NBA Rumors: Washington Wizards Hiring Scott Brooks To Lure In Kevin Durant


NBA rumors are currently surrounding Scott Brooks. After taking the year off after being dismissed by the Oklahoma City Thunder, he is now one of the top coaching candidates out there. Brooks is expected to have several job interviews around the National Basketball Association in the coming weeks. According to the Washington Post, the Washington Wizards are interested in hiring him to replace Randy Wittman. Brooks will also be asked to lure in Kevin Durant, who becomes a free agent this summer.

When Scott Brooks was the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, he turned them into a pretty good team. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant blossomed into bona fide NBA superstars under his watch. The team also managed to make it to the NBA Finals. They had to beat the dominant San Antonio Spurs in a seven game series to make that happen. Not a lot of people can say that they have that on their resume.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant [Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images]
It is no secret that the Washington Wizards are going to be pursuing Kevin Durant when free agency begins. That’s one of the worst kept secrets in the NBA. Durant has been forced to answer questions about that for more than a year now. The rumors about a partnership between the two sides stem from the fact that he grew in the Washington DC area. Durant might be enticed by the thought of returning to his childhood home.

The relationship between Scott Brooks and Kevin Durant is said to be a close one. The Washington Wizards are hoping that it is close enough where Brooks can convince Durant to sign with the team. If he were able to pull that off, then Brooks will be worth whatever the amount the Wizards decide to pay him. Of course, he’s also a pretty good coach.

Washington Wizards guard John Wall
John Wall [Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]
It will be interesting to see how Scott Brooks handles John Wall. While coaching the Oklahoma City Thunder, his critics noted that he was not able to handle Russell Westbrook all that well. Brooks didn’t pull back on the leash enough. Westbrook was focused on building up his legacy in the NBA. Wall is a tremendous player. However, the Washington Wizards need other players involved if they want to win a championship soon.

Scott Brooks would have quite an enviable roster if he were to be hired by the Washington Wizards. John Wall and Bradley Beal are one of the best back courts in the NBA. Markief Morris is a versatile and talented power forward. Kevin Durant would slot perfectly into the small forward position. Marcin Gortat is above average as a center. If the team wanted to play small ball, they can replace substitute a guard or small forward for Gortat.

Washington Wizards forward Markief Morris
Markief Morris [Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]
It will also be interesting to see what style of play Scott Brooks employs for the Washington Wizards. The team is equipped with enough talent in the front court to play a traditional NBA lineup. Nene and Marcin Gortat are old school type of players. The Wizards also have the talent to play quick. Markief Morris can be utilized as a stretch center for several minutes, while Kevin Durant would occupy the power forward position.

Scott Brooks is eventually going to end back up in the NBA. He’s too good of a basketball coach to remain in retirement forever. After going through a handful of coaches over the past decade, the Washington Wizards could use a good basketball coach. Their talented roster is being wasted right now. Rather than challenging for the championship, the team is already on vacation. That’s not something that should happen for a team like that.

[Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images]

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