Billy Donovan Frontrunner For OKC Coaching Job

[Optimus Prime]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12784227/oklahoma-city-thunder-billy-donovan-begin-formal-discussions-coaching-position

Someone I don't think a college coach with no pro experience is going to instantly vault OKC to contender status and convince Durant and Westbrook to stay in OKC. This would be a good hire for a rebuilding or mid-tier team, not a team in WIN NOW mode like OKC.

:kobe:

[r15mohd]

it's a BIG risk to me in hiring Billy D. OKC has 2015-16 only to win or lose out completely...if they don't win or at least make the Finals, KD is gone to the better looking Wizards or even a shot in the dark under mastermind Riley since his payroll becomes empty (outside of Bosh) next summer.

[Real Men Wear Green]

If Donovan is looking for a new challenge I respect that but there's a fair chance Durant leaves and Westbrook follows him out the door in which case the team sucks and he's fired in 2-3 seasons. Vs. the potential to become a Coach K in Florida. Gators had a down year but overall he's had a ton of success to the point where they would never fire him.

[Optimus Prime]

If Donovan is looking for a new challenge I respect that but there's a fair chance Durant leaves and Westbrook follows him out the door in which case the team sucks and he's fired in 2-3 seasons. Vs. the potential to become a Coach K in Florida. Gators had a down year but overall he's had a ton of success to the point where they would never fire him.

This is nothing against Donovan, who I think is fine coach (outside of the way he shafted the Magic a few years back). It's just that OKC is the very definition of a WIN NOW AT ALL COSTS team, and Donovan is not the coach for that.

You need someone with big time NBA experience, like a Jerry Sloan type of coach, for example.

Unless the Thunder are resigned to the fact that Durant and Westbrook are gone and Donovan will be their coach of the future? :confusedshrug:

Edit: Whoops typo

[iamgine]

I am surprised to find out that college coaches salaries are about equal with NBA coaches salaries.

[jimmy77x]

I am surprised to find out that college coaches salaries are about equal with NBA coaches salaries.

College sports are all about the praised celebrity coaches, the players aren't worthy :lol

[Real Men Wear Green]

College sports are all about the praised celebrity coaches, the players aren't worthy :lol
That's what happens when the best players are asked to choose between tens of thousands in assumed value (college scholarship) vs. really being paid millions. Whatever profit UK makes off of basketball Calipari is worth half of it because he keeps bringing in the All-Americans who are then turned over after a year or two. Great players individually are devalued from the school's perspective because they'll be gone in a year, it's the guy that keeps bringing them in that is important.

[Orlando Magic]

For the last time... Donovan isn't going to OKC.

[Fudge]

2016 NBA champs.

Durant and Westbrook just entering their prime, along with a fully healthy OKC roster?

Wrap it up. It's over.

[lilandywiggins]

I still remember the whole Donovan/Magic debacle.

[Taller than CP3]

Please no. Keep college coaches and foreign coaches in the NCAA and Israel where they belong. There is absolutely no place for them in the NBA unless your team is so stacked it has Lebron, Kyrie, Love, JR Smith, and De La Va Dova, then it doesn't even matter.

[midatlantic09]

Why hire a college coach with no NBA experience to coach future HOF NBA players and a team that is trying to get back to the NBA finals next season? Makes zero sense to me. They'd be better off getting a top NBA assistant or maybe someone like Jeff Van Gundy/Mark Jackson.

[JerrySeinfeld]

Donovan is one of the most respected coaches in all of basketball.

He's even been talked about as replacing Coach K for team USA for a while.

Would be a large upgrade over Brooks in terms of basketball IQ, running an offense, and managing players rather than letting them do whatever they want.

[fsvr54]

Van Gundy

[Crose]

Donovan is one of the most respected coaches in all of basketball.

He's even been talked about as replacing Coach K for team USA for a while.

Would be a large upgrade over Brooks in terms of basketball IQ, running an offense, and managing players rather than letting them do whatever they want.
how come a heat fan like yourself only posts about okc and lebron ?

[dazzer87]

NO more Excuses......

[hawksdogsbraves]

If Donovan is looking for a new challenge I respect that but there's a fair chance Durant leaves and Westbrook follows him out the door in which case the team sucks and he's fired in 2-3 seasons. Vs. the potential to become a Coach K in Florida. Gators had a down year but overall he's had a ton of success to the point where they would never fire him.

I think it's perfect for him. Inherit two top 5 players and go for broke, if it doesn't work out and he gets fired then he can just go back to college and get a top tier job pretty much wherever he wants.

Seems risky for OKC just because he's unproven, but I guess as a franchise they're kind of in position where they have to go for broke too. Win now or risk losing the best players who will ever play for that franchise.

[HylianNightmare]

He will fail

[Meticode]

Sam Presti is apparently going into this solo. He hasn't consulted with Durant, Westbrook or Ibaka or their agents in the matter. I hope this doesn't hurt OKC"s chances on keeping Westbrook or Durant when that time comes, because it might if those players are pretty much healthy and they are doing worse than what their expectations are. Because if they are doing worse, Mr. Donovan will be the fall guy for it just like Brooks is. The only way Brooks could've kept his job this year is if they went to or won the Finals. Anything else short he was still getting fired in-my-opinion.

