NBA Rumors: Best Fits for Scott Brooks in 2015-16
The Oklahoma City Thunder fired Scott Brooks this afternoon. What teams are the best possible fits for the recently unemployed head coach?
Scott Brooks was a part of the Thunder organization dating back to their days in Seattle, and was the only head coach to serve the team following their move from Seattle to Oklahoma City.
That is all apart of the past however, as Brooks was fired by the organization this afternoon.
Oklahoma City has fired coach Scott Brooks, league source tells Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 22, 2015
Following a disappointing and injury-plagued season, in which the Thunder experienced a free-fall out of playoff contention during the final weeks of the season, the firing was imminent. Brooks’ termination is not just a result of missing the playoffs, it is a result of years of playoff failure, despite having two of the best players in the game on their roster in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Fortunately for Brooks, he should have no problem finding a new job. There are several coaching vacancies, and even more possibly to open. Apparently he is already drawing serious interest from two teams.
Brooks will immediately become a top candidate for the openings in Orlando and Denver, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 22, 2015
The big question will be which job he should take when the opportunity arises.
Here are the three best fits for Scott Brooks to succeed as an NBA head coach:
Orlando Magic
The best fit for Brooks is also one of the teams who has expressed serious interest in the former Thunder coach. The Orlando Magic have nowhere close to the star-studded lineup that Oklahoma City did, something that Brooks could actually benefit from.
Brooks would inherit a somewhat raw team with an extremely high ceiling in Orlando. The Magic’s roster includes promising young guards Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton, and Brooks’ 10 years of experience as a point guard in the league could help him mold the pair into a dangerous backcourt duo.
Brooks was labeled as an underachiever for not leading the Thunder to much playoff success recently, but regardless, his team was still a playoff fixture for almost his entire tenure with the team. Returning to the playoffs would be more than enough to satisfy the fans in Orlando.
Chicago Bulls
Rumors have circulated throughout the entire season regarding the pending departure of Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau. Assuming the head coach and the Bulls’ management cannot overcome their differences, it looks like anything short of an NBA championship will have Thibodeau out the door in Chicago.
The potential opening would easily be the best option for Brooks to win now, though he would face the same scrutiny he did in Oklahoma City. The Bulls roster is just as, if not more, talented than the Thunder’s.
One thing that is good about Brooks’ coaching style is that he is a players’ coach that allows his superstars to run free and take over a game when necessary. This reason makes him an interesting choice, and considering that he would be coaching in the much weaker Eastern Conference, playoff success should come a little easier.
Given that the Bulls already have an established team leader in Joakim Noah, a rising star in Jimmy Butler and a former MVP in Derrick Rose (albeit not quite back to an MVP-level), Brooks would have no trouble excelling in Chicago.
San Antonio Spurs
Why on earth would the Spurs hire Scott Brooks when they have Gregg Popovich? Well, have you seen the types of assistants Popovich has turned out?
So why on earth would Scott Brooks take a job as an assistant coach, despite having several teams calling for him to fill their coaching vacancies?
Because it is the best career move in the long-run. The biggest knock on Brooks is his lack of playoff success. Why not go to San Antonio, where he can learn from 5-time NBA champion and legendary head coach Greg Popovich?
It would be a momentary step back career-wise, but it would be an incredibly smart move for Brooks in the long-term picture. If you need an example, just take a look at Steve Kerr’s incredible first season with the Golden State Warriors this year, as the former Popovich protege led his team to the best record in the NBA.
Most importantly, Popovich only has a few years left in the tank, and the Spurs will soon be in the market for a head-coach-in-waiting. If he were given the opportunity to wait for a year or two before taking the reigns in San Antonio, Brooks would have landed a dream job that would be the envy of coaches all-around the NBA.