NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant 'Hopeful' to Return from Knee Injury for Nets 'Very Soon'

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant could be back on the court in the near future.

Appearing on Get Up, ESPN's Nick Friedell said the Nets will provide an official update on Durant's status at some point on Tuesday and they are "hopeful" he will be back "very soon."

Durant had been mostly durable this season until hitting the shelf with a right MCL sprain on Jan. 8. The Nets provided an update on his recovery timeline on Jan. 24, noting that he would resume basketball activities before being re-evaluated in two weeks.

In the 13 games since Durant was sidelined, the Nets have gone 5-8. When the 13-time All-Star does return, he will be coming to a very different Brooklyn team.

The Nets traded Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris to the Dallas Mavericks for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and three future draft picks.

Brooklyn has five games remaining before the All-Star break.

Durant has been a significant factor for the Nets since signing with the franchise after the 2018-19 campaign. However, he has struggled to stay healthy since, missing the entire 2019-20 campaign with an Achilles injury.

The 34-year-old appeared in just 35 games during the 2020-21 season. He missed Brooklyn's first 28 games while recovering from the Achilles injury before eventually suffering a left hamstring strain that sidelined him for 23 games.

During the 2021-22 season, Durant appeared in just 55 games because of a left MCL sprain.

When healthy, Durant is an impact player. In 39 games during the 2022-23 season, he is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 blocks while shooting 55.9 percent from the floor and 37.6 percent from deep.

The Nets sit fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 32-21 record and will need Durant healthy if they hope to contend with the likes of the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks for the conference crown.