Kevin Durant hasn’t participated in any of Team USA’s exhibition video games forward of the Paris Olympics and one NBA insider thinks his stint on the sidelines will proceed into the event.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst offered an replace on Durant’s situation and expressed his doubts about KD collaborating in Team USA’s first pool match towards Nikola Jokic and Serbia.
“I think [Team USA is] gonna be playing Serbia without Kevin Durant… Steve Kerr met with him today and they decided he needs more time with that strained calf. … They believe he will be able to play. But the hopes are dim that he’s gonna be able to do it against Serbia,” Windhorst mentioned on SportsCenter.
Windhorst added, “One thing Steve Kerr made very clear, he will not be replaced on the roster. … They could fly in a replacement [for KD], that’s not gonna happen. Kevin Durant is going to be on this team.”
Kerr did the truth is inform reporters there may be “no thought” about not bringing Durant to Paris, however the crew needs him to undergo a number of practices earlier than returning, SI‘s Grant Afseth reports.
A reporter additionally requested Durant’s NBA rival Jrue Holiday if there’s concern about integrating KD mid-tournament.
To which Holiday replied, “No… That’s Kevin Durant, my boy.”
Team USA will characteristic essentially the most stacked lineup seen at an Olympic degree in a very long time, so filling the KD void actually received’t be a difficulty for the crew.
If USA are to win gold in Paris, Durant will grow to be the all-time chief in Men’s Olympic basketball gold medals after beforehand successful in 2012, 2016 and 2021.
Unlike 2016 and 2021 the place KD was the crew’s chief, there are different veteran gamers like Steph Curry and LeBron James to steer the ship in KD’s absence.
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