SB Nation Kansas City - Oklahoma City Thunder And Scott Brooks Agree To 4-Year Dealhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48935/kc-fave.png2012-07-04T08:46:43-05:00http://kansascity.sbnation.com/rss/stream/28956742012-07-04T08:46:43-05:002012-07-04T08:46:43-05:00Scott Brooks Contract: Thunder GM Sam Presti Praises New Deal For Head Coach
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<p>The Oklahoma City Thunder found themselves in an interesting scenario earlier this week when the contract for head coach Scott Brooks was completed without another one ready at the time to take its place. In short, Brooks was a free agent coach for a while. Few coaches ever get to that point unless they were already out the door, especially ones that just took their team to the <span class="caps">NBA</span> Finals.</p>
<p>However, Sam Presti insisted a deal was always going to get finished and now Brooks is the man for another four years. With the way that Presti spoke after the deal was announced, it’s a wonder why it ever came down to the eleventh hour.</p>
<p>"His contributions are enormous," <a target="new" href="http://newsok.com/okc-thunder-scott-brooks-bond-with-players-key-to-new-deal/article/3689666#ixzz1zf44JcI9">Presti said</a>. "We wouldn’t be in this situation where we feel really good about our future without him."</p>
<p>Presti went on to detail Brooks’ rise in the ranks of coaching and why he’s the right man to continue the job of coaching stars like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.</p>
<p>"He started as an assistant coach and has grown into the position he’s in as one of the top coaches in the <span class="caps">NBA</span>," <a target="new" href="http://newsok.com/okc-thunder-scott-brooks-bond-with-players-key-to-new-deal/article/3689666#ixzz1zf38pwGn">Presti said</a>. "A big part of that also is that he really understands our organization. He understands what works here, he believes in it and he takes those things to the court every single day, be it practice or games.</p>
<p>“He really has embraced the vision for the program, and he embodies it in a lot of ways himself. And we’re thrilled to have him continue with us."</p>
<p><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">For more on the Oklahoma City Thunder check out <a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #232e80; font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Welcome To Loud City</a>. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to <a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #232e80; font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">SB Nation's NBA page</a>.</i></p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/oklahoma-city-thunder/2012/7/4/3136941/scott-brooks-contract-thunder-gm-sam-presti-praises-new-deal-for-headMatt Conner2012-07-02T07:20:03-05:002012-07-02T07:20:03-05:00Scott Brooks Contract Negotiations Apparently Rougher With Oklahoma City Thunder Than Expected
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<p>Taking one quick look at the 2011-12 season of the <a href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oklahoma City Thunder</a>, it’d be easy to assume a tight-knit locker room and a front office proud of everyone involved in the positive direction the team took in year four under head coach <span>Scott Brooks</span>. The team won the Western Conference, showed incredible toughness in the <span class="caps">NBA</span> Playoffs and showed how dynamic they will be for years to come.</p>
<p>Instead, as Brooks entered his contract year, Sam Presti and company were eerily silent on bringing back Brooks as their head coach. While they would say the right quotes from time to time when pressed about the subject, the team’s actions would have done the loudest talking. When it came down to it, Brooks even officially became a free agent coach for a few minutes when the clock struck midnight on Sunday.</p>
<p>Of course, the team reached the deal in the end that Presti said would happen and it will all become water under the bridge soon enough. But there’s no denying that there was a bit of drama going on with some smoke leading to rumors about <span>Phil Jackson</span> and Jeff Van Gundy replacing him. While those might have been over-the-top, it’s at least a sign that the process of re-signing on both sides wasn’t just a quick nod and smile.</p>
<p>As Brooks signed the four year agreement he just reached, his agent Warren LeGarie had some interesting words.</p>
<p>"Anything worthwhile in life sometimes you have to go through some difficult moments and ultimately realize it’s something you want," <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/sam_amick/07/01/scott-brooks-thunder-new-contract/index.html#ixzz1zSzgAPub">LeGarie told Sports Illustrated</a>. "You have to realize that, ultimately, this is something that’s very important to me and I think that’s what Scott decided. Clearly he feels that whatever went on was worth it to him because he ultimately is where he wanted to be."</p>
<p>In the end, this will be a non-issue as the team is clearly going to win with anyone at the helm. Brooks also has a complete postseason of experience to pull from now and a roster that’s continually developing, maturing and gaining new assets like Perry Jones in the draft. Still it’s interesting to find there were bumps in the road to get here.</p>
<p><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">For more on the Oklahoma City Thunder check out <a href="http://www.welcometoloudcity.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #232e80; font-weight: bold;">Welcome To Loud City</a>. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #232e80; font-weight: bold;">SB Nation's NBA page</a>.</i></p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/oklahoma-city-thunder/2012/7/2/3131585/scott-brooks-contract-negotiations-apparently-rougher-with-oklahomaMatt Conner2012-07-01T14:49:29-05:002012-07-01T14:49:29-05:00Oklahoma City Thunder And Scott Brooks Agree To 4-Year Deal
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<p>The wait is over. The <a href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> and head coach <span>Scott Brooks</span> have come to an agreement on Sunday. <span style="line-height: 9px;">Per David Aldridge: </span></p>
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<p>Deal done in OKC for Scott Brooks; should be signed Monday. Four years, 4M+/year.</p>
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) <a href="https://twitter.com/daldridgetnt/status/219511893826613249" data-datetime="2012-07-01T19:24:48+00:00">July 1, 2012</a>
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<p>Negotiations between both sides had been ongoing for a lengthy period of time, but as the rumors persisted about other coaches being in the running (<span>Phil Jackson</span> was even mentioned) both sides seemed focused on getting a long-term deal done.</p>
<p>In four seasons as head coach of the Thunder, Brooks has amassed a record of 174-125 (.582) and has groomed the development of stars like <span>Kevin Durant</span>, <span>Russell Westbrook</span> and <span>James Harden</span> in the process. How the Thunder, Brooks and the young stars move forward through upcoming free agency and possible trades will loom large for the future of the organization.</p>
<p><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">For more on the Oklahoma City Thunder check out <a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #232e80; font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Welcome To Loud City</a>. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to <a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #232e80; font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">SB Nation's NBA page</a>.</i></p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/oklahoma-city-thunder/2012/7/1/3130420/oklahoma-city-thunder-and-scott-brooks-agree-to-4-year-dealEddie Maisonet