OKC Thunder: Enes Kanter and Marcus Morris toss shade at Billy Donovan
OKC Thunder head coach Billy Donovan took hits on social media from former player Enes Kanter and Marcus Morris the twin of existing player Markieff.
No doubt OKC Thunder head coach Billy Donovan is feeling the heat after yet another first round exit. Arguably, the biggest question in OKC at the moment is whether General Manager Sam Presti will fire the bench boss given the lack of postseason success.
While the roster doesn’t offer the personnel required to accomplish certain feats such as shooting (by multiple players) there are other more extenuating factors like the apparent lack of offense.
Shortly after ‘the shot’ heard round the NBA world ended the OKC Thunder season Billy D was taking hits from unexpected targets.
Former player Enes Kanter hit Twitter with a bit of shade with “CAN play Kanter”. This was in reference to the season Billy Donovan was witnessed on the sidelines saying to his assistant coach “we can’t play Kanter”.
CAN play Kanter
— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) April 24, 2019
More from Thunder News
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
Perhaps the craziest part of this equation is Kanter’s fellow stache brother Steven Adams was the man relegated to the bench in the last two games of the Thunder’s season as the Thunder elected to go small with Jerami Grant positioned at the five.
This was partially in response to trying to stop the Blazers star backcourt and need for a quicker, more agile center on the court but also in response to trying to stop Kanter and attack him defensively.
Kanter was at the podium post game sporting a well wrapped shoulder which he noted may be separated and required a shot (needle) so he could continue in the second half. Certainly, if the shoulder is separated his ability to play in the next series will be affected as generally, a separated shoulder would keep a player off the court. (Fred VanVleet, for example, experienced a separated shoulder the last game of 2018 and wasn’t able to play the entire first round series).
Kanter will always be beloved in Oklahoma City. He truly is such a likable guy and his comments about Donovan aren’t isolated as we’re discovering. Another player also took shots at Donovan although this time it was about an existing player (granted it was his twin taking the shot).
Billy is going to have a very awkward press conference. Not only did KD speak ill of him, but now Markieff’s brother has ripped into him and the coaching staff. Seems like players aren’t meshing.
— Logan Meyer (@Logmey92) April 25, 2019
Jay King who writes for the paid for subscription site The Athletic posted an article which featured Marcus Morris the twin brother of Markieff Morris going off on Billy Donovan as well. The Celtics player noted his dissatisfaction over his brother’s limited playing time (four minutes in Game 5). And, like many fans queried why Donovan did nothing to take the ball of Lillard’s hands even prior to the ‘the shot’.
Next. Top ten biggest villains in Thunder history. dark
Suffice to say it’s been a rough go for Donovan who took to the podium postgame citing various calls and non-calls in the game, the excellence of Damian Lillard and missed free throws as reasons for the loss. Sure feels like Donovan’s seat should be feeling toasty and if it isn’t we have to ask the question – why isn’t it?