Kevin Durant out for Nets vs. Thunder Because of Achilles Surgery Recovery

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant will not play against his former team when the Nets face the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road on Friday night.

The Nets announced that KD will sit out as part of his continued recovery from the surgery he underwent to repair a torn Achilles after the 2019 NBA Finals.

Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season while rehabbing, but Friday's absence is a case of limiting his workload, and it will likely continue to be something the Nets do throughout the campaign.

Few players in the NBA are as irreplaceable as Durant, whose scoring ability, defensive intensity and court vision make him one of the top athletes in the league.

Even with Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the roster, the 32-year-old creates more mismatches and allows head coach Steve Nash to alter the offense in ways the other two Big 3 members cannot. 

Through 15 games this season, Durant is averaging 30.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 blocks.

Making up for those numbers won't be easy. 

Durant last missed time on Jan. 22 when the Nets rested him in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nash decided to use Bruce Brown in the starting lineup, with the shooting guard recording eight points and three rebounds in 23 minutes. 

Brown is likely to see his playing time increase again with Durant sidelined. Landry Shamet, Jeff Green and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot can all expect their usage to tick up as well.