Report: Sentiment Growing That Bulls Will Wait To Part Ways With Tom Thibodeau Until Other Jobs Are Filled
(CBS) The stand-off between Bulls management and coach Tom Thibodeau is nearly two weeks old, with no movement to date yet in Chicago. Despite a contentious relationship and a league-wide feeling that the sides will part ways this offseason, Thibodeau is still reporting to work, while the team has moved ahead with evaluating prospects ahead of next month's NBA draft.
While this is what everyone's expected to do while under contract, there's also a growing sentiment around the league that the lack of movement indicates that Chicago will wait to get rid of Thibodeau until the other three open jobs -- in New Orleans, Orlando and Denver -- are filled, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.
If that's so, it would further illustrate just how vindictive the Bulls management team of John Paxson and Gar Forman is toward Thibodeau. Because if the Bulls wait for the other jobs to be filled and then part ways, that means they won't get draft pick compensation for Thibodeau. It'd also mean that Thibodeau would have to sit out a season and the Bulls would be on the hook for the balance of Thibodeau's salary in 2015-'16. He has two years and $9 million left on his contract, and it includes an offset if he gets another coaching job, according to multiple reports.
New Orleans has interviewed Warriors assistant coach Alvin Gentry for its open job, and Jeff Van Gundy is reportedly a candidate there too. Orlando has zeroed in on Scott Skiles to be its new coach, with reports indicating he's the front-runner. Thibodeau had been viewed as a candidate for both teams.
Thibodeau's not considered a candidate for the Denver job that remains open.