I don't really buy into that kind of narrative. If Ollie is a good coach, he's a good coach. He's a former NBA player that guys on the teams he played for really thought highly of him as a leader.
Pop is arguably a top 2-3 coach in the history of the NBA. Most coaches in today's league do jack. How about comparing Brooks to Spo? or Blatt? or Rivers? Blaming Brooks for everything wrong with OKC is a cop out. The ONE year their team was healthy (and their stars were peaking), they went to the Finals and lost to a prime Lebron (who had the best playoff run of his career). Then injuries derailed their seasons after that.
This is probably a fair write-up of Brooks by Zach Lowe. I would be a little more harsh. http://grantland.com/the-triangle/scott-free-the-thunder-imagine-a-future-without-scott-brooks/ If KD leaves the Thunder in 2016, the franchise will become another NBA Siberia. Nobody (including myself) will care about them anymore.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>UConn's Kevin Ollie has removed himself from consideration for the OKC head coaching position, sources told <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports">@CBSSports</a>. Story coming.</p>— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/591282387746693120">April 23, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Donovan is a pretty strong willed. He and Westbrook would clash big time in my opinion. God I hope they hire Vinny Del Negro!
I, personally, think it's very telling that Ollie turned down the job considering Durant has publicly praised his former teammate as the guy that mentored him during his early years. If I were Durant, why wouldn't I want a guy I can trust on the sidelines, especially one that has passed the eye test at the college ranks? That is, of course, I personally don't know how much longer I want to be in OKC and don't want a good friend and former mentor to be stranded if/when I leave via free agency. I think this is another domino that's falling for the Durant era to end in OKC. It was fine when he was healthy and the de facto best player on the team but both counts are clearly in question now that he's had a couple of surgeries and Westbrook went HAM at the end of the year. Maybe my conversation with a former college basketball player wasn't too far off
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Early fave for OKC job clearly Billy Donovan but word in coaching circles is that Spurs assistant coach Ettore Messina is on Thunder's list</p>— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/591366723049140224">April 23, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I'm starting to think JVG with his predictable offense is probably a worst coach than McHale..... I will be happy to hear his Rockets Homerism end...
Dang Brooks went in: Brooks specifically warned that the move could have disastrous ramifications with Durant. "When we traded James [Harden], I was doing damage control with the guys for a while, particularly with Kevin," Brooks said. "I know Kevin will say the right things and handle this like a pro, but there's not a doubt in my mind that he won't see the hypocrisy in it. As a small market team, those principles of loyalty and trust are what we knew we had to demonstrate to set ourselves apart from other teams. When Kevin's contract is up, what sets them apart now?" Brooks says he hasn't spoken with Durant since being fired. "No, no," the coach clarified, "I'm not saying this is what Kevin told me--I think it's just obvious at this point." http://newsok.com.clonezone.link/brooks-regret-firing-durant
Durant knows that OKC traded away a dynasty and his best friend away because they didn't want to pay the luxury tax or amnesty Perkins. There is no way Durant stays in OKC if he wants to win it all.
No he didn't. See this link: http://newsok.com/fake-link-incorrectly-shows-a-story-written-by-the-oklahoman/article/5413370 Fired coaches that are looking to get hired don't say what was posted above.
