A couple of weeks ago Kevin Durant said he likes Boston and more than a few of us started to wonder if the free-agent-to-be would entertain the idea of signing with the Celtics. We were quickly dismissed by the sports radio ilk. But SI’s Andrew Sharp includes the Cs in his purely-speculative list of KD options:
Working Theory: Take all the dysfunction from the Lakers section, and replace it with one of the three best coaches in basketball, one of the most stable organizations in sports, and a roster that is one piece away from scaring the crap out of the whole league. Boston makes a lot of sense. As a Wizards fan, this would be heartbreaking. As a fan of Kevin Durant, I’m pretty sure this is the option I want the most.
He’d be in the East, he would be going to team with as rich of a history as anywhere in the league, and he’d probably average 35-a-game playing in that offense. From a marketing standpoint, it would put him on an even bigger platform than he’s had in Oklahoma City. From a basketball standpoint, it would allow him the best chance (outside of OKC) to max out his ability.
The Celtics can clear enough space to sign Durant and another star—Al Horford?—and they’ll also have the Nets draft pick for the next three years, ensuring that they can stay flexible as he gets deeper into his prime. If Durant decides that it’s time to leave Oklahoma City and try something new, this is one of the only teams that actually has a credible a chance at building a team to beat the Warriors. It would be so much fun to watch them try together.
Sharp puts the Cs odds at 15%. On the low end for sure, but 15% higher than what anyone thought 3-4 months ago. If the national media is starting to come around on Boston as an option, then WHY NOT US?!?
In other dreamy news, the Bulls are allegedly open to trading Jimmy Butler:
The Vertical’s Chris Mannix reported that the Bulls could even move their franchise player.
“I’ve been hearing rumblings that there is legitimate interest in Chicago in potentially dealing Jimmy Butler this offseason,” Mannix said in a video (6:40 mark).
It has previously been reported that the Boston Celtics tried to acquire Butler at February’s trade deadline. The Vertical also reported that “several executives point to Orlando … as a team to watch closely in the pursuit of Butler.”
It’s easy to figure out why the Celtics and Magic would try to pry Butler away. He’s a legitimate two-way star who could bump Boston toward championship contention and Orlando toward respectability. Both teams want to take the next step as soon as possible.
Sign me up for both.
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