“I wish things had been communicated better”

Before the Brooklyn Nets visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant commented on James Harden’s trade to Philadelphia and his departure from Brooklyn.

“I thought we were on the right track, but everyone has their own vision at the start of the season,” Irving said after the Nets’ 132-121 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday. “Everyone has their own vision of where their career starts and ends. If that’s what James wanted then I respect his decision. We have a great friendship, it just didn’t work out in the end. I wish things were communicated better become.”

Irving also stated that he felt Harden owed some people at the Nets a better explanation of what was on his mind and wished the bearded man had communicated that better. Despite this, he bears no grudge against his former teammate. “We’re still in the same league and it’s not like we see him differently now and we don’t meet in the offseason,” added Kyrie.

When asked if the Nets could have done anything differently to persuade Harden to stay with the Nets, Irving said he didn’t have an answer. “I think James could answer that better,” Irving said. “I came in later and was told different things. Then the trade deadline came and then suddenly everything was different. I have no answer as to whether certain things could have gone better or not.”

Harden hasn’t given specific reasons for his departure from the Nets, but explained at his presentation in Philadelphia that Irving’s decision not to get vaccinated impacted the team.