Clips Out Of Running For KD, Decision Could Come Late Tonight Or Monday
By Randy Renner, Senior Writer
So much for Kevin Durant being “blown away” by the LA Clippers presentation on Friday, on Saturday he let them know he wouldn’t be playing for them next season.
A report by ESPN’s Chris Broussard quotes sources as saying a decision on whose uniform he will be wearing will likely come late tonight or Monday.
And here’s another interesting tidbit, Broussard’s sources also say a second meeting with the Thunder, which several reports indicated had been set for later today to finish off all the free agency meetings, actually has not been.
Saturday proved to be by far the most interesting day of the free agency free-for-all and Oklahoma City may be getting a strong challenge for Durant’s services from the Boston Celtics.
The Golden State Warriors had appeared to be the strongest suitor that could threaten to take Durant away but the Celtics showed up to their meeting with Durant with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in tow. And according to media reports in Boston and New York Durant had actually gone up to Beantown from his retreat in The Hamptons on Friday night, visited with Brady, perhaps saw some sights around town and then the pair flew together on Durant’s private jet back to The Hamptons.
To top that news off the Celtics then reached a contract agreement with Al Horford to come to Boston for four years.
ESPN had reported both Durant and Thunder coach Billy Donovan had been talking to Horford about coming to OKC and joining KD and Russell Westbrook but without a longterm commitment in place from the Thunder superstars to stay in Oklahoma, Horford decided to go to Boston instead and began recruiting Durant to join him there.
The Miami Heat will meet with Durant today and then we’ll see if there is indeed a second meeting with the Thunder.
Broussard reported last night at about 10 o’clock Oklahoma time he’d been told a final decision could come within the next 24 to 36 hours which, if strictly interpreted, would put it somewhere between 10 o’clock tonight and 10 o’clock Monday morning.
The Thunder are still believed to be the front-runners but with some of the events of Saturday Thunder fans are certainly more nervous now than they were say 24 or 36 hours ago.