[Sportal]

Please no. Keep college coaches and foreign coaches in the NCAA and Israel where they belong. There is absolutely no place for them in the NBA unless your team is so stacked it has Lebron, Kyrie, Love, JR Smith, and De La Va Dova, then it doesn't even matter.

I expect you to write a formal letter to Brad Stevens and the Celtics franchise.

[Meticode]

I expect you to write a formal letter to Brad Stevens and the Celtics franchise.
As we all know, there are a few exceptions. And only a few, majority of the time it doesn't work for shit.

[Sportal]

As we all know, there are a few exceptions. And only a few, majority of the time it doesn't work for shit.

Yes, I realise this. But what he is doing is generalising with his statement.

You can't pigeonhole a whole populus of coaches. A coaching career is finite, you can't constantly have good assistant coaches of NBA franchises moving up.

Do I agree with this particular college coach being the OKC coach? No. It's the wrong environment, it's an experiment on a ''win now'' team.

[Fudge]

Cartman snitched to have our posts deleted. :lol

[Eric Cartman]

Cartman snitched to have our posts deleted. :lol

Expect to receive your perma ban and lawsuit shortly.

[KG215]

I'm still not sure how I feel about this hire. Ultimately I'm going to end up in "wait and see" mode, but when Donovan's name first popped up as the frontrunner/favorite, I was vehemently against it. However, the more I read and hear, the more I get on board with it. There really aren't any "sure thing" hires out there right now (there rarely are) and Donovan has some potential I think.

Brooks was cut from the old school coaching cloth and really didn't like or use analytics to shape his strategies and opinions on his personnel. Based on what I've read, it seems Donovan is one of the pioneers among the college coaching ranks in support of analytics. Durant has been reaching out to former Florida players to get their thoughts on Donovan and is apparently at peace and ok with the possible hiring.

I'm still a little wary of his pick-n-roll offensive philosophy since that's pretty much the same thing OKC ran under Brooks. But Donovan apparently also likes the "early offense" philosophy and incorporating the post game more. Guess we'll see. Given how loaded OKC could be next year if they're healthy, you'd have to be a pretty terrible coach to come in and mess it up and win less than 50 games. I mean OKC nearly won 50 games this year with their three best players missing 15+ games, most other key players missing 1-2 weeks worth of games, and going through major personnel turnover mid-season.

[Clyde]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


crap

[veilside23]

We are never satisfied... the only other coach i would get instead of donavan would be JVG.

For those who say that college coaches should stay in college brad stevens says hi

[Fudge]

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 29m29 minutes ago
Going online now: ESPN sources say Thunder & Billy Donovan nearing agreement to make him next OKC coach, with announcement likely THU or FRI
:banana:

3peat on the way, BITCHES.

[Budadiiii]

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:
:banana:

3peat on the way, BITCHES.
:applause:

[Budadiiii]

For the last time... Donovan isn't going to OKC.
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_medwa7hk6c1rrr2r7o1_500.gif

[Cowboy Thunder]

I admire Presti's steez on this decision.


I'll be along for the ride. Certainly nothing to benefit from by bitching or negative speculating at this point. None of us know the players, Presti, or Donovan on a personal level. If anything, Presti has finally started making good moves by dumping out some scrubs from our roster. I'll trust his momentum on letting Brooks go as well. Change can be great for a stagnant corporation.

If he likes Donovan, I can roll with that.

[hawksdogsbraves]

Sam Presti is apparently going into this solo. He hasn't consulted with Durant, Westbrook or Ibaka or their agents in the matter. I hope this doesn't hurt OKC"s chances on keeping Westbrook or Durant when that time comes, because it might if those players are pretty much healthy and they are doing worse than what their expectations are. Because if they are doing worse, Mr. Donovan will be the fall guy for it just like Brooks is. The only way Brooks could've kept his job this year is if they went to or won the Finals. Anything else short he was still getting fired in-my-opinion.

Damn, Presti going all in. If this is true, then if Donovan doesn't work out, and by doesn't work out I mean doesn't win a ring, those guys are as good as gone.

[Cowboy Thunder]

Damn, Presti going all in. If this is true, then if Donovan doesn't work out, and by doesn't work out I mean doesn't win a ring, those guys are as good as gone.

You know how the saying goes tho...


"Go Big or Go with a guy that was big in college ball 8 years ago"

[hawksdogsbraves]

You know how the saying goes tho...


"Go Big or Go with a guy that was big in college ball 8 years ago"

To be fair the Gators were ranked number one and considered title favorites for nearly the entire 2013/14 season without a single NBA player.

[midatlantic09]

Donovan is one of the most respected coaches in all of basketball.

He's even been talked about as replacing Coach K for team USA for a while.

Would be a large upgrade over Brooks in terms of basketball IQ, running an offense, and managing players rather than letting them do whatever they want.

1. Proof of Donovan's superior basketball IQ and running a pro level offense?
2. What does Donovan know about managing millionaire pro athletes??? He's never done it before...zero experience in that department.

Please, you're fooling yourself if you think he's a huge upgrade from Brooks. Heck, he may prove to be WORSE than Brooks at the pro level.

[Lakers Legend#32]

OKC is too small time to look beyond hiring a college coach.