The Brooklyn Nets’ failed superteam experiment may be in the rearview mirror, but the emotional fallout is still unfolding.
In a recent episode of the Mind the Game podcast, Kevin Durant sat down with former Nets head coach Steve Nash and LeBron James to reflect on what went wrong during their time together in Brooklyn. His remarks have reignited old tension, and prompted a swift response from former teammate Kyrie Irving.
Durant didn’t mince words.
“We were secure, but everything else around us was going to sh**,” he said, citing distractions like front office turnover, player trades, and injuries. He expressed disappointment that Nash wasn’t able to fully coach the team, saying, “I didn’t think we got the full Steve Nash like I wanted… too many distractions in the way, and you know you can’t win that way”.
Irving, now with the Dallas Mavericks, responded quickly on social media:
“Lol I am gonna address this on my stream soon”.
lol I am gonna address this on my stream soon https://t.co/xAxBcCTln7
— Kyrie🤞🏾 (@KyrieIrving) July 16, 2025
Durant embraced the back-and-forth, reposting Kyrie’s comment with a playful “Lemme set this noti”, signaling he’d be tuning in.
Lemme set this noti. https://t.co/AuH2kgSBDT
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) July 16, 2025
In a follow-up stream, Irving pushed back against the idea that internal dynamics were solely to blame. “The turmoil in Brooklyn started long before this season—it began after the first year of me and KD’s tenure,” he said, pointing to vaccine mandates, suspensions, and media scrutiny as major factors. He emphasized that there was no personal animosity between him and Durant, calling their relationship one of mutual growth and understanding.
The Nets’ Big Three, Durant, Irving, and James Harden, played just 16 games together. Injuries, off-court controversies, and Harden’s eventual trade to Philadelphia unraveled what was supposed to be a dynasty. Nash was fired early in the 2022–23 season, and both Durant and Irving were traded within days of each other in February 2023.
Now, with Durant leading a young Houston Rockets squad and Irving thriving in Dallas, both stars seem to have found stability. But their reflections on Brooklyn continue to stir debate about what could have been, and who bears the blame.
