Kevin Durant, Steve Nash Reflect on Time With Brooklyn Nets

Kevin Durant appeared on the "Mind the Game" podcast, which was released on July 8, alongside Steve Nash and LeBron James. Nash signed his first head coaching contract with the Brooklyn Nets in 2020, joining stars Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

The group never made it past the Eastern Conference Semifinals together, but how do Durant and Nash view their time in Brooklyn?

There appeared to be a lack of stability in the organization for Durant, both in the coaching staff and among the players on the roster. After the 2020-21 season, both Mike D'Antoni and Ime Udoka departed from the coaching staff. Additionally, Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert were both traded mid-season as part of the deal that brought James Harden to Brooklyn.

"We had coaches leaving for other teams and players forcing trades," Durant said. "It felt like we (Nash) were secure, but everything else around us was going to sh*t."

There may have been more behind-the-scenes issues than reported for the Nets during this time. Durant averaged 29 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game across his Nets tenure, doing everything he could to create team success.

"We were trying to do something special here," Durant said. "And I feel like your (Nash's) hands were tied a lot because you had to, as a coach, you had to deal with so much."

Distractions hindered the Nets, making it difficult to establish a winning culture. These issues often arise for teams attempting to have multiple superstar players coexist.

In Durant's conversation with Nash and James, it was apparent how much he wanted to win with Brooklyn, but had too many uncontrollable factors in his way.

Nash also stated that he "didn't get to coach as much as he wanted," raising questions about why that was the case.