Jan 30, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Kyrie Irving Responds After Kevin Durant's Take on Steve Nash Era

Originally posted on Brooklyn Nets on SI
By Tyler Carmona | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 7:58 PM ET

Last week, two former Nets offered insight into Brooklyn’s infamous failed experiment, one that featured multiple superstars and a Hall of Fame player stepping into his first coaching role.

While appearing on LeBron James and JJ Redick’s “Mind the Game” podcast, Kevin Durant and Steve Nash reflected on their time together in Brooklyn, discussing what went wrong and why the team never lived up to its sky-high expectations.

"I feel like your hands were tied a lot. Because as a coach, you had to deal with so much," Durant said. "We didn't get the full Steve Nash like I wanted. I feel like there were too many distractions in the way, and you can't win that way."

"I think we didn't get the full Steve Nash like I wanted."@KDTrey5 explains why Brooklyn didn’t workout the way it should’ve and more on Part 2 of a new episode. Watch on our YouTube, @PrimeVideo or listen wherever you get your podcasts https://t.co/n2swVHpna1 pic.twitter.com/Xl5Ne4MsAt
— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) July 8, 2025

Nash agreed with Durant, explaining that he wasn't able to coach as much as he would have liked to.

But now, another key figure from that era has entered the conversation, and says he plans to share his side of the story soon. In response to a clip from the original podcast episode, Kyrie Irving explained that he will be addressing the matter soon.

"Lol I am gonna address this on my stream soon," Irving posted on X.

lol I am gonna address this on my stream soon https://t.co/xAxBcCTln7
— Kyrie (@KyrieIrving) July 16, 2025

Of the three All-Stars and likely future Hall of Famers, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, Irving spent the most time on the floor for Brooklyn, appearing in 143 games.

While it didn’t lead to postseason success, Irving arguably played the best basketball of his career in Brooklyn, at least from a statistical standpoint. Through three and a half seasons, Irving averaged 27.1 points, 5.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 48.9% from the field and 39.6% from beyond the arc.

During his first season in Brooklyn, Irving set career-highs in scoring (27.4 points per game) and rebounding (5.2 rebounds per game). While he was at his peak from an on-court perspective, his tenure in Brooklyn also had its share of obstacles and distractions. During the 2021-2022 season, he missed 35 home games after deciding to not get vaccinated for COVID-19. The following season, he was suspended for five games after tweeting the link to an antisemitic film.

After continued conflicts with the Nets' front office, Irving requested a trade and was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks midway through the 2022–23 season.

This article first appeared on Brooklyn Nets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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