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FILE – Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant # 7 smiles during the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on March 10, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Harry How / Getty Images / AFP
Beyond the physical acclimatization of returning to the court every day, Kevin Durant plans to spend his time learning about his role with the Brooklyn Nets.
That role does not include the responsibilities of the general manager.
Durant said Wednesday he’s not wasting a second thinking about trade rumors linking the Nets to James Harden, his former teammate with the Oklahoma City Thunder, because there’s too much on his plate without also racking up staffing duties.
“I don’t think of James Harden at all. I mean, he doesn’t play on our team, ”Durant said.
Durant, 31, also provided a fresh perspective on his expected role with the Nets this season. Durant’s next game will be his first since the 2019 NBA Finals, when he broke his Achilles tendon as a member of the Golden State Warriors. A few weeks later, after surgery, he signed a four-year contract with the Nets.
The Nets made the playoffs last season with Durant and Kyrie Irving out and then hired Steve Nash as their head coach.
“I am very excited about the future of this group,” Durant said.
The Nets plan to play in a smaller lineup and Durant outlined Nash’s thoughts on splitting time between point guard and center this season. Anywhere, the 6-foot-10 scoring machine will be a tough check.
“I’ve never been one to predict anything, but I like our chances to go out there and compete at that high level every night,” Durant said. “And as tough as it is in this league, I think we are capable of doing it and we have a lot of guys who have experienced so much in this league. We have champions on this team. We have guys that have been to the playoff races, they’ve been to Game 7, so it’s always important to have that much experience and knowledge within the group and we’ll see where we go from here. “
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