Heading into free agency, the Kevin Durant situation is arguably the most perplexing among the top superstars set to hit the open market on June 30. After missing nearly a month with a calf strain, Durant returned for a pivotal Game 5 of the NBA Finals and promptly ruptured his Achilles.
That means the two-time Finals MVP will likely miss all of next season as he rehabilitates. But that doesn’t change the fact that he will enter unrestricted free agency this weekend after opting out of the final year of his contract with the Warriors. What happens from here in anybody’s guess.
There have been rumors of late that Durant was less than thrilled with how the team handled his recovery, with Andre Iguodala hitting the press junket for this new book this week and insinuating rather overtly that the team has a penchant for rushing injured players back before they’re ready.
But Steve Kerr was quick to push back against those allegations, telling Tim Kawakami of The Athletic that Durant or his people have never levied any such accusations to that effect, via Bleacher Report.
Kerr told The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami on The TK Show neither Durant nor his representatives have indicated they were unhappy with how the medical process played out as he received clearance and returned to the court.
“We had not only our staff but Kevin’s own personal specialist and then a third independent specialist all clear him to play,” Kerr said. “All three after the fact were shocked at what proceeded with the Achilles. They all said it was the first time they had ever seen this.”
Despite his injury, Durant is set to be arguably the most coveted of the free agents this offseason. The rumor that’s gained the most traction includes him teaming up with Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, though he’s also been linked to the Knicks and Clippers in various scenarios.
Regardless, the Warriors plan on offering him a max deal the moment free agency begins. Still, the question remains whether this perception will come back to haunt the Warriors if Durant does indeed decide to go elsewhere this summer.
