Kevin Durant Confirms He’s Out For The Season

Kevin Durant stated yesterday that he won’t be back for the playoffs this season and that he plans to finish his recovery procedure without any pressure whatsoever.

The superstar forward finally stopped all the rumors that circulated in the NBA community, stressing that even though he feels ok, there is no need to rush into anything.

“My season is over. I don’t plan on playing at all. We decided last summer when it first happened that I was just going to wait until the following season,” Durant said.

He would also add that he never intended to play in the first place and that the playoff intensity is something he wouldn’t be able to keep up with properly.

Kevin Durant rules out returning in the 2019-2020 season

"My season is over. I don't plan on playing at all."

(via @MarcJSpearsESPN) pic.twitter.com/4D9LjI6WkZ

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 6, 2020

After Brooklyn Nets’ GM Sean Marks sparked the speculations with his interview in which he left a possibility of seeing KD back in action this season, the media and the fans went wild. The former New Zealand international made a few comments, which suggested that Durant feels ready to play. Ever since, KD’s status is among the most popular topics in the media.

Now, this saga is finally finished. It might be a disappointing outcome for the fans, but long-term it is the best possible solution for the player and the franchise. The 31-year old explained why he decided to skip this year’s restart and come back at the start of the next campaign.

“I had to reset and totally focus on just me and what I wanted out of this thing,” Durant said. “For the first time, I felt like I was in my own space rehabbing…. I could really take my time and focus on myself each and every day.”

The two-time NBA Finals MVP and the 2014 NBA MVP revealed his experiences in the past in situations like this one. The constant pressure of posting good results, and chasing the title first in OKC and then in Golden State never allowed KD to fully recover his body. He would always look to shorten the period of rehabilitation and come back on the floor as soon as possible. Eventually, all that led to this.

All this is the main reason why he takes his time right now. While recovering his ACL, Durant also “resets” his body and mind, as he said, which is something he wanted for a long time.

2019 and 2020 haven’t been good years for the veteran. He would lose the NBA finals, pick up two injuries, and in the end, catch the COVID-19 virus. Now, he is on his way to bounce back into the saddle.

His Nets will sacrifice for one more year before attacking the throne. Even though they are in the playoff zone, nobody expects them to do anything notable in the offseason. No doubt, that wouldn’t be the case if Durant started playing, but that might jeopardize the long-term plans of the franchise from Brooklyn.

Durant and Kyrie Irving, who is also out for the season, should form a duo capable of attacking the title. Irving played 20 games this season, but his shoulder problems forced him to undergo season-ending surgery, and he too is in the process of rehabilitation. Right now, it seems that neither of them would travel to Orlando to be with the team once the restart begins.

Nets are seventh in the East half a game ahead of the Magic.