Kevin Durant was sidelined for over a month after suffering a calf injury in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals. With Durant being cleared to play, the anticipation was at an all-time high. The Warriors, down 3-1 in the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, needed all the help they could get. In Game 5, Durant finally returned. However, it didn’t last long. Durant dropped 11 points in 12 minutes of play. But, with 9:46 left in the second quarter, he reinjured the right leg that kept him out of action. Later, in the postgame press conference, Warriors GM Bob Myers hinted at an Achilles but not the severity. An MRI confirmed our nightmares – the Kevin Durant Achilles injury was a tear.
Durant will miss the remainder of the finals. The next chapter for him is free agency. All season long there has been speculation as to where Durant will take his talents. However, with Durant sustaining an injury to that extent, free agency plans for all teams may have changed. We recognize the type of player that Durant is, but there are now questions about how long it will take him to recover or if he’ll return the same player. All of that ties into free agency and teams’ pursuit of him.
Durant Shouldn’t Have Been on the Court
It’s worth noting that Kevin Durant, despite being cleared, shouldn’t have played. It’s understood that it was a must-win game for Golden State. Being down 3-1 on the road to the Raptors means that you need all the firepower you can get. However, that shouldn’t have come at the expense of Kevin Durant.
According to reports, Kendrick Perkins had a conversation with Durant where KD gave the impression that being somewhat healthy wasn’t the reason he played. The reason Durant reportedly did play was because of the chatter from the media and fans about his heart. Durant has been heavily criticized ever since his move to Golden State. After he wasn’t active for Game 4, it was put into question as to whether or not Durant even wanted to play.
KD simply played to shut all of us up. He had something to prove and he did just that. Although the end of his season came abruptly, Durant showed all of us the heart he has. This Achilles tear was because Durant wasn’t fully recovered. Even with Golden State saying that they wanted to bring him back at 75-80 percent, he looked as if he was worse than that. Durant was playing to prove a point, and that’s why I think he shouldn’t have played. It’s not just that, though. The Warriors are capable of winning without him whether it’s on the road or not. There simply shouldn’t have been that much pressure on a return for Durant.
Comparing Durant to Other Notable Stars
Kevin Durant is not the first star to fall victim to an Achilles injury.
Durant’s teammate, DeMarcus Cousins, suffered a torn Achilles last season as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans. Cousins not only missed the remainder of the 2017-18 season but would play only 30 games this season as well. Compared to his time with the Pelicans, Cousins saw a drop-off of 8.9 in his average points per game. Cousins also had a 4.7 drop-off in his average rebound per game. He simply wasn’t the same player.
The Black Mamba suffered the same fate. In April 2013, Kobe tore his Achilles, leading to him missing eight months of action. Returning back from injury in December 2013, Kobe wasn’t the same. Pre-injury, Kobe notched 27.3 points on 45.4% shooting. After the injury, he went on to average 18.9 points on 36.6% shooting in his final three seasons of his career. And, even then, Kobe only played 107 games.
As great as he is, Durant may be next on this list. Both Kobe Bryant and DeMarcus Cousins are players who were thriving before their respective Achilles injuries. The injuries took a major toll on them. Durant came back from a Jones Stress Fracture in 2014, so it may be possible that he can still come back from this injury at the top of his game.
Does a Warriors’ Win Change the Narrative?
The Warriors, without Kevin Durant, still have four other All-Stars on the team. Even after losing a player the caliber of Durant, there’s no doubt that Golden State can win a championship. However, if the Warriors can come back from the 3-1 deficit without him, that may draw him away from Golden State.
Kevin Durant, as he should be, is rooting for a Warriors win because either way he gets the ring that he played a huge part in getting. The narrative will turn to the fact that the Warriors can get the job done without Durant. A Warriors championship will only confirm that Durant was a luxury, not a necessity.
Does a Warriors’ Loss Leave Unfinished Business?
On the flip side, there’s the other scenario that sees the Warriors lose to the Raptors. If this is the case, then Durant may consider running it back one more time. Seeing the Warriors lose may create one of the biggest “what if” possibilities in NBA history. Whether you’re a fan or a member of the media, it’s clear that the Warriors are a different team at full strength. Durant has to recognize this and realize that the Warriors most likely would’ve brought in a third straight championship. This injury, along with a Warriors’ loss, creates the idea that he must re-sign and win the championship that the Warriors deserved.
Time for Teams to Make Alternative Plans?
