The Oklahoma City Thunder reportedly are close to hiring Florida coach Billy Donovan. News of the supposed formal contract discussions between the two sides follows reports that Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie isn't interested in leaving the Huskies.
UPDATE (4/30/15): Donovan hired as OKC head coach, per Yahoo Sports.
With Kevin Durant's free agency now only one season away, Oklahoma City fired coach Scott Brooks last week in what looked like a move intended to shake things up ahead of next summer. Thunder general manager Sam Presti apparently hasn't wasted any time in finding a replacement for Brooks, and according to both ESPN and Yahoo Sports, Presti is close to hiring Donovan.
"The Oklahoma City Thunder have formally commenced discussions about their vacant coaching job with Florida coach Billy Donovan, according to league sources," Marc Stein of ESPN wrote Wednesday. "Sources told ESPN.com that Donovan and Thunder general manager Sam Presti have opened a dialogue about the position, which became available a week ago after the dismissal of Scott Brooks."
Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed the report and added the two sides are in the preliminary stages of negotiating a contract.
"The Oklahoma City Thunder and Florida's Billy Donovan have started discussing the framework of a contract to bring the two-time national championship coach to the NBA, league sources told Yahoo Sports," Wojnarowski wrote Wednesday. "There's confidence on both sides that a deal can be reached, but none is yet in place, sources told Yahoo Sports. Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti and Donovan met on Tuesday in Gainesville, Fla., and conversations - including contract talks - are continuing on Wednesday, sources said."
Wojnarowski also reported Donovan is "enthusiastic" about the possibility of taking the job and is the only serious candidate in Presti's coaching search.
Ollie had previously been reported as a top candidate for the Thunder job. If the two reports regarding Donovan are accurate, it suggests Presti sped up his search in the wake of reports - as well as a tweet from Ollie - claiming the retired Thunder guard had no intention of leaving college basketball. With Ollie off the table and a handful of other teams also searching for a head coach, Presti likely wants to get Donovan locked down as quickly as possible.
Donovan is under contract with Florida through the 2020 season, but his newly extended deal can be bought out for $500,000.
Reports surfaced earlier in the month that Donovan, who's 50 years old and has two national titles under his belt, wanted to try his luck in the NBA.
"There is a growing sense among NBA executives that Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan is looking to making the jump to the NBA more than ever before, according to league sources," Stein wrote April 2. "Sources told ESPN.com that Donovan is poised to draw interest from multiple NBA teams this offseason and is increasingly prepared to listen to those pitches after the Gators endured a 16-17 season in which they failed to qualify for postseason play for just the second time in Donovan's nearly two decades in Gainesville."
Two other NBA teams linked to Donovan are the Denver Nuggets and the Orlando Magic, both of which have coaching vacancies. Donovan had agreed to take over the Magic's coaching job in 2007 but quickly reneged on the deal to stay at Florida.
Hiring Donovan isn't without risk. Although he found success in the college ranks, Donovan has never coached in the NBA. Most first-year coaches have time to grow into the job, but Oklahoma City can't afford a "getting adjusted" season with Durant's free agency looming. Presti has one season left to prove to Durant the Thunder can give him the best chance of winning a title, meaning Donovan will be under pressure to win right away. Every decision Donovan makes as the Thunder's coach will be scrutinized and in the national spotlight.
That's a lot of pressure for a rookie NBA coach. If he accepts the Thunder job he is essentially consenting to being the scapegoat the instant things go bad.
