NEW YORK — Kevin Durant reiterated Friday that he does not expect to play this season as he recovers from a torn Achilles suffered in Game 5 of the NBA Finals last June.
Durant told ESPN that he is progressing and has not experienced any setback in his rehab.
“I’m just strengthening my body,” Durant said. “Not doing too much on the basketball court.”
Nets coach Kenny Atkinson called incorporating Durant into the team a “wonderful challenge,” even though he won’t play.
Fellow Nets newcomer Kyrie Irving said he is encouraging Durant to take his time returning to the court.
“There isn’t going to be any pressure from any of us at any time, and I will make sure of that,” Irving said.
“I have been in the same position of being the guy that’s injured on the team and everyone looking at you like, ‘Are you going to come back any time soon? If you come back then this is going to be our championship-caliber team. If you were playing, then this would happen.'”
Durant said this season his job is to get healthy and “be a teammate.”
“I’m not going to do anything extra,” he said. “Just do what I usually do. Work hard in my rehab, hopefully that sends a great message out. If anyone has a question on anything, whether in practice or a game, I know the game pretty well, so I can answer those questions quickly and honestly as I can and just try to approach it as an everyday manner and then try to take it a day at a time. I’m just going to be myself.”