• Rich Kleiman discussed the decision-making process behind Kevin Durant joining the Warriors in 2016
• Kleiman revealed Tom Brady’s advice was crucial in KD’s decision
• Brady came to speak to KD as part of the Celtics contingent but cryptically advised Durant to join the Warriors
The 2016 Free Agency changed the NBA dramatically, with Kevin Durant leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors a generation-defining move. The process behind that move has often been questioned. It seems Tom Brady played a pivotal role in the decision to join the Warriors.
Durant’s longtime agent and business partner Rich Kleiman gave us insight into how the Celtics’ attempt at recruiting Durant by bringing over Brady inadvertently swayed Durant into joining the Warriors.
“I remember when the Celtics came, it was the Celtics leadership, Danny Ainge, Jae Crowder, Kelly Olynyk. But then came Tom Brady… They went to take a walk together. Later on, KD was like, ‘He told me to look for the best team, best organization, best chance to win. I think Brady told me to go to the Warriors…’ He made the decision based on basketball. There was nobody else and once he went through all of that, it was clear”
“The Celtics brought Tom Brady over… Tom and [Kevin Durant] went to take a walk. Later on, KD was like, ‘He told me to look for the best team.’”
Rich Kleiman says Brady told KD to go to the Warriors during his 2016 free agency 🤯
(via @shobasketball)pic.twitter.com/0zPjyg0u2K
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 27, 2023
Durant not joining Boston ended up working for the franchise, as they drafted Jayson Tatum in 2017 and had plenty of room in the forward line for him to develop into an All-NBA caliber player. They could have drafted Tatum anyway given he was drafted with a Nets pick they already owned, so imagining his ascendance alongside Durant is incredible.
If the Celtics still make the Kyrie Irving trade, we could have seen the Nets duo get together a few years earlier on a roster that would also have Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. That could’ve been lethal, but what Durant did instead changed the NBA.
Kevin Durant Didn’t ‘Give A F**k’ About Leaving The Thunder For The Warriors
Kleiman made the Brady revelation on All The Smoke, the same podcast where Durant spoke about why he left OKC in 2020. In his reasoning, Durant pointed at the lack of spacing and skill in OKC as his primary reason, claiming he didn’t ‘give a f**k’ about the rivalry with Golden State.
“In OKC, I played with a lot of athletes. I didn’t play with a lot of skill guys, not like shooters, (or) ball-handlers. So after a while, my game started to grow (and) I was like, ‘I need a change.’ This was before the (2015-16) season even started. I was tired of playing in that system. I was tired of being the only guy that can make threes, make jump shots, and consistently make them. So, my mind was already thinking about how can I develop my game more so than the Warriors vs. Thunder, that rivalry. Even if that was a rivalry, I didn’t give a f***.”
His honesty is preferable to the inauthentic answers some other people would have given. Nonetheless, it was still disappointing to see one of the biggest stars of his era chase multiple superstar teammates to ensure the load on him was minimized.
Kevin Durant Has Had Multiple Superstar Teammates Since
Durant left the Thunder in 2016 for skilled teammates and has never been without them since. Outside the Warriors where he played alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, Durant had Kyrie Irving and James Harden with him in Brooklyn. Now, he has Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in Phoenix.
Given the moves Durant has made to ensure he’s playing in the ideal situation, not winning a title in Phoenix will be a big hit to his legacy. For me, he’ll always be one of the greatest players of his generation. But for him to be respected across the NBA fanbase, he’ll have to win a non-Warriors title to shed the stigma.
The Suns just acquired Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson as the third team in the Damian Lillard trade. Hopefully, these pieces can help the Suns win the first title in franchise history.
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