Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is an all-time NFL great and a Massachusetts sports icon but may have helped prevent NBA superstar Kevin Durant from joining the Boston Celtics as a free agent in 2016. Durant’s former agent and current business partner Rich Kleiman suggested as much on the All the Smoke podcast earlier this week.
“I think Brady just told me to go to the Warriors,” Kleiman said when quoting Durant from a conversation they had during his free agency in 2016.
Brady was part of a group of influential Boston figures who were brought in to sway Durant but apparently told him that he should seek out the best team, organization, and chance to win no matter what. Durant clearly felt that the Golden State Warriors fit that mold better than the young Boston Celtics. He went on to win a pair of NBA championships and NBA Finals MVP Awards with the Dubs.
After his stint in Golden State, Durant spent time with the Brooklyn Nets before being traded to the Phoenix Suns last season. In the meantime, the Celtics developed into one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference with 2017 draft pick Jayson Tatum as the centerpiece.
There’s no telling what the NBA’s landscape would look like if Durant had joined up-and-coming Boston instead of Golden State, and Brady’s advice might’ve tipped the scales.
