Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder may have reached a crossroads with point guard Chris Paul as the club begins a daunting rebuild.

According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, league officials believe the 35-year-old point guard prefers to play for a contender rather than serve in a mentor role with a Thunder team whose days as a contender are over. 

Paul averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds last season while shooting 48.9 percent from the floor. The Thunder fell in the first round of the playoffs to the Houston Rockets and parted ways with head coach Billy Donovan shortly after. 

It's not surprising Paul would want another chance at winning a title. Despite playing on some of the most exciting clubs in the NBA—teaming up with Blake Griffin on the Los Angeles Clippers and later joining James Harden's Houston Rockets—the veteran has made the conference finals just once in his 15-year career. 

Finding a contender that both needs a tier-one point guard and can absorb cap hits of $41 million and $44 million over the next two years won't be easy. 

The Thunder have plenty of assets that could sweeten any potential trade for Paul, but it makes little sense for a rebuilding club to part with first-round picks or young talent. 

Berman previously reported the Thunder would require wing Kevin Knox in a potential deal to send Paul to the New York Knicks, making such a trade unlikely. 

Besides, the Knicks aren't close to contending.

With little clarity on how next season will play out amid the pandemic, and with the free-agent landscape equally murky, the best bet for all sides could be to let Paul begin the year with OKC and look to capitalize on a potential trade at the deadline. 

It may prove too difficult to get him to a contender any other way. 

San Antonio Spurs assistant Will Hardy and Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Brian Keefe are candidates for the Thunder's head-coaching vacancy, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

It's unclear if either Hardy or Keefe has an edge.

The Thunder have mostly kept their coaching search quiet since Billy Donovan announced in September he would not be returning. Donovan has since been hired by the Chicago Bulls.

Hardy is a well-respected assistant who has spent the last 10 seasons working his way up Gregg Popovich's bench, from video coordinator to NBA Summer League head coach to one of the lead assistants under arguably the greatest coach in NBA history.

Keefe is in his second tour as an assistant in Oklahoma City, having previously worked in the organization from 2007 to 2015 before leaving for stints with the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. The former UNLV guard has developed a knack for working with young talent and was targeted as the defensive coordinator for the Lakers under Luke Walton.

The Thunder are expected to undergo a multiyear rebuild, so they're likely to target a coach with player development experience. Hardy and Keefe both fit the bill and might be more willing to take a coaching job with a challenging road ahead than more established names.

A woman filed suit against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Terrance Ferguson, saying he and his brother raped her, according to The Oklahoman's Joe Mussatto.

"According to the lawsuit, the woman alleged that in 2018 she and Ferguson were in a consensual relationship," Mussatto wrote. "During the relationship, Ferguson allegedly pressured the woman to participate in a threesome with him and his brother, Brandon Willis, who lives in Dallas."

According to the lawsuit, the woman "unequivocally rejected each and every one of Ferguson's requests."

The woman said in the lawsuit Ferguson asked her again to have sex with him and his brother in September 2018, to which she declined. The woman said later that day, she and Ferguson were having consensual sex at his home. She said his brother then entered the room, at which point she "withdrew consent from future sexual contact with Ferguson."

Ferguson and his brother then allegedly sexually assaulted her.

The woman said in the lawsuit Ferguson filmed the assault and shared it on Snapchat.

She's claiming "physical, emotional and psychological" damage from the alleged assault and seeking to receive more than $500,000 from the suit.

Ferguson was the subject of a criminal investigation earlier in the year. Per The Oklahoman's Nolan Clay and Maddie Lee, Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater said his office was unable to find enough evidence to pursue the case.

The Thunder issued a statement upon the news that Ferguson wouldn't be charged: "We were made aware of the situation, followed the protocols that are in place, and allowed the legal process to take its course."

The team pointed back to that statement with the allegations going to civil court.

The Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be bracing for a rebuild, but that may not necessarily be a problem for star guard Chris Paul.

Paul was among the virtual fans watching Sunday's NBA Finals game between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. He addressed the obvious speculation about his future and remained diplomatic.

"I just love to hoop," he said on the ABC broadcast (via ESPN's Tim Bontemps). "[Former Thunder coach] Billy Donovan was amazing. My teammates have been amazing. So, for me, you call it twilight years, I call it a blessing. Just being able to compete at a high level at 35 years old, [I'm going to] just keep rolling."

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported in September that Donovan's contract with the Thunder expired upon the conclusion of their season and that "the reality of Oklahoma City's transition toward a rebuild made it a challenge for the two sides to find a way to continue together."

General manager Sam Presti alluded to the issue in the team's official announcement.

"After those discussions, it became apparent that we couldn't provide him the information on the future direction of the team over the next several seasons to give him the level of clarity that he understandably desires at this stage of his career," Presti said.

A period of transition felt inevitable from the moment Oklahoma City traded Russell Westbrook, having already sent Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers. The franchise now has a slew of draft picks to form the foundation of its roster.

Whether Paul, who turned 35 in May, fits into those long-term plans remains unclear.

The 10-time All-Star was excellent in his first year with the team, averaging 17.6 points, 6.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds as OKC finished fifth in the Western Conference. As a result, he has become a nice trade asset for the Thunder.

