Getty Head Coach Steve Nash and Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets talk during their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center
The Kevin Durant drama with the Brooklyn Nets appears to be over, at least for now. The superstar forward and the Nets franchise were able to settle a majority of the tension, all may not be possible for this franchise, how could it? Durant literally called for the general manager and head coach to be hired in a trade ultimatum before rescinding his trade request with the Nets. Now, all are back, and both sides look committed to moving forward together, and the Nets star is hoping we can all move past this offseason.
“Can we move on past that at some point?” Durant said Friday. “I mean, I know it’s an interesting story. I know that it took up most of the offseason and the drama sells, I get that. But I didn’t miss any games. I didn’t miss any practices. I’m still here. So hopefully, we can move past that.”
Durant on Ideal Workload with the Nets this Season
With Durant and Kyrie Irving back and committed to the team, the Nets look to be a dangerous team in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Can they overcome some of the awkwardness that may linger from last season? We have seen Durant interact with teammates in viral social media posts, we have heard both Durant and Steve Nash talk about their relationship before and after the trade rumors, but how will they actually interact? Will there still be struggles of trust between Durant and Nash and the Brooklyn front office?
One of the reasons cited for Durant’s trade request was a growing distrust for the direction of the organization. Is that something that was properly addressed? Does the team have faith in Steve Nash? They say they do.
However, while he wasn’t speaking directly to Nash, Durant made it clear he wants to be a major part of the Nets rotation, in fact, he wants to be in all of the rotation. Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News recently asked Durant what his ideal minutes workload to be to which he honestly and comically replied, “48 again.”
Kevin Durant on his ideal minutes workload: “48 again.”
Of course, there are only 48 minutes in an NBA basketball game, and true to Durant’s reputation as a gamer, he would want to play every last minute of the game for the Nets.
Kevin Durant’s Past Comments on Minutes
This isn’t the first time that Kevin Durant has shared his desire to play all 48 minutes of NBA basketball games. After Durant came back from injury many were worried about his minutes in the return, and Durant made it clear that he loves to ball and that if he could convince his coach, he wouldn’t miss a minute of play.
I know a lot of people, I don’t even know if they’re concerned or not, I just think it’s a conversation to have, like I’m playing more minutes and I’m coming off an injury and all this other stuff,” Durant said, per Bleacher Report. “But I like to play.”
“I’m a basketball player, I enjoy to play, I want to play 48 minutes. That’s just what it is. If I could convince coach to play me the whole second half sometimes or put me in earlier in quarters, I’m going to do it every game, it doesn’t matter. My basketball life is not that long, so I want to get the most out of it.”
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Kevin Durant Sends Strong Message to Steve Nash Ahead of Next Season