OKLAHOMA CITY, USA - Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant, who underwent 3 surgeries in 6 months on his right foot, has been cleared for full participation in the NBA team's training camp.
"In terms of limitations, he doesn't have any," Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Wednesday.
Presti said Durant, the Most Valuable Player of the 2013-14 NBA season, could still have his playing minutes managed by coach Billy Donovan once the season begins.
"We are going to be watching and managing players that are coming off injuries, that's just standard," Presti said.
Durant hasn't played since February 19 and played just 27 games last season as he battled to recover from a broken foot suffered last October.
After an initial surgery to repair the fracture at the base of a toe, he made his debut in December.
But he then needed surgery to try and ease pain from a screw inserted in his foot, and finally underwent a bone graft in a bid to promote healing.
In the 4-time NBA scoring champion's absence, the Thunder struggled last season despite teammate Russell Westbrook's phenomenal 28.1 points per game average.
Oklahoma City missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign and will be trying to regain their Western Conference contender status in Durant's last season before becoming a free agent.
Prior to last season, the 26-year-old Durant was among the league's most durable players. He missed just six games in his prior 5 seasons and led the league in minutes played in 2010, 2012 and 2014. – Rappler.com