Report: Kevin Durant Told James Harden He Was Not in Shape
As many already know, the second year of the Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden experiment was not a pretty one. On paper, they were easily the most talented team in the NBA. Outside of that though, they were the most tumultuous big three in the NBA as well.
James Harden revealed new candid details about his friction with Kevin Durant during his final season with the Nets in an exclusive interview with Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports.
The piece revealed that Kevin Durant felt James Harden was out of shape and even personally let him know it too.
"First, there was the whole Kyrie Irving vaccination mess. Also, Harden and Durant, according to multiple Nets sources, butted heads during the season – Durant didn’t think Harden was in peak physical shape, and told him as much; Harden, meanwhile, struggled to adjust to an ecosystem where everything was no longer catered to him. According to a friend, Harden also became frustrated with the Nets training staff and its focus on maintenance, rest and recovery; after all, in Houston he'd run stadium stairs and lift – even after games sometimes – and he never got hurt."
From top to bottom, James Harden's tenure with the Nets has been one of the most volatile times any superstar has ever had on a team.
"Once it got to a certain point, James was just over all of it," a Nets staffer said.
He was unhappy with almost every aspect of the team by his second year and immediately requested a trade as a result.
"I don't mean to, like, just down talk to anybody or whatever. It was just, there was no structure and even superstars, they need structure. That's what allows us to be the best players and leaders for our respective organizations," Harden said.
The big three of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving will always remain one of the biggest "what ifs" in NBA history.
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