Durant and Thompson: the injuries that changed NBA’s scenery

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Although it happened in  final against the Toronto Raptors, the consequences of these ailments have a strong impact on the next season

July has already started and with it the year corresponding to the 2019-20 season of the NBA. These first days of the month have been very active. The first major blow was with the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis, who gave in return, young material to the New Orleans Pelicans. The first name that was on the scene to strengthen the Californian team was Kevin Durant, but his injury in the last final changed things a bit.

Leer en español: Durant y Thompson: las lesiones que cambiaron el panorama de la NBA

The events that culminated in the title of the Toronto Raptors, promise us a very busy free agency, because not only Kevin Durant will end up in the Brooklyn Nets and not in the Lakers, but also Klay Thompson, the other injured of the final series, and the Golden State Warriors themselves, could be harmed.

Thompson became a free agent since July 1st and of course, he is a desirable player for any team in the league. But before the injury, he was even more attractive. In fact, the Los Angeles Lakers were one of those great teams that would seek to fish him in a free agency, but his torn ligament could extend for 9 months. That, automatically, leaves him out.

The initial objective of the Californians was, in our way of seeing things and with David's situation almost resolved, attracting the attention of some other elite star, and Thompson was one of them, like Durant, but that will simply not be able to be. Durant is already virtually a Nets player by dismissing the Warriors contract extension for 31.5 million and declaring himself a free agent. The Clippers and the Knicks were not interested in keeping their services, and maybe that accelerated his decision.

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Business is open

So far, the Brooklyn Nets are the strongest team hitting the table with the addition of Durant, confirmed by the player, although not made official by the press office of the club. In addition to KD, Nets would be very close to further strengthen his squad with two other elite stars, such as Kyrie Irving (who also played for the Lakers) and De Andre Jordan. What shows us, that, with a low profile, the New York team is the one that, until now, has come out winning with the injuries of Thompson and Durant, because it weakens the Lakers plan.

Thompson seems to be the big loser, because if he stays in the Warriors, -as it seems- , the contract will not be the same as the one he aspired to, although his priority wish is to continue in the club where he has played 5 consecutive finals, crowned champion in three of them. Nine months seems to be a long time to wait for a player, more if he is in his first year after being a free agent. He could not go to the Lakers anymore. Brooklyn would already be armed. Golden State does not represent a new challenge, but a reassurance that management will not abandon him. New York must be built based on new names. From then on, there does not seem to be another club with the money to invest in hiring him, and less now, after his unfortunate injury.

Does the NBA change?

The 'Wild West' as some call it after the arrival of LeBron James to the Lakers, ended up not being such. Warriors, with many irregularities, returned to be the greatest team of the conference ahead of disappointing performances of Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, and yes, we have seen a very positive performance of teams that are in the consolidation phase such as Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets.

But beyond that, the Eastern Conference, with teams under construction, ended up being very competitive, so much so that the Toronto Raptors were the champions of the league in the season that has just ended. But, above all, other teams like Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia Sixers, ended up being very competitive, and already with an armed base to try to win the title in the next harvest. They also join two franchises that have been doing things well for years like the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers.

Against this background, the injuries of Thompson and Durant (who could get to debut earlier than expected with his new club) and with the arrival of Durant, the East will maintain its upward line of prestige and competitiveness, while with a Thompson injured much next season and some Warriors that seem to lose momentum due to recent events, the NBA equates the balance in the East with the West, when a year ago, the trend was totally tilted on the opposite side by the departure of James from Cleveland to Los Angels

LatinAmerican Post | Onofre Zambrano

Translated from: "Durant y Thompson: las lesiones que cambiaron el panorama de la NBA"