“KD in between a rock and a hard place” - Marcus Spears believes Kevin Durant’s friendship with Kyrie Irving is stopping him from saying what he’s "mad about"

Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets have found themselves in the spotlight of the NBA after the trade of superstar James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Throughout the season, Brooklyn looked like one of the top teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. That was all until a report suggested Harden was unhappy with how things were being handled behind the scenes. Meanwhile, the team lost 11 straight games.

Fast forward to the trade deadline Thursday, and Brooklyn traded Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons.

The move has fans wondering how the Nets will look with Simmons in the mix to replace Harden. After reports speculated that Harden was unhappy with how the organization handled the Kyrie Irving situation, many are wondering if the situation unfolding will also impact Durant in the future.

On ESPN's "Swagu and Perk" podcast Thursday, sports analyst Marcus Spears said he believes Durant is suddenly in a tough position.

" I feel like KD in between a rock and a hard place ... his friendship or whatever the relationship with Kyrie is stopping him from saying what he really mad about," Spears said.

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Can Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving get the Brooklyn Nets back on track?

Brooklyn Nets superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving

Although the acquisition of Ben Simmons is a bombshell, the Brooklyn Nets are going to have plenty of work to do. Along with the recent situation involving James Harden, the Nets found themselves struggling with an 11-game losing skid.

Brooklyn (30-27), which once led the Eastern Conference, has plummeted to eighth place.

One of the main reasons for the struggles has been superstar forward Kevin Durant being sidelined with an MCL injury. Once Durant returns, as well as newly acquired star Ben Simmons, the team is going to have its work cut out.

Brooklyn stopped its 11-game skid with a 109-85 win over the lowly Sacramento Kings on Monday. The Nets will be eager to get Durant, Irving and Simmons on the court together. They play at the New York Knicks (25-33) on Wednesday and host the Washington Wizards (26-30) on Thursday. Vaccine mandates will prevent the unvaccinated Irving from playing either game.

Time will tell if Irving and Durant can get the Nets back on track, but they have the potential to be a dangerous force in the East.

When on the court, Durant has been a force. He's averaging 29.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 52.0%, including 37.2% from 3-point range).