Kevin Durant practicing 1-on-1 skills at Nets practice; don't rule out late season return just yet

Nets superstar is making big strides during the rehab process.

At the start of the season, the thought of Kevin Durant returning at all this year was a pipedream. Now, with videos surfacing all over social media of Durant going about 75 percent participating in individual drills and playing simulated 1-on-1, it has the Nets thinking. 

What if Durant were to come back at some point in March? 

KD looking good right about now 👀

🎥: __devonte__ on IG pic.twitter.com/HdKnp46VY9

— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) February 9, 2020

From the looks of it, Durant is ahead of schedule and looks to be weeks and not months away from potentially returning to practice and full contact. The question remains, is it smart for the Nets to even consider bringing him back at the end of the year? 

If you look at the pros and cons, Milwaukee is in a class of its own in the East, but not a team that most fear to face in the playoffs. If the season were to end today, the Nets would face off with the two-seeded Raptors, a team they took to the brink on Saturday night without Kyrie Irving and Durant albeit Toronto was missing Kyle Lowry. 

Are the Kawhi Leonard-less Raptors unbeatable even if the Nets have Irving and a 75-percent Durant? 

The prospect is intriguing of acclimating Durant back into the Nets' lineup in time for the playoffs, but most critics would say that the team shouldn't do anything to jeopardize the final three-years on his contract. 

After Durant tried to heroically come back in Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Raptors and Warriors, it gave reason for pause that the superstar perhaps rushed his return to the court that resulted in his eventual Achilles injury. 

So while the Nets may face a decision next month as to give Durant the green light to return to action, the team may need to save him from himself as the All-Pro looks closer than ever to returning to full strength.