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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 7:32:51 GMT -5
Post by wtm97 on Apr 30, 2015 7:32:51 GMT -5
The Oklahoma City Thunder are reportedly nearing an agreement to hire Florida coach Billy Donovan and could announce him as their new head coach as early as Thursday, ESPN reported. ESPN first reported on Wednesday that Donovan and the Thunder had begun discussing Oklahoma City's coaching vacancy, while Yahoo reported that both parties met Wednesday to discuss contract language. The school recently extended Donovan’s contract through the 2020 season, and he is set to make about $4 million next season. His buyout should he leave for an NBA job is only $500,000. MORE: www.si.com/nba/2015/04/29/oklahoma-city-thunder-billy-donovan-coaching-rumors
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 13:59:40 GMT -5
Post by Rock on Apr 30, 2015 13:59:40 GMT -5
Here come the musical chairs of May that have brought much consternation to Friartown over the years. Who ends up at Florida begins the dominoes, hopefully not a row long enough to impact the BE or Smith Hill in particular.
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 14:09:36 GMT -5
Post by TheInfoMan on Apr 30, 2015 14:09:36 GMT -5
SportsCenter @sportscenter 2h2 hours ago BREAKING: Billy Donovan agrees to multi-year deal to become Thunder head coach. (via @goodmanespn & @espnandykatz)
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 14:37:59 GMT -5
Post by wtm97 on Apr 30, 2015 14:37:59 GMT -5
Turning 50, 19 years at Florida and intrigued by hoops 24/7 unfettered by the micro-management of the college game, Billy D takes the plunge getting a 5 year deal from OKC - and as previously noted his buyout for the NBA is 500K, a very manageable sum.
Guessing his NBA package will be in the 7 - 10 mil per year range?
Billy the Kid at 50 - YIKES
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 15:17:59 GMT -5
Post by TheInfoMan on Apr 30, 2015 15:17:59 GMT -5
Truly this is a good move at the right time. Goes out as a steller college coach, and can return at will with a top job. In the meantime, he can make the monster bucks.
Actually, the one possible negative is that I believe Durant becomes a free agent in 2016.
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 15:58:08 GMT -5
Post by friar71 on Apr 30, 2015 15:58:08 GMT -5
Truly this is a good move at the right time. Goes out as a steller college coach, and can return at will with a top job. In the meantime, he can make the monster bucks. Actually, the one possible negative is that I believe Durant becomes a free agent in 2016. and Westbrook in 2017. Obviously management is hoping Donovan can be a catalyst for them to stay.
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 16:01:34 GMT -5
Post by TheInfoMan on Apr 30, 2015 16:01:34 GMT -5
Okay, I concede and not throw Billy D. in the Carousel thread:collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/04/30/report-billy-donovan-finalizing-deal-with-oklahoma-city/The two popular names for the job: Xavier head coach Chris Mack and Dayton head coach Archie Miller. It also should be noted that Donovan’s current staff at Florida has two recent SEC head coaches on it, former Alabama head man Anthony Grant and former Arkansas coach John Pelphrey, although they may be on their way to Oklahoma City as well. Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino’s name is one that has popped up in the conversations I’ve had about the opening. The elder Pitino was Donovan’s head coach back at Providence. I’ve also heard Louisiana Tech’s Michael White, Duke assistant Jeff Capel and even Rhode Island’s Danny Hurley mentioned. It’s worth noting here that Florida likely won’t be throwing around $4 million a year.
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 16:29:35 GMT -5
Post by dex on Apr 30, 2015 16:29:35 GMT -5
I doubt Billy will back out of this deal like he did with Orlando, so embarrassing...I think he realizes putting some space between him and Calipari is smart.
Archie and Mack are making the most of their HC opportunities...Pelphrey and Grant not so much. Young Pitino has worked at Florida when on the lamb.
Beyond hoping that Mack stays in the Big East and that Cooley is not interested, I don't care what Florida does with the hire.
Maybe Mack or Archie will schedule us if they get the gig
I believe Durant reached out to Billy around the same time KuklaFran&Ollie made the mistake of staying at storrs to coast in the aac.
