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The Oklahoma City Thunder ended their season in disappointment yet again on Tuesday night, as they suffered a Game 5 defeat at the hands of Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers.
Barely a couple of days into the conclusion of another rather forgettable year, and already the whispers pertaining to the potential firing of Thunder head coach Billy Donovan appear to be getting louder and louder.
According to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, one telling factor that will play a pivotal role in Donovan's future with the franchise is his relationship with Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook, which is reportedly no longer as rock solid as it once was:
The relationship that really matters, however, is Westbrook’s and Donovan’s. Publicly, Westbrook has praised Donovan, crediting him for being “nothing but great” for himself and the organization. But I keep hearing rumblings that Westbrook’s faith has waned in Donovan, and close observers this season have caught several curious in-game moments between coach and star that make you wonder.
According to Mayberry, if Westbrook has indeed lost faith in his head coach, then this would spell the end of Donovan's tenure with the Thunder:
If the relationship is fractured, Donovan’s done. It’s hard for any coach to survive three straight first-round exits, and if there’s trouble brewing between that coach and his biggest star then that coach has no chance of survival.
Mayberry puts forth a valid argument here. Whatever happens, the OKC front office will definitely side with their superstar. If asked to choose between Westbrook and Donovan, it would not be a very difficult decision for them to make.
