When Kevin Durant ruptured his Achilles in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, many immediately ruled him out for the entire 2019-20 season.
However, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, there is increasing belief around the NBA that Durant could actually make his debut for the Brooklyn Nets, at some point this season.
Spencer Dinwiddie? He’s talking title contention, no matter when injured star Kevin Durant comes back — and more and more the word around NBA circles is that could be this season.
That, of course, was a reference to Durant, who ruptured his Achilles tendon on June 10. Once the death knell for athletes’ careers, players are returning from Achilles tears in better fashion than before.
NFL receiver Emmanuel Sanders came back in just eight months and has been on fire with 16 catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns in just two games. For Durant, eight months — the same timeframe Kobe Bryant took — would mean a February return, which is not out of the question.
Though Nets GM Sean Marks refused to rule Durant out for the season, the feeling within the league is trending toward him potentially playing this season.
An Achilles injury is no joke. That injury has taken the superstar careers of some of the NBA's best, including the likes Kobe Bryant, DeMarcus Cousins, and Isiah Thomas. Durant will certainly take his time to recover from the potentially career-altering injury.
As mentioned in the article, Bryant did take around eight months to recover and eventually take the court again. However, as we saw, Kobe struggled mightily upon his return. Obviously, Durant is a lot younger than Kobe when the latter's injury happened. Nevertheless, Durant is about to turn 31 and has a lot of miles under his legs.
While it is possible that we may see the two-time Finals MVP return this season, it's ultimately up to him whether he feels ready to finally make his much-awaited return to the court.
Follow Us
Subscribe