJames HardenKevin DurantLos Angeles Clippers ArchivePhoenix Suns Archive
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ByIshaan Bhattacharya
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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, Yahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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