Kevin Durant, James Harden back on good terms

ClutchPoints: “From what I’m told, the two former teammates are back on good terms now despite Harden forcing his way out of Brooklyn.” @ramonashelburne on the Sixers’ reported interest in trading for Kevin Durant.
Source: Twitter @ClutchPointsApp

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Kevin Durant, James Harden reportedly back on good terms sportando.basketball/en/kevin-duran… – 5:19 AM StatMuse @statmuse
Highest win% last over the last 5 seasons (minimum 250 games):
73.2 — Chris Paul
69.8 — Steph Curry
68.5 — James Harden
68.3 — Giannis Antetokounmpo pic.twitter.com/mRe6piiaeQ – 8:32 PM Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
Posted earlier at Heavy:
Like it or not, the Jaylen Brown/Kevin Durant rumors are here to stay. Sources explain why.
Plus, how Brown is viewed around the league — and an NBA exec who believes the wing is “all-in on Boston” if @Celtics are all-in on him.
bit.ly/3JO3YYa – 6:53 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
We’re going live on @PHNX_Suns in 2 minutes to talk more KD stuff (again!) and do another snake draft! Come have some Friday fun with us:
https://t.co/aXpMeeleDV pic.twitter.com/hVeSAYvpPJ – 4:58 PM Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
Want to know who’s REALLY weary of the Kevin Durant situation? I bet it’s the people who do the NBA schedule.
I’m sure they’d love to know how this is going to shake out, so they can set the marquee matchups for prime TV windows.
But odds are they won’t know before the release. – 4:10 PM Dave Early @DavidEarly
My read on the Durant-Sixers rumors is that KD would be excited, could be most fulfilling title run of his career, etc. And PHI is (of course) motivated.
But the smoke now is much more about BK/KD’s camp leveraging Phi to get a team with a bigger package like BOS to offer more. – 12:29 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
Would I trade Tyrese Maxey for Kevin Durant?
Would the Sixers’ best trade offer have a chance of winning the Durant sweepstakes?
On Durant, championship equity, the all-in pursuit of a championship and more:
dailysix.com/making-sense-o… – 12:28 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
New @LockedOnNetwork #NBA show w/ @Adam Mares
– NBA retiring Bill Russell’s No. 6 leaguewide
– Kevin Durant’s faulty exit plan
– Top teams in each conference to make a leap
– Can the Lakers and Knicks bounce back?
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/loc… – 8:52 AM Sean Deveney @SeanDeveney
Coaches and execs around the @NBA are “livid” about Kevin Durant’s tactics with the @Brooklyn Nets. But would they take him on their team?
@Steve Bulpett investigates.
More at @HeavyOnSports
heavy.com/sports/brookly… – 8:10 AM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
From earlier — ASK IRA: Is Kevin Durant too much of a moving target for Heat? sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 5:22 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Kevin Durant in his 14 seasons:
— 27/7/4
— 50/38/88%
— 12x All-Star
— 10x All-NBA
— 2x NBA Champ
— 1x MVP
— 2x FMVP
A top ___ player of all-time. pic.twitter.com/6l8LRzdLl3 – 5:01 PM Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
Why Philadelphia is on the outside looking in on a possible Kevin Durant trade.
| NBA Today youtu.be/dgaQFRhPAdI via @YouTube – 4:39 PM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Kevin Durant trade rumors: Nets star views 76ers as a ‘welcome landing spot,’ per report
cbssports.com/nba/news/kevin… – 4:20 PM Henry Abbott @TrueHoop
Having talent is not the same as recognizing talent, say @David Thorpe and @jshector (and it kind of seems like they’re talking about Kevin Durant when they say it). https://t.co/jYTOtM9PLQ pic.twitter.com/ZCwYe2BJcH – 3:22 PM Sopan Deb @SopanDeb
merrick garland: “the celtics have agreed to include two extra first round picks along with jaylen brown for kevin durant, sources tell the DOJ.” – 3:00 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
James Harden and Kevin Durant are working out together in Barcelona #Sixers pic.twitter.com/ByoPACUSQb – 2:38 PM Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Kevin Durant’s heartwarming “You are the real MVP” acceptance speech was eight years ago.
KD, at age 25 and playing for the underdog OKC Thunder, was one of the most popular and beloved players in the entire league.
