And now for a glimmer hope during an otherwise dark time.
Kevin Durant is expected to miss six to eight weeks after suffering a Jones fracture in his right foot. The news came as a shock Sunday, what with Durant being 26 and the poster boy for durability. It got many people wondering whether this could be the start of a tragic downturn in his career.
It apparently shouldn’t be.
Adi Joseph of USA Today spoke with Nick Grosso, “a sports medicine surgeon and president of The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics,” and he painted an optimistic outlook for the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar:
The chances of it being a long-term problem are very low, assuming it is in fact a stress fracture as indicated. He should be pretty much as good as new, with the surgery done correctly. He should do really well.
“Assuming everything heals well, he should be able to ride a stationary bike within a matter of days. Hopefully he won’t get de-conditioned (because he’ll be able to work out), and he should be able to get back to game-type situations at practice and they’ll see how he does.”
Any good news is great news for Durant and the Thunder at this point. Foot injuries and big men—however spindly they are—go together like cinderblocks and glass houses. Durant isn’t your typical big man, but at 6’10”, 6’11”, he’s tall. He also relies on his explosiveness to reach the rim and beat opponents off the dribble. If he can’t attack with his usual fervor upon return, he’s not going to be the same player.
The hope is that he doesn’t go full Brook Lopez. Or, for a more extreme example, Yao Ming. Both are/were centers, but foot issues in general suck, regardless of position or size. There was a time when we were wondering whether Stephen Curry would reach his ceiling thanks to his paper ankles. Physical ailments to that area are just the worst.
But hey, the prognosis from Grosso is good. Durant is young and light, and until now, he’s been one of the most durable players in the NBA. He’s never missed more than eight games in a single season, and he’s missed only two in the last three years. That’s pretty incredible.
The key is to not rush back. The Thunder were cautious when handling Russell Westbrook’s health this past year, so you have to think they’ll take a similar approach with Durant. No point in killing their best player to meet that six-to-eight week timetable unless he’s going to be fully healthy. Risking further injury is of little value to both the team and Durant.
Long-term health has to be the focus. Durant may be headed for free agency in 2016, but the Thunder cannot see that as some sort of deadline or harbinger of doom. They should operate like they’re trying to protect their greatest commodity for the next five, six, seven-plus years. And maybe if they handle this drama with care, Durant’s recovery will go smoothly, which is then perhaps something he’ll remember come 2016…if you know what I mean.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
