Kevin Durant will not join the Brooklyn Nets inside the Disney World complex on July 30 because of rehab and the fear of COVID-19.
22 NBA teams are set to join the NBA restart on July 30 in the Disney World complex. Unfortunately, more and more players are contracting the virus a month before the target start date. As such, some players have already opted out of playing because of contracting COVID-19.
Two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant for his part will neither suit up nor even join his team inside the Disney World complex.
Kevin Durant will not join the Brooklyn Nets
Durant signed a 4-year AU$ 237million contract last offseason and he was one of the biggest signings then. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to play for the Nets because of his Achilles tendon rehab. Despite having three months of time to heal because of COVID-19, Durant will still not be joining the Nets in the quest for an NBA championship this season.
Despite earlier reports, Kevin Durant believes that he still has to continue his rehab for his Achilles. Even if he’s already fully healed, he thinks that he still probably won’t join his team in the NBA restart. He said,
“I feel, me right now, I probably wouldn’t have played because the unknown going into that situation looks crazy right now, seeing so many new cases. It’s just so unpredictable. It’s easy for me to say right now because I’m injured, but I probably wouldn’t have went down there.”
Brooklyn Nets will be shorthanded
The Nets are currently sitting on the seventh spot in the East. In fact, they already have a ticket to Playoffs in principle. However, their situation is far from ideal. They will enter the NBA restart severely shorthanded.
The shorthandedness is a result of multiple players opting out from playing this year starting with Kyrie Irving. The All-star point guard has been the most vocal player about racial injustice since the death of George Floyd. He’s joined by Kevin Durant who is also not suiting up for the Nets.
Just last week, DeAndre Jordan also said that he’s opting out from playing this year because of getting the COVID-19 virus. On the other hand, Spencer Dinwiddie still hasn’t decided whether he’ll suit up or not. Just this week, Dinwiddie contracted the virus but he says he’s feeling fine.
With these players out, the Brooklyn Nets will have to scour deep in their bench just to give a good fight for the top-seeded teams in the East. Otherwise, this is just another lost season for Brooklyn.
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