http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12741477/oklahoma-city-thunder-fire-head-coach-scott-brooks

The Oklahoma City Thunder have fired head coach Scott Brooks, the team announced Wednesday. 

"This is an extremely difficult decision on many levels," general manager Sam Presti said in a statement. "This decision is not a reflection of this past season, but rather an assessment of what we feel is necessary at this point in time in order to continually evolve, progress and sustain. We determined that, in order to stimulate progress and put ourselves in the best position next season and as we looked to the future, a transition of this kind was necessary for the program."

Presti will discuss the decision with reporters later on Wednesday once he returns from California.

The Thunder missed the playoffs on the final day of the regular season this year, the first time they failed to make the postseason since 2008-09. The team was plagued with injuries, with reigning MVP Kevin Durant playing in only 27 games. Russell Westbrook also missed 15 games, and Serge Ibaka didn't play in the final 18.

"He led us, man," Durant said of Brooks. "He made sure everybody was emotionally stable because we had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup and he kept everybody together. That's what your head coach is supposed to do. I can't really say nothing about it because he did his job. He kept us together."

The decision to part ways with Brooks wasn't made in reaction to this season, but to help stimulate the organization forward into the future, particularly with Durant's looming 2016 free agency hanging over the team's head.

Brooks said at the team's annual exit interviews on Friday that he expected to return as coach next season. He had one year left on his contract that was signed in 2012, and a team option that ran through 2016-17.