Brooklyn Nets: Kevin Durant’s MVP odds are better than you think

An MVP award that’s nobody’s to lose could open the door for Kevin Durant to make a statement in his first season playing for the Brooklyn Nets.

Kevin Durant is on the verge of playing his first NBA game since June 10, 2019. It will be his first in a Brooklyn Nets uniform since he joined the team later that summer. That’s plenty enough to get excited about after the last we saw of him was down on the Scotiabank Arena floor clutching a torn Achilles, keeping him out for the entirety of the 2019-20 season.

Asking for anything more than Durant’s presence seems greedy considering the hurdles he’s had to overcome to provide it, but that’s exactly what the Nets will do because that’s precisely why they brought him aboard. They’re thinking championship, which means there’s only so much conservation they can afford KD while simultaneously trying to break through to the NBA’s upper hierarchy.

So, if Durant, after more than 18 months away, is going to slowly push his throttle to propel Brooklyn up the standings, why not have those efforts also go towards an MVP trophy?

The MVP selection process isn’t as narrative-driven as we might think. 28 of the previous 36 MVP winners have resided on teams with the most wins in their conference. Six of the last eight owned the league’s top record overall. A compelling story can fold into the case but wins have traditionally done the most talking.

If so, Giannis Antetokounmpo should once again be the favorite considering the improvements his league-best Milwaukee Bucks have made to their roster. But after claiming the last two MVP trophies, voter fatigue is an unfortunate factor we have to acknowledge, which will have voters searching elsewhere.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis aren’t likely to put forth the necessary efforts in a shortened season as defending champions. Neither will the eternally conservative Kawhi Leonard.

That trio is comprised of the only viable candidates on top-two teams from a season ago. Other superstars can usurp them in the standings, though the respective dominance of Milwaukee and the two LA teams make that unlikely.

Or maybe the absence of favorites in their customary spot atop the standings will force voters to shift their preferences towards a case fueled by the narratives they push on a daily basis. And what better story is there than a return to glory for a future Hall-of-Famer in his first run with his new team following the most brutal injury in all of sports?

Kevin Durant was at the peak of his powers at the time of his injury. The reigning two-time Finals MVP was on his way to a third with Golden State. With LeBron James out of the playoff picture, it was KD holding the crown until the basketball gods snatched it from him.

He is one of the game’s premier talents and one of the NBA’s most recognizable players. An official return to that status from the depths he had to emerge from is a story worth rewarding.

As comforting as it will be to see one of the game’s best back in his element, a superstar is only as valuable as the wins they help generate, which is why Durant’s case can’t lie solely on the restoration of his individual greatness. Assuming his statistical output doesn’t fall too far off a cliff from his career averages of 27.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, there’s a threshold for team success he has to pass, one Brooklyn is well equipped to aid.

The Brooklyn Nets’ roster reads like a ready-made contender. There is work to be done by first-time head coach Steve Nash. Principles to apply. Rotations to tweak. Egos and personalities to juggle. But with two All-Stars leading the way backed by secondary creators, perimeter snipers and interior defenders, it wouldn’t shock the masses to see Brooklyn near the top of the east in the best of times with Durant leading the charge.

Whether it’s fostering legitimate title hopes or accumulating more individual accolades, everything about Durant’s Brooklyn Nets career starts with that right Achilles.

It’s not enough for a player of his previous caliber just to make it back onto the court. Durant must come as close as possible to the player who was making a very legitimate case as the best player in the world before going down. That’s a steep hill made steeper when considering the not-so-stellar track record of previous Achilles tears, even when you consider the slender frame and a style not reliant on athleticism that works in his favor.

Perhaps Kevin Durant can make the best and leverage those long odds for the chance to start his on-court tenure in Brooklyn with a bang.