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Tim Bontemps, ESPN
LAS VEGAS — The U.S. team will be without Kevin Durant for Wednesday night’s game against Canada, the first of five friendlies before the Paris Olympics. Durant has not participated in any of the national team training camp in Las Vegas because of a calf injury.
“I’m feeling good,” Durant said after Tuesday’s practice at UNLV. “I’ve been working out for about 10 days now before training camp. [when I got hurt].
“So, I’ve just got to get through it and take it one day at a time.”
Durant, who turns 36 in September, has struggled with leg injuries over the past few years, missing the entire 2019-20 season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon in the 2019 NBA Finals and then playing a combined 35, 55 and 47 games over the next three seasons.
Durant averaged 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 75 games with the Phoenix Suns last season and is expected to be a key member of this year’s well-established Team USA. If he and Team USA achieve their ultimate goal, Durant is sure to win a record fourth gold medal.
But he will not play in the exhibition opener against Canada, the first game between the two teams since Canada beat the United States in the bronze medal game at last year’s FIBA World Cup.
“He’s already been doing strength and conditioning treatments separately from the team,” U.S. team coach Steve Kerr said. “He said he feels great. We’re just going to take it day by day. I don’t think it’ll be long before he’s on the court with us.”
Durant said he was “hopeful” to be back on the court in time for the Abu Dhabi exhibition schedule, which includes games against Australia on July 15 and Serbia, their Olympic opener, on July 17.
Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Joel Embiid are expected to fill three of Kerr’s starting five, but the remaining two spots are open to a variety of options, especially given Durant’s injury, with Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, Kawhi Leonard and Jayson Tatum all likely candidates.
But after a light final practice on Tuesday and after Duke-bound Cooper Flagg wowed the crowd with a spot on the select team in a scrimmage on Monday afternoon, Kerr said he only expected Durant to sit out the team’s immediate test against a Canada team considered a medal threat in Paris.
“We just had a walk-through today,” Kerr said. “You saw the end of it. There was no real action today, so we should all be OK tomorrow. I’ll have to talk to the training staff. There are some bruises and scrapes, but I don’t think there are any major injuries.”
