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The return of the NBA season opens up the possibility of Kevin Durant making his Brooklyn Nets debut.
Durant’s representatives and the Nets have quashed any talk of it. He is waiting for next season is the party line.
Although it is worth noting that Rich Kleiman previously suggested Durant could take part in the now-postponed 2020 Olympics. They were due to take place around the time the NBA season should resume.
As recently as Sunday, ESPN’s Malika Andrews gave it a 2 out of 10 chance of happening when speaking on The Hoop Collective. Andrews attributed that to the unpredictable nature of Durant, but stressed the most likely outcome is that he sits out the remaining games of this season (whatever shape that takes).
Sean Marks, in an interview on New Zealand radio show, said Durant’s return is the ‘$110 million question’. Which, while provoking discussion, is objectively true. Durant wasn’t fussed with the comments, stating he knows everyone is awaiting his comeback.
Durant said on Lil Wayne’s Young Money Radio Tuesday in May, “A lot of emotions involved. So I get it. I understand the business now. But I’ll be back when it’s time.”
As anyone with even a passing interest in the NBA knows, Durant does what Durant wants. He’s earned the right to do that, but he can change his mind.
No one apart from Durant knows how likely it really is that he plays in these playoffs. Adrian Wojnarowski effectively ruled it out on his recent podcast with Zach Lowe. Wojnarowski is as informed as anyone in the game, and maybe it’s still very unlikely Durant plays.
If he’s healthy, though, if he’s coping well in five-on-five practice, could the lure of competitive basketball against the game’s best be too much to turn down?
Should he opt for a comeback this season, it moves onto the next question of how close he is to the player that won back-to-back Finals MVPs with the Golden State Warriors. It’s an injury that has derailed careers.
Durant has recovered superbly from other injuries in his career, and his unicorn skillset makes him less reliant on athleticism than others. If the Nets are to transform into a 2020 dark horse, though, they need Durant somewhere near his best considering Kyrie Irving is very unlikely to make it back following surgery in February.
Maybe Eastern Conference rivals aren’t too keen to see Durant back on the floor. Perhaps some Nets fans would prefer ultra-caution with the franchise’s greatest asset, the man supposed to lead them to a title in the coming seasons.
For the majority, however, it would be a delight to see one of the greatest scorers the game has seen back on the hardwood. It might be a barely notable chance right now, but with Kevin Durant, you never know what’s coming next.
