What happened to Kevin Durant? Explaining freak training injury and return timeline of Suns star
Just three games into his tenure with the Suns, Kevin Durant is back on the sidelines. The former MVP suffered an ankle injury while going through warmups.
While going through his routine, Durant hit a wet spot on the floor while going for a layup. After this nasty slip, the All-Star forward was unable to play in the game due to a sprained ankle.
Kevin Durant took a fall while warming up for his first home game with the Suns π³
He got up after. https://t.co/J8SGlVQahj
Durant got up and took a few more shots after the fall, but was unable to participate in the game itself. This new injury halted his long-awaited home debut with the Phoenix Suns.
Through his first three games with his new squad, Kevin Durant seemed to be fitting like a glove. He averaged close to 27 points per game, while shooting an incredible 69% from the field and 53.8% from beyond the arc.
When can Kevin Durant return to action?
Phoenix Suns fans were hoping for the best with this freak accident, but that wasn't the case. Recent reports suggest that Kevin Durant could be back on the shelf for multiple weeks as he recovers from this ankle injury.
After the Suns' win over the OKC Thunder on Wednesday, Greg Moore of Arizona Republic reported the latest on Durant. He suffered a grade two ankle sprain and could be out past the start of the postseason.
"The Arizona Republic has learned that there is concern within the organization that Durant has a grade 2 sprain, which would keep him out for between four and six weeks.
"Phoenixβs regular season finale is April 9, meaning itβs possible Durant could miss the remainder of the regular season and potentially the start of the playoffs."
This is devastating news for the Suns as they prepare for a deep playoff run. Now the core of Durant, Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton will have no time to mesh before the postseason.
When Phoenix pulled off the mega-deal for Durant, many expected them to be the NBA's next superteam. Health was a key factor, and we are now starting to see why.
With Kevin Durant once again out for an extended period, Phoenix have a tough challenge ahead of them as they attempt to make a run at the NBA title.
Given the age of some players on the roster, the Suns' window to win a title is small. They will need to hit the ground running in the playoffs when Durant is back to have any shot at maximizing their opportunities.