5 Biggest Things We're Looking Forward to from Kevin Durant's Return

The biggest story going into the 2015-16 campaign is the return of Kevin Durant after a season derailed by three foot surgeries and 55 missed games. With Durant expected to be ready for the Oklahoma City Thunder's opening tip in October, his profound impact on the game will give the basketball world plenty to look forward to.

There are many factors that make the upcoming season pivotal for Durant that go beyond coming back from the first major injury of his career. KD will also juggle questions about his future as the countdown to his 2016 free agency commences and the debut of new coach Billy Donovan while trying to lead arguably the best Thunder roster in history to an elusive NBA championship. 

Durant told DailyThunder's Royce Young he expects to be back on the court in August, but Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman reported on July 21 that Durant was in Los Angeles putting in work with teammate Russell Westbrook.

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On Monday morning, Durant and Westbrook went through a workout together on UCLA's campus—under the watchful eye of Donovan—navigating through some individual shooting and skill drills. By Tuesday morning, in that same gym near Beverly Hills, the two superstars were joined by a load of teammates and support staff.

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The closer Durant gets to being 100 percent, the more anticipation will grow for his triumphant return. While last season had its share of excitement, it didn't feel the same without the NBA's second-best player electrifying crowds with his display of otherworldly offensive skills. 

With so much at stake for both Durant and the Thunder, the new season is sure to give us all plenty of reasons to be on the edge of our seats.

A Healthy Kevin Durant

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Durant ended his 2014-15 season with an impressive stat line of 25.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists while shooting 51 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from three. His 121 points per 200 possessions were the third-highest of his illustrious career, per Basketball Reference. 

However, the most important number to take away from last season is 27. That's the total number of games the 26-year-old played during the first injury-riddled pro campaign of his career. Before fracturing his foot last October, Durant missed just 16 games in seven years despite being routinely among the league leaders in usage rate.

Durant underwent a bone-graft procedure in March that, according to ESPN's Stephania Bell, should finally put his foot troubles to rest. "The concern for many fans now is whether Durant will be able to return to the player he was just a year ago and if it can happen in time for next season.

"The answer to both questions is, simply, yes."

Still, the NBA is filled with plenty of horror stories about players who were unable to shake the injury-prone label after their first major setback. While it will be great to see KD back on the court, it's natural to wonder how long he'll stay there. For both Thunder and basketball fans alike, the hope is Durant can stay on the floor.

The Billy Donovan Factor

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Former Thunder coach Scott Brooks was routinely knocked for his lack of offensive creativity and dependency on the team's stars to get a rhythm going. Despite those reported limitations, Durant managed to win four scoring titles and the 2014 Most Valuable Player award.

Now, with experienced basketball mind Billy Donovan taking over from Brooks, is it possible the new sultan of the sidelines can make KD even better? Donovan sure hopes so, according his July 8 interview with Young.

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All I want to be able to do—and I've said this since the very first day of the press conference—is bring value to the organization, bring value to the team, and try and help as much as I can. How do I day-by-day help Kevin, help Russell, help the rest of the guys inside of what they're trying to do to become better players, our team to become better.

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Donovan's emphasis on ball movement and putting players in better positions to make plays will make for a refreshing change from Brooks' iso-heavy scheme. While Durant was productive under Brooks, it will be interesting to see if a new approach unearths something within KD that was previously unseen under the old regime. 

Durant's relationship with Donovan and vice versa will be key to the Thunder's season. The duo has spent a lot of time together this offseason, including picking each other's brain during the summer league. Developing a strong bond will be crucial going forward.  

Durant emerged as one of the game's best players under Brooks' watch, but the possibility of Donovan raising the ceiling of a future Hall of Fame talent adds even more excitement to KD's return. 

The Inside-Outside Combo of Enes Kanter and Kevin Durant

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Nenad Krstic. Chris Wilcox. Kurt Thomas. Nick Collison. Kendrick Perkins. Steven Adams.

Those are some of the big men Durant has played alongside during his eight years in the NBA. While each brought a different element to the table, none were the kind of low-post scoring presence who could take pressure off KD. In fact, the case can be made that Krstic, who averaged 9.7 points in 2008-09, was the best offensive center Durant has ever played with.

