As It Turns Out, Tom Brady Might Actually Be The Reason Kevin Durant Turned Down The Celtics And Signed With Golden State

Brian Babineau. Getty Images.

If there's one moment in Celtics history that I would sell my soul to be in the room for, it's what transpired in July 2016 in the Hamptons. You may remember this as the summer Kevin Durant hit the market and was holding court in the Hamptons for teams to come and make their pitch. Considering Danny Ainge spent every moment since 2007 dreaming what it would be like for Durant to be a Celtic, of course they were interested. As a result, they sent this crew to the Hamptons to land Ainge's white whale

Looking back, an absolutely hilarious collection of guys. I'm pretty sure Isaiah may have also been there, but there is something a little funny about how the entire basketball world is making a pitch and the Celts send….Kelly Olynyk and Jae Crowder. No disrespect of course, but I mean come on.

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At the time Ainge probably felt he had an ace up his sleeve when it came to Tom Brady. Who says no to Tom Brady? Nobody. He should have been the ultimate closer for Ainge. As we know that clearly didn't happen, we famously learned how the Celts were Durant's #2 choice or whatever bullshit and life went on.

Even all these years later I've always wondered what happened in that meeting. What was the pitch, what did Durant really think, how close were the Celts really, all that stuff. Well as it turns out, Brady might actually have been what delivered Durant to the Warriors

God dammit Tom! That is the exact opposite of why Ainge had you there! The goal was to convince KD that the Celtics were that team/franchise/situation. Was that not clear? Did nobody tell Tom why he was in the Hamptons? For years it felt like fans half jokingly blamed Kelly Olynyk for why KD didn't come to Boston, but in reality, it was our GOAT? Our lord and savior? Talk about a kick to the dick and then some. It's been nearly a decade and now I'm upset all over again. 

Maybe I'm not up to speed on NBA recruiting visits, but I always thought the goal is to convince that player to join your team. Seems like something everyone talks about before you get into the meeting no? What a fumble by Ainge to not have that figured out and know exactly what Tom's stance/pitch was going to be, and I'm thinking pushing KD to the Warriors is the exact opposite of what the whole goal was.  

So yeah, this one stings a little bit. Not just the reality that KD could have been a Celtic and for all we know they finally win that 18th banner only for GS to win a couple and the Celts still be searching, but also that it was apparently Tom Brady of all people that put it in KD's head and eventually made it happen. God dammit.