Kevin Durant Rumors: Nets Star 'Likely to Miss' 1-2 More Weeks with Injury
March 15, 2021
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant has already been out a month with a hamstring injury and is expected to miss more time as he works his way back to the court, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
"The Nets are being cautious with the ramp-up of All-Star Kevin Durant, meaning he's likely to miss another one-to-two weeks," Charania reported.
Durant, an 11-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA team member and two-time NBA champion, has averaged 29.0 points on 52.4 percent shooting, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists this year.
He's helped the Nets earn a 26-13 record and a second-place mark in the Eastern Conference.
Durant has been sidelined numerous times this season in his comeback year following missing the entire 2019-20 campaign with a ruptured Achilles.
The 32-year-old had to go through a seven-day quarantine due to contact tracing/exposure to COVID-19 in early January, per Charania. He missed three games as a result.
He sat out a Dec. 28 matchup versus the Memphis Grizzlies (rest) and a Jan. 22 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers (Achilles injury). He also missed the Jan. 29 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to injury recovery and rest.
Durant was then withdrawn from the starting lineup in a Feb. 5 game against the Toronto Raptors due to the league's health and safety protocols before being allowed to play. However, he was then pulled for good in the third quarter and missed three games afterward.
He returned on Feb. 13 against the Golden State Warriors but then picked up a left hamstring strain that has caused him to miss 11 regular-season games already as well as the March 7 All-Star Game.
Bruce Brown has replaced Durant in the starting lineup. He has averaged 8.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this season.
The Nets have fared well with James Harden and Kyrie Irving leading the way in Durant's absence, but KD's presence obviously makes Brooklyn one of the best teams in the league, if not the best.
A healthy Durant, alongside the continued success of Irving and Harden, would go a long way toward the Nets reaching their first NBA Finals since 2003 and perhaps winning their first-ever league championship.