Is Kevin Durant playing tonight against Brooklyn Nets? Latest on 14x NBA All-Star's status to face former team (January 31)

Kevin Durant will play in his first game back at Barclays Center on Wednesday night since leaving the Brooklyn Nets. Durant played the Suns' home contest against his former team on Dec. 13. Meanwhile, it's Phoenix's first trip to Brooklyn since Feb. 7, 2023, shortly before the teams engaged in the blockbuster trade that landed KD with the Suns.

Durant and the Nets couldn't achieve more than one playoff series win during the 14x NBA All-Star's tenure with the franchise. However, it's nearly undisputable that Durant gave the franchise his all.

He battled through his injury struggles and was the most consistent and available player for the Nets compared to other star signings like Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Ben Simmons.

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What happened to Kevin Durant?

Having missed seven games due to injury, some may have wondered whether Durant would play tonight. However, he's not on the Suns' injury report, meaning he's available.

Durant has dealt with foot, ankle and hamstring injuries. The hamstring issue, first reported on Jan. 1, saw Durant miss four games, but injury hasn't bothered him since tgeb.

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Kevin Durant stats vs Brooklyn Nets

Durant has played 18 games against the Brooklyn Nets before joining them in 2019 and one after leaving them. That includes games from the time the franchise was based in New Jersey. In 19 outings, Durant averaged 26.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists on 53/36/84 splits.

He holds a 12-7 win/loss record against the Nets. His highest-scoring game against them is a 40-point outing on Dec. 28, 2009. Durant was with the OKC Thunder, while the Nets were based in New Jersey.

He tallied 27 points in the Suns' 116-112 home loss to the Nets on Dec. 12 when he faced them for the first time after his trade. Durant shot 50.0%, recording six rebounds, four assists and two blocks, but the Suns fell short.

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Kevin Durant reacts to potentially getting a tribute on his return to Brooklyn

Kevin Durant reacted to a poll on NBA 'X' formerly Twitter, conducted by podcaster Billy Reindhart, asking fans if he deserved a tribute video on Wednesday.

There was a discourse over it, and Durant joined the conversations. Responding to one of the back-and-forths, the Suns' All-Star said that he doesn't want a tribute as the night "will be better without it."

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas, one of Durant's teammates/rookies' in Brooklyn believed the latter was joking. However, Durant's sarcasm on X is well documented, so nobody knows if the former MVP covets a tribute or not.