Report: Durant hopes to be fully cleared by August, not thinking about 2016
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Kevin Durant made an appearance at the Orlando Summer League on Saturday and provided an update on his pesky right foot.
"We're doing X-rays every two weeks, and it's looking good," he told ESPN's Royce Young. "So I'm excited to get back, man. There's no pain, and looking forward to getting back."
Durant looked noticeably thicker, likely due to being rendered inactive since his most recent surgery on the Jones fracture in his foot.
"I think I gotta lose some weight to be honest," he said. "But I've been putting in a lot of work in the weight room. I haven't moved at all for 12 or 13 weeks, so last week was really the first time I've got on the court and dropped some sweat. I've just been working out in the weight room and eating and just resting up, so like I said last week was really the first time I got on the court."
Durant went under the knife in February- the third attempt to resolve his troublesome injury since last fall. He stated that he hopes to be fully cleared sometime in August, as he now enters "Phase 3" of his rehab - jump shooting drills but no running or cutting yet.
When asked about the news of free agent LaMarcus Aldridge deciding to join the San Antonio Spurs, KD offered his thoughts:
Durant on if he was surprised with LaMarcus Aldridge picking the Spurs: pic.twitter.com/1O7a6ayFLe
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) July 4, 2015
Naturally, the next question for Durant was something to the effect of, "Have you thought about your own upcoming free agency in 2016?"
To which the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar replied:
No, I haven't thought about it. I hear it all the time, but I really am just focusing on rehab. I can't get there unless I take care of today. That's the way I look at it even though I hear it from every side, thinking past to next summer. But I'm not even trying to focus on that. My main thing is just getting rid of distractions and focusing on what I have to do. I just can't wait to play the game I love again. That's all I'm focused on.
This reassurance, if it can be called that, will have to suffice for now, as Durant enters the final year of his contract. He will make $20.1 million in 2015-16 and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.