Would you rather.....Billy Donovan or Potential Playoff Run

[1bigfan13]

If I told you that a first round playoff exit would GUARANTEE that Billy Donovan is fired and replaced, would you take that?

OR, would you rather be GUARANTEED a first round playoff victory but take your chances from round 2 on with Billy Donovan POSSIBLY returning for at least another season?

I think I'd take option 1 because the Warriors are likely going to win it all anyway.

[spearsy23]

Guarantee me a game 7 against golden State or else I'm taking fire Donovan.

[RunOKC]

I think Billy is somewhere in the 12-17 range for coaches. We can do better. I also think it won't be his fault if we get bounced this year. This is all about Russ. If we get good Russ we'll easily be in the WCF. If not it's going to be a dog fight to get out of the first round again.

I'll take our chances in round 2 if we could guarantee beating Portland.

[ThunderBolt]

It makes no difference if Presti hires the same kind of coach and builds the same roster.

[Kizz Fastfists]

If you told me Presti would be gone I'd root for a sweep. Just Donovan is irrelevant so I'd take a surprising 2nd round series. No coach can come in at this point and make enough of a difference. Russ is in decline and isn't going to change at his age. PG will complain because he likes to do what he wants. It could help the younger guys, but if they are told a different set of rules apply to them than Russ and PG does that work?

[Dadouv47]

If we can get someone like Rick Carlisle I’m fine with losing in the first round (but if by some miracle Donovan gets fired we will get a terrible coach anyway)

[Balkman32]

This team brings some of you just no joy. Ya'all should examine your life.

I think I would rather signing Enes Kanter as a buy out candidate.

I am fine with Billy. They shot 5/33 from 3 last night. You just aren't going to win those games. They had good looks.

Dame shot 5 of 11 from 3 last night and made almost all of them from at least 25 ft. if not longer. Russ really should have been up on him when the Thunder were down 1, with 2 and a half minutes to go, especially because we saw him make those shots earlier in the game.

With how PG shot last night and how the team shot as a whole and we really didn't get Ferguson going because of his foul trouble. I am ok with this one. But, we better go out and take game 2.

[Kizz Fastfists]

This team brings some of you just no joy. Ya'all should examine your life.

That is because being a fanatic is a mental health disorder. We all suffer this disorder in different ways. Some look at the micro, each game as a unique event, and some look at the macro which can mean the season or even a multi-year projection. We all evaluate things differently. We are all passionate about our views. It isn't that the team brings no joy it is that with being a fanatic there are extreme highs and lows and we all see things differently so we are high and low at different times. If you are just happy to have a team and never upset or frustrated with some aspect of the team direction I just can't relate to that. It is the type of fan I am. I know people who are just happy to watch their team and win or lose it doesn't matter. I know people who always believe their team can win a championship no matter how many flaws the team has and how unlikely that is to happen. That doesn't make any of those types less of a fan, but it does cause some conflict because humans tend to be rigid in a lot of our views so we have a hard time understanding such extreme different points of view.

If Russ and PG had both missed 50 games with a bunch of nagging injuries like sprained ankles or a hyper extended knee, etc. and would have been back next year 100% and OKC would have ended up with the #1 pick I would have viewed that in an entirely different light than a lot of people. I would say the majority of fans would have called it a failed season while I would called it the best season in a long time. I would have been drooling over adding Zion to the team, because this team needs another big time scorer and getting a PF with his skill set would be great on this team. Most would have called it a lost season with Russ being at the end of his prime and PG being in the middle of his. That doesn't make either view right or wrong. I would have rather had a terrible season that I perceived as giving the team championship upside next year while others would have rather have won 46 games and have a 4 game playoff series against GS than miss the playoffs.

[Eskobar13]

Eh. I think Billy is really bad but like others have said, there's a possibility that firing him wouldn't bring anything different.

He and Presti both need to go. I thank Sam for his service, but it's time for some change before it's too late.

[slick_watts]

i'd be ok firing billy if sam hired becky hammon.

[SecondTake]

Billys game plan was not that bad last night. Players need to actually make open shots. Cant blame Billy for that.

But I'd rather us win the title this year, which is where we are headed.

[acheema0]

Definitely a playoff run. Russ and PG aren't getting any younger. Throwing away a season, especially when we got a draw as favorable as this one, would be pretty dumb. Who knows what Russ will look like next year?

