While the other eight teams with head coaching vacancies this offseason have made their choices, the process continues in Oklahoma City. With the draft two weeks away, the Thunder still haven’t settled on a replacement for Billy Donovan.
The latest report is that Spurs assistant coach Will Hardy, Bucks assistant Charles Lee and Oklahoma City assistant Mark Daigneault are all receiving strong consideration after their interviews. Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool, Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin, Thunder assistant Brian Keefe and Sydney Kings head coach Will Weaver have also been linked to the OKC opening.
Most of the big-name coaches are already off the market. However, the Thunder seem to be looking for a younger coach willing to oversee a rebuilding project, although it may be a short one. With Chris Paul reportedly on the trade market and Danilo Gallinari entering free agency, Oklahoma City appears ready to construct the team around a collection of young talent and the parcel of draft picks it received from the Clippers in last summer’s trade for Paul George.
The Thunder could have a surprise in store that doesn’t involve any of the above candidates, suggests Marc Stein of The New York Times. He calls it a “Prestian move,” referring to general manger Sam Presti, to hire someone who hasn’t been publicly connected to the job.
Considering the future assets on hand and the likely roster shakeup, who do you believe would be the best choice to guide the Thunder? Would it be one of the rumored candidates or someone else who is still available? Please leave your answer in the comments section.
I don’t think it even matters who is going to be the Thunder’s next coach. As soon as Donovan left, it became clear that the Thunder are likely headed for a rebuild that will make them completely irrelevant for the next three years. Their best bet would be hire a cheap older college coach that can help mold and teach their young players without having to worry about winning. Once they become ready to win again, the coach that molded the players is likely to be tossed aside anyway.
Didn’t the Cavs do that and failed miserablely. Guys with success of developing bad teams such as Akinison and Brown should be good, although I am not sure whether they are hired already.
Yes the Cavs did, but that doesn’t make it a faulty maneuver, it just means Cleveland executed it poorly and made a poor choice of coach. Beilein was too unwilling to waver and thought he was there to win. Plus, the players just didn’t like him. Getting a college coach that is thought of as more player friendly would be a much better plan. I think Sean Miller of Arizona would be a perfect fit.
Cavs experience’s didn’t fail because of coach BeileinTheir lazy, unskilled and unprofessional players got him fired. Whatever he said during the meeting was a gaffe and didn’t deserve such a cruel treatment. I know that his NBA record was 14-40 but how can he blamed for that when the whole team are a bunch of losers?
OKC is stuck in limbo until they can unload Chris Paul’s massive contract.
But their future is bright thanks to your rockets and the clippers who’s picks aren’t due till long after all the stars of those teams are gone or past their prime
Stuck in limbo is comical coming from a Rockets fan. They got 2 picks and 2 swaps to take on CP3. Too bad the Rockets dont know when its time to cut bait.
Because unloading Chris Paul’s massive contract really helped the Rockets get out of limbo?
You have to be careful when unloading massive contracts. You can end up with an even more massive contract and no picks whatsoever. Just sayin’…
You must be an expert on teams in limbo.
Being the only NBA team to make the playoffs for the last 8 years?
Do you know who has made the playoffs for the last 10 years, and 12 of the last 13? Chris Paul (and in that span he has the same number of rings as the Rockets)
Am I the only person who thinks Becky Hammon makes too much sense in OKC? Between Presti being Presti when it comes to thinking outside the box, and Hammon coming from the Spurs system, it should be a no brainer.
Love the thought! But no sure you made any real connections there…how is she linked to OKC? Like at all? Is there a link between her and the city or something?
No links, aside from the fact that Hammon has the Pop badge-of-approval, SPURS personnel are always hot tickets in the coaching, management field …….. and the fact that Presti was also a product of this SPURS tree.
Billy Donovan had no ties with city, before he became OKC head coach.
The Spurs past is a big link between Hammon & Presti & OKC.
One of the best reasons is that by shifting direction sideways to hiring the first female HC, puts off the committment to either win-now or re-build, which is so important to certain types, if not Presti. Per Donovan, Presti hasn’t decided yet; Good for him, but people are waiting for some statement.
I doubt a Spurs HC gig is guaranteed. Not a peep about it.
Hiring a younger coach does not guarantee affinity with players. It didn’t when I played, tho not nearly the NBA level. Beilein’s mistake was the opening spech, where everyone was said to have the same status and nobody had accmplished anything already because an irrelevant college coach said so.
I feel like it’s been so quiet on the Hammond front the last two offseasons that it’s possible she already knows she has a HC gig when Pop retires.
The Cleveland point/counterpoint is moot as OKC hired a college coach in Donovan that turned out well.
I think Will Hardy or Adrian Griffin make the most sense.
Pop isn’t going anywhere except maybe the conference finals next year. That’s my take anyway. Take it or leave it. It’s really up to you.