Apparently, Sean Marks’ decision to not rule out Kevin Durant for the remainder of 2019-20 during a conversation with a New Zealand publication is considered “stealing headlines.”
That’s at least what ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith thinks.
Because Smith doesn’t feel Durant should, for one second, consider playing if the league resumes the season or jumps into the 2020 NBA Playoffs at the conclusion of the hiatus. He explained why on “First Take” Wednesday:
I think it would be foolhardy for Kevin Durant to even think about playing. Understand that you’re 30-34. You’re 22 and a half games outside of the first-place Milwaukee Bucks. At this particular moment in time, if the season were to resume, you’d be the seventh seed. You’d be going up against the Toronto Raptors. I like those guys, LeVert and Dinwiddie and those boys, they can ball no question about it. But if I’m Kevin Durant, first of all, I want to ensure that I’m a hundred percent. Secondly, I would prefer that Kyrie Irving be there with me. Thirdly, and more importantly, when I come back, I still want to ease my way into it — even though I can average 25 [points per game] in my sleep. Because I truly believe that about Kevin Durant. The reality is the postseason has a level of urgency attached to it, and as a result of that, you might push yourself a bit too hard, a bit too soon, thereby jeopardizing next season. This season is a wash. You ain’t winning no damn championship.
Then Smith offered Durant some advice:
Chill out, get yourself a hundred percent. And even if you were to win, [there’s] going to be a huge asterisk attached to this season because of the coronavirus suspending play. All of those things taken into consideration, there is no reason on Earth for Kevin Durant to come back relatively prematurely.
Smith is the second ESPN personality in a matter of days to express Durant shouldn’t play in 2019-20. Jay Williams shares a similar opinion on the matter.