The Nets hosted their media day on Monday in advance of training camp, a clear indication that the NBA is back in full gear ahead of next month’s start of the 2022-23 regular season. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant is on a question mark for some reason.
Kevin Durant, a standout for the Brooklyn Nets, had a dramatic summer in which he demanded a trade only one year into a four-year agreement.
After initially requesting a trade, Durant later retracted his request and decided to continue playing for Brooklyn for at least the rest of the current season.
“It was a lot of uncertainty around our team last year,” Durant stated with some reasons. “I committed to this organization for four years last summer with the idea that we were gonna be playing with that group.”
“There was a lot of uncertainty around our team last year… We came to a mutual agreement that we should keep moving forward.”
-Kevin Durant on his offseason with the Nets. #NBAMediaDay pic.twitter.com/dlYEGmeoPP
— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 26, 2022
To clarify, “that bunch” is the three-man unit consisting of Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. Nonetheless, the 76ers acquired Harden in the midst of the previous season, along with guard Ben Simmons, a three-time All-Star.
As per Durant, he is OK with staying with the Nets and is grateful for the way the team handled his trade request.
“I’m not disappointed. Coming here, we still had a great team,” Durant elucidated. “I know I’m that good that you’re not gonna just give me away. That’s one thing I did appreciate about Sean [Marks] and Joe [Tsai].”
Is Kevin Durant surprised that he's still a Net?
"No. I know I'm that good that you're not just going to give me away. I know who I am." pic.twitter.com/tShm3swMYk
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) September 26, 2022
Despite being swept in the first round by the Celtics last year, the Nets still have high hopes of winning their first NBA title this year.
“It’s a year of growth, and a year of looking in the mirror like ‘we f—-d up,’” Kevin stated.
How Durant and the revamped Nets can improve this season and set themselves up to compete for an NBA championship in 2023 remains to be seen.