For the Clippers, Nets, and Knicks, Kevin Durant is at the top of their respective lists of free agents to sign. This injury may force these teams to chase other players this summer. Durant could be out for a majority of the 2019-20 NBA season. This puts a massive dent in the plans of the previously mentioned teams because they’re all expecting to be major contenders next season. There’s still also the possibility that the Warriors lose, leading to a Durant re-signing, which would also be a huge dent in the plans of these teams.
Brooklyn Nets
As for the Nets, they cleared up space for two max contracts. According to reports, these slots were made to sign both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. The prospect of putting these two players on the same roster with the currently signed players makes for a team destined to be a threat in the East. However, with Durant looking at missing much of next season, the Nets may not want Irving or Durant. What made Irving an attractive player was the idea of him complimenting Durant well.
Irving is a superstar, but as we all saw in Boston, he isn’t the player you want leading your team. He can’t be the best player on a championship roster. In other words, without Durant, there’s no championship contender. And, with Kawhi Leonard looking more and more likely to be re-signing with Toronto, the Nets may be out of options. They can always sign Durant and have him sit-out for a very large chunk of the season, but even that’s a huge risk, as no one knows if Durant will be the lethal player he was.
New York Knicks
The case is the same for the New York Knicks. They have the most cap space going into the offseason. This would allow them to sign Kevin Durant and a star to compliment him. This injury puts a massive pause in the Knicks’ plans. With the #3 overall pick in the draft, they hold a massive amount of power. This can be traded for another star (Anthony Davis) or traded down for more picks (Hawks at #8 and #10 overall). Either way, these moves are made to build around Durant who was expected to come to New York.
If Durant is prepared to miss a large part of next season, should the Knicks look at another star? New York wants to contend immediately. Signing an injured Durant and leaving the team in the hand’s of someone who should be the second option will be detrimental towards team success. The Knicks are also a team that was looking to sign Kyrie Irving. According to the multitude of reports, it sounds like their interest in Irving was just to put him alongside Durant. If the Knicks sign Irving but pass on Durant, then they shouldn’t expect to be back in the championship picture anytime soon.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are the most compromised team in this whole situation. Throughout the season, the Clippers have been linked to both Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant. As mentioned previously, chances are Kawhi will re-sign after the Raptors’ magnificent playoff run, and Durant is obviously injured. This leaves the Clippers with no superstars to sign this summer. For Los Angeles, this is especially unfortunate because they’re a team that looks to be one star away from being a serious threat.
Another player that has been linked to the Clippers is Klay Thompson. But, like Kawhi, Klay has an ideal situation with his current team. Thompson, playing the way he is, has to be offered a max contract which puts the Clippers out of the conversation.
Durant, for the Nets, Knicks, and Clippers, was the player that was needed to ensure entry into the championship conversation. However, the injury should make teams hesitant to sign him. We don’t know how Durant will be when he returns or even how much time he’ll miss. All that’s certain is that these teams should look to sign some of the next tiers of free agents that includes Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler, and others.
Opportunity for Small-Market Teams?
Teams may be hesitant to sign Durant to their roster. These same teams are looking to have Durant as their franchise player. To build around Durant, they aim to pair him with another superstar. But, if Durant’s injury/timetable proves to be unattractive to the league’s most-discussed destinations, they may reject other players as well. If a team can’t snag Durant, they should just give up on signing Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker. Why? Because it’ll take more than one star to win a championship. Without Durant, some of these teams will be lost. Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker simply isn’t enough to put a team into the championship conversation.
This creates the perfect opportunity for small-market teams. If big-market teams decline to offer contracts to Irving, Kemba, or any other free agent, this creates the chance for other teams to contend. Perhaps a team such as the Utah Jazz that have a great head coach in Quin Synder.
Utah is projected to have $62.4 million in guaranteed salaries. If Utah can let go of Derrick Favors who holds $16.9 million (team option) in cap room, they create a max slot. Durant’s injury leads to teams passing up on him, thus passing up on the free agents that would’ve been paired with him. This ultimately leads to the idea of a small-market team (ex. Utah Jazz) picking up one of these free agents. In regards to the Jazz, considering Ricky Rubio is due to be a free agent, it only makes sense for them to snag a marquee free agent (Kyrie Irving).
This Injury Changes Everything
Kevin Durant’s injury means more for just him or the Warriors. For the numerous teams who are looking to secure his services, they have much to consider too. In regards to other free agents, they may be hesitant to go to a place they know isn’t fit to win right away. And above all, it no longer is a foregone conclusion that Durant is leaving. He’s a competitor who wants to win at all costs. And, if Golden State can’t get the job done, then Durant, although he should leave, has a reason to stay in Golden State. As for teams looking to sign Durant, they need to start looking at their “plan B’s” if they have them.