Marc Stein: “Exec Believes Kevin Durant More Likely to Retire Than Play for Nets Again” (KD denies)

[iLLmatic860]

Kevin Durant might be prepared to play some serious hardball in order to get the Brooklyn Nets to acquiesce to his trade request.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported Monday that one team executive told him during the NBA Summer League that Durant "was more apt to retire than play again for the Brooklyn Nets."

Stein followed up to write the situation hasn't improved since then:

"If Durant hasn't been traded by [training camp], there is a growing expectation in league circles that he will continue trying to cause as much of a ruckus behind the scenes to try to prod the Nets into lowering their asking price at last to facilitate a deal. If it wasn't apparent by now, he really wants that trade to Phoenix or Miami or maybe even Boston or Philadelphia, no matter what it does to his reputation when he hasn't played a single game yet under the four-year, $194 million contract extension signed in August 2021."

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10045452-nba-rumors-exec-believes-kevin-durant-more-likely-to-retire-than-play-for-nets-again

Update from KD:

Read on Twitter

[Karate Diop]

They trying every trick in the book but Marks ain't even flinching. COD JAM, can't rattle this boy.

[Repeat 3-peat]

[mademan]

"If Durant hasn't been traded by [training camp], there is a growing expectation in league circles that he will continue trying to cause as much of a ruckus behind the scenes to try to prod the Nets into lowering their asking price at last to facilitate a deal"

Retiring this is hyperbole, this is more important. KD is far more Jimmy Butler levels of dgaf than Ben Simmons shy passive aggressive. KD doesnt want to be there and im not sure there's a floor for how shamelessly aggressive he can become. If the Nets tell him to stay at home and that they'll pay him, can they even make him?

[hauntedcomputer]

Wow, retiring right now is about the only thing he could do that would make me respect him.

[The Rebel]

I would be shocked if he retired, it is just another ploy to force the deal to get done.

[DaddyCool19]

Would he get any money if he retires? Would he be forced to pay the money back he received a couple days ago?

[Quattro]

Hope it happens. Good riddance

[ORLMagicGirl15]

You guys really like to torture yourselves.

[Sedale Threatt]

Man, at this point if I’m the Nets, I’d basically tell him to eat a dick and go ahead.

[prelude00]

I like that Marks is holding firm. As bad as it sounds to say, KD, strictly from a business standpoint, is an asset to the franchise. They should be trying to get a maximum return for him if he wants out.

Sent from my SM-S906W using Tapatalk

[lonzo_pelota]

No NBA player has ever retired with 200million in front of them, if im the nets i call his bluff & send mama durant a ben simmons jersey.

[life_saver]

lol I have no sympathies for KD. Ben Simmons had much better case for wanting out last off-season than KD has now. Simmons atleast had his co-star and coach call him out publicly in press. KD has a very good roster but still wants to get traded to another top team..gosh I hope Nets don't trade him

[PhilBlackson]

Randm exec's OPINION (no actual insight to the situation) lol this truly isn't legit news.

I'm no KD fan but this screams CLICKBAIT.

[monopoman]

Would he get any money if he retires? Would he be forced to pay the money back he received a couple days ago?

If a player retires for any reason they give up any future money from a contract, you can't retire then watch those paychecks roll in until the contract ends. I think the only time a player can retire and in some cases get the money they are owed if it was a retirement due to an injury.

A good example is Brandon Roy the Blazers and him agreed to retirement due to injury which ensured Roy was paid for his contract but it would not count against the salary cap.

[facothomas22]

This would be is such a coward way to handle things if this is true. The problems that Kevin Durant has with the Nets should not override his passion and love for the game of basketball. If he wants to retire, then go right ahead. Don't expect to get paid going forward(again, if the reports are indeed true, which I don't think it is).

[G R E Y]

Aaah yes, the Kyrie Irving special.

These two are definitely coordinating more than newlyweds who wear the same sweaters. Or jerseys, in this case. The jerseys they chose, mind...

[Mamba Mentality]

This might have caught some traction if it was coming from Kyrie, but this is no way believable coming from KD. Pro Hong Kong tweet is the only sure fire way to get the wheels turning.

[druggas]

Sounds about right.

[sfernald]

They should let him retire and then hire him as the coach and Kyrie as the GM. I'm sure they can put together a winning franchise with their integrity and leadership.