National Basketball Association

Report: Thunder expected to offer Billy Donovan coaching job soon

Published Apr. 29, 2015 1:07 p.m. ET

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Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti flew to Florida to meet with Gators coach Billy Donovan this week and is expected to formally offer the Thunder's head coach position to Donovan soon, according to Yahoo! Sports/FOX Sports 1 NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Thunder's coaching position became vacant earlier this month when they fired Scott Brooks after seven seasons. Brooks led Oklahoma City to three Western Conference finals appearances and one NBA Finals appearance, but the team failed to make the playoffs during an injury-plagued season this year.

Donovan has coached at Florida for the past 19 years, passing the 500-win milestone last season and winning back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. He flirted with the NBA once before, accepting the Magic's head coaching position in 2007 before backing out and never coaching a game with the team.

The Thunder's immediate future is cloudy thanks to significant injuries to Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka that caused them to miss the end of the season. Durant also is approaching the end of his contract, with only one year remaining on his current deal before he can enter unrestricted free agency. Superstar teammate Russell Westbrook's contract will run out the following season.

Donovan did not respond to text messages or a phone call from the Associated Press seeking comment Wednesday.

Yahoo Sports reported Donovan is "enthusiastic" about the possibility of coaching the Thunder and is seeking an annual salary around $6 million.

Donovan signed a one-year contract extension with Florida in December that pays him an average salary of $4 million through 2020. The buyout on the contract is $500,000.

The coach has strong ties to the Oklahoma City franchise. Former Florida assistant Mark Daigneault was hired as Oklahoma City's D-League coach last year, while former Florida video coordinator Oliver Winterbone is a scout with the Thunder. Presti and Donovan have a long relationship, and Presti reportedly spent time visiting Donovan in February.

Last season was a down year by Donovan's standards. Florida finished 16-17 and missed the postseason for the first time since 1997. Three players have already left the program in what many believed was a house cleaning.

Donovan also hired former Alabama coach Anthony Grant as an assistant, reuniting Donovan, Grant and John Pelphrey, the trio that made hoops relevant in Gainesville.

It's unclear if Grant and Pelphrey would follow Donovan to the NBA.

This much is certain: with Durant and Westbrook in the fold, Oklahoma City is one of the NBA's premier coaching jobs.

Brooks was 338-207 (.620) in seven seasons with the Thunder and was the 2009-10 NBA Coach of the Year. Starting in 2010-11, he led the team to the Western Conference finals three out of four years, and the franchise reached the NBA Finals in 2012.

This season, a broken right foot limited Durant to 27 games and right knee surgery kept defensive stalwart Serge Ibaka out for the final month of the season. Westbrook won the scoring title and posted 11 triple-doubles, but the Thunder were knocked out of the playoff race on the final night of the regular season.

Presti praised Brooks' effort and said his decision was not based on this season's performance. Presti said he knows he's taking a chance by replacing Brooks a year before Durant can become a free agent, but he felt the franchise could regress if a change wasn't made.

Durant and Ibaka are expected to be ready next season, and the Thunder should again be among the favorites to contend for the title.

The next day or so could reveal whether Donovan will be coaching them.

Donovan has strong ties to Gainesville, which is what kept him from keeping the Magic job in 2007. Donovan's two oldest children are out of high school — his son had been a walk-on at Florida — but his youngest son is in his junior year of high school and youngest daughter is in eighth grade. Donovan also was instrumental in helping build St. Francis Catholic High School in Gainesville.

Donovan talked with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers about openings last season, but decided to stay at Florida.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.