[Balkman32]

This team brings some of you just no joy. Ya'all should examine your life.

That is because being a fanatic is a mental health disorder. We all suffer this disorder in different ways. Some look at the micro, each game as a unique event, and some look at the macro which can mean the season or even a multi-year projection. We all evaluate things differently. We are all passionate about our views. It isn't that the team brings no joy it is that with being a fanatic there are extreme highs and lows and we all see things differently so we are high and low at different times. If you are just happy to have a team and never upset or frustrated with some aspect of the team direction I just can't relate to that. It is the type of fan I am. I know people who are just happy to watch their team and win or lose it doesn't matter. I know people who always believe their team can win a championship no matter how many flaws the team has and how unlikely that is to happen. That doesn't make any of those types less of a fan, but it does cause some conflict because humans tend to be rigid in a lot of our views so we have a hard time understanding such extreme different points of view.

If Russ and PG had both missed 50 games with a bunch of nagging injuries like sprained ankles or a hyper extended knee, etc. and would have been back next year 100% and OKC would have ended up with the #1 pick I would have viewed that in an entirely different light than a lot of people. I would say the majority of fans would have called it a failed season while I would called it the best season in a long time. I would have been drooling over adding Zion to the team, because this team needs another big time scorer and getting a PF with his skill set would be great on this team. Most would have called it a lost season with Russ being at the end of his prime and PG being in the middle of his. That doesn't make either view right or wrong. I would have rather had a terrible season that I perceived as giving the team championship upside next year while others would have rather have won 46 games and have a 4 game playoff series against GS than miss the playoffs.

Dude I get it. That's why sports are great. But, I think there is a line, and I think there are a decent amount of board members on the wrong side of the line. One is the side I believe I am on, I am pumped that George re-signed, I was so happy when we gave Russ $200 million, even though the end of that deal could be problematic and I believe in this team. Now it will be very difficult for this team to win a championship this year. Especially with no wings coming off of the bench. But, to want to tear this down after Durant left is short cited. You might not acquire another star, with a tear down. Yes he left and it sucks because of how he did it and who he went to. But, if you have that free agency in any other year he does not leave. It was the perfect storm that could have sunk the ship. The Thunder rallied around Westbrook. The team that Presti wanted to put around Durant would have beaten the Warriors. Then Presti went out and got Paul George. If there was one player in the league to replace Durant my choice would have been George. Then he gets him to re-sign.

My statement really drills down to the fact that I became an OKC fan in 2008. Right when the team moved, I moved my fandom to the Thunder. I was a Knicks fan growing up right outside of NY. It was brutal to be a fan of the Knicks because all of their decisions were either short cited or not well thought out at all. It was like the stupid **** the Kings have been doing.

I was as miserable as some of you on here today. I didn't like the coach, the executives made awful decisions. The starting lineup was trash. They gave a huge contract to Jerome James at the age of 30 after he had one great playoff's. They brought me no joy. Ever since I made the move to the Thunder my NBA joy level is through the roof. Yes we haven't won yet. Who knows if we ever will, but the NBA is a star league and the Thunder have 2 stars. Look around the league not many team have 1 star forget about 2. As Russel has his highs and lows there is one thing I know about him. He is going to compete his ass off and I know if we are down 10 with 5 minutes left we still have a shot at that game because of our big game changers.

What I am saying is a team this group is special. Yes they are in dire need of wings. But, look around the league. If you don't agree with half of the stuff that's going on here you should go somewhere where you do agree with it. Basically, in 2008 I found a guy they I trust. I trust Sam Presti, I trust Paul George and I trust Russel Westbrook. I believe these guys will get a championship. It has been a great 11 year ride with this team. I remember the first year in OKC where is was just brutal. But, they have won over 45 games every year since then. Not many teams other than the Spurs can say that. If Durant really leaves the Warriors for the Knicks in the off season the West becomes very attainable.

I believe in this team. If you don't I recommend you find a team you can believe in. It will be good for your mental health. Plus, then I don't have to read about how this team needs to be blown up.

[Balkman32]

i'd be ok firing billy if sam hired becky hammon.

I can get down on this. She's a little young 42 years old. But, I am a fan of her.

I also like Billy but understand that sometimes you have to change it up to take it to the next level.

