“He left Golden State for Kyrie Irving, that’s crazier than retiring” - NBA analyst believes Kevin Durant retiring is not as far fetched as it sounds, says he’s punctured his career
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant has been making the airwaves this week with rumors of him potentially retiring. However, KD quickly debunked these rumors on Twitter. On "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," Cowherd said Durant retiring rather than playing for the Nets isn't that far-fetched.
"Now that may sound like hyperbole, but Durant is a different cat. He left Golden State for Kyrie Irving. That’s crazier than retiring. Listen, he made a lot of money when he worked in the bay area, "Cowherd said.
"Joe Lacob got him great investments. Kevin's worth a fortune. He doesn't want to be in Brooklyn. It's his own making, so I don't have a ton of sympathy for him. But if you think him retiring is crazy, leaving the Warriors was nuts."
Durant left the Golden State Warriors to team up with Kyrie Irving in 2019. He has the financial stability to walk away from the game and leave north of $150 million on the table.
Durant is currently at the start of a four-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets worth over $190 million. He has no player option. Therefore, he has no leverage in this situation as he won't hit free agency until the summer of 2026.
Kevin Durant has been forcing owner Joe Tsai's hand by offering an ultimatum. Durant reportedly said to either trade him or fire Sean Marks and Steve Nash, the respective general manager and coach of the Nets.
Also Checkout:- Kyrie Irving Contract
Kevin Durant to retire or get traded?
"I've been saying it for 3 years. Leaving Golden State is the most egregious move by a superstar to puncture his career momentum." — @ColinCowherd https://t.co/PiVSRdmLUu
Is it conceivable that Kevin Durant retires?
KD has been unpredictable throughout his career. No one expected he would leave the Golden State Warriors until he did. His move to the Warriors from the Oklahoma City Thunder was unexpected, especially after promising Russell Westbrook that he would not leave. So, Durant retiring isn't that inconceivable.
If the Slim Reaper does retire, he will leave nearly $190 million on his deal. As wealthy as KD is, that is a significant amount of money to give up. Durant has already been paid nearly $11 million of his $42 million salary for the 2022-23 season. He is set to earn the same amount on October 1st.
Kevin Durant in his 14 seasons:
— 27/7/4
— 50/38/88%
— 12x All-Star
— 10x All-NBA
— 2x NBA Champ
— 1x MVP
— 2x FMVP
A top ___ player of all-time. https://t.co/6l8LRzdLl3
Either way, Kevin Durant walking away and leaving nearly $180 million on the table is unlikely. There is also the question of his legacy. The constant narrative around Durant is that he can't win without Steph Curry and the Warriors. Kevin Durant is at risk of that narrative continuing no matter what happens.