OKC Thunder Starting 5 mailbag: The Billy Donovan chronicles

Donovan on the hot seat?

The first question seems like the best possible way to start this article, so we can all get a feel for where we stand on Billy Donovan.

74-percent of Thunder fans believe this is a make-or-break season for Billy Donovan. It is important to note the path it took to get to this point for Billy Donovan, fans, and the organization. Sam Presti and Clay Bennett seem comfortable with Donovan, as do the players. Yet he still rubs fans the wrong way. Like the backup quarterback in football, whoever is on the coaching market is the most popular man in town unless you have a Brad Stevens or Rick Carlisle.

Outside factors have not been kind to Billy Donovan. He signed on to coach Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in 2015-16, and earned them a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals before a historic collapse ended the first year head coaches run.

Quickly after the wheels fell off in the Western Conference Finals, the organization was forced to ride an emotional rollercoaster for the next month. There was a time in which Donovan and the Thunder thought Kevin Durant would be back, and they could bring in now Celtics star Al Horford to pair with Russell Westbrook.

Obviously, that did not happen. Instead, Kevin Durant jumped ship and went to a 73-win Warrior team that blew a 3-1 lead of their own in that years NBA Finals.

After the Kevin Durant departure, the 2016-17 campaign was a wash. Outside of Russell Westbrook the talent on that squad just was not there. Still, Donovan coached an MVP, and a playoff team that won 47-games with no help or depth.

The debacle of 2017-18

Finally, after what felt like forever–when in reality it was only a single season–the OKC Thunder found another star to pair alongside the face of the franchise Russell Westbrook. Every single OKC Thunder fan was ecstatic. A day before Thunder media days, where fans get a chance to hear from the players, and learn more about them, Sam Presti did that Sam Presti thing. He pulled another rabbit out of his hat and traded for a future hall of famer in Carmelo Anthony. So now, three stars resided in Oklahoma City.

However, the depth was a huge question mark, and right when the Thunder hit their peak, it all fell apart with an Andre Roberson injury. The 2017-18 squad littered with big names, won just one more game than the year prior. Their pace got worse, and the playoff result was about the same, getting bounced in six games rather than five.

So is 2018-19 a Make or Break year?

Yes. The now fourth year head coach might be pacing the OKC sideline for the last time. However, that could be a bad thing. The Thunder only have Paul George paired with Russell Westbrook for three more years–with a fourth year as a player option–once the 2018-19 season comes and goes it will be just a two-year window for OKC. So you bring in a new coach, and give him a year to implement his new style and system, which likely will not end in a title. Now, you are down to one year of Paul George and the second year of a new head coach.

This question is truly based on glass half full or empty. It also points out who the risk takers are in the OKC Thunder community. Billy Donovan is not a bad coach, he also is not a great coach. Sure OKC could fire him in hopes of landing the next great NBA coach, but they also could connect on a terrible hire that derails the remaining championship window for the Thunder.

In the NBA, players have the most control over wins and loss, more so than in any other sport. If the players are comfortable and confident in Billy Donovan, there is no problem with keeping him. If Russell Westbrook does not get dominated by Ricky Rubio in the first round of the postseason, and Paul George is awarded a foul call at the end of game six, the Thunder move on to the next round and Donovan is off the hot seat.