The question of whether Kevin Durant will stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder has been looming over the NBA all season. The former MVP has been asked about his future each time he makes a stop in one of the cities that could potentially sign him. Last week in Boston was no different.
Durant was in town with the Thunder to take on the Celtics, and the questions started right away. Part of the reason for the excitement was that Durant was going to be on the court in Boston for the first time since 2012. The forward had missed the previous matchups between the teams in Boston due to injuries. The other major reason for the excitement was because of the fact that the Celtics have enough cap space to chase Durant this summer.
The Celtics are heading into the offseason with the potential to sign two max players in free agency, and fans are hoping that one of those players is Durant. The forward was asked about the city, and his answer got the media and fans buzzing about the potential of Durant playing in Boston.
"I've been watching this team a lot," Durant said before the game. "And they're scrappy. They play hard. They love their coach, they love their system and, especially in this building, they play with a lot of energy. They're some of the best fans in the world and definitely support their team. I like the city a lot. It's cold, but they love sports here. This is a family atmosphere [that] I feel when I walk around the city. So yeah, I like it a lot."
Durant showed off exactly why Boston would love to have him in the win for the Thunder. He had 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in 26 minutes in the 130-109 victory. Every team in the league would love to have Durant, but realistically, only a handful have the capability cap-wise to do it. The Celtics are one of those teams. However, the Celtics have more than just money to throw at Durant.
The Celtics have a talented young roster, a package of high draft picks over the next few years, and the team has shown some great improvement over the past two seasons under Brad Stevens. Isaiah Thomas has blossomed into an exciting point guard, while players like Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk give the team a solid young core.
Helping the Celtics is the possibility that Durant may consider a move to the Eastern Conference, where a path to the finals does not include the Golden State Warriors or the San Antonio Spurs. On the other hand, the Warriors are reportedly interested in going after Durant, as well. Staying in Oklahoma City is also very realistic for Durant. The team will get the chance to keep the forward with a pitch that includes Russell Westbrook and the ability to give him the most money.
The Celtics have as good of a chance as anyone to get Durant due to the money they can offer and future potential of the team. Durant spoke about the tradition of the city, and fans are sure to look at his quotes as proof that they have a shot at the forward.
"You can feel the tradition walking in here. You see all the [Celtics legends] plastered on the walls as you walk into the locker room," Durant said. "The tradition of being a Boston Celtic is second to none. So it's amazing playing here. The fans, they're very energetic and they cheer for their team. It's amazing to see as a player, to have fans that care about the game so much. It's an amazing sports town and they have a great team to cheer for."
While fans are excited, they also should proceed with caution. Durant spoke with CSN Philly about his trip to Boston, the media, and free agency in general.
"I love being in Philly, too," Durant said. "If you ask me about a city, I like being there. I'm not going to say anything bad about it. That's how I am. I'm not going to watch what I say. I like playing in Boston, like the city, it's a cool city, they ran with that one. But I know how it is. It's all good."
Either way, Boston fans have some hope for Durant this summer.
