Kevin Durant Achilles Injury Mega-Thread (Keep discussion here, please)

[Seralin]

With all due respect, why is everyone acting like Durant is going to die? Hes only 30. Havent numerous athletes come back from this injury? Durant has lived a fantastic life, and is only 30, hes not dying. Hes going to play ball and continue his career.

Historical data on the NBA players coming back from such injury is a depressing one. He may still come back as a late years Nowitzki, and that means playing as a 35+ year old version of himself rather than 30-31 year old version of his uninjured self, and to me that says a lot about expectations.
In any case, New York teams and Clippers will probably change their plans.

[Luigi]

It's a small part of his legacy. But I was impressed that he was willing to risk so much for a team that didn't seem to value him properly.

221 million max deal
free agency team building
image restoration

He put that all on the line for the potential 3 peat. That's a bad move by him, but impressive all the same.

[poomaster]

This is actually a very sad moment for NBA basketball, one of the greatest players of this generation may have an injury that will now cut his prime. Coming back from an achilles to full force has almost never been done. Kobe was a shell of himself. Nique I think took 2 years to recover. Sad day for basketball all around.

[TheBallsDeeper]

Watching the game live when KD was on the bench taking a break I saw them strapping ice to his lower leg. I thought at the time why the hell would you do that, surely he needs to warm up before going back out, otherwise, he is going to tear something.

It's just common sense that you don't go straight into explosive physical activities straight after icing a muscle. How did the GSW staff get that so wrong?

[DonaldSanders]

It's a small part of his legacy. But I was impressed that he was willing to risk so much for a team that didn't seem to value him properly.

221 million max deal
free agency team building
image restoration

He put that all on the line for the potential 3 peat. That's a bad move by him, but impressive all the same.

Is that a bad move, or is it the heart of someone who deeply just wants to win and play for his team? If anyone else had done what he did I think they'd be given teammate/heart accolades forever.

Maybe KD thought he could image restore by playing savior, I don't know, but he took a big risk for us and I respect it. He also knows if he's injured he can get any contract he wants from us (1 yr, 1+1 w/ option, Max)

[DavidSterned]

Just kinda seals the Greek tragedy-esque arc of KD's career IMO

1. Drafted by Seattle, who were then promptly robbed of their team
2. Quickly ascended to make the Finals with an OKC squad who promptly pissed it away with an all time terrible trade
3. With further thanks to a combination of injuries and a horrific chokejob, never made it back to that stage again with OKC
4. Made a horrifically short-sighted decision to sign with a Warriors team for some cheap and easy championships, completely soiling his once sterling reputation overnight and becoming a punchline
5. Sacrificed his long-term health at the 11th hour during what was always likely to be his last run with the team, and effectively ended his prime overnight thanks to horrific medical mismanagement

He's an all time great for sure but I look at his entire career and just feel such a strong sense of sadness about it all...

[Luigi]

It's a small part of his legacy. But I was impressed that he was willing to risk so much for a team that didn't seem to value him properly.

221 million max deal
free agency team building
image restoration

He put that all on the line for the potential 3 peat. That's a bad move by him, but impressive all the same.

Is that a bad move, or is it the heart of someone who deeply just wants to win and play for his team? If anyone else had done what he did I think they'd be given teammate/heart accolades forever.

Maybe KD thought he could image restore by playing savior, I don't know, but he took a big risk for us and I respect it. He also knows if he's injured he can get any contract he wants from us (1 yr, 1+1 w/ option, Max)

Like I said, impressive move, for the reasons you mention (heart/team). But bad move, since he should be building his top 10 player all time legacy the next two years instead of rehabbing.

[His Airness 23]

He’s a player that Made a bad decision to sign with the Golden State in the first place, and now he made another bad decision to play tonight.

My opinion on him hasn’t changed, he’s a coward who joined the team he couldn’t beat.

[Hroz]

To be honest Durant needs to stop caring about what the eff others say about him.

You see that with Kawhi he wouldn't be bullied/pressured into playing. He has guys like Uncle Dennis looking out for him.

The idea some corporate organisation has your best interests at heart is ridiculous. They have the best interest of their share holders at heart.

Bad comparison.

Greg Popovich & Spurs never wanted to force Kawhi playing through his injury...

If anything, they wanted Kawhi to announce that he's sitting out for an entire season.

