It took Scott Brooks four years to take a 23-win Oklahoma City Thunder team to the NBA Finals. It appears he will have at least five years to do the same thing for the Washington Wizards.
According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, Brooks has "agreed in principle" to a five-year, $35 million deal to become the head coach of the Washington Wizards, replacing Randy Wittman, who was fired at the end of the season. CBS Sports' Ken Berger confirmed the agreement between the Wizards and Brooks.
Brooks coached the Thunder for seven seasons, amassing a record of 338-207 (.620 win percentage). After sparking a 27-game improvement in his second season in OKC, Brooks won the 2010 Coach of the Year award. Two seasons later, he guided the Thunder to an NBA Finals appearance. He was fired at the end of last season after OKC failed to make the playoffs. Brooks' lack of late-game creativity and management wanting to go in a different direction contributed to his departure.
Brooks did a phenomenal job developing the Thunder's young stars, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. He will be tasked to do the same thing in Washington with John Wall and Bradley Beal as well as other younger players like Otto Porter and Kelly Oubre. He will also look to bring along the tenets of his offense and defense, with which the Thunder were among the best in the league on both ends.
There is also the one wild card with Brooks -- his relationship with Durant, who is a free agent this summer and likely Washington's No. 1 priority in free agency. Durant is from the Washington area, so now not only do the Wizards have the hometown angle to play when pursuing the Thunder All-Star, they also have his former coach, with whom he had a great relationship. According to NBA.com's David Aldridge, the Wizards will also work with Brooks to make current assistant coach David Adkins part of his coaching staff. Adkins was one of Durant's high school coaches.
Even if they don't get Durant, by hiring Brooks the Wizards are setting themselves up for the future with a proven winner as their head coach.
