The Oklahoma City Thunder fired head coach Scott Brooks and handed the keys to their team’s drive for an NBA championship over to former Florida Gators head coach Billy Donovan. While he has the opportunity to become a star at the professional level the same way that Steve Kerr did with the Golden State Warriors this season, there is definitely some cause for concern looking forward to next season.
Donovan will have his work cut out for him and will also need a little luck in order to help the Thunder transform back in to an NBA championship contender. Here are the three biggest obstacles standing in the way of the Donovan that he’ll have to overcome to make the Thunder a legitimate force in the Western Conference once again.
Transitioning To The NBA Level
In order for Donovan to help his team reach its potential, he will have to handle the transition from coaching college basketball to getting the job done at the NBA level. Expect a transition period – especially for a guy who previously had cold feet about coming to the NBA. Remember, he accepted the Orlando Magic’s offer to become their head coach in 2007 before quitting the day after the introductory press conference.
The first challenge is that Donovan hasn’t handpicked the players on his roster as he did in college and he will have to be able to step in and accept the strengths and weaknesses on the Thunder roster. Some of the biggest differences between the NBA and college game are roster selection, the amount of practice time he has with his team and earning the respect of his players. Donovan has a quality college resume but he will have to earn the respect of his players at the NBA level in what amounts to a fresh start.
Maximizing His Team’s Offensive Potential
One of the biggest problems that Scott Brooks’ critics had with him was the limitations Oklahoma City’s offense appeared to have despite the fact that they had two of the best players in the NBA on their roster in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Far too often, the Thunder offense relied on isolation looks and one of the most important changes that Donovan could make is to install more creative sets that keep opposing defenses off balance. There isn’t another team in the NBA that can rely on two superstar talents in the same way that Oklahoma City has the potential to do with Durant and Westbrook, and don’t forget that they now have a solid inside scorer in Enes Kanter too. One of the most important tasks for Donovan will be putting the two superstars in a better situation to succeed next season.
Grooming The Supporting Cast
The final major obstacle that Donovan will have to deal with is the supporting cast around Durant and Westbrook, and helping them to reach their potential. Kanter was a revelation with the Thunder after he made the move to Oklahoma City and he should be back next season (Thunder can give him a qualifying offer). But what about Jeremy Lamb or Andre Roberson? Both are former first-round picks who have played well in spurts but not consistently enough. Roberson feels he has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the NBA and Lamb has already proven he has scoring prowess.
Helping players like Roberson, Lamb, Perry Jones and even Serge Ibaka improve their games will be an important aspect of the job that Donovan will have to do at Oklahoma City. If he can make the adjustment to the NBA game, figure out how to maximize the potential of Durant and Westbrook in his offense and help groom the supporting cast around his two superstars, then the Thunder will have the potential to be an NBA championship contender. At any rate, Donovan is stepping into about as good of a situation as any new head coach can ask for.
