East Notes: Nets, Kevin Durant, Celtics, 76ers, PJ Tucker

Nets

Coach Steve Nash stressed that all is good now with Kevin Durant, who issued a trade request over the summer.

“We’re good,” Nash said, via Nick Friedell of ESPN. “Ever since we talked, it’s been like nothing’s changed. I have a long history with Kevin. I love the guy. Families have issues. We had a moment and it’s behind us. That’s what happens. It’s a common situation in the league.”

As we relayed, Nash hinted the reporting on Durant and his trade request may not have been totally accurate.

“You got fragmented bits of truth,” Nash said, via Friedell. “You got things that are flat out not true. It happens. It’s the nature of the media now a days.”

• Nash added that newcomer Markieff Morris should be a good fit. “Markieff is a need for us, his presence, his personality,” Nash said, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “He has a voice, he has an experience, he has an understanding of the game. We need guys that can speak to the group.”

Celtics

The Celtics have received permission to interview Clippers assistant Jay Larranaga for a similar role in Boston, per Andrew Grief of the LA Times. Larranaga was an assistant with the Celtics before joining the Clippers in 2020. Boston is looking to add to the bench under interim head coach Joe Mazzulla.

Jaylen Brown said the Celtics are prepared to try to move on following the season-long suspension of coach Ime Udoka.

“It’s a lot going on,” Brown said, via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “Some we could control, some we couldn’t. The best we can say is to move on.

“No one really has any of the information, so it’s difficult to make a comment on how things were supposed to go and how the process went or anything. The best thing we can do is put our best foot forward.”

76ers

Coach Doc Rivers said he was pleased with the season’s offseason moves, such as adding P.J. Tucker and Montrezl Harrell in free agency, and trading for De’Anthony Melton.

“We had a targeted summer, and we hit pretty much what we’re looking for,” Rivers said, via Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “… We have to learn how to become a team first, and if we do that, I love who we are.”

Rivers praised Tucker specifically.

“P.J. stands out,” Rivers said, via Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. “Especially, defensively. When he’s on the floor, when he’s off the floor, it is night and day. And that’s why we’re challenging guys, because P.J.’s not playing 48 minutes. Not just his defense.

“Just his talking and his knowledge. He came through the [Pat] Riley system, I came through the Riley system, so for him, defensively, it’s very easy to pick up everything. We need more of that from more people.”