Kevin Durant fully cleared for training camp, has no restrictions
The self-proclaimed "best player in the world" is about to enter training camp without anything holding him back from proving it.
Kevin Durant is completely healed in his recovery from a third surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his right foot, Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Wednesday. Durant has been fully cleared for camp, without any restrictions, and is already playing 5-on-5.
After injuring the foot last preseason, Durant underwent surgery to put a screw down the center of his fifth metatarsal and missed the first month of the season. Durant then had a second surgery to replace the screw, as the original was irritating an adjacent bone, but the fracture recurred, and Durant ultimately underwent a bone graft to remedy the issue, ending his season in February.
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The former MVP deemed himself 100 percent healed in August, but questions remained about whether Durant would be ready for contact when camps open next week.
Entering the season at full health is paramount for Durant and the Thunder, who face a pivotal 2015-16 season together. Durant will become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and the Thunder have acted as if this season is an all-out attempt to convince him to stay, bringing in new head coach Billy Donovan and spending into the luxury tax.
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Presti deferred to Donovan, Durant, and the team's medical staff when asked about a potential cut in minutes for the superstar this coming season, which will likely be one of Donovan's first major calls. The 26-year-old averaged 33.8 minutes last season but averaged 38.9 over the six seasons prior.
That's not a decision that needs to be made before the season, nor is it one that has to be static once things get underway. While the Western Conference will be fiercely competitive as always, the Thunder are strong and deep enough to bring Durant along slowly if required.
In 27 games in 2014-15, Durant averaged 25.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, shooting 51 percent from the floor and 40.3 percent from long range. Unbelievably, those numbers were a far cry from his 2013-14 production, when he helped lead the Thunder to the Western Conference finals before an injury to Serge Ibaka stalled their push to the NBA Finals.
With a healthy Durant, Russell Westbrook, Ibaka, and more depth than they've enjoyed in recent seasons, the Thunder are primed to make another deep run. They currently hold the fourth-best odds to win the NBA championship, according to most bookmakers, trailing only the defending-champion Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs in the West.