Sorry if already posted...from the article:

Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie is being "seriously considered" to replace Scott Brooks as coach of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, according to a report from SNY.tv's Adam Zagoria.

Ollie, who led the Huskies to the NCAA championship in 2014 is a longtime NBA player who was a teammate of both Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant with the Thunder and remains on good terms with GM Sam Presti.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-bask...evin-ollie

Read somewhere a while back Kevin Durant isn't happy and wants out of Oklahoma City... Brooks is a good coach, why comeback to OC minus Durant.

Ollie's not leaving. Possibly in three years when his buyout isn't outragiously high, but not right now.

(04-21-2015 06:35 AM)Hank Schrader Wrote:  Ollie's not leaving. Possibly in three years when his buyout isn't outragiously high, but not right now.

Ollie, now finishing his first season of his new contract, his NBA buyout drops to $4 million for this coming season...and then just $1 Million for anytime during the final 3 years of his 5 year deal.

Ollie's buyout if he left for another college job is much higher during the final 3 years vs if he jumped to the NBA (i.e. $4 Million for Year 2, $3 Million for Year 3, $2 Million for Year 4, then finally down to $1 Million in year 5).

No clue if Ollie wants to jump to NBA now...as Ollie earned $2.8 Million in salary this year, then $2.9 Million for this upcoming season, then continued $100,000 annual raises for his final 3 years.

Ollie could earn more $$ in the NBA (maybe a lot more), but no clue if thats what he wants to do now (or if ever).

(04-20-2015 11:20 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  Read somewhere a while back Kevin Durant isn't happy and wants out of Oklahoma City... Brooks is a good coach, why comeback to OC minus Durant.

Why did Brad Stevens go to Boston knowing they were dismantling? Money, prestige of an NBA job, next step up the ladder etc. The fact is he's getting talked about for taking a team of misfits toys to the playoffs as one of the best coaches in the NBA this year and it's worked out great for him. He also can take the money grab in the NBA and always go back to one of the top jobs in College when he wants now because even failure in the NBA has no bearing on college, see Pitinio, Calipairi etc.

4 million is nothing in the NBA, Kendrick Perkins got paid 8 million to sit on the bench this year for OKC. Maybe you guys don't like to hear this but Ollie is young and face it UConn in the AAC isn't Duke or Kentucky and those are the kinds of jobs he eventually could get but he needs something in between it to give him cover or the UConn fans would hate him for leaving to go to another college job. NBA gives it to him like it or not.

If he went to the NBA a few years there wouldn't be much said and he stayed there or came back after to another college and he could make more money in the process and potentially even keep 2 of the best 5 players in the world there and win championships there. If not or he fails he still could comeback get a top job in a power conference. Pretty much a no brainier for career path or security on his side as young as he is and since he's already been to the top in college.

(04-21-2015 08:08 AM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(04-20-2015 11:20 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  Read somewhere a while back Kevin Durant isn't happy and wants out of Oklahoma City... Brooks is a good coach, why comeback to OC minus Durant.

Why did Brad Stevens go to Boston knowing they were dismantling? Money, prestige of an NBA job, next step up the ladder etc. The fact is he's getting talked about for taking a team of misfits toys to the playoffs as one of the best coaches in the NBA this year and it's worked out great for him. He also can take the money grab in the NBA and always go back to one of the top jobs in College when he wants now because even failure in the NBA has no bearing on college, see Pitinio, Calipairi etc.

4 million is nothing in the NBA, Kendrick Perkins got paid 8 million to sit on the bench this year for OKC. Maybe you guys don't like to hear this but Ollie is young and face it UConn in the AAC isn't Duke or Kentucky and those are the kinds of jobs he eventually could get but he needs something in between it to give him cover or the UConn fans would hate him for leaving to go to another college job.

If he went to the NBA a few years there wouldn't be much said and he stayed there or came back after to another college and he could make more money in the process and potentially even keep 2 of the best 5 players in the world there and win championships there. If not or he fails he still could comeback get a top job in a power conference. Pretty much a no brainier for career path or security on his side.

Duke wasn't Duke before Coach K. He too had numerous opportunities to go to the NBA and chose not to. You never know what direction a good young coach, already in a successful program, will do.

I'm telling you all - he is not going anywhere this year.

EDIT: I'm going redact this one actually. There might be something here. UGH

(04-20-2015 11:20 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  Read somewhere a while back Kevin Durant isn't happy and wants out of Oklahoma City... Brooks is a good coach, why comeback to OC minus Durant.

Brooks is a great coach. OKC better hold on to him.

(04-21-2015 08:16 AM)sfink16 Wrote:  Duke wasn't Duke before Coach K. He too had numerous opportunities to go to the NBA and chose not to. You never know what direction a good young coach, already in a successful program, will do.

Duke was in the Elite 8 the year before coach K got there and in the championship game 3 years before that.

This also is 2015 not 1979. The NBA wasn't anything close to what it is today and college basketball isn't either, it's much worse and the NBA is only bigger. Completely different situations not to mention the ACC was king back then of collegebasketball.

This is a popular rumor more years than not. I don't think we get rid of Brooks, although many fans would be just fine with it if we did.

KD only has one more year.

(04-21-2015 08:24 AM)firmbizzle Wrote:  

(04-20-2015 11:20 PM)BigHouston Wrote:  Read somewhere a while back Kevin Durant isn't happy and wants out of Oklahoma City... Brooks is a good coach, why comeback to OC minus Durant.

