Kevin Durant on the Nets missing Kyrie Irving: ‘I want our whole team together’

Nets forward Kevin Durant cleared the air on Friday after a preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team is left with no other option but to move forward despite not having Kyrie Irving. Time is ticking until the start of the regular season and considering the circumstances, we are not going to see the Nets at full strength for it until something changes.

In the postgame press conference, Durant admitted that he wants Irving to be a part of the team, but feels confident that “things will work out for both parties.”

“I definitely want Kyrie (Irving) to be around. I wish none of this stuff would happen but this is the situation that we’re in. Kyrie made his decision on what he wanted to do, he chose to do what he wanted to do and the team did the same. It’s just on me to focus on me, just focus on me and do my job — I want our whole team together, I want us to be at full strength, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. I’m still positive things will work out for both parties.”

The former league MVP seemed calm, cool and collected throughout the entire week in spite of all the recent speculation concerning Irving. After being called out for it by the media, Durant explained why the situation has not made him upset.

“We still get to do what we love to do everyday. We still get an opportunity to play. This is not the ideal situation coming into the season, but it is out of our control. What we can do is come in and focus on our job everyday. What is being mad going to do? You’re not going to change his mind — Life is amazing so I can’t be too mad at somebody making a decision for themselves. Who am I to get upset at that?”

This post originally appeared on Nets Wire.