Getty Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving teamed up on the Nets.
The Brooklyn Nets are getting healthier by the day. Earlier this week at practice, Kevin Durant was on the floor, putting up shots.
New York Daily News NBA writer Kristian Winfield documented the workout as Durant could be seen knocking down mid-range set shots with ease.
Need a Kevin Durant injury update? I don’t think we’ve seen him move this well yet
According to Durant’s new boss, this is a big deal and something the entire gym takes notice of.
“He goes out and takes a couple of set shots — not jumpers — and the whole gym stops,” Nets GM Sean Marks told EPSN via Nets Daily. “You can hear a pin drop. That’s great for our guys because they sense this guy is waiting in the wings. We’re not waiting for him, but man, it’s kind of a cool feeling to know he’s coming.”
According to Marks, Durant will miss the entire season with a ruptured Achilles tendon which occurred in last season’s NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. The Golden State Warriors lost the series in six games, then lost Durant to Brooklyn a few weeks later.
KD will be on the bench when the Nets begin a crucial five-game road trip this Friday with a west-coast matchup against the Portland Trailblazers.
Follow the Heavy on Nets Facebook page for all the latest stories, rumors and viral content!
Durant Describes Achilles Injury
Kevin Durant will never forget Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. After battling back from a similar injury that kept him sidelined for much of the playoffs, Durant re-injured his right Achilles, ending his postseason and his tenure with the Warriors.
Golden State rallied to win Game 5 despite being without the former NBA MVP, however, the Raptors responded on the road, winning Game 6 to capture the title, with KD watching from the sidelines.
Durant has since opened up about the injury, recalling what he was thinking the moment after he went down.
“It’s crazy how much your mind switches, the next second I was on the ground thinking about my whole basketball career,” Durant said during a one-on-one interview with former teammate Serge Ibaka.
KD Reveals Top 5 Players to Watch
Kevin Durant has a Mount Rushmore of basketball players. The injured Net spent some time on the set of ESPN’s First Take last week, dishing about his beef with Draymond Green and his favorite players to watch in the NBA.
“I’m going to give you the five players I like in the league,” Durant said. “Obviously Kyrie, Lebron, James Harden, Joel Embiid and I’m missing a lot of guys I enjoy, but Damian Lillard is probably the last guy.”
Durant signed a max deal with the Nets to play alongside Kyrie earlier this summer. KD will have plenty of time to watch some of his favorites on the floor as he continues to miss time with an Achilles injury.
“There are so many players to name just five but all of those guys, I enjoy watching them play,” Durant added.
READ NEXT: Kyrie Irving Matches NBA Legend With Ridiculous Start
Follow Jared Smith on Twitter: @jaredleesmith