Cowley: Thibodeau and Bulls seem to be headed for a breakup

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A lot of the rest of the article is typical Cowley management bashing, but the above is the money quote as I see it. GarPax don't trust Thibodeau's judgment when it comes to preserving player health in practices and games. As a result of this lack of trust, Bulls management, usually through director of sports performance, Jen Swanson, has placed minutes and practice limits on certain players. Thibodeau reportedly views this as undue interference. There appears to be little hope of finding common ground.

Those who like to view things as black or white can have at it insofar as determining good guys and bad guys in all this. It kind of reminds me of watching the marriage of a couple you know and like fall apart. You wish they could find a way to make it work, but can't escape the feeling that the situation won't end well.

 

http://www.thescore.com/nba/news/690112

Report: Thibodeau's relationship with Bulls management beyond repair

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...peculation-bulls-spt-0129-20150128-story.html

But it also underscored how, despite last week's team meeting instead of a practice, Thibodeau isn't going to change, even while the speculation about his long-term future with the Bulls continues. Despite the two seasons left on the four-year extension Thibodeau took several months to sign in the 2012-13 season, several league sources believe Thibodeau's relationship with management is beyond repair.

And while there are no plans to replace Thibodeau during the season, a mutual parting of the ways after this season wouldn't surprise many league personnel familiar with the deteriorating dynamic.

 

Cowley is right, sorry to say. Key parts of his "management bashing" in the article?

That’s why Forman and Paxson need to do something that’s been difficult for Bulls management to do for years: Stand down and let the man with the whistle have room to work.

Whether it’s been Jerry Krause and Phil Jackson or Paxson and the likes of Scott Skiles, Vinny Del Negro and now Thibodeau, at some point the suits have to learn how to play well with others.

For minutes to be such a concern, especially for Paxson is really mind-blowing. The former Bulls shooting guard coat-tailed three championship rings off two players that had no regard for their body or minutes played in Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan.

The ball doesn’t lie, and neither does history.

Stars play big minutes. Championship teams are hardened through being pushed in games and on the practice court. Thibodeau has been around long enough to know it, and was part of a Boston Celtics staff that saw it play out on their way to the 2008 title.

 

It must be nice to see the world so clearly. I envy you.

Cowley thinks that GarPax should get Jen Swanson and her minutes limits out of Thibodeau's face and "Stand down and let the man with the whistle have room to work."

Alas, my trust of Thibodeau doesn't go that far. Further, I think the Bulls approach on this score is where the league is going so Thibodeau might want to get used to it.

 

I trust the top 5 coach with years of experience over the mediocre front office. Every time.

The GM sets the roster. If he wants Jimmy to get rest, put him on the inactive list. If the GM lets players suit up, let the coach do his job. Jimmy leading the league in minutes and he's an all star, all NBA defender, in the mvp discussion. Last season, he played like 30 seconds a game more than Melo, Durant, DeRozan, Harden, LeBron, Parsons, et al.

Thibs has won at least one championship- with Boston.

Minutes played has little to do with injuries. Noah had trouble playing 75 games in any season before Thibs, and averages less than 30 for his career.

The only guy playing too many minutes is the guy with the sub 8 PER.

 

If they let Thibs walk, he'll have his pick of coaching jobs.

If Gar or Pax were let go, nobody would want them.

Go figure.

 

You can say this, but you're guessing. What GarPax want from Thibodeau isn't very different from what other GMs want from their head coaches. GMs generally make the decision on which head coaching candidate to choose.

Further, while as you used to so colorfully like to say, "Thibs can win with girls," this season, he's shown that his team can also lose to girls. My guess is that this fact is not lost on other teams.

 

I think he can win with girls if he's allowed to play who he wants as much as he wants.

Can Gasol really be that much worse than Boozer on defense?

The only other replacement in the starting lineup is Rose.

I'm quite certain Thibs would have multiple offers to choose from. I'm sure that management would have as good a time finding jobs as Crumbs did.

 

I feel like you guys are wanking away, talking about things that don't matter. Look, it just really doesn't make any difference if Thibodeau and GarPax are on the same page. GMs and coaches can be in the middle of a hot war and still win championships. It happens all the time. We've seen it with our own franchise.

The problem is simple: your best player has to be on the same page with your coach. Rose isn't on the same page with Thibodeau and hasn't been the entire season. Noah isn't on the same page with Thibodeau and hasn't been all season. All the rest of the players feed off of that. Thibodeau is done at the end of this year, and quite honestly, management kept him one season too long.