Remarkable to see how his career has played out since then… pic.twitter.com/rBcIb6CGsz – 2:22 PM A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
Should the Celtics Stay Away From Kevin Durant? | A List Podcast w/ @A. Sherrod Blakely, @Gary Washburn & @KwaniALunis | Powered by @betonline_ag & @indeed twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1… – 1:30 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
‘The pros and cons of trading for Kevin Durant, what to make of Scottie Barnes guarding James Harden ‘ by Locked On 76ers – Daily Podcast On The Philadelphia Sixers megaphone.link/LKN5952435376 – 1:30 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Pros & cons of Sixers trading for Durant, what to make of Barnes defendi… youtu.be/7ZW1uMzNqas via @YouTube – 1:29 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Most PPG over the last 5 seasons (minimum 200 games):
30.1 — James Harden
28.4 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
27.7 — Steph Curry
27.4 — Damian Lillard pic.twitter.com/EzlnlHWYg0 – 1:20 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
I’m in for the ill @TravisRodgers on @ESPNLosAngeles with @Allen Sliwa from 10am-1pm PT! We’re talking Lakers, Dodgers, Rams, Durant, Kyrie, traffic protocol, food, and more. Listen up! AK – 1:11 PM Jon Johnson @jonjohnsonwip
Kevin Durant? 1000% yes. Find a way. – 1:10 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Listen to today’s episode of The Starting Lineup with @Frank Isola & @Brian Scalabrine on Pandora!
🏀 Latest KD Rumors
📽 Dan Klores joins the show
📰 HEADLINES!
📞 @TermineRadio joins the show
pandora.app.link/L45O0PEJdsb – 1:04 PM Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Durant dialogue as it pertains to Philly is effectively “how good do you think Tyrese Maxey will be?”
It’s a question of your perceived ceiling for Maxey and how likely you think he is to reach it.
As outstanding as he was last season, no guarantee of another huge step. – 12:44 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
ASK IRA: Is Kevin Durant too much of a moving target for Heat? sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 12:28 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
On June 30, Kevin Durant formally asked the Brooklyn Nets to trade him. On July 1, league sources tell me that Durant was owed and received an eight-figure check from the Nets in the midst of trying to convince the team to find him a new home.
Full story: marcstein.substack.com/p/trade-me-and… – 12:18 PM Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Penny Hardaway, wearing “Born For Greatness” socks and special Kobe Bryant golf shoes, spit out his plan to add a few more players to the roster.
The model of those players?
“Kevin Durant and LeBron James,” he joked. dailymemphian.com/section/sports… – 11:21 AM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Has there ever been 2 superstars (Kevin Durant & James Harden) that have played together on 3 different teams during their NBA career while still playing at a high level (even tho Harden’s level of play is debatable)? Wild change of events if KD & Harden teamed up in Philly – 10:57 AM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
League sources tell me that the Nets were required to cut Kevin Durant a sizable check on the very next day after he asked to be traded. Full report and explanation: marcstein.substack.com/p/trade-me-and… – 10:30 AM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“He has no reason not to trust them”
@Brian Scalabrine weighs in on the rumors that Kevin Durant gave the Nets an ultimatum pic.twitter.com/ttkCT9MySW – 9:44 AM Ian Begley @IanBegley
From earlier: some notes on the Nets, Celtics, Kevin Durant, Marcus Smart and the Sixers’ interest in Durant here: sny.tv/articles/sourc… – 8:49 AM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
This week’s Heat Check podcast: Ranking the top trades in Heat history and more Kevin Durant talk miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia…
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hea… – 8:24 AM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Is Kevin Durant too much of a moving target for Heat? Latest “Ask Ira” at sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… plus more. – 8:19 AM A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
Should the Celtics Stay Away From Kevin Durant? a-list.libsyn.com/should-the-cel… – 6:08 AM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Kevin Durant reportedly now sees Boston as “desired landing spot” nba.nbcsports.com/2022/08/10/kev… – 11:50 PM Ric Bucher @RicBucher
The KD Saga Continues shows.acast.com/bucher-and-fri… via @acast – 11:04 PM Ethan Strauss @SherwoodStrauss
Going live at 8:15 PST PM with @sportsrapport. Lotta possible topics, but probably starting with KD vs Tsai mess callin.com/link/beDQbGNtwJ – 10:07 PM Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
NBA reporting:
Kevin Durant is still close with James Harden.
Kevin Durant still wants to play with James Harden.
Kevin Durant is mad at Nets for how they handled Kyrie Irving.
James Harden was fed up with Kyrie Irving.
Kevin Durant still wants to play with Kyrie Irving. 🤷‍ – 9:27 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Report Roundup: Sixers could enter the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, but their best package probably won’t do it; the Lakers will now offer 2 picks for Kyrie Irving; Boston KD’s preferred destination; Pelicans have interest trib.al/g8KmsGr – 6:58 PM Anil Gogna @AnilGognaNBA
I’m growing more convinced that KD will eventually find his way to Boston:
MIA can’t include Bam.
