Isaiah Thomas, Tom Brady, and all of Boston made their pitch to Kevin Durant this summer. It looked as if they were one of the legitimate frontrunners. Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas says he felt confident about their chances after the meeting.
Following from A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com:
“I walked out thinking we had a chance at him,” Thomas recalled of the meeting with Durant this summer. “But I didn’t think he was going to go to Warriors; I definitely didn’t think that. But leaving that meeting, I had a sense he was leaving OKC.”
I think “surprised” is how many of us felt given the circumstances and magnitude of Durant’s decision. But Thomas sensed that Durant was ready to make a change. The fact that he uses the word “upset” confirms his belief that the Celtics had a real shot at Durant.
“Yeah, I was upset,” Thomas said during Boston’s summer league game against Chicago on Saturday. “But at the same time, it was that man’s decision. I couldn’t do nothing about it but try to get him to come to Boston. I thought we did a hell of a job with what Danny (Ainge, Boston’s president of basketball operations) brought up and the guys in that room. He (Durant) really considered us; he had to. The meeting went really well.”
Boston was still able to land Al Horford, a significant addition who helps their team immediately in so many ways. The Celtics were a popular choice for Durant for the fans, obviously Celtics fans, but also those who just wanted to see Durant battle LeBron for the East. Instead, Durant not only stays in the West, but forms an even more super power with the Warriors.
The Celtics will be fine, it’s just that they came awfully close to having one of the top superstars in the league.