Brooks is a great coach. OKC better hold on to him.

I don't know if he's great, but he's not as horrible as people make him out to be. He's certainly not as big of a question mark as Ollie or any college/1st time NBA coach. I mean the guy took them to the finals when they were healthy which they haven't been since.

In the NBA usually what does coaches in is relationships with the stars or losing. Durant and Westbrook love Brooks and were going to bat for him just last week. I don't know why you would rock the boat now to go after some unknown a year before Durant could leave or 2 for Westbrook. Then again why would you trade James Harden for Steven Adams and Jeremy Freaking Lamb like this GM. He's already pissed away a dynasty.

(04-21-2015 08:36 AM)TUBballJunkie Wrote:  This is a popular rumor more years than not. I don't think we get rid of Brooks, although many fans would be just fine with it if we did.

Why? Usually I hear because they don't like his offense, that's the big knock on hijm because the ball doesn't move like the Spurs or the old Dantonio offenses or like much of the NBA is going. Really though why would you want that if you have Durant and Westbrook. You want the ball in their hands IMO and his offenses have been good, even #1 I think so it's not like that hasn't worked even if it doesn't look pretty.

Quote:KD only has one more year.

Maybe not if he likes the coach which he seems to like Brooks. I just don't know why you would chance it for something unknown in potentially the last year. If he leaves blame the GM for that Harden trade as much as anything. They didn't deserve that team as cheap as they have been.

Man, KD days in OKC is counting down...

Waiting for that 2016 Free Agency...

If I were a OKC fan, I really do not know what to do...

Tanking is not even possible and how is OKC going to improve on the talent level?

(04-21-2015 09:22 AM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Man, KD days in OKC is counting down...

Waiting for that 2016 Free Agency...

If I were a OKC fan, I really do not know what to do...

Tanking is not even possible and how is OKC going to improve on the talent level?

Screw um. They deserve it. You low ball James Harden and not give him the extra 1.5 million a year and then trade him for nothing when he refuses you deserve whatever came to you. They were lucky anyway, had they had the #1 pick they would have picked Oden anyway.

It's almost a foregone conclusion here that KD is going to wind up home in DC. He's been pretty complimentary about OKC as of late but still vague about the future, IMO.

Brooks just underachieves and gets exposed by the veteran coaches. It's not like he's had a team of scrubs. The man has no inbounds plays, ever. Thunder fans know how games are probably going to end when it comes down to needing the final shot. KD triple-teamed prayer shots.

Harden wasn't going to be an OKC guy long-term. You can tell who isn't happy in the smaller markets.

My loudest anti-Brooks friends are REALLY on the ledge about the Ollie rumors, though.

(04-21-2015 09:38 AM)TUBballJunkie Wrote:  It's almost a foregone conclusion here that KD is going to wind up home in DC. He's been pretty complimentary about OKC as of late but still vague about the future, IMO.

He could but I can see cons. He even said going home is stressful, trying to get tickets and see everyone. Most NBA players like the buffer space and family and friends not in their pockets 365. Plus he seems to like OKC. Gave them like 1 million dollars for tornado relief etc.

Quote:Brooks just underachieves and gets exposed by the veteran coaches. It's not like he's had a team of scrubs. The man has no inbounds plays, ever. Thunder fans know how games are probably going to end when it comes down to needing the final shot. KD triple-teamed prayer shots.

He's won 60+ games, went to a finals, had the #1 offense when healthy. I don't think he's great but he far from horrible. Who would you rather see shooting the ball around Durant and Westbrook, the scrubs like Kendrick Perkins, Deon Waiters, Nick Collison, Thabo Sefeloshia they gave hime? OKC has given him plenty of scrubs the last 5 years. In fact his 3 stars are about all he has had and an overrated Reggie Jackson.

Quote:Harden wasn't going to be an OKC guy long-term. You can tell who isn't happy in the smaller markets.

Didn't matter, they had the rights to him and to match any offer so he was theres. He was locked there at least another 5 years. They would have also had his bird rights the 5 years after that so he had no choice but to stay even after or give up like 25 million in that 5th year when he would have been like 33 and not able to get that money again. If they won he would have been happy which I got to think they would have several times with all 3 of them the next 5 years even with some of the injuries and if one left you still got one or 2 then.

(04-21-2015 09:38 AM)TUBballJunkie Wrote:  My loudest anti-Brooks friends are REALLY on the ledge about the Ollie rumors, though.

That's what I don't get. You know what you got with Brooks. When healthy he's proven he can take them with in a few games of a championship and really contend and to the finals. Westbrook and Durant are clearly behind him after last weeks press conference. If they hated him you make the change but they love the guy strangely.

I don't think you blow it up the last year you potentially have. I see more potiental issues with a new guy not meshing even a proven one, much less a guy that has never coached in the NBA and was just their peer. No thanks.

Kinda surprised it actually happened, but no more Brooks.

Statements from Ollie today that he's not interested in NBA jobs...then others saying he really is despite him saying he's not. Hard to tell what's fact and what's fiction.

One of the rumors out of Orlando 2 weeks ago when they fired their temporary HC was that Magic would pick up Brooks if he was ever let go by OKC.

No clue if that will happen (some think Scott Skiles will land with the Magic job) but now that Brooks is out, will be interesting to see what happens (i.e. he will be paid for this coming season, so he won't necessarily have to work this season...and I don't think he has the personality for ESPN).