TOR won’t include Scottie.
BOS has to consider moving Jaylen because an extension isn’t realistic and after years of being in trade rumors, he could just walk as a FA in 2 years. – 6:39 PM A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
LIVE Garden Report: Discussing Kevin Durant to Celtics Trade Rumors | Powered by @betonline_ag & @AthleticGreens twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1… – 6:07 PM Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Now on @njdotcom
Could Kevin Durant and Steve Nash peacefully coexist after KD’s ultimatum? Jeff Van Gundy says yes. nj.com/nets/2022/08/n… – 5:29 PM Frank Isola @TheFrankIsola
Games played for the Nets last year:
Kevin Durant….55
James Harden..44
Kyrie Irving…….29
Joe Harris……….14
Ben Simmons ..0
Don’t see how Steve Nash and Sean Marks are to blame but if you say so okay. – 4:53 PM Ian Begley @IanBegley
From earlier: a few notes on the Nets, Celtics, Kevin Durant, Marcus Smart and the Sixers’ interest in Durant here: sny.tv/articles/sourc… – 4:38 PM Dave Early @DavidEarly
1) of course KD would be open to the Sixers
2) of course the Sixers should get him if they can using Maxey, and the 1.5 (?) picks they have left.
3) of course other teams can top their offer – 4:01 PM Eric Pincus @EricPincus
Latest @SportsBizClass SBC Practicum: Mock Toronto Raptors Blockbuster for Durant featuring @vkillem sportsbusinessclassroom.com/sbc-practicum-… – 3:51 PM David Hardisty @clutchfans
ESPN’s @Bobby Marks says he believes James Harden will be top 3 in the MVP conversation this season.
“I think we’re going to see the Houston version of James Harden in Philadelphia this season,” says Marks. – 3:36 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
I remain a major skeptic of a Kevin Durant to Philadelphia move, but today’s report on the matter is the first noteworthy lean in their direction (even if it’s only a slight lean) phillyvoice.com/nba-trade-rumo… – 2:45 PM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Kevin Durant trade rumors: Nets star views Celtics as a ‘desired landing spot,’ per report
cbssports.com/nba/news/kevin… – 1:56 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Listen to today’s episode of The Starting Lineup with @Frank Isola & @Mitch Lawrence on Pandora!
🏀 Reported reasons why KD wants to leave Nets
📰 HEADLINES!
📞 Jeff Van Gundy joins the show
pandora.app.link/L45O0PEJdsb – 1:54 PM Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
New: Kevin Durant reportedly now has the #Celtics on his preferred list of landing spots. Examining the impact that might have on potential future trade talks between Boston and Brooklyn: masslive.com/celtics/2022/0… – 1:43 PM Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Talking yourself out of trying to trade for Kevin Durant is a galaxy brain practice, but you’re also probably lying to yourself if you don’t think in 2-3 years people will be complaining about the Sixers getting lit up by Tyrese Maxey, especially if the Sixers don’t win a title. – 1:24 PM Cameron Tabatabaie @CTabatabaie
Shine comes off the apple for KD, requests trade from BKY
Nets reasonably enough seek *huge* haul in potential KD deal
BKY asks BOS for Jaylen AND Jayson, C’s counter with much smaller package
Now: KD wants out, & to play in BOS with Smart. BKY still wants mega package, w/ MS – 1:19 PM Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
The Nets reportedly made quite the jaw dropping opening offer in trade talks with the #Celtics revolving around Kevin Durant: masslive.com/celtics/2022/0… – 1:16 PM Ian Begley @IanBegley
A few notes on the Nets, Celtics, Kevin Durant, Marcus Smart and the Sixers’ interest in Durant here: on.sny.tv/I48lGWh – 12:32 PM Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach
New: -Some KD and Jaylen intel
-Hall of Famer Bailey Howell on Bill Russell’s Boston Christmas parties
-Joe Mazzulla on his summer as a hot commodity
And more here…
bostonglobe.com/2022/08/10/spo… – 12:28 PM Anil Gogna @AnilGognaNBA
When you think about the fact that details of the discussions between KD and Nets’ owner Joe Tsai were leaked, you begin to wonder who leaked them. It weakens BKN’s trade leverage and causes more team dysfunction, so it wouldn’t make sense for their camp to leak it, which means… pic.twitter.com/jlRvjYDE4a – 12:25 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Wednesday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! More on the KD/Tsai/Nets/(by extension)Lakers drama, with Tsai calling Durant’s bluff by tweet. Plus, Ham is reportedly able to bench Russ. Is this actually a new thing? #FirstListen @LockedOnNBAPods @LockedOnNetwork
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lak… – 11:13 AM StatMuse @statmuse
Per game leaders among active players:
PPG — Kevin Durant
RPG — Andre Drummond
APG — Chris Paul
SPG — Chris Paul
BPG — Anthony Davis pic.twitter.com/zMtHMbKKiz – 11:13 AM Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
New: Amid Kevin Durant trade rumors, Jaylen Brown has a noteworthy financial incentive to want to stay with the #Celtics for his next contract masslive.com/celtics/2022/0… – 11:00 AM Danny Leroux @DannyLeroux
Dunc’d On: Eastern Conference Offseason Grades 2022; KD vs Marks w/ @Nate Duncan
Subscribe to Total Access for ad-free episodes of Dunc’d On, and much more: duncdon.supportingcast.fm
Listen: …basketball-nba-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/easte… – 11:00 AM Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Jumping on @CBSSportsRadio in five minutes with my good friend @cdotharrison for another round of Kevin Durant/Nets talk. – 10:55 AM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“Winning helps camouflage any bad feelings.”
