Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant will undergo bone graft surgery on his right foot, sidelining the reigning NBA MVP for the remainder of a thoroughly ruined season.
Durant, 26, is expected to return to basketball activities in 4-to-6 months, general manager Sam Presti said Friday in a press release.
“The bone graft is the standard procedure for the five to eight percent of Jones fracture surgeries that do not initially have success or experience setbacks sometime within the recovery period,” Presti said. “We are encouraged that the bone graft procedure has historically demonstrated long-term health and stability.”
Durant initially was diagnosed with a fractured fifth metatarsal in October. He made his season debut Dec. 2, playing 27Â of 37Â games through Feb. 19, when he went for surgery to alleviate persistent pain in the foot. He finishes with averages of 25.4 points (51.0 percent shooting from the field, 40.3 percent on 3-pointers), 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
The multi-month recovery timetable adds further intrigue to Durant’s eventual free agency in the summer of 2016.
Led by Russell Westbrook, the Thunder (41-31) hold a three-game lead over the Suns for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.