Kevin Durant revealed he had surgery on his ruptured Achilles tendon Wednesday.
Now comes the hard part.
Durant faces a long road back in his recovery. Just how long is hard to say right now, but by looking back at the recovery times of other players with similar injuries, we can get a better idea of when he might next be able to play in an NBA game.
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Sportsnet's Faizal Khamisa has done just that, compiling a list of prominent NBA stars that have torn their Achilles tendons and their respective recovery periods.
As you can see, there's a reason why an Achilles injury is considered to be one of the worst an NBA player can suffer. Of those five players on the list, the average recovery time was 280.6 days.
Durant's recovery clock started Wednesday. That average recovery period would have him returning to game action on March 19, 2020. For reference, the Warriors played the final 12 games of their 2018-19 regular-season schedule after March 19 this year.
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So, yes, it's possible Durant could play in an NBA game next regular season. But, as we know, no two bodies are the same, and recovery times vary from individual to individual. Typically, the track record for players returning from Achilles injury has been better for smaller types, and less so for big men.
Durant's current teammate, DeMarcus Cousins, ruptured his Achilles in January of 2018. Not only was his recovery the longest of the five players Khamisa listed, but he also clearly hasn't fully regained the form he had before the injury.
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Whether or not Durant is able to do so is up in the air, and will be for some time. We have no idea how his body will respond, nor do we know which team and doctors will be assisting in his recovery. His impending free agency looms over all of this.
The Warriors are certainly hoping to retain him, but more importantly, they just want to see him back on an NBA court in the not too distant future.
