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Report: Kevin Durant Not Expected To Return Prior To All-Star Game
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There was good and bad news that came out of Barclays Center on Tuesday evening.
In the latest health update for injured superstar forward Kevin Durant, the doctor's visit on Monday went very well. In head coach Jacque Vaughn's words, the team received a 'really good' update.
The Nets' head coach did not want to 'cross that line' in determining whether Durant is on track to return prior to the NBA All-Star break.
“I won't step on, cross that line a little bit, but what I’ll say (is) the days are adding up, and he has progressed," Vaughn said. "Whether that's going to be enough of a progression, I can't really answer that one.”
A big component of why the head coach chose not to provide a timetable for Durant's return is because the superstar has not been cleared for contact. The 34-year-old will continue his on-court basketball activities but there is no firm decision on when he'll be cleared for contact.
“I’m not sure about the physical next steps as we line it out, but he has not done contact yet," Vaughn said. "So, I don't want to say it’s a day away, two days away, four days away, but I could just tell you that he hasn't done contact.”
Shortly after Vaughn's pregame press conference, the reports started to arrive.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that Durant is not expected to return until after the All-Star break. Wojnarowski's report was followed up by Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, who reported that the Nets' cornerstone will not play in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.
If Durant does not play in the NBA's biggest annual event, he will miss his third-straight All-Star game due to injury. He has been sidelined with an MCL sprain in his right knee since Jan. 8,