I also don't see why we have to blame Thibodeau for the current state of things, or management or the players. There are very, very few coaches who can work with the same roster year after year and not have problems connecting. Indeed, it might be a golden age for coaches who are able to do this with Popovic, Spoelstra and Calisle. They're the exception. There's a ton of great coaches in the league -- hall of fame coaches -- who have trouble after four seasons. Thibodeau is one of the longest tenured coaches in the league. He had a good run.

I was raging yesterday while watching the stunt Thibodeau pulled with Mirotic in the Lakers game. He puts him in the starting lineup only to bench him for the entire rest of the game. I'm pretty sure that GarPax and him had some kind of "just start him" agreement in place, and Thibs gave management the middle finger. But you know what: none of that matters. At the end of the day it's about whether the roster is still responding to him. It's not.

 

The Bulls are 30-18 and in 4th seed on pace for 50+ wins. This is with Rose starting a lot of games and not being very good. He's shooting .410 and .308 from 3pt.

I'm not seeing the Bulls failing at much. They are not well constructed, but we've been over that since before the season started. They did just beat Golden State, Dallas, and San Antonio in 3 of the past 5 games.

If anything, we maybe had unrealistic expectations of winning 60 and competing for 1st seed. Unrealistic if we're playing our best players limited minutes.

 

Also,Noah had offseason knee surgery and doesn't look 100%

 

It will be a shame to lose Thibs, as he has easily been the best Bulls coach since Jackson. Thibs will immediately get several job offers and likely do well.

Paxson is of course a dolt and Forman seems to make good decisions at times but this pissing match with Thibs seems pointless. Anyway, its sad to see.

Rose, Rose, Rose is killing this team. SST is right, the "star" isn't on the same page as the head coach. Of course, the "star" hasn't done jack the last two seasons and this season isn't good enough to make the all-star team, while two of his teammates are. As of right now, its crazy to hear Butler call Rose the "leader" as Butler is clearly the better player right now.

Perhaps Rose will revert back to MVP form. Based on his current play, you would be foolish to build around this player. He isn't a MAX level guy right now. He hasn't been for 2.5 years.

As for Jen Swanson, it seems to be that management has hired an "expert" to legitimize their minutes arguments. How can Thibs argue with an "expert?" (yes, rest is of course important, and her credentials are impeccable, but why are minutes such an issue for this team)

http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/player/_/stat/minutes/sort/avgMinutes/qualified/false

Bulls have 2 guys in the top 40. Portland has 4 guys in the top 40. Are the pitchforks out in Portland? Cleveland has 3 guys in the top 20. Are minutes an issue in Cleveland? (no, not winning the title is)

Let's hope management does better than Del Negro (who they chose over Thibs the first time). Of course, minutes were an issue with him too. (paxson attacked him, how is he still employed after this?)

Rose / McDermott / Mirotic seems like a pretty soft team going forward. I like what I see at times from Mirotic, but this isn't a development season. I'm just tired of all this crap from management. Just let Thibs coach his team.


Winners: Thibs, Noah, Gibson, Butler, Gasol
OK: Rose, Forman
Bad: Paxson: Failed GM (hinrich/gordon/deng/noconi core 4 vision, attack of del negro, kicked upstairs)

I'd fire GarPax before firing Thibs.
Thibs is a real asset. Paxson is a detriment and Forman isn't a great GM, just good, although misguided in his battle with Thibs.

 

Coaches and players come and go, but the results are the same. Look to what's been constant throughout for why.

 

Are you saying that the Bulls should fire Thibodeau now while there's still a chance to salvage this season or are the Bulls screwed regardless?

 

If Thibs is to be let go, the expected move is to preserve the bottom line by letting him finish the season and then try to trade him to another team so The Chairman doesn't have to eat the remainder of his contract.

 

If the Bulls win the East, you might be able to trade Thibodeau...but in that case you wouldn't want to. Under any other circumstances, trading Thibodeau is a pipe dream.

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11161771/milwaukee-bucks-officially-name-jason-kidd-coach-trade

The Milwaukee Bucks hired Jason Kidd as coach Tuesday after completing a deal with theBrooklyn Nets.

The Bucks sent the Nets two second-round picks (one in 2015 and another in '19) for Kidd, who went 44-38 in his only season as Brooklyn coach.

 

BTW, if Thibs wants out and the Bulls are on the hook to pay his salary, they would have him coach the D-League team until an NBA team made a trade offer.

 

I may be wrong, but minute limits imposed by the front office may have merit. I believe they are tired of this team getting into the playoffs and not having another gear. Not only that, but injuries have hurt this team come playoff time!

We have had injuries. That has hurt this team. Go figure....MDJ in his absence the team is now 7-8! We have a spacing problem and defensive letdowns.