This summer, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant will hit free agency and it is likely that he will be choosing a new team. While the Washington Wizards have reportedly been ruled out by Durant even after hiring Durant’s former coach Scott Brooks, the Boston Celtics have been listed as one of the dark horse free agent destinations for the 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player.
From The Vertical:
"Golden State will be in the mix, San Antonio too, while Boston lurks as a dark horse, the Eastern Conference alternative if Durant chooses to extract himself from the bruising Western Conference playoffs."
While the Warriors and the Spurs would both be great destinations for Durant because going to either team would all but ensure Durant of that elusive championship ring, Durant is probably tired of the Western Conference. The Eastern Conference, though it has improved in recent years, lacks a true elite team other than the Cleveland Cavaliers. Should the Celtics manage to land Durant, they’d immediately become title contenders.
The Celtics are already an impressively deep team. However, other than guard Isaiah Thomas, they don’t have any players who they can consistently rely on. Adding a talent like Durant would make everyone better and allow their depth to shine. It would ease the burden on Thomas and allow him to mature. Thomas only averaged 6.2 assists per game during the regular season while averaging 22.2 points per game. He’s not quite Russell Westbrook, but the Celtics would be a serious contender in the East if they can create a Durant and Thomas duo.
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