Nets GM Sean Marks said it’s still too early to tell whether injured Nets Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving would be able to play should the currently suspended 2019-20 NBA season eventually resume.
He did also admit both veteran superstars would be consulted during an eventual coaching search. But he cautioned they won’t be the only players spoken to, and that it’s not out of the norm for how he’s operated since taking over the Nets in 2016.
“I couldn’t even give an answer on when they’ll be able to play this season. I don’t think that’s fair to those athletes nor the performance team to put a timeline on it. Everyone is dealing with bigger items, far more pressing items,” said Marks, adding he had no idea when or if play will resume.
“I haven’t physically seen them in three or four weeks so it’s difficult for me to gauge — as well as the performance team — where they are. We’re talking to them and FaceTiming them, but it’s quite different to having those guys on the court. They know their bodies better than anyone else; at the right time and when they’re 100% I’m sure they’ll be making those decisions.”
Durant had been expected to miss the entire season following Achilles surgery last June. Marks had said the same of Irving after arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder early last month. But that season has been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Nets broadcaster Ian Eagle stated this week on YES Network “medically, my understanding is from this point on [Durant] can play.” He added of Irving’s surgery “if you look at a four-to-six week period it’d be right around [June.]”
It begs the question of whether a return — or two — could be possible.
“That’s a great question, something that we’re all trying to wrap our heads around from a performance team and obviously including those individual athletes,” Marks said in a conference call with reporters. “Something we have to think about is our facilities are closed, and just by getting time off does that let your body heal? There are several of our players that need our facilities, that need game reps, that need to be playing.
“You can take the other side of this and say this hiatus has shifted rehabilitation back and it’s slowed that. … Until we can get through the next three weeks to a month and try and figure out, get a better idea of timeline for where this is heading, then we’ll be able to determine a better course of action.”
The Nets parted ways with Kenny Atkinson on March 7 after some veterans tuned him out. While Marks praised interim Jacque Vaughn and insisted the coaching search is essentially on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic — “No, we’re not reaching out to anybody right now; that would completely not be fair to our group” — he admitted Durant and Irving would play a role. But he added that’s not a change of his MO.
Kyrie Irving (l) and Kevin DurantCorey Sipkin“That’s the approach we’ve taken with everything,” Marks said. “From four years ago, whether it was free agency or even in the draft, we had our own players come and watch draft workouts. I love getting their opinions, I love seeing what they see.
“So I think in everything, we would certainly use the expertise and the experience from several of our players and take that collaborative approach. Ultimately, I’m not going to put that decision on any one, two, four or five players, it’s going to come down to myself, the front office and our ownership. But it’ll be a collaborative approach.”
That’s not untrue. Jeremy Lin helped the Nets sign Otto Porter Jr. to an offer sheet, and Spencer Dinwiddie successfully recruited Irving. Sources said there are a number of players that want to join Durant and Irving. This is the next evolution in player empowerment.
