Kevin Durant has been expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season since he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the NBA Finals last year, and the Brooklyn Nets say the timeline for his recovery has not changed.
In response to rumors that Durant has a chance to play at some point this upcoming season, Nets general manager Sean Marks told reports on Tuesday that the plan remains for Durant to sit out. He said Durant has been rehabbing aggressively and may want to play, but the team is committed to a long-term approach.
Nets GM Sean Marks says Kevin Durant is attacking his rehab aggressively & doing well. He says Durant, as a competitor, would obviously want to play this season. But the Nets are taking a long-term approach with Durant, who will clearly have a significant say in when he returns. https://t.co/rJ1pNK1CdG
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) September 24, 2019
Durant may have suffered the torn Achilles because he rushed back from a calf strain, so returning to the court before he is 100 percent healthy this time would not be wise. Even if Durant has made it clear he doesn’t blame the Warriors for what happened to him, no one should have a better understanding of how important it is to be fully healed before returning.
The Nets signed Durant knowing he was not going to be available in 2019-20, but they should still be a playoff team with Kyrie Irving. Either way, they are content to wait until next year to start contending for titles. That was the plan from the start.