[Balkman32]

Eh. I think Billy is really bad but like others have said, there's a possibility that firing him wouldn't bring anything different.

He and Presti both need to go. I thank Sam for his service, but it's time for some change before it's too late.

Who are you replacing him with? This is a ridiculous statement. Presti has been an amazing GM. There are about 25 other teams in the league that would take Sam over their current general managers. He would be unemployed for a day or two. It would turn out to be the greatest mistake the organization ever made, if they let him go.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Who are you replacing him with? This is a ridiculous statement. Presti has been an amazing GM. There are about 25 other teams in the league that would take Sam over their current general managers. He would be unemployed for a day or two. It would turn out to be the greatest mistake the organization ever made, if they let him go.

Presti is great at the top of the draft and the building process as we saw. He is terrible at putting the finishing touches and hiring coaches. He has gone through THREE coaches and none of them were good. Brooks was by far the best and he was the one that let Russ develop all of his bad habits instead of coaching him and forcing him to become an efficient player and develop a decent BBIQ.

Saying keep Presti is you believing that when OKC rebuild Presti will get 4 picks in the top 5 again and hit a HR on 3 of them like he did the first time. Of course you are also saying that giving up one of them for a center coming off a significant knee injury is perfectly acceptable and that never adding shooters it just fine because 3pt shooting is irrelevant in the modern NBA. Presti would find another job as fast as Luke Walton did. Are you going to tell me that Walton is a great coach? Walton looked like a great coach when he coached GS with Kerr out, but he didn't look so great with LAL. Presti looks great because kd dropped in his lap and Russ' freak athleticism translated to exciting play and being a great player despite never being allowed to play like he was in a pick up game his whole career.

[Balkman32]

oh that's right because he never made trades for Perk (which was needed at that time but then they type of player became extinct), Oladipo, and George.

So are we not considering George as a shooter because he is an all star?

He has also drafted pretty well overall. Every team has busts but, I think the Thunder do a really good job finding guys in the draft, that fit the team and the NBA. Remember you cant force folks to make trades with you. It has to make sense for both teams. more times than not Presti is winning trades.

You cant compare Walton to Presti. Walton has been a coach for 10 seconds while Presti has been running this team for 10 years.

I guess the Bulls just got lucky too with Jordan falling on their lap.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Yes, PG is a shooter. He is also the ONLY established shooter on the roster. Grant and Ferguson might eventually become established shooters, but they are not yet.

The Bulls were smart enough to change coaches when things weren't working. They hit a HR with Phil Jackson. Chicago made a coaching change to Phil Jackson after being in the WCF!!! They knew what they had wasn't going to work. Two years later they beat the Lakers for their first championship. Michael Jordan was even a fan of the coaching changes because he wanted to win more than just be handed the reigns and told to play however he wanted. He wanted a high BBIQ coach. The Bulls were very lucky to get Jordan and they were smart enough not to waste that luck. Presti was too stupid to hire a coach to maximize the talent he assembled, unless you want to argue Brooks was that coach and if you make that argument then Presti was an idiot to get rid of him. Presti is still too stupid to add shooters around Russ. Presti is still chasing old school centers like Adams, Sabonis and Noel while avoiding modern centers that can stretch the floor.

[Balkman32]

Note is a minimum guy & and Sabonis is stretching the floor for Indiana.

Adams has been a very good player for the Thunder the only thing you can say about him is you wish the Thunder would have taken Giannis over him.

I thought Billy did a good job with the team the year they lost in the WCF, when Durant shat his pants and shot 27% from 3 in the last 3 games while the team was up 3-1. The past two years the team was flawed and that's because the team was too young 2 years ago and the Melo (what George and Russ wanted) experiment was a disaster. This year the roster still has it flaws but the emergence of Grant and Ferguson is huge.

[Eskobar13]

oh that's right because he never made trades for Perk (which was needed at that time but then they type of player became extinct),

This serious? lol

You're giving Presti way too much credit my guy. From 2012 onwards he has been closer to a bottom 5 gm than top 5 gm.

The biggest thing Presti has going for him in the past two years is some out of the box moves like PG and even the Melo attempt. But on that same note, even if the Thunder don't find a better GM than him, they should at least try. He has not proven anything in terms of re-tooling a roster around a star.