Coach Tom Thibodeau’s contract with Chicago Bulls in limbo – NBA Update
Chicago Bulls have secured a place in the playoffs and the only thing haunting Bulls’ coach Tom Thibodeau is his contract. The Bulls still haven’t picked up his option for the next season. There is a lot of ambivalence surrounding his future especially the technicalities surrounding his 3 year contract with the franchise.
It was learnt that he will earn $1.5million this season of $6.5 million 3 years contract, but only the 1st two years are fully guaranteed and the last year contract will be awarded upon the teams’ discretion.
This is an unusual formula in NBA as teams normally don’t exercise the same rules with the management and players. They pay generously to the top-flight NBA coaches and front office staff.
Tom Thibodeau was naturally browned off after this all and sources close to him concurred that.
"Thibodeau associates privately insist the NBA's reigning Coach of the Year is dismayed he hasn't been offered a more lucrative extension after signing a modest two-year contract with a team option when he joined the Bulls."
Even though the franchise has maintained that Tom’s option will be picked up eventually but they haven’t reworked his contract after he became the fastest coach in league history to win 100 games early this season.
However the former Boston Celtics coach who was paid $900,000 last year refrained from giving any incendiary statements.
"I don't know where that's coming from," Thibodeau said after Bulls, 83-71 victory over Detroit Pistons. "I'm not worried about any of that stuff. I'm under contract. I'm fine with everything here."
The 54 years old has rendered a long service to the game of basketball, he started his professional career with Minnesota Timberwolves as an assistant coach under Bill Musselman in 1989. Since then he performed various coaching roles for San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks.
In 2007 he was named as the associate head coach for Boston Celtics, uplifting them as one of the best defensive team in the league. He went on to assume the head coaching responsibilities for Toronto Raptors.
Finally he took over as head coach for Bulls on 23 June 2010 and despite the fact he became the fastest coach on March 19, 2012 to bank 100 victories in just 130 games, Bulls keep on canoodling with his contract.
Chicago have won 42 and lost only 11 games in this season and there is no visible reason to refrain from the extension of his contract. Tom doesn’t discuss these affairs with the team normally but the players are also hoping that the contract status gets worked out sooner than later. Carlos Boozer commented on the situation.
"He doesn't talk about that stuff, but we need to get him an extension ASAP,"
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