Maybe the front office and ownership are content to pay Paul $41.4 million in 2020-21 and potentially absorb his $44.2 million player option for 2021-22.

But a trade would be beneficial to both parties. The Thunder could potentially land another draft pick or young player who fits with what's likely their new trajectory, while Paul could finish out his career on a team with firmer playoff ambitions.

The Chris Paul-led Oklahoma City Thunder were one of the NBA's biggest surprises this season, but what's next for the veteran point guard?

Paul proved he still has plenty left in the tank and that he could be an asset to a team that is looking to win a championship soon. He also still has two years and $85 million left on the massive contract he signed as a Houston Rocket in 2018. As such, it wouldn't be hard to believe that OKC plans to move him over the offseason and attempt to rebuild once they have the cap space.

After the team parted ways with Billy Donovan at the end of the campaign, an imminent rebuild seemed even more likely.

With that in mind, the Milwaukee Bucks seem like the perfect fit for Paul, as they want to win now and have the two-time reigning MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo. They could also use point guard to take some of the pressure off of the Greek Freak, as it's one of their weakest positions. However, sources suggested to The Athletic's Sam Amick that the Bucks have zero plans of pursuing a Chris Paul trade (h/t Michael Scotto of The HoopsHype Podcast).

The Philadelphia 76ers could also be a destination for CP3, as the Sixers are reportedly considering Mike D'Antoni as Brett Brown's replacement as head coach. Apparently, D'Antoni became a top candidate for the position once Donovan accepted the job with the Chicago Bulls. According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, "the Sixers will also make trades if he's hired. The expectation is that he'll have a say in picking players for his freewheeling style of play."

Paul flourished in D'Antoni's offense in Houston, so it wouldn't be a stretch to assume he would be on the list of players the former Rockets head coach would consider bringing in. He could also be the missing piece Philly needs to bring together their starting five. 

Lastly, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been attached to Chris Paul trade rumors since October. If the Thunder start shopping the Point God, the Timberwolves could be a "serious suitor" again.

The organization has a talented guard in D'Angelo Russell, but Paul would offer invaluable experience and could mentor the team's young nucleus. Moreover, the T-Wolves have been in search of a pure point guard since Jeff Teague returned to the Atlanta Hawks in January.

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul appeared on ESPN's First Take on Friday to discuss several subjects, including a grand jury's decision not to indict any of three police officers in relation to the killing of Breonna Taylor.

Taylor was killed inside her Louisville, Kentucky, apartment on March 13 after the officers opened fire after breaking into the home on a no-knock warrant. Taylor's boyfriend fired at police first, believing them to be intruders. Taylor was unarmed but was shot at least eight times.

Former officer Brett Hankison, who was terminated by the Louisville Metro Police Department, was the only one of the three officers who fired shots inside Taylor's apartment to be indicted on three counts of wanton endangerment, as a result of several bullets he fired going into a neighboring apartment and endangering those who lived there.

Paul said the following regarding the decision: "When you see the verdict on Breonna Taylor, it's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking. I'm the father of an 8-year-old daughter and to see the way that women—especially Black women—are treated at times, it's not OK."

Paul was also asked to give his thoughts on comments from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James:

"That's real," Paul said. "I say this all the time, but as soon as that clock goes to zero, we're back to being exactly who we are. You don't wear that jersey when you go drive home, you don't wear that jersey to the grocery store. When we go back home and visit our families and guys go back to wear they grew up, you don't walk around with your uniform on. You walk around just as a Black man or a Black woman. Like I keep saying, I commend our players in all the leagues, especially the NBA and the WNBA, but all the leagues that continue to stand up against all that's going on."

James, Paul and countless other high-profile athletes have been calling for justice for Taylor and her family in recent months. NBA players have worn shirts with messages promoting social justice, knelt during the national anthem and demonstrated in a number of other ways to show their support for Taylor and other Black women and men who have been the victims of police brutality.

The slogan for those seeking justice for Taylor has been, "Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor," but Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Wednesday he doesn't expect any further criminal charges to be filed, per Ben Tobin of the Louisville Courier Journal.

The Indiana Pacers reportedly interviewed former Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan for its head coaching vacancy last week, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The team is expecting to interview about 12 candidates before cutting down the field. Indiana is looking to replace Nate McMillan, who was fired after four seasons with the team.

Donovan spent five years with the Thunder before the two sides decided to mutually part ways earlier this month. 

Per Charania, the 55-year-old is also expected to be in the next round of interviews for the Philadelphia 76ers and is "strongly vying for" the position along with Ty Lue. 

Donovan led the Thunder to the playoffs in each of his five years with the team, accumulating a 243-157 regular-season record. The squad reached the Western Conference Finals in his first season behind Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, taking the Golden State Warriors to the brink before losing in seven games.

Oklahoma City remained competitive after losing Durant to free agency in 2016, then were one of the biggest surprises of the 2019-20 season after losing Westbrook and Paul George. Despite low expectations, the squad earned the No. 5 seed in the West before a first-round loss to the Houston Rockets in seven games.

