Now the "R" word for Kevin Duran

Remember, everything is a negotiation. That said, according to the latest rumors, courtesy of Marc Stein, Kevin Durant has retired rather than play another game for the Nets.

During the Las Vegas Summer League, one of the most connected team executives I spoke with regularly insisted to me that based on what he heard,

[{"selector":"#anim-8fbfd9c3-a7a8-452b-8f31-c4c34f580e43","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e49227e-2a81-435d-9048-1378c7e1e14d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.46541%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Brooklyn's change in approach since the end of the season is thus believed to be a key factor in Durant's sudden desire to leave.

[{"selector":"#anim-8a7b7aee-89d8-4a38-b202-c949ad116a7a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e8635439-8cf8-4c24-b983-13fc51b9e7d5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.46541%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

It was better suited Kevin Durant to retire than play for the Brooklyn Nets again. That was early July.

[{"selector":"#anim-ee28ef3f-d9ce-417c-8547-bf4d02cfd8c3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9701ab4-d1cf-479f-a837-67c96b975569","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.77988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

I told the tipster I just couldn't believe it. I've been a loyal subscriber to the theory that Durant The Hooper loves the game of basketball too much to take such a stance.

[{"selector":"#anim-0fdbe298-79dd-44a2-99c1-b844fa02fc83","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f6c30ded-8f37-432f-9320-8187faf09266","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.77988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Now? More than a month later? Attaching the R-word to Durant still feels like serious hyperbole, but it's certainly getting easier to imagine him refusing to report

[{"selector":"#anim-360e6e97-55e3-4514-ab0f-4af87b081484","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-637747fe-9771-481e-98d7-2d8e78b97f1f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.09434%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

If you wanted you could link this rumor to KD's own tweets on Sunday saying he liked his link, thank you very much. "This is a matter of perspective, my g.

[{"selector":"#anim-e4a17ebc-71f1-4895-900d-287ff4425b7f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90bc0df2-f473-445f-b782-2bcdf6121b79","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.77988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

For all of Irving's professed fondness for the franchise as a New Jersey Nets fan in his youth, he and Durant believe they chose the Nets over the Knicks in free agency

[{"selector":"#anim-17b1dd40-ad8d-4d6b-948e-b52945f4ee35","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb4c971e-1e6a-486a-a0d5-29b1ff67c888","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.77988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]