NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant, Pau Gasol and More
The Kevin Durant sweepstakes may be coming to an end.
The Boston Celtics have put on the full-court press in an attempt to get the superstar free agent to sign a contract with them, and there is optimism in the Celtics camp.
On Sunday, the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach, citing a Celtics source, noted the team has its "fingers crossed" over a potential Durant agreement.
CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely reported the Celtics made a favorable impression on Durant:
While that is far from a commitment, it likely means the Celtics are still in the picture. Boston was a long shot at the start of the free-agency process, but the Celtics were one of six teams to meet with the star.
Durant has also talked with the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder, according to Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post.
On Saturday, Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times reported the Clippers have been told they are no longer in the running for Durant's services.
Pau Gasol may reunite with former head coach Tom Thibodeau and come to a contract agreement with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Gasol played for the Chicago Bulls for the last two seasons, and Thibodeau coached in the Windy City through the 2014-15 season.
Gasol averaged 18.5 points per game in Thibodeau's final year in Chicago, and he also came down with 11.8 rebounds per contest. His numbers were in the same neighborhood in 2015-16 (16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game), and he appears to have enough left in the tank to contribute even though he will turn 36 years old Wednesday.
Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reported the Timberwolves made an "aggressive" two-year offer to Gasol, who is also being courted by the Portland Trail Blazers and Spurs.
Since Gasol appears to be near the end of his NBA career, it seems likely he would go where he feels the most comfortable. While the Spurs and Blazers may be closer to a championship than Minnesota, Gasol may like the idea of playing for a coach with whom he is familiar.
Jordan Hill
Big man Jordan Hill is not a star in the NBA, but he is a role player who contributed 8.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the Indiana Pacers in 2015-16.
Three teams—the Spurs, Bulls and Brooklyn Nets—are bidding for his services, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News. The Spurs are perennial winners who want to get back to championship form, while the Nets and Bulls are coming off disappointing years.
Neither the Nets nor the Bulls made the playoffs in 2015-16, and the Bulls traded former No. 1 overall pick Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks in June. If winning is a major concern, Hill may decide the Spurs are the best fit.
