Kevin Durant hasn’t played a game for the Brooklyn Nets yet. However, that could change when the NBA season resumes.
Durant hasn’t played this season because he’s recovering from a torn Achilles tendon injury that he suffered in last year’s NBA Finals. With the NBA set to resume its season on July 31 after being on hiatus due to the coronavirus, there is speculation on whether Durant will return or not.
Is it realistic to expect Durant to return at the end of July? Yes.
He has had lots of time to recover and should be healthy when the season resumes.
Durant has had 13 months to recover from his Achilles injury. Kobe Bryant returned from Achilles surgery after seven months, Rudy Gay returned after nine months, Wes Matthews returned after seven months and Dominique Wilkins returned after nine months.
NBA players with Achilles tears typically needed almost 9 months to recover, and they tended to have a significant reduction in both playing time and performance in the season following the trauma, according to a list compiled by @ESPNStatsInfo. https://t.co/ouEU0Mf8uR pic.twitter.com/EKDG1dLJKC
— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) June 11, 2019
In March, Durant was taking part in five-on-five scrimmages, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. If Durant can participate in scrimmages, he can likely play when the season resumes. Durant would give the Nets a major boost as they pursue an NBA title.
Caesars Sportsbook has lowered the Nets’ championship odds from 750-1 to 60-1. Right nowm the Nets are the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.
“I would rather be cautious and deal 60-1 than get hurt when we hear news [of Durant and Irving returning],” Caesars director of trading Jeff Davis told Doug Kezirian of ESPN. “I don’t want to post 150-1 odds, and the problem is you take a bet of a couple thousand and it pays $300,000 and you’re stuck if [Durant is] good.”
There is a possibility that Kyrie Irving could come back as well. If Durant and Irving come back, the Nets could be very hard to beat.
Durant should come back when the NBA season resumes on July 31. He will be healthy and fully recovered and can help the Nets win a championship.
