Injured Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant recently made it clear and official this that he will not return this season. Likewise, Kyrie Irving is also likely done for the year after he said he said he could join the team in Orlando but as an inactive player.
With Irving and Durant out for the postseason run, the Nets could look to replace their two injured stars, sources reportedly told Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks of ESPN. According to Woj, the Brooklyn franchise is “expected to have the option to sign players to fill the roster spots” left by the two superstars.
Many speculated that Durant and Irving would return for Brooklyn when the 2019-20 season resumes this July following the lengthy layoff due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, it seems like the Nets are playing it safe with their star tandem.
The NBA is also discussing on how teams can replace players who may get injured or infected with the coronavirus once play resumes. Teams are hopeful that the league will allow them to bring their players under two-way deals to Orlando, which would give them a safety blanket in the case a player goes down with an injury or worse, catches the COVID-19 disease.
Players who may get infected with COVID-19 are expected to undergo quarantine. This may take seven to 14 days. By having their two-way players on standby in Orlando, teams no longer need to worry about sending them in mid-season and waiting for them to finish their respective quarantines when they arrive.
As for the Nets, ruling out Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving is the right move. KD was never expected to make a return this season anyway. Bringing him for competitive games in the postseason, especially coming from a very serious Achilles injury, poses a ton of risks.
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