Oklahoma City Thunder: 5 candidates to replace Billy Donovan as head coach

Now that the Oklahoma City Thunder are parting ways with head coach Billy Donovan, here are five candidates to replace him.

Firing a head coach after a first-round playoff exit feels like standard operating procedure in the NBA, but for Billy Donovan and the Oklahoma City Thunder, it’s not quite so formulaic.

Following a pleasantly surprising season and seven-game playoff battle, the veteran-laden Thunder are heading for a new chapter. Danilo Gallinari is a free agent this summer. Steven Adams and Dennis Schroder only have one year left on their sizable deals. And Chris Paul — by all rights, the team’s best player — used a throwback season to breathe some life into his trade value despite his age, injury history and staggering financial impact ($85.6 million over the next two seasons) on the salary cap sheet of whichever team might trade for him.

Every sign indicates it’s time for the Thunder to blow it up and focus on building for the future around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Darius Bazley and the incoming flux of extra first-round draft picks acquired in the Russell Westbrook and Paul George trades.

Bearing all that in mind, the Thunder’s decision to amicably part ways with their head coach is the right move for both OKC and Billy Donovan, who will be coveted around the league on a market that’s currently full of vacancies.

The question is, now that Oklahoma City is veering towards a youth movement over the next 1-2 years, who would be the best fit to replace Billy Donovan?

Honorable Mentions: Maurice Cheeks, Tyronn Lue, Alvin Gentry, Becky Hammon, Dave Joerger, David Fizdale