Roundtable: Who should be the next coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder?

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook need a new head coach. Who should Oklahoma City hire?

SI.com will periodically panels its basketball experts during the 2015 NBA playoffs and ask them a pressing question about the league. Today's topic, the head coaching vacancy of a team that narrowly missed the postseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

With Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in tow, the Thunder's coaching job is one of the most coveted in the league. The gig recently became open after Oklahoma City elected to part with longtime stalwart Scott Brooks earlier this month after seven seasons (and just one trip to the Finals). Who will GM Sam Presti tab next?nbsp;OKC reportedly opened talks with Florida coach Billy Donovan this week and is also eyeing Spurs assistant Ettore Messina. With a host of intriguing candidates on the table, we asked our NBA experts...

Who should coach the Thunder?

Lee Jenkins: Tom Thibodeau

If the relationship between Thibodeau and the Bulls is truly beyond repair, the Thunder should wait for him. Thibodeau’s hard-driving style may wear on players after four or five years, but all that matters in Oklahoma City is next year. Thibodeau has proven in Chicago that he can bond with a ball-dominant point guard, develop a two-way star, and build a defense around a hyper-active big man. The ingredients in OKC are different, but Thibodeau’s impact could be similar on Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and a handful of young players. Key for Thibodeau is remaining cautious with Kevin Durant and proving, through a championship next June, there is no better place for him. 

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Chris Mannix:Mike Malone 

For the record: Canning Scott Brooks was a mistake. Brooks' weaknesses were always, mysteriously, amplified over his strengths, which were considerable. But qualifications for a new coach for a title-ready team should include experience, which is why Mike Malone would be my pick. Malone had Sacramento, a perennial doormat, trending upward last season before DeMarcus Cousins's illness sabotaged the first half of the season and an overreaching owner decided he wanted a more fan-friendly style and fired him. Malone is a smart, defensive-minded coach who built a decent offense, albeit briefly, in Sacramento around Cousins. He has years of experience as a top assistant and did more with the Kings than anyone since Rick Adelman. Billy Donovan is a trendy pick, and he's probably the front-runner. But the track record for college coaches in the NBA is not encouraging; Malone is the safer choice. ​

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Ben Golliver:Billy Donovan

I'm really intrigued by the Donovan chatter. Clearly, an established relationship with GM Sam Presti is a good starting point. To me, the Thunder have two needs from this position. First, they need a coach with instant credibility—the type of credibility that can sell Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on the team's ability to win immediately and make the most of their primes. Second, they need a coach that has a strong enough personality to carry the organization in a worst-case scenario that sees Durant and/or Westbrook leaving in free agency over the next few years. 

With Scott Brooks out, Kevin Durant's future in OKC depends on Sam Presti

​​​​I think Donovan does a solid job of addressing both of those needs. His resume includes multiple NCAA titles, a number of deep postseason runs, and a tradition of winning at Florida that extends for more than a decade. That success has made him a household name, and yet he still seems to have the fire (he's only 49) to embrace the challenge of taking his game to the pro level. Donovan shouldn't need to "sell" Durant and Westbrook on himself, only his systems—and that is an important distinction after seven seasons with a familiar, trusted face in Scott Brooks. 

Donovan's extended success at Florida makes him an ideal fit to be the face of the Thunder if their superstars do decide to leave down the road. Boston drew up the blueprint for this approach when it hired Butler's Brad Stevens; that hire gave Celtics fans a personality to trust in and demonstrated a firm commitment to a long-term rebuilding process. The risk in hiring a current assistant coach or a retread NBA head coach is that it could create the need for a second coaching change if things don't go according to plan and the superstars bail. Presti doesn't seem like the type of executive who wants to churn through coaches, and Donovan could fit as a guy capable of being both a "win now" guy and a "figurehead" presence down the road if needed. I liked Danny Ainge's outside-the-box thinking in tabbing Stevens and I think a similar approach could work here.

