How transparent Kevin Durant’s rehab? He takes first steps ... and shots

Imagine, if you will, a Nets practice in December or January with reporters gathered around Kenny Atkinson...

“How’s Kevin Durant’s rehab, coming coach? Anything new to report on his return,” a reporter asks.

“Kevin continues to follow the protocols set out by our medical and performance teams,” the coach replies. “Thanks, fellas!”

Or something like that. It’s the Nets’ way. They don’t comment on a player’s injury status until he is ready to return.

KD’s status of course is different. It will be the big question this season, along with the level of transparency the Nets allow as the season and his regimen wears on.

Durant himself offered some transparency this week by posting some images of him working out in his California pool. (Splash brother?)

The images show him working out in the pool as well as getting some exercise when in a walking boot and on a scooter. No information on how he feels or his prognosis, but it was good to see ... and one picture in particular struck us...

The ball is obviously an official Nets ball, but take a close look at the building to the left, some sort of cabana. On its black surface you can see two Nets logos, as @xsnyderman points out...

So not only is KD bought into his recovery and rehab, he’s also all-in on the Brooklyn Nets.

Meanwhile, Kendrick Perkins, Durant’s former teammate at OKC and friend, recounted a recent conversation he had with the new Net ... regarding why he joined the Nets and not the Knicks as most pundits (including Perkins at one point) predicted.

On Friday, Perkins told the Murph & Mac Show on KBNR in the Bay Area that in fact the Knicks weren’t in the picture.

“I think people had speculation that the Knicks were actually the front runners, but they weren’t. In my opinion it was either Brooklyn or going back to Golden State. I asked Kevin what was the reason behind him ultimately choosing Brooklyn and he told me: ‘Perk you’re not stupid, you know why I chose Brooklyn man. Look at the organization and look at the direction they’re going in.’ I think this was probably in the works for at least a couple months now. At least with him and Kyrie and DeAndre Jordan.”

“There isn’t really a backstory. Honestly, I just put everything together.” Perkins said. “Things just started adding up. If you look at KD’s situation as far as him signing with Brooklyn, we all know he that had been talking to Kyrie throughout the season. We all know they are great friends. When he decided, in my opinion, when I saw Kyrie had left his agency to go with Roc Nation and then I saw Kyrie had committed to Brooklyn. It was a no-brainer to me that KD was going. He was already out there in New York.”

Indeed, not only after he posted his decision on The Boardroom Instagram site June 30, Durant was at HSS Training Center, celebrating with Sean Marks, Kenny Atkinson and his future teammates.