Mo Cheeks Assistant Coach with Thunder

Interestingly Brooks got to know Cheeks as his backup in Philly: “At first glance, newly named Thunder assistant coach Maurice Cheeks might appear to be the heir apparent in the event Scott Brooks flames out in his first full run as head coach. […] The Thunder rewarded Brooks with a lucrative two-year deal just before the end of last season. The contract has a team option that could keep Brooks, 44, in Oklahoma City through the 2011-12 season. Bringing in a coach of Cheeks’ stature, however, is a salute to Brooks’ makeup. The Thunder’s coach could have settled on someone with less experience who in no way would have been qualified to serve as a potential successor. But that coach would have had far less to offer.”