That will change this upcoming season when Durant is paired with Enes Kanter, who scored 18.7 points per game over 26 contests after being acquired by the Thunder in February. The good news is after the team opted to match the Portland Trail Blazers' four-year, $70 million offer sheet, Kanter will be around for the long haul. The bad news is Durant and Kanter spent less time on the court together than it took to read this sentence. 

Kanter made his OKC debut on Feb. 21, which was two days after Durant played what would be his last game of the 2014-15 season. With Durant and Serge Ibaka sidelined, Kanter was able to moonlight as the team's second scoring option behind Westbrook. With the gang back healthy, Kanter's role is bound to change.

However, whether he gets the starting nod or comes off the bench, Kanter will eventually team with Durant in what is sure to be a pick-your-poison offensive lineup. With Kanter commanding attention inside, opposing defenses can no longer double team Durant without consequences.

The basketball world has never seen what Durant can do when paired with an offensive-minded center. Much like the arrival of Donovan's pace-and-space scheme, an inside-outside combination of Kanter and Durant could potentially bring even more out of the game's most gifted scorer, which is a nightmare for defenses and a dream come true for anyone with NBA League Pass. 

The Reunion of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook

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To quote Peaches and Herb, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are "reunited, and it feels so good." 

As breathtaking as Westbrook's second half was (31.4 points, 9.9 assists, 8.6 boards, nine triple-doubles), it was missing one key component: Durant. The duo played together just once after the All-Star break, robbing basketball fans of seeing the game's best one-two punch attempt to carry the Thunder into the postseason and make a spirited run.

Westbrook did his best to put the team on his back in Durant's absence but fell just a win shy of taking Oklahoma City to the playoffs. 

The bright side is the Thunder buddies could be back and better than ever in 2015-16. With his peers enjoying increased success and a return to the court drawing closer, Durant's motivation may be at an all-time high, per Young:

"Just gotta show and prove. I don't deserve to be up there with them this year. Next year is a different story. Sometimes you gotta remind people what you do. They tend to forget."

However, Durant isn't the only person in OKC looking to make others pay for overlooking him. 

Westbrook is coming off a career year (28.1 points, 8.6 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 steals) that has only been matched by a man named Michael Jordan. Despite putting together an all-around season for the ages, he came away empty-handed after being nominated in three categories at the first NBPA Players Awards, which should only motivate the Long Beach Blur to raise his game even higher. 

The basketball world should rejoice that KD and Russ are once again back in business.

The Oklahoma City Thunder's Quest for an NBA Championship

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As deep and talented as the Western Conference is, the Thunder's greatest opponent the past three years has been themselves. Injuries have hindered the club's quest for an NBA title, from Westbrook's torn meniscus and Ibaka's quad in 2013 to last year's debacle that kept the team out of the playoffs altogether.

This summer, Thunder general manager Sam Presti made sure he covered all of his bases to ensure the franchise ends the upcoming season with a championship banner instead of an offseason filled with "what ifs."

Find a new coach who can pick up where Scott Brooks left off? Check. Hire a great staff to help Billy Donovan's transition? Check. Re-sign Enes Kanter and Kyle Singler? Check. Add talent through the draft? Check. Open up a roster spot for promising 2014 first-rounder Josh Huestis, the NBA's first domestic draft-and-stash pick? Check. 

The end result is arguably the deepest and most talented roster in Thunder history led by a man with two NCAA championships under his belt. According to SI.com's Chris Mannix, putting together this collection couldn't have come at a better time.

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Durant’s free agency has already cast a long shadow over this team, and that shadow will only grow as we inch toward next summer. But while speculation will run rampant, Presti is doing the only thing he can—putting together a deep, talented team with the potential for long-term success.

Time and again, Durant has expressed one desire: To win. And while so many teams are gutting their rosters to create the cap space necessary to sign Durant, Oklahoma City has quietly put together a superior one around him.

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While Presti did an excellent job of building the biggest star in team history, Oklahoma City's greatest addition next season will be a healthy Durant. His ability to return to form for 82 games and the playoffs is the Thunder's biggest X-factor next season, even more so than Donovan's transition or any individual improvement by the rest of the squad. 

Without Durant, the sum of OKC's remaining parts—provided they stay healthy—can still get fans excited about a possible playoff spot. However, with Durant at 100 percent, the prospect of a ticker-tape parade in Oklahoma City becomes a tangible reality instead of a distant dream.