Kevin Durant Could Return from Knee Injury vs. Bucks, Nets' Steve Nash Says

Steve Nash told reporters that Kevin Durant could possibly return to the lineup for the Nets game on Saturday. Nash was more positive about the veteran returning next week.

He hasn't played since January because of a knee injury.

The comments come after Sean Marks said Tuesday that he expects KD to remain out through Saturday's game against the Bucks.

The Nets traded James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons,Seth Curry, and a first-round draft pick.

Simmons has yet to make his Nets debut as he continues to ramp up activity after not appearing in a game for the 76ers all season. New York City has a vaccine requirement for indoor spaces, so Irving isn't allowed to play in the team's home games. He is unvaccinated.

Nash and Co. aren't rushing him back to the court, so it's no surprise. One of the best in the NBA when healthy is the four-time scoring champion.

Through 36 games, KD has averaged 29.3 points, 7.4 rebound and 5.8 assists while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 37.2 percent from deep. He leads the team in points and assists and is second in rebound percentage.

The Nets dropped to eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 31-28 record without KD. They won two of their last 10 games before the All-Star break.

The Nets are seven games behind the first-place Miami Heat in the East, but they are still in the running. The team could make a push for a better seed in the playoffs if they get both Durant and Simmons into the lineup.