On more than one occasion, Popovich begged Leonard to let him announce to the media that the forward would be forced to sit out the season due to his injury, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Believing he'd eventually return, Leonard declined each time, leaving Popovich to field queries from the media that he couldn't definitively answer. Popovich simply didn't know.

Leonard left the team on two occasions last season to rehab in New York with members of the Spurs rehabilitation staff in tow to work in concert with the forward's outside medical personnel, utilizing its rehab program.

The Spurs still believed the relationship was worth salvaging, and Popovich traveled to Southern California ahead of the NBA draft to meet with Leonard as a first step toward reconciliation.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24128459/without-kawhi-leonard-san-antonio-spurs-fast-forward-uncertain-future-nba

I mean there is also this in the same article.

Leonard wanted out of San Antonio for myriad reasons. He felt betrayed by the team for the handling of the quadriceps injury that kept him out of all but nine games last season -- plus, Leonard's camp believes the Spurs misdiagnosed a 2014 wrist injury as well -- and also for the resistance encountered from the franchise when seeking outside opinions. Not to mention what seemed to be public questioning of the situation by members of the organization, with sources saying the forward had been medically cleared to play since December.

There were Popovich's constant referrals to Leonard and his "group," biting comments from Parker, who said his own ruptured quadriceps injury the season prior was "100 times worse," as well as the team's players-only meeting with Leonard in March, in which the forward felt ambushed by teammates at Popovich's behest.

"I don't know when he and his group are going to feel like they are ready to go," Popovich said in April. "When he and his group feel ready, then he'll be ready."

Plus Leonard by the sounds of your quote had no idea what the injury was and wanted to win a championship that year. He didn't quit. He was injured.

Also Pop wanted to rule him out so he didn't have to get asked the question constantly sounds ridiculous.

[sacking123]

While I don't think the Warriors' procedures were great with this injury this really calls into question the media and fans.
KD was basically called a liar that the injury wasn't bad enough to sit out. If he had of sat out the series the entire basketball world would have come down on him even harder than they have before, which is saying something and I believe this is what these people wanted.
Either the Raptors win and the narrative is he's a coward for not coming back to help his teammates out, or the Warriors win and the narrative is the Warriors didn't even need him for the other rings etc.
Truly sad because KD seems like a great guy who truly loves the game of basketball.

And a team should definitely max him. Hell it may put a team like my Kings in the discussion, but that's for another thread.

[Patches Perry]

Just kinda seals the Greek tragedy-esque arc of KD's career IMO

1. Drafted by Seattle, who were then promptly robbed of their team
2. Quickly ascended to make the Finals with an OKC squad who promptly pissed it away with an all time terrible trade
3. With further thanks to a combination of injuries and a horrific chokejob, never made it back to that stage again with OKC
4. Made a horrifically short-sighted decision to sign with a Warriors team for some cheap and easy championships, completely soiling his once sterling reputation overnight and becoming a punchline
5. Sacrificed his long-term health at the 11th hour during what was always likely to be his last run with the team, and effectively ended his prime ovenight thanks to horrific medical mismanagement

He's an all time great for sure but I look at his entire career and just feel such a strong sense of sadness about it all...

I'm not a KD fan these days for obvious reasons (see avatar) but I felt that. Injuries and questionable short-sighted decisions took a lot from his career. And he'll still go down top 25 ever at worst but I thought he could have been top 7 or so with more fortunate circumstances.

[Blacksheep25]

Not as a player. All the irritation at him is because he’s a prolific scorer and top 3-4 player. Everyone knew he was great.

As a man it changes it a bit, because his thin-skinned social media episodes were really pathetic. Now they’re more sad than pathetic, and what, it seems, drove him to return most likely. That’s a little less about ego and recognition and more about wanting to be loved, and that’s a better look.

So not basketball legacy, but who he is, and the narrative of his career.

[sikma42]

Honestly, it just reaffirms KD is who I thought he was...he is easily influenced guy with an intense need to liked. Very thin skinned and easily manipulated

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[13th Man]

This interview is disgraceful. Total PR stunt.

- Bad acting from the very start, fumbling around with the mic and papers, pretending to be all disoriented when someone asks a question. Jesus....does anyone actually buy this?

