| 05 June 2010
So it looks like the Bulls are going to make an offer to Boston Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau is the defensive architect of the Boston Celtics defense and helped guide the Celtics, whom I hate dearly, to the 2008 title (as well as this year's finals). They could reach an agreement by the end of this weekend. If they get things done by then...well then...that is...um...lighting fast for this organization. Slightly surprised. I thought this would seriously drag into July. Either way, I have some mixed feelings about this.
First, the bad. After experiencing two years of Vinny Del Negro, you'd think the Bulls organization would try and avoid hiring a head coach with zero head coaching experience. Seriously. The Bulls always seem to strive for the marquee names, but then fall for the flavor of the week new guy...who this time...happens to be Tom Thibodeau. And how many free agents are truly excited about playing for a first year head coach? On top of that, the Bulls happen to be one of the worst offensive teams in the league. Now surely, come July 1st, that's bound to change. However, as of right now, when nothing is guaranteed, to hire a defensive specialist when offense absolutely must be your greatest concern just seems odd to me. I thought that was the whole issue with Vinny...the fact that he wasn't a good x's and o's type of coach on the offensive end. Don't we need a guy who's more of an offensive specialist rather than defense?
Now, the good. Tom Thibodeau is no Vinny Del Negro. He's coached in 87 playoff games. That's right, count 'em. 87. He coached under Jeff Van Gundy, who is absolutely in love with the guy, for 7 years. During his tenure with the Knicks, he helped them set a record when they held 33 straight opponents under 100 points during the 2000-2001 season. His defensive coaching exploits in the 2008 finals and 2010 playoffs have been very well documented. It's safe to say that the guy isn't just a defensive specialist, he's a freakin' defensive wizard. He is to defensive schemes what Tex Winter was to offensive schemes. While he may be a first year coach, the guy has been around...and he's been around FOR YEARS. There is probably not an assistant coach who has ever been more prepared to take on a head coaching vacancy more than Tom Thibodeau.
Everyone knows defense wins championships. Fans know it. Players know it. Superstars know it. Ask Mike D'Antoni. Any superstar should be and probably would be thrilled that they're coming to play for a coach who not only stresses defense, but is a defensive mastermind. As long as the Bulls take care of signing the offensive talent, Thibodeau should take care of the defensive end of things.
So if you absolutely must sign a first-year coach, Thibodeau is the guy. A VDN he is not. I cannot stress that point enough. However, I do wish the Bulls would wait until they are absolutely sure Phil Jackson isn't interested come postseason, or even Doc Rivers if he leaves Boston, who would be quite popular in his hometown of Chicago. I'm not sure why Paxson and Gar Forman felt like they absolutely had to fly out to LA to interview Thibodeau on the eve of Game 1 of the finals. Maybe they thought Thibs would take the Hornets offer? Or maybe they just wanted to make sure he didn't accept it by letting him know that they were very interested. Kind of like leading a girl on and making her stick around just in case a hotter girl your eyeing doesn't end up panning out. That's what Thibs is right now. And I don't really feel like they have to rush with an offer, because he clearly seems much more interested in the Bulls job than the Hornets' considering he let the Hornets' offer lapse past their Thursday deadline and they seem to be moving on with Monty Williams.
But hey, with the batch of coaches that are available as of right now, I guess the Bulls really have no reason not to hire Thibs. I prefer Thibs to Byron Scott, Mo Cheeks, and even Lawrence Frank even though all of them have prior head coaching experience, simply because I prefer someone who stresses a specific discipline and is consistent with it...unlike Vinny who was just all over the place. Then again, I buy into a defensive culture, which has always been the Chicago way.
So bottom line, if we go with Thibs...I can dig it.
