The Thunder offered head coach Billy Donovan a multiyear contract extension prior to the NBA’s restart this summer, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. The offer included two guaranteed seasons, Charania adds.
Donovan passed on that offer at the time and the two sides agreed to table discussions until the end of the season. On Tuesday, less than a week after Oklahoma City had been eliminated from the playoffs, word broke that Donovan and the team had mutually agreed to part ways rather than working out a new deal.
Charania’s report that the Thunder offered Donovan an extension doesn’t come as a major surprise — it always seemed as if the organization was interested in bringing back the head coach. But with a possible rebuild looming, the two sides weren’t necessarily aligned on a long-term fit. General manager Sam Presti said as much during his comments to the media following Donovan’s departure, as Brandon Rahbar of Daily Thunder details.
“It became apparent that we couldn’t provide him the information on the future direction of the team over the next several seasons to give him the level of clarity that he understandably desires at this stage of his career,” Presti said of Donovan.
Since parting ways with the Thunder, Donovan has been linked to head coaching openings in both Philadelphia and Chicago. However, we haven’t gotten a sense yet of how serious a candidate he is for those jobs, or whether he could emerge as an option for any of the other teams seeking a new coach.
Donovan is a good fit for Thunder
Regular season overachiever
Guys have you noticed how a lil’ bit ago were reports that for $$$ worries many teams might just keep their HC’s to save $?
Oh boy, how wrong was the rumor, HC’s are getting chopped right, left & center!
I think the same will be with FA & trades, a very fruitful & busy season!
That will make Sillivan happy like a kid in a candy store!
You realize Donovan’s contract expired, correct? Thus, parting ways may have actually saved money if the coach they hire ends up being cheaper
As far as I can tell, the man can’t develop, at least well enough for a rebuilding team like the bulls. Throw in him leaving the Thunder under the pretense of a possible rebuild and that makes him ruling out Chicago almost certain. Philly will be his choice in my opinion. He loved the simple pick and roll offense when he had Westbrook, Simmons style of play and skillset plus Embiid and to a lesser extent Horford makes philly a perfect fit for donavan imo
So was it really a mutual parting? It sure doesn’t sound like it was.
So I guess this means the rebuild begins.
Donovan didn’t want to be apart of the rebuild having made his name as the guy who went to the playoffs with Russ KD and Harden and PH etc. (without success but consistently made playoffs)
OKC will see Gallo leave in FA, Steven Adams has been in and out of trade rumours for a couple off seasons and though his contract isn’t the best he is a hard worker and great teammate so there should be takers. CP3 on his huge deal will definitely have takers but at what return for OKC.
Time to SGA to take over and hopefully they recruit well.
How about Chris Paul as player/coach?