There was a rumour that Kevin Durant could return to the court at some point in 2019-20, but the Brooklyn Nets aren't expecting him to suit up this season.
"His rehab is going very well," Nets general manager Sean Marks said at a news conference on Tuesday. "With Kevin, I think what we're going to say is the expectations are that he will be out for the year. We're not going to plan on playing (him). His rehab will obviously be predetermined over the course of the next few months — how he goes with our performance team and so forth. But ultimately, Kevin will have a large say in when he comes back and how he's feeling."
"The expectations now for him (is) to be out for the year."
Durant appeared to dispel the rumour himself on Monday with the following tweet:
We need to make this happen
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) September 23, 2019
Durant tore his Achilles in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the series that the 10-time All-Star "is going to miss next season."
Following three seasons with the Warriors, Durant chose to join the Nets on a four-year, $164 million contract this summer. He'll team up with six-time All-Star Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn to form one of the best one-two punches in the league.
The No. 2 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Durant has career averages of 27.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. In addition to 10 All-Star selections, he's a one-time MVP, a two-time champion, a two-time Finals MVP and a four-time scoring champion.