Cavs reportedly explored bringing in Kevin Durant after 2016 NBA Finals

Kevin Durant signing with the Golden State Warriors shortly after the Cleveland Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA Finals was a crushing blow for Cleveland’s hopes of having an NBA dynasty, but it actually turns out, the Cavs reportedly explored a Durant signing themselves after their Finals victory.

Since the Kevin Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2016, Golden State has looked nearly unstoppable, when they’ve been fully engaged. Durant signing with the Warriors realistically put an end to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ hopes of developing into a dynasty, and since, Golden State has won back-to-back NBA Finals, both over Cleveland, and Durant took home Finals MVP both times.

It turns out, though, that the Cavs, shortly after winning the NBA Finals in 2016, reportedly looked into the possibility of signing Durant themselves, according to then-general manager David Griffin, per ESPN’s Zach Lowe (and h/t Bleacher Report’s Kyle Newport).

"“In late June 2016, just days after winning one of the most thrilling and historically significant NBA Finals in history, David Griffin, then the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ GM, gathered his staff and gave them a directive: Explore ways to get Kevin Durant.Everyone knew even getting a meeting was a long shot. They would have to gut most of their roster around LeBron James to acquire Durant. But they had to at least do their due diligence.”"

Here’s what Griffin said to Lowe on the matter of signing KD, which likely would have completely changed the course of LeBron James‘ (and maybe even Kyrie Irving‘s) relationship with Cleveland for the long-term.

"“I don’t believe you can dream big enough in the NBA,” Griffin says now in recalling that meeting. “You have to go through the exercise.”"

The Cleveland Cavaliers bringing in Durant, as Lowe stressed, would not be an easy maneuver, but it would have changed everything.

Newport also went on to add how Cleveland winning a title would ultimately end their possibility of adding Durant.

"“Ironically, beating Golden State in 2016 may have cost Cleveland any shot it had at landing the superstar-although it’s not clear how seriously he would’ve considered signing with the team.”"

Durant, per SF.Gate.com’s Connor Letourneau (and h/t Newport) previously reflected on going to Golden State, and said, in reference to Golden State not beating Cleveland in 2016, that he was “glad that they lost.”

More from Cavs News

• 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
• 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
• NBA Expert says Cavaliers backcourt just won’t work
• When does NBA Training Camp start? When do Cavaliers start?
• Prominent NBA agent says LeBron had a harder path than Jordan

Clearly, the Cavs getting KD was a long shot, and Griffin seemed to know that, but it’s at least good to know that Griffin was at least intrigued by the possibility of getting James and Durant on the same squad in Cleveland.

The Cavs, as Newport hit on, only took “one contest in two series against Durant and Co. the last two years.”

Ex-Cav, Richard Jefferson (per Lowe), emphasized how confident Cleveland would have been the next season had the Warriors not signed Durant, and had the same roster construction as they had in the 2016 Finals.

"“I know we all believe — and it’s just our opinion — that if Golden State brought back the same team [in 2017], we would have dominated,” Richard Jefferson told ESPN.com.”"

LeBron did have Kyrie Irving in 2017, but even with him, the Cavs were beaten four games to one, and in 2018, the Cavs were unfortunately swept.

Last summer, James ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.

Obviously, KD to Cleveland did not happen, but it’s at least cool to know that Griffin, a gutsy then-GM, was entertaining all possibilities and was anything but complacent, even after the Cavs won their only championship in franchise history.