Donovan finished third in voting for the NBA's Coach of the Year Award.

The coach is now seeking a new position, potentially with a Pacers squad that has lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of the last five years. The team has lost nine straight playoff games dating back to 2018.

Domantas Sabonis, Victor Oladipo, Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. Warren could help the team remain competitive in the Eastern Conference, but expectations will be high on the new coach to take Indiana to the next level.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski previously reported Mike D'Antoni could also be a target for Indiana.

The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to improve their roster this offseason after an Eastern Conference semifinal exit, but Oklahoma City point guard Chris Paul is "highly unlikely" to be the solution, according to The Athletic's Eric Nehm and Sam Amick.

Paul, a 10-time All-Star, could complement league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on the court, but his price tag could put the Bucks off.

Per The Athletic: 

"As for the reported prospect of the Bucks pursuing Oklahoma City point guard Chris Paul as a possible solution to the roster deficiencies, sources with knowledge of ownership's thinking said it is highly unlikely. The cost of bringing him aboard—Paul is owed $41.3 million next season and has a player option worth $44.2 million in the 2021-22 campaign—and the potential difficulty of bringing Paul onto a roster already led by a strong personality in Antetokounmpo seems to limit the chances of the Bucks moving to pair the two All-Stars. All indications are that the Bucks would rather look elsewhere."

In his first year in Oklahoma City after being traded in July 2019, Paul averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 assists, five rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game before the Thunder were eliminated by the Houston Rockets in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs—the fourth consecutive season they have failed to advance beyond the first round. 

After Paul was acquired by Oklahoma City, the team reportedly explored options to send him elsewhere, and The Ringer's Ryen Russillo said last fall that Paul had expressed interest in playing in Milwaukee.

His natural tendency to take initiative on the court would complement Antetokounmpo's forward-thinking playing style, and his wealth of NBA experience would take the pressure off of the Greek Freak, provided their personalities didn't clash. 

But with the price tag encouraging the Bucks to look elsewhere this offseason, other teams will make the jump at the 35-year-old Paul, who is also being pursued by the New York Knicks, per Jonathan Macri of Knicks Film School, in a deal that would reunite him with Knicks president Leon Rose, who negotiated his whopping contract that is steering the Bucks away. 

Billy Donovan reportedly could have signed an extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder before the NBA season resumed July 30.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Donovan turned down a two-year offer from the Thunder earlier this year, and both parties "agreed to table discussions until the end of the season."

The Thunder announced a mutual parting of ways with Donovan on Tuesday after the Houston Rockets eliminated them from the playoffs Sept. 2.

The five-year deal Donovan signed with Oklahoma City in April 2015 expired at the end of this season. 

Donovan's departure opens what should be one of the NBA's most desirable coaching jobs. The Thunder have a solid foundation with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co., though Danilo Gallinari will be a free agent this offseason. 

Per Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to pursue a deal for Chris Paul if the Thunder make him available. 

General manager Sam Presti has set the Thunder up for the future with as many as 15 first-round draft picks from 2020 to '26 thanks to the Paul George, Russell Westbrook and Jerami Grant trades. 

The Thunder made the postseason every year with Donovan as head coach, including an appearance in the Western Conference Finals in his first season. They lost in the first round each of the past four years. 

Donovan went 243-157 in five seasons with Oklahoma City. He spent 19 years at the University of Florida from 1996 to 2015, winning two national titles in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

Add the Oklahoma City Thunder to the list of teams in the market for a new head coach.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports OKC and Billy Donovan will not pursue a new contract after Donovan's deal expired at the end of the 2019-20 season. 

The former University of Florida coach left the NCAA for the Thunder in 2015, taking over for Scott Brooks and compiling a 243-157 record in five years with four straight first-round losses in the playoffs. 

The Thunder nearly pulled off a Game 7 victory against the Houston Rockets last week during the first round of the playoffs and saw guard Luguentz Dort break out with 12.5 points per game, but it remained another early exit for Donovan after leading the franchise to the Western Conference Finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in 2016.

Wojnarowski reports the parting was amicable:

"With reduced league revenues amid the pandemic, there remains uncertainty on how long the Thunder might continue with key veterans in place before changing course on playoff-contention in the Western Conference.

"Donovan will be a significant commodity on the open NBA market, and could become a candidate among the openings in Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Indiana."

The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor is also reporting interest with the Sixers, but the franchise is addressing its front office first. 

Donovan's contract was for five years with a team option and saw him earn the National Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year award with Milwaukee's Mike Budenholzer this season. Donovan never finished a season with fewer than 44 wins despite losing both Durant and Westbrook over his tenure.

The 55-year-old should have plenty of options depending on what he'd like to do next. His experience developing young players like Dort, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Darius Bazley make him an attractive hire for teams like the Bulls and Pelicans, while a number of colleges would likely pay top dollar for his services. 

With both the Pacers and Sixers, Donovan would have opportunities to salvage a championship window, but failure to do so could result in a drastic roster makeover much like he experienced in Oklahoma City. 

It's unclear where the Thunder will look next as they search for the franchise's fourth coach since moving to Oklahoma.