Update: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
Oklahoma City has hired Billy Donovan as coach, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 30, 2015
There was no “unforeseen collapse.”
Yet, at least.
Billy Donovan – eight years after he agreed to coach the Magic and backed out days later – has reportedly agreed to coach the Thunder.
Dean Blevins of OKC-KWTV:
#News9 SOURCES: Thunder to announce Billy Donovan as new head coach. #ThunderCoach #News9Breaking Details: http://t.co/HPBFn1JsNe
— Dean Blevins (@DeanBlevins) April 30, 2015
Donovan, assuming he gets past the introductory phases this time, inherits an excellent team. The Thunder are ready to win a title next season, and they’ll need Donovan to adapt quickly to the NBA to do it.
Beyond that, there’s plenty of uncertainty.
Kevin Durant becomes a free agent in 2016 and Russell Westbrook in 2017. How they feel about Donovan is both extremely important and unclear.
Win now, recruit and then win some more. Donovan’s new challenge sounds an awful lot like job at Florida.