- "If you had to blame anyone, blame me". Then goes to bash the people questioning KD's heart and how badly KD wanted to play. Like you guys played no part in rushing him back huh? Then reveals that no one is to blame really but if someone *had* to.....No Bob. You were right the first time. YOU are to blame. Don't try to deflect and undermine our intelligence.

- Plays dumb to state that there is no correlation between this and the previous injury. Again, how stupid do you think we are? Even if it's not the exact same injury, doesn't take a doctor or genius to consider that injury #2 could have been more susceptible due to injury #1.

Sorry Bob, you've lost all credibility. Take some responsibility and accountability by owning up to this rather than this PR BS.

Seriously, this organization lacks class from the top-down, yet everyone is trying to deflect the negative attention onto Raptors fans that fell prey to mob mentality behaviour. Yes, it was a bad look but Kevin Durant's potential career-limiting injury had everything to do with the Warriors organization and nothing to do with the Raptors fans.

[sikma42]

You guys are so ridiculous and petty and im sure some are jealous and just try to hate on anything related to the Warriors.

And still talking crap about the light years comment when we have made 5 finals in a row, won 3 out of the last 4 championships, have created a team that everyone seems to say is so good it destroyed competition and was unfair for the league. And then our ownership is privately funding a billion dollar arena? Who else has done those things?

And Bob Meyers? This guy is a good guy, a former agent who the players love. If you hear him talk you realize the humanity this guy has, and honestly so much of our team stresses how real life is more important that basketball, Kerr, Curry, Meyers, Klay, etc..

Meyers was there for Kerr when he was fighting through his back injury and always talked about his health before his coaching. This guy organizes a yearly trip to San Quentin prison to play basketball against the inmates and remind them people havent forgotten about them even with their histories. Even brought the championship trophy there.

This guy is a good guy, but people cant let go of rivalries and pettiness for even a minute to even see that. Pretty pathetic.

"Good guy" or not, anyone can f*** up.

Yes and he is saying that people can blame him for that, and im sure in hindsight he would probably do whatever he could to prevent KD from playing even if KD was begging. He and the organization f'd up.

But for people to say that he is faking tears, thats just pathetic.

This interview is disgraceful. Total PR stunt.

- Bad acting from the very start, fumbling around with the mic, pretending to be all disoriented when someone asks a question. Jesus....does anyone actually buy this?

- "If you had to blame anyone, blame me". Then goes to say that no one is to blame really but if someone *had* to. No Bob. You were right the first time. YOU are to blame. Don't try to undermine our intelligence.

- Plays stupid and say that there is no correlation between this and the previous injury. Again, how dumb do you think we are?

Sorry Bob, you've lost all credibility with me. Take some accountability and own up to it sincerely not this BS.

If he said the no correlation part then it sounds like PR and CYA.

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[LKN]

I'm guessing star players are going to be a lot less trusting of team doctors after this (and the Kawhi thing doesn't help either).

It's certainly possible GSs medical staff just screwed up - they are human after all... but if that's the case it's one of the worst screw ups in sports history.

I mean Steve Kerr is claiming the drs told him KD couldn't make the injury worse. Something doesn't add up here. Maybe the initial injury was misdiagnosed.


Crap - freaking crazy ass Barkley was probably right all along

[RalphWiggum]

As much as I think him going to GS was the biggest bitch move in sports history I hope he has a quick recovery. Just getting out there knowing this could be result showed a lot of courage. All the best in his recovery.

[RalphWiggum]

It hasn’t said torn anywhere yet

Trust me brother.

Read on Twitter

When they showed the slow no replay I thought best case full torn calf. You could clearly see something went terribly wrong.

[Ecmic]

Watching the game live when KD was on the bench taking a break I saw them strapping ice to his lower leg. I thought at the time why the hell would you do that, surely he needs to warm up before going back out, otherwise, he is going to tear something.

It's just common sense that you don't go straight into explosive physical activities straight after icing a muscle. How did the GSW staff get that so wrong?

I would also think being acutely aware, real-time, of any discomfort or pain in the leg would be a good thing. Icing the leg makes absolutely no sense in that situation. I’m not a doctor (though I am the owner of a body), maybe I’m missing something.

[Pan Jia Yuan]

aside from KD and all legacy talk: why can't ppl understand the simple concept that it's not

team minus player

but

team minus player plus players that are worth his cap space

??