NBA Rumors: Nets Cautioned About Durant Debut, Early Struggles Expected

The Brooklyn Nets are hoping to strike it big next NBA season especially once Kevin Durant is given the green light to play. And while most know what the former NBA Most Valuable Player can do, most should not expect the same old KD coming out in the early part of the 2020-21 NBA season.

Of course, Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson is likely aware of this already. In fact, it won't come as a surprise if the two-time NBA champion would be placed on restricted minutes. For Tim Bontemps of ESPN, there is a possibility that Durant will have the worst season of his pro career. He believes that the fact that the 31-year-old star is coming off a delicate Achilles injury would indicate Durant will need time to get his groove back.

“It’s all relative. In the worst year of his career, he might be the 25th-best player in the league, and they might win 50 games. I just don’t see them being a realistic contender barring some moves,” he said.

Bontemps may have a point and Durant is likely to play with extreme caution. But seeing him have the worst year of his NBA career may be up for debate. It would depend on how he is utilized. When he was still with the Warriors, KD came back in the NBA Finals and showed he can still play at a certain level. For the Nets, it could be spot minutes. But for as long as he is helping the team, Atkinson and his teammates are unlikely to mind.

A good example would be DeMarcus Cousins of the Los Angeles Lakers. When he was still with the Dubs, Boogie struggled to get back to form. Worse, he seemed fragile with other injuries popping up. Cousins may have rushed himself back to play for the Dubs and now he is paying the price with recurring and new injuries moving forward.

Durant already did the right thing by sitting out this season to allow him to fully heal. Considering the sensitive nature of his Achilles injury, sticking to his schedule is the most logical thing, the New York Post reported.

The Nets are 25-28 in the NBA Eastern Conference and seem on course to the NBA playoffs. It would be best to note that they are doing it even without Kyrie Irving on the floor. Though not all may be back next season, Atkinson will not rely solely on Durant or Irving. Hence, whether Durant has a bad year or not next NBA season may not matter for as long as the team is performing well.