Knicks free agent target Kevin Durant confirmed the worst fears on Wednesday, announcing that he had surgery for a ruptured Achilles. While recovery times vary, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that Durant is expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season.
While the injury is a big blow to Durant, it might not scare the Knicks off, with SNY's Ian Begley reporting that some in the organization would still consider signing KD despite the Achilles injury.
After suffering the injury in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Durant traveled to New York for evaluations and remained there for surgery.
The recovery time for a ruptured Achilles is usually around a year, but varies from player to player.
Dominique Wilkins and Kobe Bryant both returned roughly eight months after surgery, while Rudy Gay's rehab took about 10 months.
While Durant has an opt-in with the Warriors for next season for $31.5 million, Wojnarowski reported Wednesday that Durant opting in would be a "last resort."
Instead, During is expected to canvass the market in search of the long-term deal he was after before his injury, with Wojnarowski of the belief that Durant would rather take a two-year deal elsewhere (if that's all he could get) rather than opt back in with the Warriors.