James Jones says Kevin Durant could play if it was playoff time

What was supposed to be a party that all Suns fans had been waiting for turned into a nightmare, the fault of a bad support during the warm-up which caused a sprain in the left ankle of Kevin Durantjust before his first home game in his new colors.

A blow for the entire franchise, the absence of KD having been estimated at two or three weeks, as much time as could have allowed him to continue to make his mark in this new environment.

In an interview with the arizona republic, James Jones, president of basketball operations and GM of the Suns, however, put into perspective the seriousness of his rookie’s injury. Caution simply took precedence over the rest.

“I was on the pitch when he twisted his ankle. So I saw what happened. He sprained ankle. He continued to train. He went to the back, said he was in a little pain and limped a little. Then he sat down on the table and said he felt a little stiff. We have reviewed it. The doctors said he had sprained himself badly, so we should probably be careful. You have to go slowly. He wanted to play, he always wanted to play, but we have a long term vision. We realized that it was a fairly moderate sprain, but enough to cause him to limp a little”did he declare.

Nothing to worry about in the long run

james jones thus estimated that KD could have continued to play by gritting his teeth if the circumstances had demanded it, in the playoffs for example.

“Players who play a lot get injured, but it’s a sprained ankle. It’s the kind of thing that, if the playoffs started today, he would be on the court. He would suffer a little. I am always worried about the health of our players when they are injured. I have been in the place of those who are injured. We are always concerned about his health, but it is not at all a long-term injury.he added.

Better, the former winger even saw the positive in the situation, the absence of Kevin Durant offering opportunities for other players in the locker room like Terrence Ross, who arrived a month ago.

“I’ve been in the business long enough to know injuries happen. Ankle sprains are common. So for us it was all about waiting and seeing and making sure he was okay. For the rest of the players, it’s an opportunity to improve. In fact, it allowed guys like Terrence Ross to find rhythm and acclimatize, because Kevin is an essential part of our work. Like I said, he fills a big space in the attack, so when he’s not with us, other guys have the opportunity to play.