The proverbial tea leaves weren’t particularly hard to read as the Thunder split with coach Billy Donovan this week, his contract having expired after five successful seasons with Oklahoma City. Just last week, OKC was a playoff darling, pushing the Rockets to seven games with Chris Paul turning back the clock and undrafted rookie Lu Dort hounding James Harden with legitimate effectiveness. At a glance, a coaching change might seem surprising. But in insider circles, the move all but confirms long-held suspicions that the Thunder are ready to rebuild.
Of course, things started to feel that way a year ago.