Report: Kevin Durant Wants James Harden to Stay With Nets

The two-time NBA champion reportedly wants to have a group that is as committed as him in winning multiple championships when he returns from injury.

Kevin Durant doesn’t want James Harden to go anywhere, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. During an appearance on NBA Countdown, Wojnarowski reported that Durant doesn’t want the Nets to trade Harden by the Thursday trade deadline. 

ESPN has previously reported, and it echoed it on Saturday, that Harden made it clear to the Nets that he wants to stay with the team. But that hasn’t stopped trade rumors from swirling. On Friday, the The Athletic reported that the 76ers would pursue a trade for Harden that would center around Ben Simmons and that the Nets would be open to it. 

With the trade deadline in just a couple of days, a major shift in the Eastern Conference could be coming. One that Durant doesn’t want. Durant, who is currently recovering from a sprained MCL in his left knee, is expecting Brooklyn to be ready to compete for an NBA title when he returns to the court some time after the All-Star break, per ESPN. But he has not told the Nets what to do or not to do come the trade deadline. His main concern is having a group that is as committed to winning multiple championships as he is.

Whether or not Harden will be a part of Durant’s journey remains to be seen.