Former NBA MVP Kevin Durant will not make his Brooklyn Nets debut when the season resumes next month, the New York Post reported yesterday, ending speculation that the veteran forward might salvage some games in the 2019-20 season.
Durant ruptured his right Achilles tendon in the 2019 NBA Finals as a member of the Golden State Warriors. He was traded to the Nets on July 7 under the belief he would miss the entire 2019-20 season because of a lengthy recovery timetable.
While Durant was progressing during his rehab with the Nets, the team will take a cautious approach as the NBA gets set to return. Durant was participating in 5-on-5 scrimmages in March, but has not played to that level since after the season was shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.
He is expected to be ready to participate in training camp for next season. Because of the delayed ending to the 2019-20 season, next season’s training camps will start in November, with the season set to start Dec. 1.
Durant, 31, is a two-time NBA champion and won his lone MVP award in 2013-14. He has averaged 27.0 points and 7.1 rebounds over 12 seasons (849 games) with the Seattle SuperSonics, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Warriors. He has led the NBA in scoring four times, most recently in 2013-14 with the Thunder, when he poured in 32.0 points per game.
—Field Level Media