Phil Taylor: Phil Jackson

Does this sound familiar? A team that hasn’t quite been able to get over the hump despite the presence of a few once-in-a-generation superstars hires a Zen-influenced coach who shows them the path to enlightenment, i.e., the NBA title. It’s exactly what Jackson did with the Kobe/Shaq Lakers, and Oklahoma City, with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, has all the pieces necessary for him to to it again. Yes, Jackson said he wasn’t up to coaching the Knicks because of his age and health, but these aren’t the Knicks. Durant and Westbrook could make him feel young in a hurry. It’ll never happen, but the move would make just as much sense for Jackson as it does for the Thunder. Getting the most out of elite talent is what he does best, as he did in Chicago and L.A., not building a team from the bottom up, as he’s rather clumsily attempting to do as the Knicks’ president. Jackson and OKC would be perfect for each other—a team looking for its first championship and a coach looking for a fitting last act. 

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Matt Dollinger: Ettore Messina 

The Billy Donovan experiment seems like a risky play for a team all-in on 2015-16. If I'm the Thunder, I hone in on Ettore Messina and try and poach him from the Spurs. The four-time Euroleague champion might not be willing to leave San Antonio if he's been promised the reins post-Popovich, but a chance to coach Durant and Westbrook would likely be too paramount to turn down. We've sen Popovich disciples succeed in the NBA before (Mike Budenholzer, Steve Kerr, Monty Williams, etc.) and Messina also possesses a wealth of knowledge from a successful coaching career in Italy. With David Blatt paving the way for other Euro coaches, Messina could be a more widely accepted candidate. He'll be able to draw on his experiences from helping lead the Spurs to the 2015 title (spoiler alert) and he'll be able to install an offensive system that leaves Brooks ball in the stone ages. Messina might not be as splashy of a hire as Donovan, but nothing the Spurs ever do is splashy, and that seems to be working out just fine.

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DeAntae Prince: Mark Jackson

While the Thunder need to hire a tactician who can capitalize on the transcendent talents of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the most important criteria for the team's next coach is the ability to convince both stars to stay in town. In the interim, the priority is ensuring that Durant remains in Oklahoma City past the final year of his contract. Beyond that, the team needs to secure Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, who become free agents in the summer of 2017. The next coach of the Thunder will be forced to operate within a tight two-year window based on that timeline. 

Mark Jackson might be the best candidate to handle such a job.  He is experienced and recently used a three-year stint to pull the Warriors up from the West's cellar to their first 50-win season since 1993-94. Jackson does have his faults, but he possesses the ability to generate relationships with players and establish trust that extends beyond basketball. This was evident after Jackson’s players stood behind him when he was replaced in Golden State. There were many others within the Warriors' front office who were happy to see Jackson go, but the Thunder have strong leadership in Sam Presti.

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Jeremy Woo: Jason Kidd 

Maybe I'm biased after witnessing Milwaukee's impressive first-round performance first-hand. Maybe (OK, probably) this isn't anywhere near the realm of possibility. But maybe, just maybe, Kidd will jump ship for the second straight summer and join another team. Kidd is one of the NBA's brightest young minds and the opportunity to coach Durant and Westbrook could be too tantalizing to turn down. After seeing how Kidd has mixed and matched lineups and looks, coupled with a relatively laissez-faire​ Bucks offensive scheme, the fit makes a lot of sense. He would shore the Thunder up on the defensive side of the ball as a team (well, maybe not Dion Waiters) while empowering personnel far more worthy of playmaking freedom than his current group. Call it wishful thinking, but bringing in Kidd, once a superstar in his own right, provides a sharp, relatable mentor for Durant and Westbrook who has the chops to take OKC back to the Western Conference finals. 

GALLERY: Rare photos of Thunder's Russell Westbrook over the years

Rare Photos of Russell Westbrook

Danny Moloshok/AP

With an image of a basketball shaved into his hair, the sophomore Westbrook shares a laugh on the sidelines during a UCLA exhibition at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles versus Chico State in November 2007. The Bruins defeated their northern neighbors in a blowout, 93-55.

