Ranking the top 50 NBA players of next season: Top 10
By Corey Rausch
6. Kevin Durant
Projecting what to expect from Kevin Durant is a real challenge. Achilles injuries are some of the toughest to come back from and for a 32-year old entering a new competitive situation that is even tougher. On the positive end, Durant is one of the most naturally gifted scorers in NBA history and that was not reliant solely on athleticism.
Last we saw him, Durant was one of the driving forces of one of the most dominant teams the league has seen. While tensions regularly seemed to be high in the locker room it did not hinder his production. He finished eighth in offensive efficiency, second only to teammate Steph Curry for players logging more than 26 minutes per game. He also finished 28th in defensive efficiency for anyone playing at least 30 minutes per game.
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The overall stat line is none too shabby either. He averaged 26.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists on shooting splits of .521/.353/.885. He took it a step further in the playoffs. Over his three season with the Golden State Warriors he averaged 29.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks in 48 playoff games.
If Kevin Durant can get back to his pre-injury form, even if his athleticism dips, then the Brooklyn Nets are easily one of the favorites to win the East. To hedge against the injury bet he is not at the top of this list. Before that injury he was on that level. Only time will tell.