Something Boston Celtics should keep in mind: Kevin Durant really wants to have fun playing basketball

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2016/06/something_boston_celtics_shoul.html



Something Boston Celtics should keep in mind: Kevin Durant really wants to have fun playing basketball




Kevin Durant, right, defends against Boston Celtics' Isaiah Thomas, center, during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)


Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com

on June 27, 2016 at 6:00 PM



While trying to pitch Kevin Durant over the next couple of weeks, the Boston Celtics may want to remember the former MVP's desire to enjoy his time on the basketball court.

During the playoffs, Durant wore a reminder on his shoes to "have fun." The free agent said he also wants to stress that message during the free agency process that begins July 1.

From ESPN's Marc Stein:

On Monday, Durant told ESPN that he's "been ready" for his looming free agency and that having "fun" ranks high on his priorities for choosing a team.

"I'm ready for it all," Durant said. "Since I was a kid, I've been ready for everything that comes with being an NBA player. So try to take that approach and take it a day at a time. ...

"I want to have fun playing ball. That's just my main concern, and that's always been my main concern. But I'm locked in on Team USA, man. Just trying to shift my focus back and forth, from that [free agency] stuff to being on the USA team. I just wanna have fun playing ball‎."

Last week Durant told ESPN he will be making a "basketball decision" in free agency, but culture really sounds important to him:

Asked what he means by a "basketball decision," Durant said it's not necessarily about the spotlight or the money.

"Just who I'm going to be playing with and the people I'm going to be around every single day, that's what it's all about for me," Durant told ESPN.com in an interview at Stubb's Bar-B-Q in downtown Austin. "You tend to hear about the market and the opportunities you can get off the basketball court, but I'm blessed, man, to be making what I make as a basketball player."

...

"I don't care about commercials, I don't really care about this s---, I just want to hoop. But this comes with it and I got all this being in Oklahoma City. So all that stuff doesn't really matter to me. It's all about who I'm gonna play with, what type of people I'm going to be around every single day and I'll go from there."

Knowing how badly Durant wants to surround himself with joy, the Celtics might want to put together a slideshow of quotes from after their final game this season:

Evan Turner: "(Brad Stevens) rekindled my fire for the game."

Isaiah Thomas: "One thing I do know, I ride with these guys until the wheels fall off. This is a special group. Hopefully we can all stick together. And have something special in the future. I love those guys in the locker room. Hopefully we can keep this together."

Jae Crowder: "We did build a bond with each and every guy in the locker room and it was fun. And we just tried to have fun each and every night. When you have a locker room that's fun, like the way we do, you don't ever want to see it end. And it was tough to end today."

Marcus Smart: "This team, we're a team. One thing for sure that we're going to do is always fight every game. And I think everybody likes to play with guys that are going to fight and compete every game."

Jared Sullinger: "The only positive I think I can say is you look around this room, you see the guys we have on this team, it's a great group of guys, win lose or draw. I'll be with this team the same exact people from Day 1. These guys are great. We had tons and tons and tons of fun. It was just great to be a part of the team."

Amir Johnson: "It was the funnest season I've definitely been in."

Stevens has developed a reputation as a coach players really enjoy. Thomas smiles as much as any All-Star. The Celtics employ a ball-movement-heavy, fast-paced style that looks like it would be quite enjoyable to play. If Durant decides to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder, all of that might convince him.

Or he could think, "Well, that Steph Curry guy would be really fun to play with, too."


bob
MY NOTE: Or he could say "it sure would be fun to have a lifetime of free crab legs from Legal Seafoods".

<4 more days until the opening salvos are fired @ exactly, precisely 12:00-12:01 A.M. of 7/1. 7 more days until summer league.


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