OKC Thunder: 3 head coach candidates from the Popovich tree

Tim Duncan –  one year on Spurs bench – 19 years as a player

Although Tim Duncan has just one year under his belt as an assistant coach his value isn’t limited to this short turn.

Some call him the best power forward in history as he earned the moniker ‘The Big Fundamental’ based on his overall skillset. Duncan made the most difficult look easy, so much so, that he arguably didn’t get the full recognition he should have during his playing career.

And while Chris Paul is often cited as the best NBA leader, the five championship rings Duncan owns speak for themselves. What made the Duncan era Spurs so special is Timmy Duncan allowed Gregg Popovich to treat him like he was the 15th player on the bench.

Having hung up his sneakers at the end of the 2015-16 season Duncan’s 19-year career is only four years in the rearview mirror. Over the course of those 19 seasons, Duncan experienced the drastic shift in style from the big man post-centric era to the ball movement, perimeter dominant era. That first-hand experience adds to his allure as a head coach who can relate to the youngsters on a squad like the OKC Thunder.

For a player like Darius Bazley, Duncan’s knowledge would be invaluable. Every team wants to add championship experience to their roster but having a head coach with that savvy is rare.

Yet there are questions with regard to Duncan:

• Would Sam Presti prefer to add a coach who is uniquely qualified to help guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort ascend to their potential?
• Is one-year of coaching experience enough to undertake a head coaching role particularly with a rebuilding team?
• And, with Gregg Popovich in the twilight of his coaching career would Duncan even be interested in leaving San Antonio when the natural next step for him might be replacing Pop?

Odds are that the last question will carry the most weight since Duncan spent the entirety of his pro career in San Antonio and would be a logical, if not sentimental choice as the heir apparent.