Kevin Durant: 5 free agency spots that would be more fun than the Warriors

3. Boston Celtics

For the sake of competitive balance of the league, it’s hard not to think about what might have been if Kevin Durant had signed with the Boston Celtics back in 2016.

He would have spearheaded a legitimate challenger to LeBron’s Eastern reign, he wouldn’t have been scorned for “taking the easy way out” or creating an unfair collection of talent by the Bay, and in addition to a fun Celtics-Cavs rivalry, he might have been at the forefront of a tantalizing Warriors-Celtics Finals rivalry too.

A sign-and-trade, or KD exercising his player option before being traded, are the only way this would work, but that’s also the case with LeBron James, an increasingly popular name on the radar of Celtics free agency rumors.

Durant is younger than the King, his $26.3 million player option is nowhere near as difficult to match as LeBron’s $35.6 million option in terms of trade packages, and balance would be restored in the league. There’d be a power in the East that could legitimately contend with the Dubs, though the prospect of a Golden State team with Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart — the likely trade pieces at work here — would be terrifying too.

No matter where LeBron goes this summer, the Celtics trading for KD and building a contender around him, Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford would be truly fascinating, and it’d make for a far more entertaining Finals matchup — especially with Durant likely squaring off against his old team. How’s that for a salivating prospect?