Wednesday Bolts – 4.29.15
Ben Golliver of SI.com endorses Billy Donovan: “I’m really intrigued by the Donovan chatter. Clearly, an established relationship with GM Sam Presti is a good starting point. To me, the Thunder have two needs from this position. First, they need a coach with instant credibility—the type of credibility that can sell Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on the team’s ability to win immediately and make the most of their primes. Second, they need a coach that has a strong enough personality to carry the organization in a worst-case scenario that sees Durant and/or Westbrook leaving in free agency over the next few years.”
Anthony Slater: “As with everything surrounding the organization, Sam Presti and the Thunder have been mum, leaking nothing about the ongoing discussions regarding one of the most crucial decisions in the franchise’s short history. But with such heavy interest on one of the most intriguing NBA coaching openings in decades, there’s a constant flow of murmurs behind the scenes. And Donovan’s name is the one that’s popping up most.”
Marc Stein says Billy Donovan has met with the Thunder.
Berry Tramel: “But still, that’s great information in our quest to guess who will replace Brooks. Presti is searching for the next Brad Stevens. A coach who is bright. A coach who can communicate with professional ballplayers. A coach who understands the culture of the sweaty gym but also embraces the 21st-century analytics and technology that sweeps the sport. A coach who understands the value of working hard on an empty court (Stevens is from Indiana, after all) but who also understands the value in knowing whether Anthony Morrow shoots better from the left corner or the right corner.”
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com: “But it does appear that the Thunder are headed in that direction rapidly, seeking to hire Donovan to replace Brooks in short order. Donovan, along with Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg, is considered the top of potential coaching candidates from the college ranks. With this speed with which these discussions have accelerated, it’s likely that Donovan was GM Sam Presti’s choice prior to firing Brooks. It’s a big gamble, but one the team felt it needed to make. We’ll see if they can come to an agreement that will pull Donovan from the safe and secure job at Florida to the NBA, where making the Western Conference Finals three out of five years gets you fired for a college coach with no NBA experience.”
Kurt Helin of PBT: “People in front offices around the NBA like Donovan and think he’s a guy who can make the transition from college to the NBA (a door opened again with the success Brad Stevens has had in Boston). Donovan is believed to have the Xs and Os chops, plus he is a strong motivator. Donovan and Presti have a relationship already (Presti has hired a couple people off the Florida staff in recent years). You can add to that rumors floating around the league that Donovan would jump to the NBA for the “right” opportunity — there are not many opportunities that are more “right” than OKC. Even Donovan’s former Gator star Bradley Beal said he thinks his former coach is destined for the NBA.”
A brief thought on the coaching search: It’s very similar to the draft. People develop pet favorites for really no reason at all, and hold that strong opinion anyway. Why not hire Mark Jackson!?! You can be sure the Thunder have a very specific person in mind that fits with the organizational direction. You’re not in those meetings hearing the ideas. You don’t have all the information. I think a couple of guys would be better fits than other — Tom Thibodeau would not be a good fit — but completely dismissing a guy like Billy Donovan without really having a reason why is silly to me.
