Bulls fire Thibs

[rocket surgeon]

hey!  jimmy come on back over to milwaukee-we miss ya man!

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

The idea the Bulls "blew up" those championship teams is a complete myth. Jordan retired, Jackson left and they did Pippen a HUGE service by putting together a massive sign and trade so he could get a big payday and go to a serious contender, which Chicago would not have been with Jordan, Rodman and Phil Jackaon gone. They treated all those guys very well.

The biggest problem, in my opinion, was Jerry Krause's oddball personality and Reinsdorf's loyalty to him. Reinsdorf has been a pretty easy target, but he's always been loyal to his players. Look at Pippen (back with the Bulls late in his career...and now), Frank Thomas (who can generously be described as self centered and difficult), Bill Cartwright (given the head coaching job), Paxson, Norm Van Lier and his personal problems, even somebody like Pete Myers, who has been an assistant for years (he may still be for all I know).

The fact is, Thibs clearly has some problems dealing with people. Paxson and Heard may not be perfect, but Paxson has been around the NBA for a long, long time and dealt with many difficult people (including Michael Jordan) and if he thinks Thibs was too much for too little than I agree with him. I think there is more to this story. I believe Thibs may be an effective defensive coach, but I also think there may be something the matter with him.

[Pakuni]

This is a pretty good (and hot!) take on the situation.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150528/sports/150528720/

[🏀]

By most accounts, McDermott was terrified of Thibs and, thus, never got comfortable or earned his trust. Going from playing for your dad to play for Thibs must have been quite the adjustment  It'll be interesting to see how he plays under a different regime.

 

You know who else was terrified of Thibs? JFB.

[wadesworld]

I agree that it was unprofessional to word the press release so harshly.

It's too bad the Bulls hadn't been able to find a coach with the ability to turn a defensive specialist into an All-Star, a seeming has-been center back into an All-Star and various role players into valuable contributors. If only, if only.


Reinsdorf didn't blow up that team. Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan did. Reinsdorf, in fact, offered both guys deals to stay around. Both refused.

The press release was fine. The Bulls had to explain and publicly justify why they were dumping a coach with a career .647 winning percentage. The press release did that.

Despite your praise, the Bulls have underachieved under Thibs the past two years and he was badly outcoached in the playoffs, even by (gulp) Jason Kidd.

Jason Kidd outcoached quite a few coaches this season.  I hated the move but Kidd completely proved me wrong.

[MU82]

The idea the Bulls "blew up" those championship teams is a complete myth. Jordan retired, Jackson left and they did Pippen a HUGE service by putting together a massive sign and trade so he could get a big payday and go to a serious contender, which Chicago would not have been with Jordan, Rodman and Phil Jackaon gone. They treated all those guys very well.

The biggest problem, in my opinion, was Jerry Krause's oddball personality and Reinsdorf's loyalty to him. Reinsdorf has been a pretty easy target, but he's always been loyal to his players. Look at Pippen (back with the Bulls late in his career...and now), Frank Thomas (who can generously be described as self centered and difficult), Bill Cartwright (given the head coaching job), Paxson, Norm Van Lier and his personal problems, even somebody like Pete Myers, who has been an assistant for years (he may still be for all I know).

Jackson became persona non grata in Bull-Land. He had publicly sided with Jordan, Pippen and the rest of the players in the never-ending war of words against Krause. Krause, who felt he had "invented" Jackson, felt betrayed because Jackson stopped kissing his ring. When Jackson did the opposite, Krause desperately wanted Jackson gone. Jackson had established himself as the best coach in the NBA but Reinsdorf would never give him more than one-year contracts. The disrespect is so documented.

After Jordan said he would leave if Jackson was forced out, Reinsdorf made a half-hearted offer to keep Jackson for one more year -- at a pay cut. And still no long-term contract.

Despite all that, Jordan STILL would have stayed if the Bulls had hired Paxson as coach following the 98 title run. Paxson had been groomed briefly to be Jackson's heir apparent and Jordan loved him. But Paxson knew what everybody in the building knew -- that Krause desperately wanted to replace Jackson with Floyd -- so he happily stayed in the background as a broadcaster.

