The Chicago Bulls entered the 2014-15 season brimming with hope and expectations, and they were confident they had what it took to finally beat LeBron James and compete for an NBA championship.
Those dreams were unceremoniously dashed on Thursday night as the Cleveland Cavaliers blew out the Bulls by a score of 94-73 at the United Center, ending Chicago’s season and opening a Pandora’s box of questions surrounding the future of the franchise.
The biggest question at the moment concerns the future of head coach Tom Thibodeau, who has experienced both highs (the best record in the NBA in 2010-11) and lows during his tenure with the team. Clashes with management have left most reporters with the impression that Thibodeau will be coaching elsewhere next season, but there are some complicating factors.
For starters, the question over what power Thibodeau would want elsewhere has to be answered. Would he want authority to make personnel decisions? Would a team be willing to grant that power to him after the way things unravelled in Chicago?
More importantly, there’s the matter of the time and money left on Thibodeau’s contract with the Bulls. The coach has two years and $9 million remaining on his contract with the team, and it’s highly unlikely that the Bulls would want to fire him and have to eat all of that cost. With numerous teams reportedly interested in his services, it would likely make more sense to trade him than to just fire him, but that too comes with its own challenges in this market.
Sure, the Orlando Magic could likely put together a package that could entice the Bulls, but one of the most likely destinations, New Orleans, could be a complicated mess. The Pelicans made the playoffs in 2015, and they have arguably the best young player in the game with Anthony Davis, but they also don’t have a first round draft pick this season, and under NBA rules they can’t trade their 2016 first round selection unless they acquire one.
Even with the potential challenges that could face the Bulls if they decide to part ways with Thibodeau, there’s still an air of inevitability hanging around the organization when it comes to their future at the head coaching position. The team is likely going to change quite a few facets of the organization this offseason, and a new coach would provide fresh perspective as that transition takes place.
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Most reports seem to indicate that Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg is the man most likely to take the position in Chicago, but with guys like former Thunder boss Scott Brooks on the market, things could certainly change on that front.
