The Oklahoma City Thunder announced on Wednesday that coach Scott Brooks will not return to the team next season after club executives decide to make changes for the best interest of the organization.

Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti revealed the decision in a statement posted on the team's official website. According to Presti, firing Brooks was a hard decision to make because the 49-year-old coach has played a big role in the development of the team over the past seven years.

Brooks, who started his tenure when he was named interim head coach during the 2008-09 season, had a 338-207 record in seven seasons at the helm. He led the team to three Western Conference Finals appearances, including one NBA Finals stint in 2012.

"This is an extremely difficult decision on many levels," Presti said in a statement. "Scott helped establish the identity of the Thunder and has earned his rightful place in the history of our organization through his seven years as a valued leader and team member."

The decision to fire Brooks came just days after the Thunder failed to earn a spot in the 2015 NBA Playoffs after finishing ninth in the Western Conference race with their 45-37 record.

Oklahoma City finished with the same record as the eighth-ranked New Orleans Pelicans, but the Anthony Davis-led squad had the tie-breaker advantage after winning in three of their four regular-season meetings this season.

Presti reiterated, though, that failing to make the playoffs this season was not the main reason why they decided to part ways with Brooks, who was named NBA Coach of the Year during the 2009-2010 season. The Thunder played the majority of the season without superstar Kevin Durant because of a recurring foot injury.

"As we all know, this past year we had unique and challenging circumstances and as I have conveyed, not many people could have accomplished what Scott and this team were able to," Presti said. "Therefore, it is very important to state that 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."

Before the announcement, the Thunder was linked to Connecticut head coach Kevin Ollie, who has a strong relationship with both Durant and Russell Westbrook. However, Ollie immediately played down speculation, expressing commitment to University of Connecticut.

"I am proud and honored to be the head basketball coach at the University of Connecticut and I have no plans to pursue other opportunities," Ollie said via Yahoo Sports. "We are already excited about next season and I am looking forward to preparing our team to be the best we can be on the court, in the classroom, and in our community."

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