"I knew people were going to talk and say, 'You quit' and all that stuff, but then the following summer, the other superstar there [Durant] wanted to leave. So it's like: Am I still the quitter?"
Harden on Nets' lack of organizational structure:
"I don't mean to, like, just down talk to anybody or whatever. It was just, there was no structure and even superstars, they need structure. That's what allows us to be the best players and leaders for our respective organizations. ... I just feel like, internally, things weren't what I expected when I was trying to get traded there. I think everybody knows that."
Harden on injury frustrations:
According to a friend, Harden also became frustrated with the Nets training staff and its focus on maintenance, rest and recovery; after all, in Houston he'd run stadium stairs and lift – even after games sometimes – and he never got hurt.
I asked Harden how he'd describe his time in Brooklyn. He hesitated. His first answer was that it was tough because "I wasn't able to get healthy."
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/james-harden-opens-up-about-nets-tenure-questions-kevin-durants-own-trade-request-am-i-still-the-quitter
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/james-harden-on-his-legacy-and-how-the-joel-embiid-partnership-is-key