Jeff Van Gundy tells @Frank Isola and @Mitch Lawrence the situation between Kevin Durant and the Nets can be fine if the 2x Finals MVP stays in Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/RJPHwk9eqE – 10:48 AM Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
While Nets respond by digging in, NBA execs and coaches are angered by Kevin Durant’s ultimatum.
But it really doesn’t matter. He’s KD, and, for the right price, they’d all gladly welcome him anyway.
Allowances are always made for talent like this.
bit.ly/3ddNbkZ – 9:59 AM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Free pod: Eastern Conference Offseason Grades 2022; KD vs Marks w/ @Danny Leroux: https://t.co/zHc5xaUAJj
Subscribe to Total Access for ad-free episodes of Dunc’d On, and much more: https://t.co/XSgwN6BUIK pic.twitter.com/vDKiycNMCn – 9:00 AM

More on this storyline

“It’s pretty crazy. Things go fast,” Joerger said. “Before you even get to the changes, I think you get to the fact that James Harden, Joel Embiid, and other guys did not have a lot of time together. Our core has had two years together – Tyrese , Tobias – and Joel and Tobias have been together for a number of years, we get that. But to add a guy who has the ball as much as James does, especially with Joel, that’s only going to get better as more time is spent together.” -via NBA.com / August 10, 2022 The head of basketball ops from another club was similarly displeased. “Livid,” he said. “Livid. He and Kyrie (Irving) basically told Sean they were coming (as free agents in 2019), and Sean did pretty much everything they wanted after that. Signing DeAndre Jordan for four years? That’s something Kyrie and KD wanted. Getting James Harden? Then getting a guy who should be a perfect complement to them (Ben Simmons) when Harden wanted out? Sean did all that.” -via Heavy.com / August 9, 2022 Michael Scotto: Sources: James Harden has a 15 percent trade kicker included in his two-year, $68.64 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, @hoopshype has learned. Harden’s deal also contains a player option, as others have reported. -via Twitter @MikeAScotto / August 8, 2022 If and when Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell get traded, the space to make a Westbrook trade probably opens a little wider with the costs getting cleared. Lakers sources insist they have options beyond the ones that have been reported (Irving, Buddy Hield, Myles Turner and others). Time should better reveal those once the bigger moves get made. -via Los Angeles Times / August 12, 2022 “But when you take a step back and look at things, I think he wants to be there. And any problems that could ever happen with that relationship would probably have to come from him getting the idea that they’re not in on him. And right now I don’t see that from the Celtics. I think they know what they have in Jaylen — now and for the future — and they want to keep that going. -via Heavy.com / August 12, 2022 “But, like I said, it’s Kevin Durant, and you know Brooklyn is going to want to talk about Jaylen. Even if stuff about trade talks wasn’t getting leaked and reported, anyone with a brain would know that Jaylen’s name is going to come up at some point if they’re talking to Boston.” Scout: Jaylen Brown Is ‘Upper Echelon’ The opinion of Brown around the NBA is impressive — not just for what he is now, but for what the league’s evaluators expect. Echoing a common view, one scout said, “He’s GOT to fix his handle, and maybe that’s just about making better decisions in traffic. But he’s, what, 25? Look at how much he’s improved. He’s definitely not one of those guys who plateaus, who reaches a certain point and gets all satisfied.” -via Heavy.com / August 12, 2022