The pursuit of Kevin Durant has long eluded NBA teams, and the Boston Celtics were among the most aggressive suitors. The Celtics, somewhat famously, had the second-best odds at the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. They ultimately fell to No. 5, leapfrogged by the Blazers, Sonics and Hawks.

Greg Oden went No. 1 to the Blazers. Durant went No. 2 to the Sonics. Al Horford went third to the Hawks; Mike Conley went No. 4 to the Grizzlies and the Celtics had to settle for Jeff Green at No. 5. They're interest in Durant has reportedly never waned but they've never been able to reel him in as he's been traded from team to team.

While appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, NBA insider Shams Charania shared that the Boston Celtics made a serious attempt to acquire Durant when he requested a trade back in 2022, presenting a deal that would have sent Jaylen Brown and Derrick White to Brooklyn for Durant.

"There was a lot of mutual interest between Kevin Durant and the Celtics in the summer of 2022 when he asked for a trade," said Charania. "And I know you probably hate me saying this right now: they offered Jaylen Brown, Derek White, and a first-round pick. Brooklyn had said no, and they kept him, and then they ultimately traded him for a haul from Phoenix."