Rivers: Clippers were in Durant's top 3, Griffin was key to pitch

Los Angeles Clippers president and coach Doc Rivers says Kevin Durant's camp told him his team was among his top-three choices during free agency this month.

The problem: the Clippers were not in Durant's top two.

"The first question we asked is 'are we in the top three?' and they said 'yes,'" Rivers told The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski. "That made us feel good. We talked about it. My next question is, 'Are we in the top two?' We made the decision, if they say 'no' then we go. If they say 'yes' we stay.

"They said 'no.'"

Durant then chose the Golden State Warriors, shocking many who felt he would stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"I thought he liked us a lot," Rivers said. "He told us since and so have his representatives. The presentation I did and (assistant coach Lawrence Frank) and (owner Steve Ballmer) is good or maybe the best presentation."

Related: Durant reportedly 'blown away' by meeting with Clippers

Rivers added that Blake Griffin - who some had posited could be sent to his hometown of Oklahoma City in a sign-and-trade package for Durant - was a key part of the pitch, and there has never been any plan to deal him.

"The guy who was the most impressive in that room, that day, was Blake," Rivers told Wojnarowski. "He was phenomenal. And we didn't script him. And Blake said things that I won't say, that I was blown away by."

Ultimately, the Clippers' major hurdle came down to money.

"We had to actually ask each guy to take a hit financially," Rivers said. "We needed Kevin to take a hit this year to fit and next year we would have needed Blake and Chris (Paul) to take a hit financially. He didn't have to do that if he stayed in Oklahoma. He didn't have to do that if he went to Golden State."

-With h/t to RealGM