John W. McDonough/SI

As a sophomore at UCLA, Russell Westbook waits to check into a game at the University of Arizona's McKale Center in 2008. In his second and final season as a Bruin, Westbrook was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, as well as a third-team all-conference selection.

Nick Laham/Getty Images

The fourth overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft, Westbrook shakes hands with commissioner David Stern at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden after being chosen by the Seattle SuperSonics. The Sonics would become the Thunder after moving to Oklahoma City during that offseason, and Westbrook would never officially suit up as a member of the Seattle franchise despite being a part of its last draft class.

David Sherman/NBAE/Getty Images

A member of the Rookie team participating in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, Westbrook sits on the bus awaiting the game as part of 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. Westbrook scored 12 points in a 122-116 loss to the Sophomores, who were led by Thunder teammate Kevin Durant's game-high 46 points.

Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images

As a member of the United States team, Westbrook (7) battles to get a shot off against Turkey's Semih Erden in the final match of the 2010 FIBA World Championship held in Istanbul. Playing 24 minutes, Westbrook tallied 13 points in helping lead the U.S. to the title.

NBAE/Getty Images

Westbrook helps an Oklahoma City family shop for groceries at a Homeland Store in March 2011. The family was chosen by the Memorial Park Boys and Girls Club to receive a grocery shopping spree, and the Thunder's starting point guard was credited with the assist.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

As a third-year player, Westbrook looks to hit his mark as part of the Taco Bell Skills Challenge at the 2011 NBA All-Star festivities at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Westbrook finished second in the competition, posting a 30-second time in the final round, which was bested by two seconds by the champion, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.

Joe Scarnici/WireImage

Westbrook, a southpaw, though he actually shoots right-handed, signs an autograph for a fan as part of the 2011 NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. Westbrook was making his first appearance in an All-Star game that year, and made his second in 2012.

Bill Matlock/Disney XD via Getty Images

Westbrook turns the tables on Daniel Curtis Lee, one of the stars of Disney's "Zeke and Luther." The actor was on hand at the 2011 NBA Finals to speak with several top NBA talents when Westbrook decided to take the interview into his own hands.

Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images

During a February 2012 NBA Cares Day of Service, Westbrook helped children paint during the All-Star Weekend at the Coalition for the Homeless in Orlando. The events marked Westbrook's second selection to the NBA All-Star team.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Westbrook takes a moment to put his feet up at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City before Game 4 of the 2012 Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Westbrook had 25 points and eight rebounds in an important 107-99 victory.

John Sciulli/Getty Images

Westbrook strikes a pose with Boston Celtics big man Kevin Garnett at the Call of Duty XP video game contest in September 2011 in Los Angeles. The first of its kind, the event took place at the Stages at Playa Vista and was hosted by the game's producer, Activision.

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Westbrook has some fun posing for photos during the NBAE Circuit at the Hilton Hotel in Orlando as part of the 2012 All-Star Weekend. Westbrook was surely all smiles in the game, scoring 21 points as a reserve on the West's way to a 152-149 win.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Always the style hound, Westbrook arrives to The ESPY Awards at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif. in July 2011. The Connecticut Post subsequently awarded him a C- on its fashion report card from the ceremony.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Sporting a pink Lacoste polo and glasses, the 23-year-old Russell Westbrook exits the arena following a game against the San Antonio Spurs. The Long Beach, Calif., native has become known as much for his eclectic fashion sense as he is for his aggressive and effective play at the point for his Oklahoma City Thunder.

Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images

Dressed to impress, Westbrook arrives to the American Airlines Center in Dallas for Game 3 of the Western Conference first round playoffs. The Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks 95-79 on their way to a series sweep, 4-0.

D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images

Russell Westbrook, wearing his now-trademark glasses and funky shirt look during the postgame interview, answers questions after a Western Conference Finals game against the San Antonio Spurs. Westbrook averaged just better than 18 points and seven assists in a spot under 39 minutes per game during the six-game series.

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