Kevin Durant Says Kyrie Irving 'an Easy Scapegoat' amid James Harden Trade Rumors

Kevin Durant is not sure whether Kyrie Irving's status as a part-time player was a factor in James Harden's decision to seek a trade from the Brooklyn Nets to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Harden, who landed with the Sixers ahead of Thursday's deadline in a blockbuster deal that also sent Ben Simmons to Brooklyn, has yet to discuss the reasons behind the move, but Durant said Saturday that Irving has become an easy target for outside criticism.

"There's obviously going to be rumors about [Irving's playing status influencing Harden's decision]," KD told reporters. "Kyrie has always been an easy scapegoat for everybody, especially for the media and the fans. They love to use him as a scapegoat for a lot of problems. So it's easy to blame him, but I can't speculate on how James is feeling. I know a lot of the media will put that on him."

In October, the Nets announced Irving would remain sidelined until he could become a full-time member of the team, which still isn't possible because of New York City's vaccine mandate for large-scale events.

Irving, who said his decision to remain unvaccinated is a personal choice and not an "anti-vax" stance, returned to the lineup in early January as Brooklyn reversed its stance amid a rash of injuries and COVID-19 protocol-related absences.

The 29-year-old Duke product has played well, averaging 24.1 points, 5.4 assists and 4.8 rebounds across 14 road games, but his relationship with Harden has come into the spotlight following Thursday's trade.

"Definitely a weird vibe between them," a source told Joe Vardon of The Athletic on Thursday. "You could tell Harden was annoyed, and Kyrie wasn't feeling James."

Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill reported on the Posted Up with Chris Haynes podcast (via HoopsHype) the Nets' decision to allow Irving to return was the "turning point" for Harden, who started "acting up" from that point forward. Haynes added he's heard similar information.

Durant, who's been sidelined since Jan. 15 with a knee injury, was asked Saturday how Irving's situation has affected the team in a more general sense:

"That's hard to gauge. I haven't really spoken to everybody about that. But as far as the basketball that's being played on the floor, we're all professionals and we understand what's it like not having a guy in the lineup, so our jobs and what we do and how we operate as individuals, regardless of who's on the floor, can't change. So we all approach our jobs the same, but I'm sure some people wish it were different. But everybody's spirit, when Kyrie wasn't here and then when he was here ... there hasn't been any change in the atmosphere or the mood or the culture. Everything's been sweet."

Meanwhile, the Nets have been in free fall, with 11 consecutive losses dropping their record to 29-27 and leaving them eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Head coach Steve Nash, who said Durant is making progress in his recovery but still doesn't have a specific return date, must try to turn things around despite obstacles that include KD's injury, Irving's part-time status and Simmons trying to get game-ready after not playing for the Sixers this season.

Brooklyn, which suffered a 115-111 loss to the Miami Heat on Saturday night, returns to action Monday when it hosts the Sacramento Kings.