Washington Wizards: All in for Scott Brooks (Plus KD2DC Rebooted)
By Kyle Andrews
Scott Brooks has reportedly been offered the head coaching position for the Wizards, having previously coached in Oklahoma City.
During his years with The Thunder from 2008-2015, he compiled a 338-207 record (.620 winning percentage).
According to sources, general manager Ernie Grunfeld met with Scott Brooks on Wednesday in California and offered him the Wizards’ head coaching job. Brooks is optimistic about reaching an agreement with Washington, which could possibly pay him $7 million per season.
J. Michael of CSN Washington gave this criteria for the Wizards’ future coach:
"Head-coaching experience and a track record of success, ability to connect with the locker room especially younger players such as John Wall and Bradley Beal, merging a potent offensive attack without sacrificing defense and a selling point for Durant who will become a free agent this summer."
The Houston Rockets are also interested in Brooks as their head coach, but they are still currently in the playoffs with J.B. Bickerstaff at the helm. Also, the Rockets are more interested in Jeff Van Gundy as their main choice. He will not talk to the club while they are in the playoffs, but this bodes well for Washington.
Brooks would be a great hire for the Wizards, IMO. He gives the Wizards a winning coach that preaches defense and coached three different superstars in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. He also has won 62% of his games coached in the regular season, won 53.4% of his playoff appearances, went to the conference finals three times and to the NBA Finals once.
Speaking of Durant, he is still set to become a free agent this offseason and Brooks could be the one to lure him to DC. Durant and Brooks were highly successful in OKC. If Durant came to DC, he could be paired with John Wall and Bradley Beal. Very enticing for the 2014 Most Valuable Player.
Durant’s mother also was asked where does she think that he will end up during the summer.
“I don’t know what his ultimate decision will be,” said Wanda Pratt, Durant’s mother, who stopped by NBC4’s headquarters in Washington for a Facebook Live interview.
“They’re 1-1 [in the series]. He really focuses on his task at hand,” Pratt went on to say. “He’s very loyal to the Thunder so he felt it would be unjust to focus on other things while playing in the playoffs.”
She would be asked the question once again. Would Durant come to DC?
“Where he’s going to end playing has still not been decided by him,” Pratt responded. “He’s still playing in the playoffs as everyone knows. I don’t know [his plans] so don’t say Mama Durant said [he’s coming to Washington] because I didn’t say that. He’s focused on the playoffs right now and he’s pretty loyal to the Thunder with regards to that. When the time comes, he’ll make a decision best for him.”
The Wizards need to make a big splash in free agency. They currently do not have a draft pick and without any additions and a lack of playoff birth, the addition of Markieff Morris will be all for naught.