When the news broke that Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant ruptured his Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, many around the league, including current and former Chicago Bulls took to Twitter to react.
Let’s take a close look at how the Twitter-verse erupted sharing messages of praise and support and what the injury could mean for Durant’s free agency plans.
Durant suited up to play in Game 5 of the NBA Finals after only having one practice with his teammates.
Ahead of tip-off, reports had listed Durant as a game-time decision.
The game was Durant’s first since his teammates wrapped up the Western Conference Finals. Around that time, he suffered what was described as a calf injury.
Durant got off to a good start, despite the added pressure of the Toronto Raptors having a 3 to 1 advantage in the series.
All of sudden, things took a turn for the worse. The moment Durant ruptured his Achilles stirred a mix of reactions from players around the league.
Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine kept his message short and simple.
Damn! Thoughts and prayers @KDTrey5 🙏🏽
— Zach LaVine (@ZachLaVine) June 11, 2019
Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young made his support known.
MAJOR RESPECT for KD wanting to rush back and try to help his team win a Championship... Get Back Healthy Bro🙏🏽
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) June 11, 2019
Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut offered some words of encouragement for his teammate.
https://twitter.com/andrewbogut/status/1138467661686423553
Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson shared some kind words from one Hall of Famer to another potential Hall of Famer.
I pray, hope, and expect KD to make a full recovery from his Achilles injury to continue to be one of the best players in the league!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 11, 2019
Washington Wizards forward Bobby Portis took issue with Raptors fans for the way they responded to what happened to Durant.
Raptors fans can’t cheer for a player getting hurt. That’s lame.
— Bobby BP Portis (@BPortistime) June 11, 2019
Let it be clear, it is never a good look to celebrate when an athlete sustains an injury during a game.
Durant already faces a lot of scrutiny among fans and around the league for his decision to sign on with the Warriors. All season long, Durant has fielded questions from the media about his free agency plans and what they may hold.
Having sustained a ruptured Achilles tendon, Durant’s future is up in the air more than in recent months.
On Wednesday, Durant announced that he underwent a successful procedure to repair an Achilles tendon.
Rehabilitation is anticipated to take at least nine months, which means Durant is not likely to return ready to play for a significant amount of time.
Could this impact Durant’s free agency plans?
It’s too soon to say. Durant still has until June 29 to opt-in to the final year of his current contract with the Warriors, which could allow him to earn $31.5 million.
Durant is still rumored to be drawing interest around the league, even with the ruptured Achilles tendon, reports show. A short-time deal with the Warriors or another team could allow Durant to rake in at least $38 million.