So all the Thunder have to do is sign Durant and Westbrook and Billy should win.
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Post by TheInfoMan on Apr 30, 2015 16:43:15 GMT -5
"Kukla, Fran & Ollie"....Hilarious! Even though I am sure that comment went right over the heads of the younger crowd.
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 16:55:53 GMT -5
Post by friar71 on Apr 30, 2015 16:55:53 GMT -5
I doubt Billy will back out of this deal like he did with Orlando, so embarrassing...I think he realizes putting some space between him and Calipari is smart. Archie and Mack are making the most of their HC opportunities...Pelphrey and Grant not so much. Young Pitino has worked at Florida when on the lamb. Beyond hoping that Mack stays in the Big East and that Cooley is not interested, I don't care what Florida does with the hire. Maybe Mack or Archie will schedule us if they get the gig I believe Durant reached out to Billy around the same time KuklaFran&Ollie made the mistake of staying at storrs to coast in the aac. So all the Thunder have to do is sign Durant and Westbrook and Billy should win. Funny but when Billy left Florida last time, Grant was being courted as the replacemnt before Billy went back. But that was VCU Grant and not Bama Grant. I saw some speculation that due to the timing, they may go Pelphrey or Grant to keep things somewhat stable and then shoot higher in a couple of years. It sounded like Smart was always the clubhouse favorite if Donovan left but that may be a problem with him just going to Texas. Capel is another name being tossed around early.
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 17:08:24 GMT -5
Post by dex on Apr 30, 2015 17:08:24 GMT -5
You don't look that old Man Of Info...but welcome aboard The Nostalgia Express.
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friar82
Administrator
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Posts: 8,153
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 19:41:38 GMT -5
Post by friar82 on Apr 30, 2015 19:41:38 GMT -5
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Billy D
Apr 30, 2015 20:19:40 GMT -5
Post by dex on Apr 30, 2015 20:19:40 GMT -5
'82 you have a better chance of getting that job than DannyBoy
Now...after next year, he may well move up because IMO uri will be pre-season No. 2 in the A-10
"Up" won't be Florida type "Up"
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Post by dex on May 1, 2015 8:26:28 GMT -5
Like I said, smart move to wave goodbye to Calipari and also Pearl, Johnson, Barnes, Howland etc www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/john_calipari_reportedly_drove_billy_donovan_to_nba/18716192?mb_edition=4529&linksrc=mb_favorites_headJohn Calipari reportedly drove Billy Donovan to NBA Originally written on Larry Brown Sports | Last updated 5/1/15 The toll of attempting to keep up on the recruiting front with John Calipari reportedly helped effectuate Billy Donovan's move to the NBA. Kevin C. C By Larry Brown The recent dominance and run of success for John Calipari at Kentucky helped push Billy Donovan to the NBA, according to a report. Donovan, 49, coached at Florida from 1996 through 2015 before accepting the head coaching job with the Oklahoma City Thunder this week. Though Donovan won two national championships at Florida (2006 and 2007) and reached four Final Fours — including one in 2014 — he has expressed interest in the NBA in the past and even accepted the Orlando Magic job before deciding to return to the Gators in 2007. This time around he decided to leave for good, and that might be because of the difficulty competing with Kentucky. This was not too hard to figure out. Calipari came to Kentucky for the 2009-2010 season and has had four dominant seasons during his time there. He has won one national championship, reached four Final Fours, and generally has been the top team in the SEC. With Ben Howland, Bruce Pearl and Avery Johnson joining the conference and Calipari running things, now was a good time for Donovan to get out. Things will be tough in the ever-competitive Western Conference, but at least Donovan will have Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on his side. That’s a darn good starting point.
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thefriarman
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Posts: 5,792
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Billy D
May 1, 2015 11:54:22 GMT -5
Post by thefriarman on May 1, 2015 11:54:22 GMT -5
Guessing Donovan is now out for coaching the U19 team this summer that Cooley is assistant coach of...so who replaces him for that gig if he doesn't coach the team.....
Oops just saw the other thread...
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