Kevin Durant missed a month with what the Warriors called a strained calf. Golden State never released a long-term timeline for his recovery, prompting near-daily questions about when he’d return. Some Warriors reportedly grew frustrated Durant remained sidelined so long.
What was that period like for Durant?
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports:Family, teammates and confidants routinely checked on Durant during his quest to rejoin his guys on the court. Each time, Durant explained that he was working to speed up the process but was still experiencing discomfort pushing off his right foot, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Sources described Durant as being in agony because he was unable to help his teammates.
Like with the frustration reports, leakers have agendas. Haynes sources clearly want to paint Durant in the most favorable light.
But they also have the benefit of the facts supporting their narrative.
Durant’s devastating injury last night shows just how tenuous the situation was. Durant sacrificed his body – maybe for years to come – in an attempt to help his team when it needed him most.
Durant is a tremendous competitor who cares about his teammates. It’s a shame he had to suffer this injury for people to realize it.
This characterization also intensifies questions about the Warriors clearing Durant. Bob Myers passionately defended Golden State’s medical staff, and injuries aren’t totally preventable. But did the Warriors expose Durant to too much risk by playing him? It’s an impossible question to answer authoritatively without seeing medical data, but Durant can provide valuable perspective.
At some point, we’ll hear directly from him instead of anonymous sources.