The devastating Achilles injury Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant suffered Monday night in Toronto has brought about a major debate around the NBA world.
Did the Warriors rush Durant back? Was he diagnosed with the correct injury over a month ago? So many questions come to mind at a time like this.
While it’s foolish to draw conclusions even before a firm diagnosis has been made, that’s the name of the game in 2019.
Though, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban had a really strong and even-keeled take on the situation. Simply put, the NBA and Players Association need to invest more on the prevention and research of Achilles injuries.
This isn’t what we’d call a hot take. Achilles injuries are somewhat new to the Association. The sample sizes are just not there to further in the development of prevention.
But they have become more prevalent in recent seasons. Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant several years back became a prominent NBA player to suffer through said injury. Back in Januarry of 2018, then New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins suffered a torn Achilles.
Now that Durant might very well have to miss the entire 2019-20 season to injury, this conversation will be brought back up to the front burner.
As it relates to the Warriors, they have received some push back for having Durant return at any point during this series after suffering a calf injury in the Western Conference Semifinals.
While Durant’s injury has been diagnosed at the Achilles tendon, his previous calf injury could have played a role in what we saw Monday evening in Toronto. It’s in the same part of the body.
His reliance on the Achilles while compensating for a calf that might not have been 100% certainly played a role in the injury.
It’s something the NBA is going to want to take up here soon. Research and prevention is needed. And as one of the best-known owners in the Association, Cuban might have just started the conversation.