Kevin Durant "upset" over dynamics of his relationship with Kyrie Irving following latter's trade request

Kevin Durant stood by Kyrie Irving throughout his former teammate's off-court issues that hampered the Brooklyn Nets' chances of success. Durant was reportedly surprised that Irving left him hanging when the point guard couldn’t secure a long-term max deal with the team.

On his podcast, Durant spoke about his relationship with Irving after the dynamic guard was traded to the Dallas Mavericks:

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t finish the season, but I also know that we’re all our separate entities, we all move and do the things that we wanna do for our careers. I can’t fault somebody for doing that even though it might have been at our expense as a team.

“I don’t wanna act like I wasn’t upset that we didn’t finish the season because I love playing with Kai, I wanted to see where we can go with that because we were both playing at a high level... We haven’t had a conversation but eventually, we will.”

Before the season started, Kyrie Irving already wanted out. He supposedly got permission from the Brooklyn Nets to look for a sign-and-trade partner. When nothing came of that, he opted into the final year of his contract.

A few days after Irving decided he was staying in Brooklyn, Kevin Durant demanded to be traded. Durant’s issue was more complicated as he was just about to start his four-year $194.2 million deal that he signed in 2021.

The Nets, unsurprisingly, asked for a treasure trove of assets in return for the former MVP. The Nets were reportedly prepared for the possibility of Durant sitting out until he got a change of scenery. After nearly a month of standoff, both sides agreed to move on.

However, Irving then dashed the Brooklyn Nets’ hopes of winning a championship when he asked to be traded. It also backed Durant into another unexpected and uncomfortable position. With Irving out the door, it didn’t take long for the Nets to acquiesce to Durant’s wish to move out of Brooklyn.

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Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving could face each other in the postseason

Kevin Durant’s Phoenix Suns and Kyrie Irving’s Dallas Mavericks are in the thick of a fight for an outright playoff berth. The Suns (33-29) hold the fourth spot in the West, while the Mavericks (32-31) are seventh. Both are gunning for an automatic playoff berth.

Should both teams advance to the postseason, they could face each other in the first round or the semi-finals.

Kevin Durant, who hasn’t played a game since Jan. 8, will debut for the Phoenix Suns later this week against the Charlotte Hornets. His presence will surely boost their hopes of nailing a postseason spot.

Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic's partnership is still young but is expected to flourish. A playoff series featuring Irving and Durant as opponents after previously playing as teammates is a script even Hollywood could not have written.