Jordan was only 35. Pippen was only 33. Both were in good health and were excellent physical specimens. Three years after leaving the Bulls, Jordan was a 25 ppg scorer for the Wizards. Two years after leaving the Bulls, Pippen played in all 82 games for the Blazers. To think that 98 Bulls team didn't have a couple more runs left in them is silly. (I know you didn't say that, but others did.)

Furthermore, Reinsdorf definitely did not want to pay the exorbitant price tag it would have taken to keep the Bulls together. He had groused publicly about paying Jordan $30M+ per year -- and Jordan was pissed about Reinsdorf's comments. So Reinsdorf certainly wasn't going to match the kind of money Pippen, Longley, Kerr, etc., commanded on the open market.

I'm not saying Reinsdorf was "cheap" -- that whole thing has been overblown and proved wrong. Nor am I saying Reinsdorf didn't treat the ex-Bulls well. I'm saying Reinsdorf back then didn't want to make the Bulls the highest-paid team in NBA history and didn't want to have to pay the luxury tax.

And so he sided with Krause, held open the door for Jackson and Jordan to leave, and the Bulls became laughingstocks for years.

You absolutely are right about Reinsdorf's odd willingness to stick with Krause through thick and thicker. It obviously cost the Bulls dearly. It wasn't until Reinsdorf came to his senses, dumped Krause and hired Paxson as GM that the Bulls started having a chance to win again.

[brandx]

Jackson became persona non grata in Bull-Land. He had publicly sided with Jordan, Pippen and the rest of the players in the never-ending war of words against Krause. Krause, who felt he had "invented" Jackson, felt betrayed because Jackson stopped kissing his ring. When Jackson did the opposite, Krause desperately wanted Jackson gone. Jackson had established himself as the best coach in the NBA but Reinsdorf would never give him more than one-year contracts. The disrespect is so documented.

After Jordan said he would leave if Jackson was forced out, Reinsdorf made a half-hearted offer to keep Jackson for one more year -- at a pay cut. And still no long-term contract.

Despite all that, Jordan STILL would have stayed if the Bulls had hired Paxson as coach following the 98 title run. Paxson had been groomed briefly to be Jackson's heir apparent and Jordan loved him. But Paxson knew what everybody in the building knew -- that Krause desperately wanted to replace Jackson with Floyd -- so he happily stayed in the background as a broadcaster.

Jordan was only 35. Pippen was only 33. Both were in good health and were excellent physical specimens. Three years after leaving the Bulls, Jordan was a 25 ppg scorer for the Wizards. Two years after leaving the Bulls, Pippen played in all 82 games for the Blazers. To think that 98 Bulls team didn't have a couple more runs left in them is silly. (I know you didn't say that, but others did.)

Furthermore, Reinsdorf definitely did not want to pay the exorbitant price tag it would have taken to keep the Bulls together. He had groused publicly about paying Jordan $30M+ per year -- and Jordan was pissed about Reinsdorf's comments. So Reinsdorf certainly wasn't going to match the kind of money Pippen, Longley, Kerr, etc., commanded on the open market.

I'm not saying Reinsdorf was "cheap" -- that whole thing has been overblown and proved wrong. Nor am I saying Reinsdorf didn't treat the ex-Bulls well. I'm saying Reinsdorf back then didn't want to make the Bulls the highest-paid team in NBA history and didn't want to have to pay the luxury tax.

And so he sided with Krause, held open the door for Jackson and Jordan to leave, and the Bulls became laughingstocks for years.

You absolutely are right about Reinsdorf's odd willingness to stick with Krause through thick and thicker. It obviously cost the Bulls dearly. It wasn't until Reinsdorf came to his senses, dumped Krause and hired Paxson as GM that the Bulls started having a chance to win again.

Mike, thanks for the info. That was also the way I remembered most of it, but the refresher was great. And I know you were in a situation to have this info directly.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

hey!  jimmy come on back over to milwaukee-we miss ya man!

He'll be back a couple of times next year when the Bulls head up to visit.