The Oklahoma City Thunder have fired head coach Scott Brooks, the team confirmed Wednesday.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti traveled to California to relieve Brooks of his duties, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, who first reported the news.
Last week, Wojnarowski reported that the team would re-evaluate Brooks before deciding whether to bring him back next season.
Related: Why the Thunder finally moved on from Scott Brooks
Brooks compiled a 338-207 regular-season record and a 39-34 playoff mark in seven years in Oklahoma City. The Thunder reached the NBA Finals in 2012, losing to the Miami Heat. Brooks, long criticized for some of his decision-making, also won the NBA Coach of the Year award in 2010.
The Thunder missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 2008-09 - a season P.J. Carlesimo began as head coach before giving way to Brooks after 13 games - and face a critical season next year as Kevin Durant's unrestricted free agency looms in the summer of 2016.
Related: Durant supports team's decision '100 percent,' thanks Brooks
Presti insisted the decision to fire Brooks was unrelated to the team falling short of the postseason - an outcome that would've been hard for any coach to avoid given the spate of injuries they dealt with.
"This decision is not connected to the results of this season," Presti told local media after the announcement, according to the team's official Twitter page.
"This is a transition," he added, "one we feel we need in order to stimulate the program at this particular time to evolve, progress and ultimately sustain."
"I do not know if anyone could have done a better job than Scott given the circumstances. ... Change in organizations is necessary at times," Presti said.
Presti had more praise for Brooks: "I want to stress again Scott has been a great coach for the Thunder and has earned his rightful place in history of the franchise."
Durant defended Brooks after the season, telling media that the coach rallied the Thunder in a difficult year and "made sure we were all emotionally stable."
Brooks's dismissal comes on the same day that Kevin Ollie released a statement saying he plans to stay at the University of Connecticut. Ollie had been linked to the Thunder in a Monday report.
Brooks immediately becomes a candidate to coach the Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets, according to Wojnarowski, who added that Florida coach Billy Donovan could be a possible successor to Brooks.
